Talk:like a train
Latest comment: 12 years ago by -sche in topic RFV
RFV edit
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Rfv-sense: Quickly, speedily. I am skeptical about usage in this sense. DCDuring TALK 17:04, 2 February 2011 (UTC)
- I agree, and the given cite doesn't really support the sense, could also be "following a track", "with great force", any metaphor based on attributes of a train. - [The]DaveRoss 17:19, 2 February 2011 (UTC)
- "start like a train" is used a lot to mean "start quickly" as in "Manchester United started like a train, and were 2 - 0 after 20 minutes". I am doubting myself a bit, though. Mglovesfun (talk) 22:31, 2 February 2011 (UTC)
- Trains don't start quickly, so, by the misnomer principle, that would make it idiomatic. DCDuring TALK 23:37, 2 February 2011 (UTC)
- Ridiculously, I heard this on TV (Match of the Day) less than an hour after turning off the computer. I'm not sure that many definition is 100% accurate, but it does exist, doesn't it? And yes I remember having an argument with a trainspotter on the matter that trains actually start very slowly. Mglovesfun (talk) 11:07, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
- Is it possible that the sense you are referring to is (deprecated template usage) unstoppable or (deprecated template usage) forceful? I would describe a team which goes up 2-0 quickly as both of those things and trains also have both of those attributes. I have never heard the expression so this is just an idle thought. - [The]DaveRoss 11:48, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
- Ridiculously, I heard this on TV (Match of the Day) less than an hour after turning off the computer. I'm not sure that many definition is 100% accurate, but it does exist, doesn't it? And yes I remember having an argument with a trainspotter on the matter that trains actually start very slowly. Mglovesfun (talk) 11:07, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
- Trains don't start quickly, so, by the misnomer principle, that would make it idiomatic. DCDuring TALK 23:37, 2 February 2011 (UTC)
- "start like a train" is used a lot to mean "start quickly" as in "Manchester United started like a train, and were 2 - 0 after 20 minutes". I am doubting myself a bit, though. Mglovesfun (talk) 22:31, 2 February 2011 (UTC)
- Cited I think. I think it might be British only, I will try and bug Equinox when I next see him online. Mglovesfun (talk) 11:54, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
- TDR's suggestion seems to fit the cites. Does it fit the colloquial usage too? DCDuring TALK 13:31, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
- Apparently this isn't as common as I thought; maybe RFD it as a not-very-common simile. Mglovesfun (talk) 17:16, 17 February 2011 (UTC)
- TDR's suggestion seems to fit the cites. Does it fit the colloquial usage too? DCDuring TALK 13:31, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
- RFV-passed as cited. It may be submitted to WT:RFD as a simile if desired. - -sche (discuss) 20:00, 15 August 2011 (UTC)