He was over his depth
Posted: May 27, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized 4 CommentsFrom Barbara Tuchman’s 1972 Pulitzer Prize winning Stilwell and the American Experience in China: 1911-1945, Chapter 20, “We Ought to Get Out – Now”
Referring to Patrick J. Hurley, US Ambassador to China (1944-1945),
“Starting with breezy overconfidence, he was soon, for all his native shrewdness, over his depth.”
This is a congruent conflation of “over his head” and “out of his depth”, both meaning to be in a field or situation that exceeds one’s knowledge or ability. “Over” and “out” are confused in this one. Props to Martin Pietrucha who is never over his depth when it comes to finding malaphors.
Malaphors 
Iâd like to submit a malaphor. I was working with this guy on stress management. He described his stress this way: âIts like I got this 800 pound gorilla on my chestâ.
Patrick, therapist.
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Looking good Dave,
“Wegermens” or however oz spells it I trust he will lose
The polls indicate he is pretty far behind, but I never trust the polls….