The phrase ' not a hill to die on'

[easylemonsqueezy]

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

I love it and say it often.

I like it. I'm really surprised that some people have only encountered it on Mumsnet, it's a pretty common phrase.

I hate ‘That is all’ .
Ditto.

How do you feel about “don’t fall on your sword”?

Think it’s just you OP

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

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.

I like it

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.

You have a filthy mind.

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

I like it.

@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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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?