That’s just blood under the bridge
Posted: November 9, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, smell blood in the water, water under the bridge, words Leave a commentThis is a mixture of “water under the bridge” (something that has happened that cannot be changed) and I think “blood in the water” (exhibition of weakness from another party in a competitive situation). The speaker wanted to say water under the bridge but perhaps he was still very upset about an outcome he could not change (Karl Rove?).
Our son was just an apple in our eye
Posted: November 6, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS, FOOD | Tags: apple of his eye, blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, twinkle in his father's eye, words 1 CommentUttered by a high school English teacher. “That was back when our son was just an apple in our eye.” This is a mash up of “twinkle in his father’s eye” (before conception) and “apple of his/her eye” ((someone that is cherished above others). Thanks to Ann H. for hearing and forwarding this one.
He had his head between his legs
Posted: November 5, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, heads or tails, malaphors, mixed idioms, tail between his legs, words 4 CommentsWhen I heard this one, naturally I did a double take. The speaker meant to say “tail between his legs” (embarrassed from a loss) but apparently got the wrong part of the anatomy. He may have been thinking “heads or tails” or perhaps “head over heels” (excited), but my guess is that he was thinking “head up his ass” (conceited) considering who he was referring to. Nuff said.
I hit him right between the nose
Posted: November 3, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, on the nose, right between the eyes, words Leave a commentWonderful mash-up of “right between the eyes” and “on the nose”, both referring to exactitude. Facial features seem to be popular in malaphors….also expressions using animals.
Take the reins by the ears
Posted: October 18, 2012 Filed under: ANIMALS, BODY PARTS, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, bull by the horns, expressions, mixed idioms, reindeer, take the reins, words Leave a commentA fellow blogger, TerriblyWrite, and follower of this site sent this gem to me. She said her daughter’s boss uttered it, and when explained that it was a malaphor mix of “take the reins” and “take the bull by the horns”, he responded, “Oh, I thought it had something to do with reindeer.”
He wears it on his shoulder
Posted: October 17, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS, CLOTHING | Tags: blended idioms, chip on your shouder, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, wear it on your sleeve, words Leave a commentHeard near Brisbane, Australia. This is a blend of wearing it on your sleeve (showing your emotions) and chip on your shoulder (grudge shown openly). Malaphors are everywhere…
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.
Turn a deaf eye
Posted: September 20, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, blind, deaf, eye, fall on deaf ears, malaphors, mixed idioms, turn a blind eye Leave a commentThis amusing malaphor is a mash up of “turn a blind eye” (ignoring something) and “fall on deaf ears” (information ignored by the person it was intended for). Both idioms involve the act of intentionally ignoring important information, perhaps making the blended idiom more emphatic although patently absurd. Both idioms are also four words, and both contain senses and body parts, which could also have contributed to the confused outcome.
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.
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