Under a lot of heat
Posted: August 19, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis was spoken by Bill Maher on Real Time with Bill Maher on the August 13 show (heard at 01:04:20). This is a congruent conflation of “facing or getting a lot of heat” and “under a lot of pressure”, both meaning to be facing or enduring a great amount of stress caused by some compelling influence. A big thanks to Frank King for once again hearing and sending in an excellent one.
Until the cows come home to roost
Posted: August 18, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis beauty was overheard at a meeting. The speaker meant to say chickens but after the word “until” was uttered (uddered?) the vision of cows appeared in his head. This incongruent conflation is a mix of “until the cows come home” (for a very long time, forever) and “the chickens come home to roost” (one’s previous actions will eventually have consequences). Barnyard animals clearly are the culprits here. A big thanks to Jonathan Eliot for sending this one in!
Toe a fine line
Posted: August 16, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis one was uttered by Julie Tsirkin on MSNBC a few days ago. It is a nice conflation of “toe the line” (adhere to the rules of something) and “walk a fine line between (something)” (to navigate between two sides or positions). One uses one’s toes to walk so perhaps that is where the idioms mixed. By the way, the term “toe the line” comes from track, when the runners in a race line up with their toes placed on the starting line or mark. It began to be used figuratively in the early nineteenth century. Another tip of the hat to Frank King who heard this one and shared it.
The veil is unraveling
Posted: August 14, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis one was seen on a political podcast about people realizing that the media are not always honest. It is a conflation of “lift/pull back the veil” (to expose the truth) and “things are unraveling” (a situation is becoming chaotic). A big thanks to Verbatim for spotting this one and sending it in!
I was out like a rock
Posted: August 9, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis one was heard during a conversation about how everyone slept the night before. This is a congruent conflation of “out like a light” and “slept like a rock”, both meaning to get a deep and restful sleep. “Slept like a log” is probably the most common idiom for restful sleep, but “slept like a rock” is also acceptable, as is “top” and “baby” as well. See also https://malaphors.com/2020/02/24/you-were-out-like-a-log/. A big thanks to Joanne Grieme for hearing this one and passing it on.
First off the bat
Posted: July 30, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chris Hayes, First off, MSNBC, right off the bat Leave a commentChris Hayes from MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes utters this one at the 1:40 mark:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in-with-chris-hayes/id1314170606?i=1000530357511
This is a mashup of “first off” (first of all, before anything else) and “right off the bat” (immediately). “Right off the bat” seems to be an idiom that is mixed quite often. See, for example, https://malaphors.com/2013/05/23/right-from-the-bat/ and https://malaphors.com/2012/10/27/right-out-of-the-bat/. The mind is going batty with these malaphors. A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one and sending it in!
He closes the page and it is done
Posted: July 29, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Caeleb Dressel, Megan Dressel, Olympics Leave a commentMeghan Dressel, wife of Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel, was talking about how her husband keeps a journal but discards it when the book is full. This is a nice congruent conflation of “turns the page” and ” closes the book”, both meaning to forget the past, make a transition and move on. Mike Kovacs get the gold for hearing this one and passing it on.
They need laser-sharp focus
Posted: July 26, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: field hockey Leave a commentA commentator uttered this one during the New Zealand/Argentina Womens’ Field Hockey Olympics game. This is a congruent conflation of “laser focus” and “razor-sharp”, both meaning to be particularly clear and focused. Laser and razor rhyme and both indicate cutting, probably contributing to the mashup. A big thanks Zoe Danger for hearing his one and sending it in.
Lemmings running to their own slaughter
Posted: July 22, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cnn, malaphorsh, You Tube Leave a commentOn CNN’s YouTube channel there’s a clip entitled ‘Ex-Fox Reporter Reveals Why Tucker Carlson Is Lying About Vaccines’. At the 1:50 mark guest Carl Cameron remarks, “This is literally the metaphor of the lemmings running to their own slaughter”. Here is the clip:
This is a great congruent conflation of “like lemmings to the sea/running off a cliff” and “‘like a lamb to the slaughter”’, both meaning people going innocently and helplessly, without realizing the danger. A tip of the hat to Torre Thompson for spotting this gem. As Torre says, “either way, you’re left with a bunch of dead lemmings.” ‘Nuff said.
It pushed him over the line
Posted: July 13, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Psycho Leave a commentThis line appears near the end of the movie, “Psycho”. The psychiatrist is describing Norman’s dminished mental state and when his mother had an affair “it pushed him over the line”. This is a mashup of “push (one) over the edge” (cause one to commit someone to doing something they had been considering for a long time) and “cross/over the line” (to cross some threshold into unacceptable behavior). Great catch from Vicki Kovacs.
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