You hit the nose on the head
Posted: September 23, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, correct, expressions, head, hit the nail on the head, malaphors, mixed idioms, nose, on the nose, words Leave a commentIf you type this malaphor on a google search, you get hundreds of responses, reflecting how often this malaphor is written/spoken. It is a blend of “hit it on the nose” and “hit the nail on the head”, both phrases meaning getting something exactly right. I suspect the confusion here is also prompted by two words that are both body parts and four letter words. It also could be from watching too many Three Stooges comedies.
Don’t air your dirty laundry in the closet
Posted: September 22, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, CLOTHING, PLACES, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, dirty laundry, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, out of the closet, skeletons in the closet, words 2 CommentsCertainly words of wisdom. This is a mash up of “don’t air your dirty laundry” (don’t reveal secrets publicly), “out of the closet” (a secret revealed to the public) and “skeletons in the closet” (deep secrets one does not want revealed), all referring to secrets. And of course dirty laundry often is collected in hampers in the closet so laundry and closet are word associations. On the other hand, maybe the speaker was being literal and recommending that dirty laundry in a closet will eventually make your closet smell….doubtful.
Don’t rock the trough!
Posted: September 21, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, THINGS | Tags: bite the hand that feeds you, blended idioms, compliance, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, passivity, rock the boat, words Leave a commentA personal favorite of mine (in fact it is the tagline under my picture), this is a mixture of “don’t rock the boat” (don’t upset people by trying to change the situation) and “feed at the trough” (getting something, usually money, without working), both describing passivity and compliance. This malaphor is unusual in that the combination actually is closer in definition to a third phrase – “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” (don’t criticize the person or organization that helps or pays you).
He’s feathering his own bed
Posted: September 19, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, PLACES, THINGS | Tags: avarice, blended idioms, expressions, feather your own nest, greed, make your own bed, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 1 CommentA mash up of “feathering your own nest” (looking after your own interests, particularly material ones) and “make your own bed” (to be the cause of one’s own misery). This is an interesting malaphor, as it combines an expression of greed with one that indicates a person must deal with his/her own actions – in this case, avarice. As a result, I like this one better than “feathering his own pockets” (see blog entry 9/2/12)), a combo of two similar meaning idioms. The speaker may also have been thinking down or feathered pillows/bed when he uttered this confused expression. See also topic #11 in the Malaphors in the Media page on this website for a quote using this malaphor.
It was a case of the tail biting the dog
Posted: September 18, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, ANIMALS, BODY PARTS | Tags: bark worse than his bite, blended idioms, dog, expressionis, malaphors, mixed idioms, tail wagging the dog, wag, words 2 CommentsI think this is a mash up of “tail wagging the dog” (a situation where a small part is controlling the whole of something) and “his bark is worse than his bite” (person seems more hostile than he really is). The latter includes the visual of a dog biting and hence the confusion. I say think because there are other possible explanations for the mix up. My “ol pal” thinks the phrase “man bites dog” (aphorism in journalism which describes how an unusual, infrequent event is more likely to be reported as news than an ordinary, everyday occurrence) is involved since it evokes a visual of both parties biting. There is also the phrase “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” (don’t treat someone badly who is helping you). I guess this is an unsolved “case”. Any other suggestions?
She got off on a sour foot
Posted: September 17, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, sour note, words, wrong foot Leave a commentThis is a blend of “strike a sour note” (signify something unpleasant) and “off on the wrong foot” (starting something, like friendship, with negative factors, both indicating something unpleasant or, as my “ol pal” says, leaves someone with a bad taste in his/her mouth. Perhaps the speaker was referring to “the shoe pinches” malaphor posted a few days ago. My guess is if a shoe pinches it will result in a sour foot.
The project is going to pot in a handbasket
Posted: September 15, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, handbasket, hell in a handbasket, malaphors, mixed idioms, pot, words 1 CommentThis is a mash up of two similar meaning idioms – “going to pot” (declining or getting worse) and “going to hell in a handbasket” (a situation quickly headed to disaster). My guess is that the speaker did not want to say the word “hell” and so “pot” came to mind. Moreover, my notes indicate this phrase was spoken in the 70s, so it is possible that the speaker indeed had “pot” on his mind….
Let’s do it and listen to how the shoe pinches
Posted: September 14, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, CLOTHING, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, pinches, shoe, words 2 CommentsThis one is a little far-fetched for my taste, but it needs to be posted nonetheless. This is a mix up of “if the shoe fits” (an unflattering remark that is true so should be accepted) and probably “feel the pinch” (having less money), although the speaker may have just been thinking about ill-fitted shoes that pinch the toes and feet. Any other suggestions on this one would be appreciated.
Now we’ve got to flush out the skeleton
Posted: September 12, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, flesh out p, flush out, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 5 CommentsHeard at a meeting 25 years ago, it still plays well today. Actually, this is a fairly common malaphor, as flush is often used for flesh and vice versa. This is a mix-up of “flesh something out” (make something bigger or more detailed) and “flush something out” (to make something more obvious or force something out of hiding).
He threw a cold shoulder on the idea
Posted: September 5, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, cold shoulder, cold water, expressioins, malaphors, mixed idioms, snub 1 CommentClassic mix-up of “threw cold water on” (negative about something) and “turn a cold shoulder” (snub someone). Both expressions indicate negativity; “cold water” is negativity toward something and “cold shoulder” negativity toward someone. In this case, perhaps the speaker not only disliked the idea but the person expressing the idea as well?
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