He just keeps his head to the grindstone
Posted: June 16, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, Mark Madden, mixed idioms, Paul Skenes, sports, Steve Blass, words Leave a commentRetired Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and t.v. broadcaster Steve Blass was being interviewed by sports commentator Mark Madden last week. They were talking about superstar Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes and about what he must think about never getting run support. Blass said “he just keeps his head to the grindstone”. This is a mashup of “keep your nose to the grindstone” (work hard and constantly) and “keep your head in the game” (stay focused and concentrate). “Keep your head down” (avoid trouble or attention) might also be in the mix as Blass was referring to Skenes’ ability to block out any exterior factors and just focus on the game. It seems that various body parts get mixed up when thinking about the idiom “keep your nose to the grindstone”. I have previously posted “keep an ear to the grindstone” and “put your shoulder to the grindstone”. https://malaphors.com/2012/12/01/keep-an-ear-to-the-grindstone/ https://malaphors.com/2012/07/20/put-your-shoulder-to-the-grindstone/
A big thank you to Mike Ameel for hearing this one and sending it in!
I fell through the loops
Posted: June 2, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThe contributor’s wife found out that she was not scheduled for a surgical procedure and commented that she “fell through the loops”. This is a conflation of “fell through the cracks” (unintentionally ignored or neglected) and “out of the loop” (not privy to the most up to date information). Both idioms describe someone being left out. “Loophole” might also be in the mix as it has a similar meaning to “falling through the cracks.” A big thank you to whitedog4u for hearing this one and sending it in.
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Sweating cats and dogs
Posted: May 30, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cats and dogs, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOn the You Tube show, Our Abandoned Home Renovation: A Year Later, a husband and wife are renovating a house and the wife comments on the amount of sweat. It’s at the 18:30 mark:
This is a mashup of “raining cats and dogs” (raining hard and a lot) and “sweating buckets” (sweating profusely). Both idioms describe intensity and copious amounts of something. A big shout out to Verbatim for spotting this one and sending it in.
Shaky waters
Posted: May 14, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Due South, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOn the podcast Due South, host Leonita Inge was talking about how tariffs are affecting the North Carolina furniture industry. Here is the relevant part of the transcript of the show:
This is a mashup of “shaky ground” (an argument or position that is weak) and “murky waters” (situation that is not well known and could be dangerous). This one is similar to a previous post, “he’s standing on shaky ice”. https://malaphors.com/2025/04/14/hes-standing-on-shaky-ice/
Kudos to Yvonne Stam for hearing this one and sending it in!
You come in all shooting for bear
Posted: May 12, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ABC news, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Terry Moran, Trump, words Leave a commentABC’s Terry Moran interviewed Trump recently. In the course of the interview, Moran asked Trump if he trusted Putin. https://abcnews.go.com/US/full-transcript-trumps-exclusive-100-days-broadcast-interview/story?id=121291672
TERRY MORAN: Do you trust him?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don’t trust you. I don’t trust — I don’t trust a lot of people. I don’t trust you. Look at you. You come in all shooting for bear. You’re so happy to do the interview.
TERRY MORAN: I am happy —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And then you start hitting me with fake questions. You start tellin’ me that a guy — whose hand is covered with a tattoo —
TERRY MORAN: Alright. We’re back to that.
This is a conflation of “loaded for bear” (fully prepared for a challenge) and “shooting from the hip” (speak recklessly or impulsively). A big thanks to Mike Kovacs for hearing this one and sending it in!
Living in a fantasy tale
Posted: May 10, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Dave Portnoy, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, Meghan Markle, Megyn Kelly, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentOn the podcast The Megyn Kelly Show, Dave Portnoy, president and founder of Barstool Sports, was being interviewed by Kelly. They were talking about Meghan Markle’s perceived entitlement and portraying herself as a victim. Portnoy said that Markle didn’t need to work or complain as she is “living in a fantasy tale.” You can hear this one at the 1:34:00 minute mark (May 1, 2025 show). This is a congruent conflation of “a fairy tale” and “fantasy land”, both referring to imaginary places of utter perfection and happiness. A big thanks to Verbatim for hearing this one and sending it in.
Like a kid in a candy jar
Posted: May 5, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Office Ladies, words Leave a commentOn the Office Ladies podcast, hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, they talked about some of the best mistaken idioms ever uttered by Angela because she’s prone to such things. One of her favorites was “like a kid in a candy jar.”
This is a mashup of “like a kid in a candy store” (many enticing options from which it is difficult to make a selection) and “caught with (one’s) hands in the cookie jar” (caught in the act of some wrongdoing). Cookies and candies seem to be the mental mixup here. Might be some Willy Wonka sh*t going on here. A big thanks to Jake Lauer for hearing this one and sending it in!
She doesn’t fly off the cuff
Posted: May 3, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentFlorida Senate Democrats elected a new leader, Lori Berman. She was praised by many in her party, including State Rep Kelly Skidmore: “Lori is super thoughtful. She really takes her time, gets to know the subject matter,” Skidmore said. “She moves at an appropriate pace. She doesn’t fly off the cuff.” https://www.gazettextra.com/news/nation_world/florida-senate-democrats-change-course-with-new-leader-lori-berman-she-doesn-t-fly-off/article_3942c979-4c90-5ab1-842e-ded936b4aa67.html
This is a mashup of “fly off (the handle)” (lose one’s temper suddenly and unexpectedly) and “off the cuff” (speak spontaneously and frankly). It’s a beautiful malaphor, expressing someone with sudden rage and outspokenness at the same time. The “off the cuff” idiom has been unintentionally blended in many ways, and you can find them on my website by typing “cuff” in the search engine. One of my favorites is “Trump shoots from the cuff”. https://malaphors.com/2015/09/05/trump-shoots-from-the-cuff/
A big thank you to Tom Justice for spotting this one and sending it in.
Kowtoe to the President
Posted: April 23, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, MSNBC, Trump, words Leave a commentThis one was heard on the MSNBC podcast All In with Chris Hayes. It is a mashup of “kowtow” (acting in a subservient manner) and “toe the line” (accept the authority of an individual or group). Both are about conforming in some manner. You can hear the malaphor at 40:26:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in-with-chris-hayes/id1314170606?i=1000703932677
Kowdos to Frank King for hearing this one and sending it in!
Vance thumbed the Greenlanders in the eye
Posted: April 7, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Trump, Vance, words Leave a commentCNN was interviewing Rufus Gifford, a former United States Ambassador to Denmark about the Vances’ trip to Greenland and he said Vance “thumbed the Greenlanders in the eye”. This is a congruent conflation of “thumbed their noses” and “poked them in the eye”, both a description of disrespect. Of course, a thumb in the eye would also hurt and be disrespectful. A tip of the hat to Paula Garrety who heard this one and sent it in.
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