# Taken literally...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 6, 2000, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310 "2000-08-06T07:18:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/1 "2000-08-06T07:18:28Z")

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The anatomical implications of the phrase “watch your head” are somewhat disturbing. Well, maybe you could cheat with a mirror, but you’re usually told this when you don’t have one readily available.

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**Author:** ![Zoing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zoing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoing)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/2 "2000-08-06T07:28:01Z")

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Good point. That’s sort of disturbing, actually.

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**Author:** ![Zoing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zoing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoing)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/3 "2000-08-06T07:29:08Z")

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I knew it - I read your “disturbing” phrase, then used it as my own! That ALWAYS happens! Errrrrgh. Let me think of an original thing to say.  
That’s quite interestingly odd.

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**Author:** ![DeathLlama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DeathLlama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeathLlama)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/4 "2000-08-06T07:43:13Z")

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Good point. It’s kinda odd, actually.

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**Author:** ![Zoing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zoing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoing)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/5 "2000-08-06T07:58:34Z")

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Actually, it’s kinda oddly disturbing.

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**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/6 "2000-08-06T08:21:12Z")

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Actually, if you’re a man, and you did take it literally, you’d be complying with the intent of the warning - ducking.

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**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2000, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-literally/28310/7 "2000-08-06T14:50:37Z")

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So what if you’re a man and you take the expression “Heads up” literally?