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What is Swallow a knife?
Verb. To put a spin on an old cliche to make it seem more original to your audience. Usually the spin is ridiculous and idiosyncratic, but sometimes it can totally redeem a passage.
The term comes from the old cliche of a spy cutting through the rope (s)he is caught up in with a knife that (s)he finds in her pockets that the guards did not pat down correctly. A writer might put a spin on the old cliche by having the spy vomit up the knife, thus making it at least somewhat original.
Writer: Did Josh finally fix the story?
Writer 2: Yeah, his explanation for why the character killed all of the bounty hunters went from "because they killed his family" to "because they were incredibly intelligent game show hosts on Mars.
Writer: Damn, he really knows how to swallow the knife.
Writer 2: Tell me about it.
Swallow a knife - video
Swallow a knife - what is it?
Something you say to someone who you are really pissed off at. Very cruel but still hilarious.
Mean kid: Hey Billy! Give me your lunch money.
Billy:Go swallow a knife, faggot.