Welcome to another scintillating chapter of the indispensable Dictionary of Clichés! 💡 Our phrase of the day? “Picking someone’s brain.” Let’s get cerebral:
Pick Someone’s Brain 🧠
Meaning: To seek ideas or information from another person, usually someone knowledgeable or imaginative.
Origin: This analogy, likening idea-gathering to picking a carcass clean, originated in the mid-nineteenth century. The phrase was first featured in literature thanks to cleric Benjamin Jowett (1817–93), when he pondered, “Do you possess the art of picking other people’s brains?” For an even more curious twist, explore “cudgel one’s brains,” or trying exceedingly hard to think.
Similar Terms & Expressions:
- Bounce ideas off (someone): Testing your ideas through conversation with others.
- Pick your (or someone’s) brains: Extracting useful knowledge meticulously.
- Taxing one’s brain: Intense mental effort, self-reflective.
- Racking one’s brain(s): Straining to remember or come up with something.
“Pick Your Brain” in Pop Culture
Quotes:
- “Can I pick your brain for just a minute?” — Oft-heard in workplaces and by characters wanting insight.
In Literature & Media 📚🎥🎶
- Books: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie – An expert in the same field might provide some reliable gems!
- Movies: Good Will Hunting - Will Hunting could sure ‘pick your brain’ in mathematics!
- Songs: Killing Me Softly with His Song by Roberta Flack describes someone metaphorically “strumming my pain with his fingers,” akin to getting deep into one’s thoughts.
Thank you for journeying through the cerebral playground of clichés with us! As you navigate the labyrinth of human communication, always remember: every conversation can be an opportunity to pluck a sparkling gem of wisdom. 💎
Author: W. T. Wittywords
Publishing Date: 2023-10-01
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” — Plutarch
