People don’t want to live on eggshells
Posted: April 24, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: conflations, expressions, live in a glass house, living on the edge, malaphor, walking on eggshells, words Leave a commentThis was heard in an administrative hearing. It is a conflation of “walking on eggshells” (to act with great care so as not to upset someone) and I think “live in a glass house” (be susceptible to judgment or criticism). Eggshells and glass are both very fragile, and I think the speaker was thinking of both. “Living on the edge” (doing something daring or bold) might also be in the mix, with an eggshell (Humpty-Dumpty?) sitting on the edge of a wall. Any other thoughts? A big thanks to Sam Edelmann who heard this one and passed it on.
In the mind of the beholder
Posted: April 22, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, in one's mind's eye, in the eye of the beholder, malaphor, words Leave a commentThis one was heard on 710 WOR in New York City. It appears to be a combo of “in the eye of the beholder” (subjective appreciation made by an individual viewer) and “in (one’s) mind’s eye” (in one’s imagination). “Mind” and “eye” are similar sounding words. A big thanks to Verbatim for hearing this one and sending it in.
He’s grabbed it by the horn
Posted: April 20, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bill Barr, expressions, grab 'em by the pussy, grab the bull by the horns, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, Mueller Report, Trump, words Leave a commentThis amazing malaphor was uttered by Donald Trump, on his reaction to Bill Barr’s performance as Attorney General and how Barr has handled the Mueller Report.
“Attorney General Barr is going to be giving a press conference and maybe I’ll do one after that, we’ll see. But he’s been a fantastic attorney general. He’s grabbed it by the horns,” Trump said.
https://www.abc-7.com/story/40326997/democrats-outraged-as-trump-team-shapes-mueller-report-rollout
It is a mashup of “grab the bull by the horns” (take control of a difficult situation) and Trump’s own expression, “grab ’em by the p***y” (stating that since he is rich and powerful he can do anything he wants with women). Given the speaker, it is probably a good bet that the latter expression was floating in his mind when he uttered this malaphor. Perhaps the word “horns” triggered the mix up? A big thanks to Mike Kovacs for hearing this gem and realizing it was a genuine malaphor. Excellent work, Mike. Keep those ears open.
Coaches shouldn’t browbeat players over the head
Posted: April 15, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: beat someone over the head, browbeat, expressions, humor, malaphor, Tom Izzo, words Leave a commentThis was uttered on a sports radio show (of course). The speaker was talking about Tom Izzo and his rant at his players during the NCAA tournament. It is a nice mashup of “browbeat (someone) into (something)” (bully or initmidate) and “beat (someone) over the head (with a fact or opinion)” (emphasize or repeat something strongly). The word “browbeat” originally (1580s?) meant “to bear down with stern or arrogant looks,” and later became a term used for “bullying”. A big thanks to John Kooser for hearing this one.
He’s got nothing to hang his head on
Posted: April 11, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, hang your hat on, hang your head, humor, Kyle Guy, language, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentUniversity of Virginia basketball guard Kyle Guy was remarking on the 42 point performance of Carsen Edwards of Purdue, even though Purdue lost. This is a brilliant mashup of “hang (one’s) head” (express shame or contrition) and “hang (one’s) hat on (something)” (depend or rely on something). “Hang” is in both expressions and “head” and “hat” are similar sounding and visually close. A big thanks to Tom Justice for hearing this one. Wahoowa!
I’ll defend you to the nines
Posted: April 8, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: defend to the death, dressed to teh nines, expressions, humor, malaphors, words Leave a commentA father was talking to his daughter about always defending her actions. It is a nice mashup of “dressed to the nines” (wearing very elegant or formal clothes) and “defend to the death your right to say (something)” (disapprove what another is saying but allow them to say it). “Dressed to the nines” expression is thought to have originated from the 99th Wiltshire Regiment, a military unit noted for its smart appearance.
This one reminds me of the classic I posted a few years ago: “She was dressed to a tee (or t)”. https://malaphors.com/2014/01/21/he-was-dressed-to-a-tee-or-t/
A big thanks to Mike Kovacs, Chief Malaphor Reporter, for hearing this one.
The swallows are coming home to roost
Posted: March 29, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: chickens come home to roost, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, the swallows come home to Capistrano, words Leave a commentThe speaker was talking about a group of people getting what they deserved based on their actions. It is a conflation of “chickens coming home to roost” (facing the consequences of your actions) and the song “When the swallows come back to Capistrano”. This one reminds me of one of my favorite malaphors that I previously posted and which appears in my book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
Alabama State Representative John Rogers, in response to questions about his protests outside a hospital that is about to be closed, said “We’ll be here until the cows come home from Capistrano”. Here’s the link: http://blog.al.com/archiblog/2012/11/why_not_give_rep_john_rogers_w.html
Those swallows (or cows or chickens) from Capistrano sure get around. A big thanks to John Kooser for hearing this one.
Two things caught my eyebrow this week
Posted: March 25, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: caught my eye, expressions, humor, malaphor, raised some eyebrows, words Leave a commentThis was spotted on a facebook post. Sounds painful. It’s a nice mashup of “caught (one’s) eye (attention)” (attract one’s attention) and “raised a few eyebrows” (to elicit shock or surprise through unconventional actions or words). Both idioms involve the eye, and both involve getting one’s attention. I’m surprised that, considering the times we live in, there were only two things… A big thanks to Yvonne Stam for noticing this one and sending it in.
Kicking up the daisies
Posted: March 23, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, Kicking Daisies, kicking the bucket, malaphor, pushing up daisies, words Leave a commentThis was noticed on a tweet concerning people who don’t donate their organs when they die. Here is the tweet:
https://twitter.com/annamaclurex/status/1106972374631628800
It is a wonderful congruent conflation of “pushing up daisies” and “kick the bucket”, both phrases meaning to be dead. The writer may have had the band “Kicking Daisies” in her mind when she wrote the mashup. A big thanks to bittenbyfrost for noticing this one and sending it in.
Hang your heads high
Posted: March 22, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, hang your head, hold your head up high, humor, language, malaphor, Old Dominion, words Leave a commentThis one jumped to the front of the queue, as it is very timely. The speaker was discussing a recent NCAA mens’ basketball tournament game, and uttered this beauty about the Old Dominion University’s basketball game where they lost to Purdue in the first round. The speaker tweeted:
Hang your heads high @ODUMensHoops. You all made us proud this season. #MonarchMadness. https://twitter.com/Brackintology/status/1108947588697317377
This is a nice incongruent conflation of “hang (one’s) head” (express shame or contrition) and “hold (one’s) head (up) high” (to display confidence and pride). Perhaps the team is proud and ashame at the same time? The mixup originates with the two similar sounding words, “hang” and “hold”. A big thanks to Tom Justice who saw this one and sent it here to Malaphor Central.
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