I couldn’t make head or hair of it

Posted: July 23, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: hair, head, tail | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This classic is a mash up of “neither hide nor hair” (no sign of someone or something) and “can’t make heads or tails out of it” (unable to understand someone or something).  A big thank you to Yvonne Stam for hearing and sharing this malaphor.

It’s time to take the bull by the tail

Posted: March 5, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: bull, horns, tail | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This visual mash-up mixes “take the bull by the horns” (confront an issue openly) with probably “has the world by the tail” or “has a tiger by the tail”.   Heads and tails are part of the confusion, and I don’t think either end is preferable.  Thanks to Joseph Newcomer for sending this one to me!

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSvKU6HQtg6q_qWi9-ktO0cVHgk8BYyZCwDG5xIRAeakDnOqTTRiQ