The expression is used a lot in sports, as evidenced by the two examples we have gone through here. But it can be used, always figuratively of course in other areas as well.

Here are examples (all culled from media headlines) – see if you can figure out the messages (of disappoint, frustration, embarrassment, ridicule) hidden underneath:

1. Gamecocks lay an egg in loss to UConn, 20-7 (KnoxNews.com, January 3, 2010).

2. Don’t lay an egg with food inspection reform (JournalTimes.com, August 25, 2010).

3. Financials Lay an Egg (TheStreet.com, January 19, 2011).

4. Best of the Web Today: Birthers Lay an Egg (WSJ.com, July 28, 2009).

5. Birthers Lay an Egg - Without dissent, the House declares President Obama a native of Hawaii (WSJ.com, July 28, 2009).

About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

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