Literature idioms

A list of idioms originating in specific works of literature.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Down the rabbit hole

Meant to become fixated on a particular subject to one's detriment.

When Raffaela Musiker was approached by Jean-Luc Picard to be a part of his latest mission, she initially declined, saying she did not want to go down another rabbit hole with him. (PIC: "The End is the Beginning")

Jae Hwang described how drug addiction could lead to going down dark rabbit holes. (PIC: "Disengage")

Bible

• See: Biblical references

Peter Pan

"Second star to the right...and straight on 'til morning"

In 2293, James T. Kirk quoted this phrase when Pavel Chekov asked what course heading they should take. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

Shakespeare

• See: William Shakespeare

Sherlock Holmes

Elementary, (my) dear ____

Meant that a conclusion was obvious.

In 2364, Data, after having studied Sherlock Holmes' cases, reasoned that the delegates aboard USS Enterprise-D were far too busy with their own affairs to have murdered Singh, adding, "It's elementary, my dear Riker. Sir." (TNG: "Lonely Among Us")

The Scarlet Letter

Scarlet letter

A scarlet letter was any quality or fact about a person that was seen as a mark of shame.

In 2022, La'an Noonien-Singh compared her Augment heritage to a scarlet letter. (SNW: "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow")