The phrase ' not a hill to die on'

easylemonsqueezy · 2025-01-21T18:39:11+00:00

Makes me want to punch a wall. That is all.

7ft1garysson · 24/01/2025 12:16

SunshineAndFizz · 21/01/2025 19:42

I like it.

What about 'pick your battles', do you prefer that?

Better

mewkins · 23/01/2025 13:47

I agree. Not as bad as circus/monkeys.

Both sound smug and annoying though.

FoxtonFoxton · 23/01/2025 13:41

Alconleigh · 23/01/2025 13:06

As per PP I've no idea why you think this is people trying to be trendy or cool as it's an old, and quite old fashioned phrase. Unless my gran was trying to be cool........

My nan also used it a lot, and she died 4 years ago in her 80s. It's where I got it from.

Alconleigh · 23/01/2025 13:06

As per PP I've no idea why you think this is people trying to be trendy or cool as it's an old, and quite old fashioned phrase. Unless my gran was trying to be cool........

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 23/01/2025 12:57

ThisUsernameIsNowTaken · 22/01/2025 10:32

You have a filthy mind.

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It wasn’t my mind that produced it, but a military historian writing about the Napoleonic wars

PointsSouth · 23/01/2025 12:56

Collette78 · 21/01/2025 19:35

I like it … but I say “it is what it is” a lot and people don’t like that either 😂

In the corporate consulting world 'it is what it is' usually comes from a project manager and it means 'if we looked into this, we'd discover that it was entirely my fuck-up, so we're not going to.'

It's usually followed by 'The important thing now is to pull together as a team and focus on achieving the best possible outcome for the client'.

Which means "I won't be on-site much for the next month or two, but I'll be sending you lot a whole bunch of extra work to do, and I want it to look good in the weekly updates."

ZenNudist · 22/01/2025 23:12

I like it. I like the origins of it. Its not a modern phrase. I like history resonating through little phrases like this. People use other military phrases.

Why get so annoyed at the rich tapestry of our language?

Thedogscollar · 22/01/2025 23:12

I've only ever seen it on here. Never heard anyone say it irl.
Think I prefer pick your battles.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 22/01/2025 23:05

easylemonsqueezy · 22/01/2025 20:23

It is usually used by people who want to sound ' trendy' or cool'
Like they reword their whole written statement to fit this annoying phrase in desperately.
It's so childish.

Really? I don’t think it’s remotely cool - my Grandmother used it, and she died over 20 years ago! It’s been in (relatively) common use all of my life, and I’m in my 50s! It even went through a phase of being ‘corporate speak’, but it’s far too clear for that nowadays 🤣🤣

What is slightly different IME is that it’s generally a spoken phrase, and this is mainly a text based forum.

CeceliaImrie · 22/01/2025 21:54

I don't like it, I don't really understand why it's become a thing.

Cluedoless · 22/01/2025 21:48

I'm not sure op but i guess you need to pick your battles.

Greyish2025 · 22/01/2025 21:15

easylemonsqueezy · 22/01/2025 21:12

But the people most commonly using it know not of this and just think it's cool to quote.
My point exactly

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@JaninaDuszejko point was not at all the same as yours, it was completely different, she was disagreeing with you as have other people

Rachmorr57 · 22/01/2025 21:14

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster

easylemonsqueezy · 22/01/2025 21:12

JaninaDuszejko · 22/01/2025 20:42

But it's not trendy or cool, it's old. Hemingway used in 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' and it's referencing much older military battles, most probably the Spartans last stand at Thermopylae against the Persians under Darius.

But the people most commonly using it know not of this and just think it's cool to quote.
My point exactly

OP posts:

JaninaDuszejko · 22/01/2025 20:42

But it's not trendy or cool, it's old. Hemingway used in 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' and it's referencing much older military battles, most probably the Spartans last stand at Thermopylae against the Persians under Darius.

Greyish2025 · 22/01/2025 20:31

easylemonsqueezy · 22/01/2025 20:23

It is usually used by people who want to sound ' trendy' or cool'
Like they reword their whole written statement to fit this annoying phrase in desperately.
It's so childish.

I don’t think it’s ‘trendy or cool’ at all, I think it quite an old fashioned saying
It’s definitely not childish, it’s actually quite mature.
But you seem like you have the temperament of someone that needs to be told it quite often

Original poster

easylemonsqueezy · 22/01/2025 20:23

It is usually used by people who want to sound ' trendy' or cool'
Like they reword their whole written statement to fit this annoying phrase in desperately.
It's so childish.

OP posts:

BebbanburgIsMine · 22/01/2025 15:52

@NewNeolithic

I just hate the word, it sounds far too formal to me, I don't know anyone who uses it, except on Mumsnet.

Maybe it's an English saying, I'm Scottish and never heard it used this way before.

Namechange2768 · 22/01/2025 12:08

I like it.

LadyDanburysHat · 22/01/2025 11:05

I had never heard this phrase before I joined MN, but I do like it. It sums up it's point pretty well.

ThisUsernameIsNowTaken · 22/01/2025 10:32

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 21/01/2025 23:30

I think there is more to object to military comments that allude to sex:
”Despite a vigorous thrusting offensive, the city proved impregnable”

You have a filthy mind.

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 22/01/2025 00:11

LBFseBrom · 22/01/2025 00:07

I think it is quite descriptive. People do struggle with issues and jobs, akin to climbing a steep hill and getting out of breath when very often, they don't have to, they are just putting pressure on themselves. I like the expression.

Apologies if you already know.

The “not a hill to die on” is of military origin.

It’s a warning to not charge up a hill towards an enemy on the high ground, because the odds are overwhelmingly that you will be slaughtered.

It means don’t choose to fight a battle you cannot win.

LBFseBrom · 22/01/2025 00:07

I think it is quite descriptive. People do struggle with issues and jobs, akin to climbing a steep hill and getting out of breath when very often, they don't have to, they are just putting pressure on themselves. I like the expression.

EerieSalamander · 21/01/2025 23:42

I like it

TwigletsAndRadishes · 21/01/2025 23:38

I really like it. I remember hearing it on MN for the first time about 15 years ago and thinking what a great saying it was. I've used it a few times myself since then. Funny how different people can rhave such different reactions to the same thing.