Cliche's --- Cleeshays

Cleeshays (I don't know how to do the accent mark, yet) are scorned by some literary types. Hackneyed. Trite. Un-original.

I beg to disagree --- I like cleeshays. They provide a clear and concise way of saying just what you mean:

I'm sitting on top of the world; deader than a doornail; 'nuff said; tennis anyone? I'm game; par for for the course; wake up and smell the coffee; turning the screw; all screwed up, hit the nail on the head; beat's me; down and out; a bummer; the bum's rush; He's an SOB; what's the MO?
corny as Kansas in August; easy does it; that's life; slow down; speed up, the wretches of the Fourth Estate --- and so many, many more --- better ones.

Is there a dictionary of cleeshays and jargon? (Safire must know.)

See ya,

Ben