We use this term "literally" to attempt to give pizzazz to hackneyed metaphors. Oh, we think, if it’s old and decrepit, just glue "literally" to the phrase and suddenly it has life again.
Um, no.
(By the way, we do the same thing with "proverbial": It’s the proverbial ride into the sunset. Nope. Still an old cliche.)
Let me show you what I’m talkin’ ’bout, Willis:
I was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Only if you’re rock climbing.
That book made me literally drown in my own tears.
Maybe if you’re Alice in Wonderland.
My husband was literally driving me crazy!
Okay, so maybe that one’s true.
Point being, we here at L’Chaim support the reinstating of the true meaning of "literally."
Hear hear! I support it, too! Auuggghhhh!
‘kay. Sorry about that.
Oy. The misuse of that word drives me insane, literally. Along with wrongly placed apostrophes in the words “their’s/there’s” and “your/you’re.”