Door Clichés - Doors in Pop and Modern Culture, part 1
Far from being only a boring old simple noun, the word ‘door’ is probably one of the most metaphorically-used words in the English language, and is loaded with symbolism and meaning. It brings with it a sense of poetry, and a door can be your safety and protection, your captor, your privacy, your ticket to a different place, or all of the above at different times. With that in mind, we’re going to look at doors through the blog with all of their different meanings, in all of their associated clichés, look at their namesakes and what they are famous for.
Many of us use the word in clichés or aphorisms, to colour up our language. Here are some of the common door clichés:
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out!
Sounds like the sentiments of a helpful friend, doesn’t it! But this saying is quintessentially American, and with their talent for sarcasm, it actually means the opposite 
This saying means you are glad to see the person leave, and that you wish them every possible bad luck on their way! Another, rhyming version – ‘Don’t let the door hit you wher the Good Lord split you’.
At Death’s Door
I think this is a beautiful way to look at death – as the beginning of another room, another house, or another world. A door must have something on the other side. A much more positive way of thinking about it than becoming food for worms (grateful as those worms may be), or being a candle that was snuffed out.
Slicker than snot on a door knob / Slicker than deer guts on a door knob
Eeewwww… in a way, these are one of the best door clichés, although the most disgusting! In most cases they would refer to a person who is sleazy, slimy and disingenuous – and the feeling you get from imagining using a door knob covered in deer guts is probably exactly the feeling the author intended convey about speaking to one of these sleazy people!
About as useful as a screen door on a submarine
There are different versions of this saying all over the world, and they can refer to people or to objects. The Australian version is ‘About as useful as tits on a bull’ ;D Incidentally, I was confused by that at first – would a bull with tits be great! Everything in the one animal. Then I realised that tits on a bull might make getting milk into an extreme sport, where many lose their lives and only the strong survive!
Shut the door – were you born in a tent / barn?
I think this one is funnily enough only ever used once you become a parent. Then it is often directed at your own kids, when ironically you would have a very definite idea of whether they came into this world in a tent or barn! Incidentally, the famous poet Henry Lawson was born in a tent on the Aussie Goldfields in the 1800s.
Dumb as a door knob
We beg to differ on this one. We have many smart door knobs
Dead as a doornail
Yes, doornails aren’t alive … but then again, this one is a bit of a mystery since there are also many other things that aren’t alive. It has some alliterative value with the two d’s in there, but then again, you could be dead as Dangermouse or dead as a DVD … and in fact, ‘dead as a dodo’ is an alternate version of this that makes much more sense. If anyone is privy to the logic behind these, feel free to give us a yell!
So there you go! Surely there are many more, and please feel free to add your own down the bottom. If we collect enough of them, we can make a Door Clichés #2 post…
Photo credits: Graffiti Door by Ali
2 Responses to “Door Clichés - Doors in Pop and Modern Culture, part 1”
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Hey how about ‘kick in the door’? Is that a cliche?
Sure is Pam - I think it is also a pretty cool song by Skunkhour.