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Tanstafl
"No such thing as a free lunch" (alternatively, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch", "There is no such thing as a free lunch" or other variants) is a popular adage communicating the idea that it is impossible to get something for nothing. The acronyms TANSTAAFL, TINSTAAFL, and TNSTAAFL are also used. The phrase was in use by the 1930s, but its first appearance is unknown. The "free lunch" in the saying refers to the formerly common practice in American bars of offering a " free lunch" in order to entice drinking customers. The phrase and the acronym are central to Robert A. Heinlein's 1966 science-fiction novel '' The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress'', which helped popularize it. The free-market economist Milton Friedman also increased its exposure and useSafire, William, ''The New York Times'', 2-14-199"On Language; Words Left Out in the Cold" /ref> by paraphrasing it as the title of a 1975 book,Friedman, Milton, ''There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch'', Open Court Publishin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adage
An adage (; Latin: adagium) is a memorable and usually philosophical aphorism that communicates an important truth derived from experience, custom, or both, and that many people consider true and credible because of its longeval tradition, i.e. being handed down generation to generation, or memetic replication. Variations and nature An adage may warn against a failure to plan, be interesting observations, ethical rules, or skeptical comments on life in general, such as "do not count your chickens before they hatch", "do not burn your bridges", and . Some adages are products of folk wisdom that attempt to summarize a basic truth; these are generally known as "proverbs" or "bywords". An adage that describes a general moral rule is a "maxim". A pithy expression that has not necessarily gained credibility by tradition, but is distinguished by especial depth or excellent style is denominated an "aphorism", while one distinguished by wit or irony is often denominated an "epigra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |