idiom "Talk until blue in the face"

[bmo]

"Talk until one is blue in the face." Which of the following is correct?

1. Talk so much until you are tired,
2. Talk so much until you are exasperated,
3. You are talking a lot, but your intended target doesn't budge.

What would your definition be?

Thanks. BMO

[Red5]

I would say definition #2.

[Tdol]

I agree.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by bmo

"Talk until one is blue in the face." Which of the following is correct?

1. Talk so much until you are tired,
2. Talk so much until you are exasperated,
3. You are talking a lot, but your intended target doesn't budge.

What would your definition be?

Thanks. BMO

I think "blue in the face" points to #2 more than #1. (The third one would be the cause more than the explanation.)

Re:

• Talk so much until you are tired.

Better:

• Talk until you are tired.

Re:

• Talk so much until you are exasperated.

Better:

• Talk to the point of exasperation.

Re:

• You are talking a lot, but your intended target doesn't budge.

Better:

• You talk a great deal, but to no effect.

[bmo]

Thanks to Tdol and RonBee. BMO

[MW]

"Talk until one is blue in the face."

Useless. It does not matter if you talk without stopping to breathe, what you are saying will have no effect.

[bmo]

Thanks.

BMO