I heard a pretty cool piece on NPR the other day about the phrase describing one apple’s ability to spoil the whole bunch. Originally, the expression went that one apple could could ruin the entire bunch, as it once referred literal spoiled apples. Later, as the phrase became more figurative, its antithesis gained popularity and now we more often hear about one bad apple not being able to spoil the whole bunch. So this may not exactly what the OP is calling for, but close enough.
(emphasis mine). Do you have any links to popular usages in this manner? I don’t recall ever hearing in this context. To me, one bad apple will still almost always spoil the bunch.
Yeah, I’ve never heard that one before either.
Actually, I was referring to a sentence out of an old novel I read once (no cite.)
Remembering it, I was struck by how modern technology made that scene look almost ridiculous today (modern telephones being pretty poor weapons,) and inspired me to look for other examples.
The “Tea Party” used to be the one in Boston in 1773.
“of all time”
writers used to write this referring to past, present and future. now it’s past to present. :rolleyes:
Yes. 
Inconceivable!
I had the same reaction when I read about Anne Shirley and her friend Leslie lying on the floor “making love” to Anne’s baby son in Anne’s House of Dreams.
“Don’t touch that dial!”
The what, now?
Referring to TV sets, but also referring back to telephone anachronisms. Millions of people still call themselves “dialing a number” every day.
That’s what originally inspired me to post. Neither phones nor TVs have dials anymore.
And we still “hang up” phones. On what?
Yes, he was making love to me, but there was nothing improper about our intercourse," use to mean “He was wooing me, but there was nothing improper in our conversation.”
Wouldn’t it still hurt, though? Not a little cell phone but a landline. They’re smaller, too, but I wouldn’t like it if someone threw a landline phone at me.
, she ejaculated.
“Mailing it in”. It used to mean not going to very much effort. But nowadays finding a stamp, writing something on a piece of paper, sealing it in an envelope, and walking all the way to the mailbox sounds like a lot of work.
I’ve never heard that phrase before. I’ve heard “phoning it in”, which sounds nearly as archaic.
I’m going to say “Hazel.”
I’ve also never heard of “mailing it in”, but “phoning it in” is still in use. It means “this person didn’t even bother to do this in person”.
I’ve heard it used more in performing arts. “The actors put on an electrifying performance, but Keanu Reeves was just phoning it in.” That doesn’t mean that he didn’t bother to show up, rather that his performance was little more than reading the lines.