Turns of Phrase

1

We have a couple of threads about great words and words that are spelled incorrectly. This is an aggregate of those two threads but for phrases. Something that has been long overdue on TFK.

We might also include an etymology type section - not sure if etymology applies to phrases - but it’s useful to know the derivation of phrases when using them.

I’ll start off with a couple of phrases that are used incorrectly:

  1. Chomping at the bit … it’s “champing at the bit”

  2. You have another thing coming… it’s “another think coming” and should be used as “if you think that then you have another think coming.”

2

Dunph - you know what to do.

3

I have a friend who thinks the phrase is “play it by year”. Which of course it is not. He also refuses to beleive me when I correct him.

Play it by ear sure that makes no sense. How can you play something by ear.
Its a musical reference.
No your wrong and you wont admit it. its play it by year as in we’ll take it as it comes.

If there is anyone else out there who is this stupid please stop.

4

I had three clowns in my house in college who argued with me for a year over my “incorrect” usage of “break your duck”

Apparently the correct version is “break your duct”.

5

Clown college was it?

1 Like
6

A related matter but some ape on this site once claimed he had a new ‘beau’ on the go. He professed not to be a steamer either.

7

I find it hard to understand why people use phrases incorrectly when what they are saying is completely meaningless

A cousin of mine used to say

“sure that fella wouldn’t beat for rope”

when in fact the correct phrase is

“sure that fella wouldn’t beat snow off a rope”

8

Ye are talking about each other here aren’t ye?

9

wrong

10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4yffKvkt_s

11

This is not quite related, but its a similar “getting it wrong” thing. I was not there, but a few mates of mine years ago went to a Cranberries concert.
Anyway Zombie came on, and the 4 lads were getting well into it, bit of jumping around etc. One of the lads lent over in some way and all they heard was “its in your hair, in your hairrrr, Zombie…”.

Happens alot with music. There are alot of Pearl Jam songs that if i didn’t read the lyrics i wouldn’t have a notion of the word Eddie was singing. The fella above should have more cop on though.

12

for all intensive purposes

atm machine

on tender hooks

he literally took his head off (Jamie Redknapp special)

irregardless

here here

13

“Four corners of the globe” always annoys me.

14

Women are unreal for that shit. Mrs. Fran thought the lyrics “To win just once” in the Sawdoctors song were “To injure Swans”

1 Like
15

I laughed out loud there.

16

Mrs Long has a habit of saying the young lad “went down like a light”. Hurts my ears everytime.

17

I love those mis-heard lyrics. They are known as “mondegreens”.

Taken from the ballad “The Bonny Earl O’Moray” which goes

Ye Highlands and ye Lowlands,
Oh, where hae ye been?
They hae slain the Earl O’ Moray,
And Lady Mondegreen.

The actual fourth line is “And laid him on the green”.

18

Congratulations Fran :clap: :clap: :clap:

19

Heard a story before about an Irish-American lad over for a Celtic game singing away to the rebels in the pub:

“And the leader was a leprauchan
Sean South of Garryowen”

20

For all intensive purposes