malaphor

English

Examples

Too many chefs in too many pies from too many chefs spoil the broth and one finger in too many pies It's like stabbing a hole in the dark from stab in the dark and hole in the dark Stop pissing on my thunder from stop stealing my thunder and stop pissing on my chips We'll burn that bridge when we get to it from we'll cross that bridge when we get to it and burn one's bridges You gotta give him balls for that from you gotta give him credit and he's got balls

Etymology

Blend of malapropism +‎ metaphor; attributed to Lawrence Harrison in the Washington Post article "Searching for Malaphors" (Aug. 6, 1976).

Noun

malaphor (plural malaphors)

1. (rare) An idiom blend: an error in which two similar figures of speech are merged, producing an often nonsensical result.

   Synonym: Dundrearyism

   Coordinate term: mixed metaphor

   • 1977, Benefit Payments Report, California Dept. of Benefit Payments, Health and Welfare Agency, →OCLC, page 5:

     What I conclude from this admittedly narrow data base is that, while the malaphor flourishes in bureaucratic compost, it will grow just about anywhere. The following malaphors are my pick of the letters. They were uttered in the home, on the farm, in the street.

   • 2012, George Michael Killenberg, Public Affairs Reporting Now: News of, by and for the People, Taylor & Francis:

     Among Swift's favorite malaphors are "He's a ragged individualist"; "I was up at the crank of dawn"; and "He's a fly in the oatmeal."

See also

• antiproverb

Anagrams

• amphoral