(entered for 03.16.06)

Meaning: something or someone who keeps you in check. Meaning and uses.
Rewrite 1: the old wrist and ankle restraint
Rewrite 2: the old warden and executioner
Rewrite 3: my old freedom-restraint system
Rewrite 4: my personal lockdown guard
Rewrite 5: The old work-gang chain

Comment: Some of these rewrites may work better than others, depending on your circumstances. Certainly, they raise the specter of Southern prison hospitality.

More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• "Boy Gets Girl," But Not Without Clichés : Reviews: Theatre and the Performing Arts.

Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.

Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.