proverbial

Plural: proverbials

Adjective

• of or relating to or resembling or expressed in a proverb
  • "he kicked the proverbial bucket"
  • "the proverbial grasshopper"

Adjective Satellite

• widely known and spoken of
  • "her proverbial lateness"
  • "the proverbial absentminded professor"
  • "your proverbial dizzy blonde"

Adj

• Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
• Not used in a literal sense, but as the subject of a well-known metaphor.
• Widely known; famous; stereotypical.

Noun

• Used to replace a word that might be considered unacceptable in a particular situation, when using a well-known phrase.
• The groin or the testicles.

Examples

• Are you taking the proverbial?
• I grew up in a prefab house on Main Street in 1950s suburbia, the second and last child of a proverbial nuclear family.
• I think we should be prepared in case the proverbial hits the fan.
• proverbial spilled milk
• The beaver in this instance upheld the reputation of the proverbial one: her output was prodigious.
• The busyness of a beaver is proverbial.
• the proverbial smoking gun
• The visit was a warning shot across our proverbial bows
• You'll find they've got you by the proverbials.

Anagrams of proverbial