"Everton are literally a bag of Revels!"

Non-literal use of the word literally.

As time goes by, languages evolve and words which once meant one thing can gradually come to be used to mean something else. One such word which has changed it's meaning over the years is the word 'literally' ... and now it's official!

A Norwegian woman wearing her birthday suit.

The latest edition of the Oxford Dictionary includes an additional definition which acknowledges that when used informally, 'literally' can be ‘used for emphasis rather than being actually true’ such as ‘we were literally killing ourselves laughing’.

In honour of this linguistic update, I've listed below a few sporting examples which literally conjure up some strange images.  First of all, as you can see from this opening quote, child-birth must be absolute agony for Norwegian woman...

1) “You were up against the Norwegians who are literally born on skis.”
...Kate Silverton


2) “Everton are literally a bag of Revels.”
...Paul Merson


3) “Nethercott, literally standing in Le Tissier's pocket.”
... David Pleat


4) “England should literally put Algeria to bed.”
...Andy Townsend

Thierry Henry, pictured yesterday.

5) “When they came over the hill, Gelete Burka literally exploded.”
...Brendan Foster


6) “Thierry Henry was literally like a fish up a tree.”
...Lee Dixon


7) “I would never write Sri Lanka off. They can literally come out and set the crowd alight.”
...Michael Browning


8) “She went off so fast she literally died in the last 50 metres.”
...Sally Gunnell


9) “Arsenal literally finished the game after 15 minutes.”
...Ian Wright


10) “Paula Radcliffe is now literally chasing the clock.”
...Brendan Foster


11) “Manchester are literally slicing up Kiev here.”
...David Pleat

Alex McLeish welcomes a new addition to the family.

12) “Alex McLeish will have had kittens ... literally!”
...Chris Coleman


13) “He has literally thrown the kitchen sink at that delivery.”
...Shaun Udal


14) “Barcelona have promised their fans they will quite literally play out of their skins tonight.”
...Clive Tyldesley


And finally, no round-up would be complete without a quote from the master of 'literally' quotes, Jamie Redknapp...

15) “He's literally turned him inside out.”
...Jamie Redknapp

You can find more 'literally' quotes below:
"My stomach literally fell out of my body!"
"People are literally tearing their hair out!"