"get a life or die trying"

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Blacktoiletroll

#461442 Mon, 07 Jan 08 02:27 PM

What does this quote "Get a life or die trying" mean?

thanks

Blacktoiletroll

Joined on Mon, Dec 31 2007

New Member (07)

Delmobile

#461445 Mon, 07 Jan 08 02:36 PM

"Get a life" means to pursue something fulfilling or worthwhile. It is usually used in a disparaging way---for example, if someone is complaining about a petty issue, you might say, "For God's sake, Paul, does it really matter if you think the neighbors' new pink geraniums don't look good against their red house? You need to get a life!" In other words, if the person has something meaningful to think about, he will stop concerning himself with trivial matters.

"Die trying" is an exaggerated way of saying "to try really hard." In other words, you will use your last ounce of strength to accomplish the goal.

Putting these two expressions together is playing on the fact that they both involve the concept of "life."

Delmobile

Joined on Wed, Jan 2 2008

Mobile, AL, USA

Regular Member (532)

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Yankee

#461447 Mon, 07 Jan 08 02:38 PM

Hi BTR

'Get a life' is idiomatically used to suggest that someone should make his/her life more productive and/or interesting. The addition of 'die trying' means that the person is never going to give up trying (i.e. is going to try very hard) to do something.

Yankee

Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006

Connecticut, USA

Senior Member (4,157)

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Clive

#461716 Tue, 08 Jan 08 05:39 AM

Hi,

The phrase you quote sounds a little awkward, because 'get a life' is positive advice. but '. . . or die trying' is usally added at the end of some bad, negative, melodramatic advice.

Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was the name of a CD and movie by the rapper called 50 Cent . The phrase has since beome quite popular as part of 'street talk'. It suggests gangsters, drug dealers, bad guys, who are going to get rich by bad methods or die trying because they value their lives very little.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

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El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

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Delmobile

#461720 Tue, 08 Jan 08 05:54 AM

I don't think of "die trying," that way, Clive. (Of course, while I have heard of 50 Cent, I am not familiar with his oeuvre.) I can imagine using it in a facetious, almost light-hearted way to express strong determination: "I am going to pull every last piece of nutgrass in this flowerbed, or die trying."

And while "get a life" may be positive advice, I've never heard it used as anything but a mild ribbing at the least, an insult at the worst.

The easiest way for me to imagine this combination is if the speaker is referring to himself. "Another Saturday night, and I'm sitting on my ass on this crummy futon, watching television and eating junk food---alone! I swear to God, in 2008 I'm going to get a life, or die trying!"

Delmobile

Hummingbird

#461774 Tue, 08 Jan 08 11:32 AM

You're right ,,Delmobile,,

you're explanation makes sense ,,

Hummingbird

Joined on Sat, Dec 1 2007

Junior Member (52)

Education is the best defense against the media..