I've never heard of this idiom before today and thought it was an especially curious one. What's the origin of calling the cheap seats the nosebleed seats at the theater?
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What's the reason for calling cheap seats at the theatre nosebleed seats?
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The idea is that the seats are so high up that you will get a nosebleed from the altitude (i.e. the air is so much thinner). It is an example of hyperbole.
answered Jul 12 '11 at 14:22
Robusto
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It's an exaggeration of the altitude of said seats. High altitude can cause nose bleeds in some people.
answered Sep 22 '11 at 22:18
Gnawme
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What's the reason for calling cheap seats at the theatre nosebleed seats?
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The idea is that the seats are so high up that you will get a nosebleed from the altitude (i.e. the air is so much thinner). It is an example of hyperbole.
answered Jul 12 '11 at 14:22
Robusto
82.7k12158318
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@mplungian: At a hockey game, any seat is potentially in the nosebleed section. ^_^ - Robusto Jul 12 '11 at 15:00
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