APAD: The plot thickens

最西边的岛上
楼主 (文学城)


The idiom "the plot thickens" was coined in the 1671 satirical play "The Rehearsal" by George Villiers (the second Duke of Buckingham), where it originally used to describe the plot of a play that was overly intricate. By the late 1800s it was used for increasingly complex mysteries in detective stories.

Today, "the plot thickens" is often used ironically or half-humorously to indicate that a situation is becoming more intricate or unexpected.

The phrase is sometimes parodied as "The plot sickens." You may also hear "the plot thins" - usually uttered after a major Anti-Climax.

- online source with editing
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Received an email from a friend yesterday describing a new issue she is facing.  The idiom was mentioned in there to express her feeling.  

That really got me thinking: the world is a big stage with so many ongoing plots, some big, some small, and some at a personal level. As the Bard of Avon once said:  "All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; ..."

So, I'm sure we all have run into, or have seen, or are watching "the plot thickens" events in our lives and on the world stage.  Actually my laptop went for a "nap" when I was writing this APAD and didn't want to wake up, likely to avoid facing the thickened plots. 

Have a good Friday!

硅谷居士
Thanks! I'm a big fun of detective books/movies.
硅谷居士
Especially those with thick plots.
最西边的岛上
me2 since start reading when young :-). The world is more
最西边的岛上
interesting bcuz of them !!!
7
7grizzly
In school, we kids used to fight and the plot usually
7
7grizzly
sickened when someone got the teacher involved.
最西边的岛上
hahahaha, been 2 these Plots 2, but it was the teachers who
最西边的岛上
got me involved ;-))
暖冬cool夏
A good one! As we age, every plot in life will thin out:)
最西边的岛上
haha, bcuz we r wiser and can see better? ;-))
暖冬cool夏
That way, the way towards our end will be light:)
7
7grizzly
Do not go gentle into that good night.
7
7grizzly
怎么出事的总是你?:-)))
最西边的岛上
Agreed :-). “一年好景君须记,最是橙黄橘绿时。” — 苏轼
最西边的岛上
guilty as charged ;-) tho not my fault @all. :-((
暖冬cool夏
Ok,let's be boisterous then before we go to bed(deathbed):))
移花接木
I myself got thickened after watching today's politics.

Made a list of questions, and look for policies of the two parties.

最西边的岛上
"truth is stranger than fiction":-). Mine voting choice is

very simple: strategic voting !

It's not about who to vote for, but who I don't want to vote