sports metaphors
Athletic language borrowed
Sports metaphors are figurative expressions borrowed from athletic competition and applied to other domains.
Business is rife with them: moving the goalposts, playing hardball, dropping the ball, hitting it out of the park.
Political coverage treats campaigns as contests with front-runners, underdogs, and candidates who punt on difficult questions.
The prevalence of sports metaphors in English reflects cultural values around competition, teamwork, and winning.
- game planPredetermined approach to winning
- slam dunkForceful basket from above
- home runFull-circuit scoring hit
- step up to the plateAssume responsibility when needed
- out of left fieldWholly unanticipated and startling
knockout · down for the count · goalpost · move the goalposts · ballpark · par for the course · curveball · drop the ball · huddle · team player · heavy hitter · front runner · underdog · long shot · playing field · fumble · tackle · sprint
- sports poetry
- Sports Literaturesportswriting, The Natural, Field of Dreams, Moneyball, Seabiscuit
sport, sports, sporting, sportive, sporty, sportsman, sportsmanship, metaphor, metaphors