“A Bad Apple”
Meaning
he Metaphorical Phrasal-Noun (a) “Bad Apple” — is used to refer to a person who is considered to be a “Bad” person. The Metaphor in this Phrasal-Noun is an Apple that is rotting — or “Going Bad”.
Classifications
s stated above — This is a Phrasal-Noun. This is because it is a Term which is only made-up-of two Words. So — even though this would be considered to be a Phrase in Traditional Grammar — in The Grammar Of The Common Tongue — it is in the a Phrasal-Form. And it functions as a Noun — so it is, therefore, a Phrasal-Noun.
his Phrasal-Noun is also Metaphorical because it is used to compare someone to an apple which is “Going Bad” — by literally saying that the person IS (a) “Bad Apple”. Therefore — Metaphorical. Contrary to popular belief — this “Phrasal” is NOT “an Idiom” — nor is it even Idiomatic.
Explanation
he very simple explanation above — That it is used to say that someone is “Bad” — is what most people understand this “Phrasal” to mean. However — there is more to it than that.
hen any piece of fruit starts to decompose, or “rot” — we say that is is “Going Bad” or has “Gone Bad”. And if that piece of fruit is being stored with other fruit. It will cause the other pieces of fruit to ALSO “Go Bad” — much more quickly than they would, normally.
of if we are to use this as a Metaphor to describe a person — then it must mean that the person ALSO — like the “Bad Apple” — has some ability to make OTHERS “Go Bad”. In-Other-Words — that person is not only considered “Bad”, him- or herself — but that person is ALSO considered to be a bad influence on OTHERS. And therefore — it is best to “Keep One’s Distance” from that “Bad Apple”.
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“When I was growing up — I was friends with the neighbor-kid ‘Eric’. He was a real ‘Bad Apple’. He was constantly doing bad things, and for some reason I was always the one who got in trouble for what he did — or at least for things that he talked me into doing with him. He always told his parents that it was MY idea! He was ‘Rotten To The Core’!”.
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“Going Bad”, “Keep One’s Distance”, & “Rotten To The Core” — Coming Soon!
And That’s That!
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