They won by a long margin
Posted: February 3, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, incongruent conflation, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOverheard in a doctor’s waiting room. A game show was on tv and one of the patients shouted this mashup at the tv. This is an incongruent conflation (two idioms with opposite meanings) of “by a long shot” (something that has a very small chance of succeeding) and “by a wide margin” (by a large amount). Incongruent conflations are rare. So, a huge shoutout to Anthony Kovacs for hearing this one and sending it in!
On the edge of very thin ice
Posted: January 31, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, The Rookie, words Leave a commentThe Rookie, Season 7, episode 3. The precinct captain was chastising two rookie officers who disregarded commands from their superiors, yet still saved the day. Doesn’t seem intentional. This is a congruent conflation of “on the edge” and “on thin ice”, both meaning to get precariously close to danger. A big thanks to Verbatim for hearing this one!
We’re all in the same shoes
Posted: January 27, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Trump, words Leave a commentOn a conference call, federal employees were discussing how Trump’s executive orders would affect them. One of them uttered this mashup of “in the same boat” (in the same situation or sharing the same problem) and “in someone else’s shoes” (experiencing or seeing something from someone else’s point of view). This one reminds me of the 2017 Malaphor of the Year, “Welcome to my shoes”. https://malaphors.com/2017/01/02/welcome-to-my-shoes/
A big thanks to Katie Norwood for hearing this one!
Gimme a joke!
Posted: January 16, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, Hegseth, humor, language, malaphors, Markwayne Mullin, mixed idioms, Trump, words 1 CommentAt the Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was defending nominee Pete Hegseth, admonishing the Democrats for grandstanding and what he viewed as hypocrisy. After citing a few examples, he exclaimed, “Gimme a joke!”
This is a beautiful congruent conflation of “gimme a break!” and “what a joke!”, both expressions used to exasperation or disbelief. Many thanks to Daniel and to Mike Kovacs for sending this one in promptly.
Sowing roots
Posted: January 15, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Andrea Heckler, expressions, humor, idioms, malaphors, words 1 CommentThis incongruent conflation was uttered by Andrea Heckler in her podcast entitled “The Struggle to Settle Down”. As soon as she said “sowing roots” she caught herself, making it clearly unintentional and so it qualifies. You can hear the mashup at 8:32 of the podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoeJfViCtMI
This is a mix of “putting down roots” (settling down) and “sowing (one’s) oats” (engaging in rebellious behavior in one’s youth before settling down). As I mentioned, this is a rare incongruent conflation as it mixes two idioms with opposite meanings. It’s possible “sowing the seeds of (something)” (doing something that ensures an outcome in the future) is in the mix.
A big thanks to Pierre Abbat for hearing this one and sending it in.
I feel like I’m just eating my foot
Posted: January 13, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis one was overheard in a conversation where a person was talking about having a problem saying inappropriate things recently. It’s a mashup of “eating my words” (admit that something you said before was wrong) and “putting (one’s) foot in (one’s) mouth” (unintentionally say something foolish or tactless). Props to Andy Jacobs for hearing this one and sending it in!
Pry my dead body from this place
Posted: January 10, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, Hell's Kitchen, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentAnn Marie Stauber, a contestant on season 23 of Hell’s Kitchen, uttered this nice mashup of “pry it from my cold dead hands” (absolutely unwilling to give up something) and “over my dead body” (opposes something and will do anything to prevent it from happening). Both idioms involve an absolute prevention and both contain the word “dead”. Kudos to Anthony Kovacs for hearing this one and sending it in!
Without a question of a doubt
Posted: January 8, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 1 CommentThe announcer in the Giant Slalom race in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, said that the leader was way out in front, and that it was “her race to lose without a question of a doubt”. You can hear the malaphor at the nine minute mark:
https://www.skiandsnowboard.live/video/oPd3pmnJyhxN~9vDktieTk~vaYs4_xGp8
This is a congruent conflation of “without a doubt” or “without a shadow of a doubt” and “without question”, both expressing strong conviction or certainty about something. A big thank you to Hollis for hearing this gem and sending it in!
How long will they pull the smoke over people’s eyes?
Posted: January 6, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 93.7 the Fan, expressions, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis beauty was heard on the Pittsburgh sports radio talk show, 93.7 The Fan. “Bob from Freeport” called in about how Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are just not that good, and he uttered this nice congruent conflation of “pull the wool over (someone’s) eyes” and “smoke and mirrors”, both describing deception or trickery. This one is similar to a prior malaphor posting, “He pulled the rug over their eyes”. https://malaphors.com/2016/06/08/he-pulled-the-rug-over-their-eyes/ A big shout out to Brian Steffes for hearing this one.
You hit the nail on the point
Posted: January 3, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, wordplay, words Leave a commentThis malaphor was overheard in a Zoom meeting where the contributor’s boss was talking to a consultant who is helping the company increase sales. This is a mashup of “hit the nail on the head” (precisely correct or accurate) and “to the point” or “on point” (focused on or related to the crux of a particular topic). “Hitting the nail on the head” seems to get messed up a lot. For example, I have posted other variations such as “You hit the nail on the button” https://malaphors.com/2022/05/02/you-hit-the-nail-on-the-button/ and “You put your finger on the nail” https://malaphors.com/2020/01/02/you-put-your-finger-on-the-nail/.
A big thanks to frequent malaphor contributor Verbatim for hearing this one and sending it in!
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