Innovation

Cutting Edge

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Derived from the literal sharpness of a blade, this term evolved through the 19th and 20th centuries to describe the forefront of technological advancement. Originally referring to the effectiveness of a tool, the metaphor shifted toward the abstract frontiers of science and industry. It suggests that true innovation requires the ability to slice through existing … Read more

Steal Someone’s Thunder

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This originates from the 18th-century playwright John Dennis, who invented a new method of creating stage thunder, only to have it copied by a rival production. When Dennis’s own play failed, he noted that a subsequent production of Macbeth utilized the exact mechanical “thunder-run” he had developed. His outcry—”They will not let my play run, … Read more