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What does the phrase “avoid the teeth” mean? It makes no sense to me.
Here is the context:

High School is just one big buzz saw that grinds people up into little byte-sized pieces. Some people just do a better job at avoiding the teeth.

I tried to find out what it means, using Google, reverso context and urban dictionary, but have found nothing.

Source: https://youtu.be/h8ZA40pwpMA?t=26s (0:26)

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  • Is there a clue in the caption to the video?
    – Will Crawford
    Commented Jun 7, 2018 at 16:07
  • @WillCrawford what do you mean?
    – user70960
    Commented Jun 8, 2018 at 9:06
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    Before you edited the rest of the quote into your question, I followed the link, and the first thing I saw was the description of the video, which is the first part of your quote, and I thought the "saw" part might be a hint about what the "teeth". Sorry :)
    – Will Crawford
    Commented Jun 8, 2018 at 11:08
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    It's a bit of a mixed metaphor - the teeth of a buzz-saw might feasibly chew you up, but they can't grind you up. That would be a millstone. Given how big a millstone is though, I can't see how the figurative usage a millstone around his neck (a great encumbrance) ever caught on.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Sep 21, 2022 at 17:09

1 Answer 1

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Your clip starts at 0.26 seconds into the episode. A few seconds earlier the voice-over says"

High School is one big buzz-saw that grinds people up into little pieces.

Obviously this should not be taken literally. It means that some people have a really hard time in High School.

Immediately after that the voice-over says the line that you are querying. So, "the teeth" she is referring to are the teeth of the buzz-saw. In other words, she is expecting to coast through High School without any of the major problems that other students will have.

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    To be clear, we call the sharp ridged edge of a saw the "teeth". blackburntools.com/articles/saw-tooth-geometry/images/rake.gif
    – Andrew
    Commented Jun 7, 2018 at 17:05
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    Technically it's the little ridges / peaks that we call the teeth ;o) Never heard anyone call the edge a "jaw" though.
    – Will Crawford
    Commented Jun 8, 2018 at 11:02
  • omg idk why, but it actually makes sense now when i rewatch this, i was just trying to understand this phrase out of context
    – user70960
    Commented Nov 27 at 6:52

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