Brave

[jocasta]

Do you agree that the most overused word in the country lately is "Brave" ? Most recently this word was used to describe Paula Radcliffe running in the marathon..did I miss something? where did she rescue a small child from a burning house???? Am i wrong?? (also apparently she got paid �250k for it. I think I could do it for thaqt money)

[bobtheduck]

i agree brave is people in a cancer ward or the soldiers in world war two not some whining overpaid overhyped runner who never wins when it matters 

[NoGood Boyo]

"it matters", bobtheduck?

[BUNNY]

Couldn't agree more.

[bobtheduck]

the oympics matter not the new york marathon

[secretspirit]

It's on a par with miracle, when you think about the origins of that word it's grossly overused now.

[Philtaz]

I agree.  With Remembrance Sunday shortly upon us it is almost obscene to use the word 'brave' for sporting achievement when so many millions through the years have shown bravery whilst making the ultimate sacrifice.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Nobody's Hero - Rush (Counterparts)

I knew he was different in his sexuality
I went to his parties as a straight minority
It never seemed a threat to my masculinity
He only introduced me to a wider reality
As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that he was gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart

But he's nobody's hero
Saves a drowning child
Cures a wasting disease
Hero...lands the crippled airplane
Solves great mysteries
Hero...not the handsome actor
Who plays a hero's role
Hero...not the glamour girl
Who'd love to sell her soul
If anybody's buying
Nobody's hero

I didn't know the girl, but I knew her family
All their lives were shattered in a nightmare of brutality
They try to carry on, try to bear the agony
Try to hold some faith in the goodness of humanity
As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that she was gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart

But she's nobody's hero
Is the voice of reason against the howling mob
Hero...is the pride of purpose
In the unrewarding job
Hero...not the champion player
Who plays the perfect game
Hero...not the glamour boy
Who loves to sell his name
Everybody's buying
Nobody's hero

As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that you were gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart

But he's nobody's hero
Saves a drowning child
Cures a wasting disease
Hero...lands the crippled airplane
Solves great mysteries
Hero...not the handsome actor
Who plays a hero's role
Hero...not the glamour girl
Who'd love to sell her soul
If anybody's buying
Nobody's hero

[mike1222]

Totally agree - the other most overused word is "hero"

[Andrew_2004]

I'd say that OK was the most iverused! cos its the most popular word in languages around the world. "OK" originated in a joke in the 1830's, spelled "oll korrekt" in Boston newspapers, the joke being, both words were incorrect. It became so popular, that it was soon abbreviated to simply "O. K." Despite its popularity, the word would have fallen by the wayside had not Martin van Buren, called "Old Kinderhook" for being born in Kinderhook, N.Y. used it in his presidential reelection campaign of 1840. So don't "misunderestimate" the impact of presidential usage on the growth of our vocabulary. (Unless ole G.W himself starts adding to it!)

[georgit79]

It's not the most overused, it is used wrongly though. Paula Radcliffe being a case in point. Us Brits love to have our "heroes and heroines" though, don't we?!

[Bangkok]

 

Keith Miller was probably the best Aussie all round cricketer, who also flew in the war....

"I'll tell you what pressure is. Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse. Playing cricket is not."
The late Keith Miller puts life in perspective

 

The principle holds..

[snook]

Agreed. Massively overused. The one that really stands out for me though is 'hero'. I recently found out what my dad did during the war (1945) and it could virtually be used as a definition for the word. He never mentioned it. Now anyone who does the merest thing is a 'hero', and it annoys me, because it debases real heroism. The men away fighting, and the women left at home keeping a family together with virtually no money coming in and getting bombed night after night - I think they're the heroes, not the Gazzas and the Beckhams. Give me a break!

[twiglet4frog]

anyone use a dictionary?? two edged sword there i am afraid, i quote:

Hero: A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life

A person noted for special achievement in a particular field

 

so for a hero, she may not run the marathon while being bombed and shot at but technically she is making a speacial achievement of winning the blooming thing in the particular field of athletic achievement

Whereas Brave

Brave:

Possessing or displaying courage; valiant.
Making a fine display; impressive or showy: �a coat of brave red lipstick on a mouth so wrinkled that it didn't even have a clear outline� (Anne Tyler).
Excellent; great: �The Romans were like brothers/In the brave days of old� (Thomas Macaulay).

To which she may not be couragous or valiant but she was impressive and showy to win yet another major athletic event.

 

I under stand where people are coming from with this and i agree that the press tend to beef up people for achievements that are considered irrelavent(marathon running) compared to true human achievements(black watch in Iraq) and i dont like stirring up arguements but if people are going to state that words are overused without actually checking in a dictionary to see if the words used were technically acceptible for the purpose they were used then i am afraid they are open to criticism.