I’m going to dig into this with both feet
Posted: December 31, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: dig in your heels, dive in with both feet, expressions, humor, jump in with both feet, language, malaphor, malaphors, words 1 CommentWhile researching home prices in Florida, my friend said this to his wife. This is a nice congruent conflation of “dig in” and “jump (dive) in with both feet”, both meaning to work on something enthusiastically. The speaker may have been thinking about feet as “dig in (one’s) heels” might have been on his mind as well. With jumping and diving in the mix, he may also have been considering a pool with that Florida house. A big thanks to Lou Pugliese for uttering and sharing this one!
Deficit hawks folded like a cheap suit
Posted: December 27, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: all over her like a cheap suit, CNBC, deficit hawks, expressions, folded like a cheap suitcase, GOP, humor, Jim Cramer, language, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentThis timely beauty was uttered by CNBC’s Jim Cramer on his show “Squawk on the Street”. He was talking about the Republicans who had been deficit hawks for years and now voted for a tax bill that grows the deficit by at least 1.5 trillion dollars. It is a nice mashup of “folded like a cheap suitcase” (collapse easily) and “all over her like a cheap suit” (pawing and clinging; seductive). You can hear and see this one on the following link:
Kudos to Sam Edelmann for hearing this one. He was all over it like a cheap suitcase.
I was left in the blue
Posted: December 26, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, left in the dark, malaphor, malaphors, out of the blue, words Leave a commentThis was uttered as some friends were planning what to do after finals. One had no idea of the plans. This is a nice mashup of “left in the dark” (to keep someone uninformed) and “out of the blue” (unexpectedly). A tip of the hat to david5cerda for hearing this one.
They swear like chimneys
Posted: December 20, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, smoke like a chimney, swear like a sailor, words Leave a commentThis terrific conflation was uttered by a college freshman relating to her parents about the language in her dorm. It is a mashup of “swear like a sailor” (to use profanities freely) and “smoke like a chimney” (smoke cigarettes excessively). Both involve doing something in excess which leads to the mix up, I think. Also “smoke” and “swear” are 5 letter words that start with s. A big thanks to John Kooser who heard this one and shared it!
So it only stands fair that he should be prosecuted for misconduct also
Posted: December 18, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, PBS Newshour, seems fair, stands to reason, Trump, words 2 CommentsThis one was heard on the PBS News hour by one of Trump’s accusers of sexual misconduct. It is a blend of “seems fair” and “stands to reason” (is obvious). A big thanks to Laszlo Veres for hearing this one.
Oh! So the horse is on the other foot now?
Posted: December 16, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: a horse of another color, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, putting the cart before the horse, the shoe is on the other foot, words 1 CommentThis confused phrase is a conflation of “the shoe is on the other foot” (roles have been reversed) and I think “horse of another color” (something completely different) only because of the words “another” and “other”. “Putting the cart before the horse” (reversing the order of things) might also be in the mix as both phrases refer to reversals. My guess is that the speaker was also thinking of a horseshoe when he/she blurted this out. A big thanks to Lua the Cat for sharing this one.
He just let the cat out of the box
Posted: December 13, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bernie Sanders, expressions, humor, language, let the cat out of the bag, malaphor, malaphors, out of the box, Pat Toomey, words 5 CommentsThis is a great mashup uttered by Senator Bernie Sanders regarding a comment made by Senator Pat Toomey. The video is below, but in short, Sen. Sanders asked if Toomey would pledge not to cut Social Security and Medicare and Toomey responded, “I will not cut benefits on people who are on it right now”. Sanders responded that Toomey “Just let the cat out of the box”. It is a mix of “out of the box” (a product that can be used immediately) and “let the cat out of the bag” (to reveal a secret by accident). Of course a “cat box” may have been on Sanders’ mind as he was articulating his disdain for the proposed Republican tax bill. The malaphor appears about half way through the clip. A big thanks to Susan Ameel for hearing this one!
They are going to punt the ball down the road
Posted: December 12, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, kick the can down the road, malaphor, malaphors, MSNBC, punt, words Leave a commentThis is another great mashup from a political pundit, this time heard on MSNBC. It is a mix of “punt” (improvise or do something in a pinch) and “kick the can down the road” (to postpone or defer a definitive action). So maybe they improvise while they delay? A tip of the hat to Jim Kozlowski for hearing this one.
I was trying to buttercoat it
Posted: December 10, 2017 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: butter up, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, sugarcoat, WORD BLENDS, words Leave a commentFrom the submitter: “My coworker just said this when complimenting my singing. He used an expletive the first time, but when he repeated it, he used a euphemism in place of the expletive. When I said, “That’s not what you said before,” he said he was trying to buttercoat it, not realizing that he was mixing two expressions. When I told him that what he just said is a malaphor of butter up and sugarcoat, he said that it perfectly conveyed his sentiment.”
This is a great word blend of “sugarcoat” (palatable, or easy to take) and “butter up” (to be nice to someone by flattery or other means). I think this should be a new phrase in the lexicon, and the above situation is a great example. A big thanks to Diana for sharing this one!
I wouldn’t do that in a pink fit of Sundays
Posted: December 9, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Australian, Australian idioms, expressions, humor, in a pink fit, language, malaphor, malaphors, not in a month of Sundays, words 1 CommentThis was uttered by the submitter’s mum on many occasions. It is a mashup of “in a pink fit” (a tantrum or in anger) and “in a month of Sundays (under no circumstances). The mix up seems to be caused by that pesky preposition “in”.
I researched the phrase “in a pink fit” as I had never heard of it and it seems to be an Australian idiom. Any UK folks out there heard of it? A big thanks to Abigail for sending this one in.
Did you enjoy this Australian malaphor? Get the malaphor book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” from down under today! Check out Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
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