I fall asleep at the drop of a dime
Posted: June 26, 2014 Filed under: ACTION, CLOTHING, dime, hat, sleep, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, congruent conflation, drop of a hat, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, stop on a dime, words 6 CommentsThis wonderful congruent conflation is a mash up of “at the drop of a hat” and “stop on a dime”, both meaning an action done instantly. Drop and stop are four letter words that rhyme, adding to the befuddlement. This beauty was heard at a court hearing. Kudos to Sam Edelmann for sending this one into Malaphor central!
You had to figure out what you were going to do on a dime’s notice
Posted: May 20, 2014 Filed under: dime | Tags: blended idioms, cnn, congruent conflations, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, on a moment's notice, prepared to turn on a dime, words 7 CommentsSteve Grieme, one of the best malaphor spotters around, heard a beauty on CNN last week. A guy was videotaping some of the raging wildfires in Southern California. In response to a reporter’s question about people fleeing from their homes, he said, “Fight of flight. You had to figure out what you were going to do on a dimes notice”. This is a congruent conflation of “moment’s notice” and “be prepared to turn on a dime”, both meaning to act quickly. Thanks Steve!
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1405/17/cnr.03.html
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