malaphor

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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)

(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

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