Originally Posted by JohnD

"Boil your head"?
As an expression of exasperation at impenetrable pettifogging literalism?
Please may we have a list of words and expressions that in common conversation may be tolerated but which here are not?
OR else an American-English mild insult dictionary?

When the Prime Minister of the UK has told his own party's Euro MPs to 'boil their heads' (he was one that had to put up with a lot of impenetrable pettifogging) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ma...s-1358075.html
OR
is equivalent to "Shut up and go away" http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=t...esult&resnum=9
OR
was used by that well known and highly literate critic Bernard Levin as long ago as 1972: http://www.aam.co.uk/index.htm (third para)

does it gain in insult and offence by crossing the Atlantic?
So it would seem, as the same google search found refs from that side that made it equivalent to being told to procreate with oneself, or to procreate and leave.

I protest! And I appeal! Is there a higher court of moderators?

John