What phrase do you hate?. Chris of Cambridge's http://www.cynical-c.com/ asked that question a month ago, and by now more than 100 people have chimed in.

He led off, and updated:

I have two candidates.

It was meant to be. No, it wasn't meant to be. It just be. You can say that anything was meant to be after it happened because that's what happened!

At least he/she died doing what he/she loved. Personally, I'd like to do what I love without it being overshadowed by my impending demise.

Update:

I'm adding "It is what it is" to the list. Of course it is what it is. If it wasn't what it was then it wouldn't be what it is!

"It is what it is" is static on demand, a big fluffball when you don't want to say anything. Not for nothin'!

I grew up with a teacher father who winced at any qualification of "unique" -- like pregnant, it is or it isn't.

On the Journal desk as a baby editor I learned that the whole comprises the parts, so "It's comprised of... " has it backwards.

Fortunately, "tickled to death" -- extremely pleased -- seems itself to have died out in the last century.

But the phrase that controls my off switch is "At the end of the day..." I simply won't hear whatever your point is after that. I'm all squinched up, cringing.

",,,in any way, shape or form" is its thoughtless ancestor.

What scrapes your insulation away?