Introduction
Simply put, a conflation is an amalgamation of two or more related expressions. In most cases, the combination results in a new phrase that makes little sense literally but nonetheless clearly conveys an idea in everyday conversation. The best conflations ring off the tongue naturally.
The collection presented here is not intended to be an inert list of expressions that can be chuckled at and then put aside. It has been compiled with the genuine hope that readers will deliberately practice Conflation in their day-to-day lives. These expressions should be studied and internalized so that the reader is comfortable using them in proper context without hesitation or awkwardness.
When we first started collecting conflations two decades ago, it didn’t take us long to realize that idioms and the words of which they are made up are complex things. A word’s effectiveness is clearly bootstrapped to the ways that languages continually evolve through practical use. Like words, idioms do what they do because they are part of the ongoing and ever-changing doings of culture. This doesn’t mean that a word’s etymology can’t shed some insight on it, but any attempt to pin its meaning down definitively will, eventually, come up against an impasse. Terms, expressions, and their meanings are always changing. We can take an active part in these processes, forging the state of the edge in the evolution of language.
Why do so? Let’s not mince punches: the world is in a terrible state, and one major contributor to that is a culturally prevalent arrogance that we can ever know what is going on. To use these expressions, undetected, is to subversively inscribe and legitimize the real strangenesses that Conflation manifests into a collective consciousness that too often still—all evidence to the contrary—thinks the world could ever really make sense. We understand Conflation as participating in a long history of ineffably revolutionary practices that proceed through a particularly sensible sort of nonsense. As this practice becomes a part of your intuitive language, so too will the weirdness of the reality it relates become more visceral in your life.
Indeed, we were witness to the power of Conflation—to the viral spread of its linguistic indeterminacies—during a U.S. Presidential debate on October 7th, 2008. At a key moment, Barack Obama initiated a defense of his relative youth and political inexperience by saying “Senator McCain suggests that somehow . . . I’m green behind the ears.” This conflation was posted on our website long before Obama had even announced his presidential campaign, so it can’t be ruled out that the Conflation movement we’ve shepherded these past two decades—wittingly or unwittingly—slid into Obama’s psyche along his historic path toward becoming the first Black President of the United States.
To arrive at some technical considerations, let’s examine the root expressions behind this conflation: “wet behind the ears” & “green”. The latter is often confused with “green” as in “green about the gills”, which actually refers to looking ill, and has nothing to do with naïveté. This distinction highlights the two major categories into which all conflations fit: Congruent & Incongruent. Congruent Conflation is the more ideal (and more sought-after) example of the concept. This occurs when the two root expressions basically reflect the same thought. For example, “child’s pie” can be formed using the root expressions “child’s play” & “easy as pie.” These root expressions really mean the same thing—they imply that something is simple to do. Of course, without reference to either “play” or “easy”, “child’s pie” does not directly imply anything. Yet the implication is automatically understood because the conflation clearly refers to the two known idioms.
Incongruent Conflation occurs when the root expressions do not mean the same thing, but share a common word or theme. For example, “a bull in a candy shop” can be formed from the root expressions “a kid in a candy shop” & “a bull in a china shop.” The former root paints a picture of someone who is extraordinarily happy and excited, whereas the latter brings to mind an image of a person who is extremely clumsy. The conflation potentially expresses both of these ideas at the same time without making the speaker’s intention entirely clear. We’ve tended to only note our favorite incongruent conflations on this site: because they are less desirable, using them too frequently is something of a gauche pas in the Conflation community.
Developing your practice requires attention to detail. Some of the most common considerations you will grapple with include:
- Sufficient reference to the original root expressions
- Shades of grey in terms of congruence or incongruence
- Likelihood of undetected use in actual conversation
- Phonetic similarity to root expressions
- Choosing the best form (e.g., “child’s pie” rather than “easy as play”)
- General aesthetics
With respect to this last point, over the years we have developed our own preferences for ways of turning a conflated phrase. Without intending to force our readers toward the same approaches, we have noted a handful of instances in the book in order to highlight special types of combinations leading to unusually striking results. Multilingual conflations, for example, have a certain quoi about them that is especially rewarding. Similarly, “absent pivot” conflations like “squeaky as a whistle” (where the word shared by both original expressions—in this case “clean”—is eliminated in the conflation) are Conflation’s cream de la crème. Occasionally, “triple-root” conflations are possible. Perhaps most intriguing, “inverter” conflations, like “everything under the kitchen sink,” convey the opposite of their root expressions’ meaning when read literally.
Finally, it should be pointed out that conflations are not to be slipped into conversation with the intention of merely fooling the uninitiated. Conflation is not an inside joke; it is, rather, an incipient vernacular of resistance. Aim big by approaching Conflation as a poetic art with a purpose. Once you attune yourself to the possibilities for dramatically re-contextualizing idioms in this way, you will also begin to realize that you have always been in the midst of unintentional conflations in everyday conversation. For this reason, it is advisable to keep your ears peeled and maintain a strict, disciplined practice of recording conflations as they occur. It may sometimes feel as though you’re just treading your wheels, but with time and commitment you will open meaningful new avenues of relating to others in the midst of a cultural moment that would otherwise render words meaningless.
Congruent Conflations
“mind-frame”
roots:
mind-set
frame of mind
frame of mind
“skin in the race”
roots:
skin in the game
horse in the race
horse in the race
“nights out”
roots:
night night
lights out
lights out
“paid fruit”
roots:
paid off
bore fruit
bore fruit
“a leg in the door”
roots:
a leg up
a foot in the door
a foot in the door
“on top of world nine”
roots:
on top of the world
on cloud nine
on cloud nine
“call a spade a duck”
roots:
call a spade a spade
if it looks, acts, and sounds like a duck, it's a duck
(inverter)
if it looks, acts, and sounds like a duck, it's a duck
(inverter)
“if the going gets tough, make lemonade”
roots:
when the going gets tough, the tough get going
if life gives you lemons, make lemonade
if life gives you lemons, make lemonade
“straight o’ the mill”
roots:
straight ahead
run of the mill
run of the mill
“bury it under the bridge”
roots:
bury the hatchet
water under the bridge
water under the bridge
“count your lucky stars”
roots:
count your blessings
thank your lucky stars
thank your lucky stars
“leave no cranny unturned”
roots:
leave no stone unturned
check every nook and cranny
check every nook and cranny
“mind-dropping”
roots:
mind-blowing
jaw-dropping
jaw-dropping
“wrapping down”
roots:
wrapping up
winding down
winding down
“a side-slapper”
roots:
a side-splitter
a knee-slapper
a knee-slapper
“dot your p’s and q’s”
roots:
dot your i’s and cross your t’s
mind your p’s and q’s
mind your p’s and q’s
“he pushes my goat”
roots:
he pushes my buttons
he gets my goat
he gets my goat
“as a general thumb”
roots:
as a general rule
a rule of thumb
(absent pivot)
a rule of thumb
(absent pivot)
“armchair driver”
roots:
armchair quarterback
back-seat driver
back-seat driver
“lost your rocker”
roots:
lost your marbles
off your rocker
off your rocker
“I know it like the back of my heart”
roots:
I know it like the back of my hand
I know it by heart
I know it by heart
“the jewel in the crop”
roots:
the jewel in the crown
the cream of the crop
the cream of the crop
“chew the breeze”
roots:
chew the fat
shoot the breeze
shoot the breeze
“until the cows turn blue”
roots:
until the cows come home
until you’re blue in the face
until you’re blue in the face
“in cloud Heaven”
roots:
in hog Heaven
on cloud nine
on cloud nine
“a wrench in the ointment”
roots:
a wrench in the gears
a fly in the ointment
a fly in the ointment
“at the drop of a heartbeat”
roots:
at the drop of a hat
in a heartbeat
in a heartbeat
“easy-daisy”
roots:
easy does it
oopsy-daisy
oopsy-daisy
“hot off the spanking”
roots:
hot off the presses
brand spanking new
brand spanking new
“he’s got a few cards loose”
roots:
he’s got a few screws loose
he’s not playing with a full deck of cards
he’s not playing with a full deck of cards
“some loose business”
roots:
some loose ends to tie up
some unfinished business
some unfinished business
“swim or die”
roots:
sink or swim
do or die
do or die
“don’t sweat the small fish”
roots:
don’t sweat the small stuff
we’ve got bigger fish to fry
we’ve got bigger fish to fry
“quid for tat”
roots:
quid pro quo
tit for tat
tit for tat
“stop the phone”
roots:
stop the presses
hold the phone
hold the phone
“we’ve just scratched the tip of the iceberg”
roots:
we’ve just scratched the surface
the tip of the iceberg
the tip of the iceberg
“out-stage”
roots:
out-do
upstage
upstage
“take the trouble”
roots:
take the time
go to the trouble
go to the trouble
“the jig is out of the bag”
roots:
the jig is up
the cat is out of the bag
the cat is out of the bag
“one good scratch deserves another”
roots:
one good turn deserves another
you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours
you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours
“every cloud has a bright side”
roots:
every cloud has a silver lining
look on the bright side
look on the bright side
“nutshot”
roots:
in a nutshell
the upshot
the upshot
“the whole ball of kaboodle”
roots:
the whole ball of wax
the whole kit and kaboodle
the whole kit and kaboodle
“mince punches”
roots:
mince words
pull punches
pull punches
“at a stump”
roots:
at a loss
stumped
stumped
“cut me a bone”
roots:
cut me some slack
throw me a bone
throw me a bone
“wake up and read the handwriting”
roots:
wake up and smell the coffee
read the handwriting on the wall
read the handwriting on the wall
“eager at the bit”
roots:
eager beaver
chomping at the bit
chomping at the bit
“second downs”
roots:
second hand
hand-me-downs
(absent pivot)
hand-me-downs
(absent pivot)
“on pins and hooks”
roots:
on pins and needles
on tenterhooks
on tenterhooks
“that’s the way the cookie bounces”
roots:
that’s the way the ball bounces
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
“the boob box”
roots:
the boob tube
the idiot box
the idiot box
“get a head up”
roots:
get a head start
get a leg up
get a leg up
“have your cake both ways”
roots:
have your cake and eat it too
have it both ways
have it both ways
“over a barrel and a hard place”
roots:
over a barrel
between a rock and a hard place
between a rock and a hard place
“by the drop of your pants”
roots:
by the seat of your pants
at the drop of a hat
at the drop of a hat
“a water-change”
roots:
a watershed moment
a sea-change
a sea-change
“on the Devil’s hand”
roots:
on the other hand
Devil’s advocate
Devil’s advocate
“burst your sails”
roots:
burst your bubble
take the wind out of your sails
take the wind out of your sails
“sitting on easy street”
roots:
sitting pretty
living on easy street
living on easy street
“get off your ivory horse”
roots:
get off your high horse
an ivory tower
an ivory tower
“it has a certain quoi”
roots:
it has a certain something
je ne sais quoi
(multilingual)
je ne sais quoi
(multilingual)
“I can’t make Greek of this”
roots:
I can’t make heads or tails of this
it’s all Greek to me
it’s all Greek to me
“kill the dog”
roots:
kill time
[expletive] the dog
[expletive] the dog
“at this juncture in time”
roots:
at this point in time
at this juncture
at this juncture
“flip someone the middle eye”
roots:
flip someone the bird
give someone the middle finger
give someone the evil eye
(triple-root)
give someone the middle finger
give someone the evil eye
(triple-root)
“putting the tail before the dog”
roots:
don’t put the cart before the horse
the tail is wagging the dog
the tail is wagging the dog
“cut and white”
roots:
cut and dry
black and white
black and white
“you’ve got a chip up your ass”
roots:
you’ve got a chip on your shoulder
you’ve got a stick up your ass
you’ve got a stick up your ass
“baconwinner”
roots:
bring home the bacon
breadwinner
breadwinner
“sock it on me”
roots:
sock it to me
lay it on me
lay it on me
“there’s hope at the end of the tunnel”
roots:
there’s hope yet
there’s light at the end of the tunnel
there’s light at the end of the tunnel
“it’ll blow your socks away”
roots:
it’ll blow you away
it’ll knock your socks off
it’ll knock your socks off
“higher hand”
roots:
high ground
upper hand
upper hand
“like stink on rice”
roots:
like stink on shit
like white on rice
like white on rice
“the sun shines on a dog's ass twice a day”
roots:
the sun even shines on a dog's ass once in a while
even a broken clock is right twice a day
even a broken clock is right twice a day
“state of the edge”
roots:
state of the art
cutting edge
cutting edge
“don’t tempt your luck”
roots:
don’t tempt fate
don’t push your luck
don’t push your luck
“losing an uphill battle”
roots:
fighting a losing battle
fighting an uphill battle
fighting an uphill battle
“flip a cow”
roots:
flip out
have a cow
have a cow
“free season”
roots:
free for all
open season
open season
“go ape-wild”
roots:
go ape-shit
go hog-wild
go hog-wild
“no two buts about it”
roots:
no two ways about it
no ifs, ands, or buts
no ifs, ands, or buts
“along the same vein”
roots:
along the same lines
in the same vein
in the same vein
“working both ends of the candle”
roots:
working around the clock
burning both ends of the candle
burning both ends of the candle
“another notch in your cap”
roots:
another notch on your belt
a feather in your cap
a feather in your cap
“it rings off the tongue nicely”
roots:
it has a nice ring to it
it rolls off the tongue nicely
it rolls off the tongue nicely
“by the skin of a wire”
roots:
by the skin of my teeth
just under the wire
just under the wire
“move the ends of the Earth”
roots:
move Heaven and Earth
to the ends of the Earth
to the ends of the Earth
“shiver m’egads!”
roots:
shiver me timbers!
egads!
egads!
“get your act in a row”
roots:
get your act together
get all your ducks in a row
get all your ducks in a row
“oy carumba”
roots:
oy vey
aye carumba
(multilingual)
aye carumba
(multilingual)
“come up to (the idea)”
roots:
come around to (the idea)
warm up to (the idea)
warm up to (the idea)
“opening Pandora’s worms”
roots:
opening Pandora’s box
opening a can of worms
opening a can of worms
“spur of the hat”
roots:
spur of the moment
at the drop of a hat
at the drop of a hat
“a stitch in time is worth a pound of cure”
roots:
a stitch in time saves nine
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
“deep-wired”
roots:
deep-seated
hard-wired
hard-wired
“know-it-pants”
roots:
know-it-all
smarty-pants
smarty-pants
“when in Rome, join ’em”
roots:
when in Rome, do as the Romans
if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
“FUFU (fucked up, fucked up)”
roots:
FUBAR (fucked up beyond all recognition)
SNAFU (situation normal, all fucked up)
SNAFU (situation normal, all fucked up)
“mellow down”
roots:
mellow out
calm down
calm down
“turn a few eyebrows”
roots:
turn some heads
raise a few eyebrows
raise a few eyebrows
“[I don’t know what’s] come into [him]”
roots:
[I don’t know what’s] come over [him]
[I don’t know what’s] gotten into [him]
[I don’t know what’s] gotten into [him]
“green behind the ears”
roots:
green
wet behind the ears
wet behind the ears
“grist for thought”
roots:
grist for the mill
food for thought
food for thought
“Mr. money pockets”
roots:
Mr. money bucks
deep pockets
deep pockets
“skating on a hair trigger”
roots:
skating on thin ice
on a hair trigger
on a hair trigger
“you’ll have crow on your face”
roots:
you’ll have egg on your face
you’ll have to eat crow
you’ll have to eat crow
“on the same page length”
roots:
on the same page
on the same wavelength
on the same wavelength
“leading art”
roots:
leading edge
state of the art
state of the art
“to make a nutshell”
roots:
to make a long story short
in a nutshell
in a nutshell
“the onus is in your court”
roots:
the onus is on you
the ball is in your court
the ball is in your court
“an axe to grudge”
roots:
an axe to grind
hold a grudge
hold a grudge
“lunch cadet”
roots:
out to lunch
space cadet
space cadet
“you’re not the sharpest cookie in the drawer”
roots:
you’re not the sharpest knife in the drawer
smart cookie
smart cookie
“for fucking out loud”
roots:
for fuck’s sake
for crying out loud
for crying out loud
“think outside the envelope”
roots:
think outside the box
push the envelope
push the envelope
“extraordinary times justify the means”
roots:
extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures
the ends justify the means
the ends justify the means
“run of the dozen”
roots:
run of the mill
dime a dozen
dime a dozen
“oomzpah”
roots:
oomph
chutzpah
chutzpah
“it’s bound to happen to the best of us”
roots:
it’s bound to happen
it happens to the best of us
it happens to the best of us
“if you live by the sword, it comes around”
roots:
if you live by the sword, you die by the sword
what goes around comes around
what goes around comes around
“type-holed”
roots:
typecast
pigeon-holed
pigeon-holed
“trial by error”
roots:
trial by fire
trial and error
trial and error
“spare belly”
roots:
spare tire
pot-belly
pot-belly
“getting carried overboard”
roots:
getting carried away
going overboard
going overboard
“slim to fat”
roots:
slim to none
fat chance
fat chance
“everything under the kitchen sink”
roots:
everything under the sun
everything but the kitchen sink
(inverter)
everything but the kitchen sink
(inverter)
“burnt to a pulp”
roots:
burnt to a crisp
beaten to a pulp
beaten to a pulp
“painted in”
roots:
paint yourself into a corner
boxed in
boxed in
“bite your mouth”
roots:
bite your tongue
watch your mouth
watch your mouth
“hang up the towel”
roots:
hang up my spurs
throw in the towel
throw in the towel
“thorn in my bonnet”
roots:
thorn in my side
bee in my bonnet
bee in my bonnet
“through the charts”
roots:
through the roof
off the charts
off the charts
“you hit the nose on the head”
roots:
you hit the nail on the head
you hit it right on the nose
you hit it right on the nose
“treading my wheels”
roots:
treading water
spinning my wheels
spinning my wheels
“a tool bag”
roots:
a tool
a douche bag
a douche bag
“nit-splitting”
roots:
nit-picking
splitting hairs
splitting hairs
“aim big”
roots:
aim high
think big
think big
“a chain effect”
roots:
a chain reaction
the domino effect
the domino effect
“under the wire of time”
roots:
just under the wire
in the nick of time
in the nick of time
“que sera la vie”
roots:
que sera, sera
c’est la vie
(multilingual)
c’est la vie
(multilingual)
“ground-blazing”
roots:
trailblazing
ground-breaking
ground-breaking
“that’s the short of the matter”
roots:
that’s the long and short of it
the fact of the matter
the fact of the matter
“put the dots together”
roots:
put two and two together
connect the dots
connect the dots
“the raw end of the deal”
roots:
a raw deal
the short end of the stick
the short end of the stick
“a crap in the dark”
roots:
a crap shoot
a shot in the dark
a shot in the dark
“chill down”
roots:
chill out
calm down
calm down
“you’re making mountains out of spilt milk”
roots:
you’re making mountains out of molehills
don’t cry over spilt milk
don’t cry over spilt milk
“long in the mouth”
roots:
why the long face?
down in the mouth
down in the mouth
“on the horns of a hard place”
roots:
on the horns of a dilemma
between a rock and a hard place
between a rock and a hard place
“in the long picture”
roots:
in the long run
in the big picture
in the big picture
“a guess in the dark”
roots:
a wild guess
a shot in the dark
a shot in the dark
“when worse comes to shove”
roots:
when worse comes to worst
when push comes to shove
when push comes to shove
“child’s pie”
roots:
child’s play
easy as pie
easy as pie
“let the beans out of the bag”
roots:
let the cat out of the bag
spill the beans
spill the beans
“the rumor vine”
roots:
the rumor mill
the grapevine
the grapevine
“in the flash of an eye”
roots:
in a flash
in the twinkling of an eye
in the twinkling of an eye
“the last laugh is served cold”
roots:
revenge is a dish best served cold
he who laughs last laughs best
he who laughs last laughs best
“jack of many hats”
roots:
jack of all trades
she wears many hats
she wears many hats
“cream of the heap”
roots:
cream of the crop
top of the heap
top of the heap
“invisible thumb”
roots:
the invisible hand
a thumb on the scales
a thumb on the scales
“the whole can of kaboodle”
roots:
the whole can of beans
the whole kit and kaboodle
the whole kit and kaboodle
“old nature”
roots:
second nature
old hat
old hat
“bought the bucket”
roots:
kicked the bucket
bought the farm
bought the farm
“out like a rock”
roots:
out like a light
slept like a rock
slept like a rock
“turn over a new slate”
roots:
turn over a new leaf
start with a clean slate
start with a clean slate
“cat got you tied?”
roots:
cat got your tongue?
tongue-tied?
(absent pivot)
tongue-tied?
(absent pivot)
“to each his stroke”
roots:
to each his own
different strokes for different folks
different strokes for different folks
“belabour the horse”
roots:
beat a dead horse
belabour the point
belabour the point
“long in the dumps”
roots:
why the long face?
down in the dumps
down in the dumps
“vim and vinegar”
roots:
vim and vigour
piss and vinegar
piss and vinegar
“smart as a tack”
roots:
sharp as a tack
smart as a whip
smart as a whip
“cross-tail”
roots:
cross-fade
dovetail
dovetail
“throw your name in the ring”
roots:
throw your name in the hat
throw your hat in the ring
throw your hat in the ring
“don’t bite off more than you can handle”
roots:
don’t bite off more than you can chew
more than you can handle
more than you can handle
“peas of a cloth”
roots:
peas in a pod
cut from the same cloth
cut from the same cloth
“patience comes to those who wait”
roots:
patience is a virtue
good things come to those who wait
good things come to those who wait
“plain as crystal”
roots:
plain as day
crystal clear
crystal clear
“riding down my neck”
roots:
riding me
breathing down my neck
breathing down my neck
“a pie dream”
roots:
a pipe dream
pie in the sky
pie in the sky
“the cream of the litter”
roots:
the cream of the crop
the pick of the litter
the pick of the litter
“beat a broken record”
roots:
beat a dead horse
sound like a broken record
sound like a broken record
“cut from the same feathers”
roots:
cut from the same cloth
birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together
“face the bullet”
roots:
face the music
bite the bullet
bite the bullet
“face the piper”
roots:
face the music
pay the piper
pay the piper
“touch in”
roots:
touch base
check in
check in
“on the same hand”
roots:
on the other hand
at the same time
(inverter)
at the same time
(inverter)
“getting ahead of the cart”
roots:
getting ahead of yourself
putting the cart before the horse
putting the cart before the horse
“veri-dat”
roots:
veritas
true dat
true dat
“shed some insight”
roots:
shed some light
lend some insight
lend some insight
“on the same base”
roots:
on the same page
touch base
touch base
“the short end of the shrift”
roots:
the short end of the stick
short shrift
short shrift
“snug as a clam”
roots:
snug as a bug
happy as a clam
happy as a clam
“hands away”
roots:
hands down
far and away
far and away
“picking ground”
roots:
ripe for the picking
fertile ground
fertile ground
“I’ve got him wrapped around the palm of my hand”
roots:
I’ve got him wrapped around my finger
I’ve got him eating out of the palm of my hand
I’ve got him eating out of the palm of my hand
“lower the bomb”
roots:
lower the axe
drop the bomb
(inverter)
drop the bomb
(inverter)
“call it like it is”
roots:
call 'em as you see 'em
tell it like it is
tell it like it is
“you’ve sown your bed, now sleep in it”
roots:
you reap what you sow
you’ve made your bed, now sleep in it
you’ve made your bed, now sleep in it
“happy trigger finger”
roots:
trigger-happy
itchy trigger finger
itchy trigger finger
“a taste of your own fire”
roots:
a taste of your own medicine
fight fire with fire
fight fire with fire
“don’t get bent out of joint”
roots:
don’t get bent out of shape
don’t get your nose out of joint
don’t get your nose out of joint
“a stick in the pooper”
roots:
a stick in the mud
a party pooper
a party pooper
“loggermate”
roots:
loggerheads
stalemate
stalemate
“on top of the ball”
roots:
on top of things
on the ball
on the ball
“cheaper said than done”
roots:
talk is cheap
easier said than done
easier said than done
“middle of the mill”
roots:
middle of the road
run of the mill
run of the mill
“a holy goose chase”
roots:
a quest for the holy grail
a wild goose chase
a wild goose chase
“in your perspective”
roots:
in your view
from your perspective
from your perspective
“a stand-down”
roots:
a stand-off
a showdown
(inverter)
a showdown
(inverter)
“right off the outset”
roots:
right off the bat
from the outset
from the outset
“happy as punch”
roots:
happy as a clam
pleased as punch
pleased as punch
“you’re telling the choir”
roots:
you’re telling me
you’re preaching to the choir
you’re preaching to the choir
“screwed me under the bus”
roots:
screwed me over
threw me under the bus
threw me under the bus
“shift the buck”
roots:
shift the blame
pass the buck
pass the buck
“off-head”
roots:
off-hand
off the top of my head
off the top of my head
“wing it by ear”
roots:
wing it
play it by ear
play it by ear
“bumped across”
roots:
bumped into
ran across
ran across
“decked to the nines”
roots:
decked out
dressed to the nines
dressed to the nines
“there are bound to be some wrinkles in the road”
roots:
some wrinkles to iron out
some bumps in the road
some bumps in the road
“we beat the cream out of them”
roots:
we beat the pants off of them
we creamed them
we creamed them
“paypot!”
roots:
jackpot!
paydirt!
paydirt!
“rise beyond the occasion”
roots:
rise to the occasion
above and beyond
above and beyond
“rain on your bubble”
roots:
rain on your parade
burst your bubble
burst your bubble
“a beef to grind”
roots:
a beef
an axe to grind
an axe to grind
“home is where the hat is”
roots:
home is where the heart is
a place to hang your hat
a place to hang your hat
“a red canard”
roots:
a red herring
a canard
a canard
“black and day”
roots:
black and white
night and day
night and day
“that fits the trick”
roots:
that fits the bill
that does the trick
that does the trick
“nothing to shake a sneeze at”
roots:
nothing to shake a stick at
nothing to sneeze at
nothing to sneeze at
“put it out of its mercy”
roots:
put it out of its misery
a mercy killing
a mercy killing
“old chain”
roots:
old lady
ball and chain
ball and chain
“a square shake”
roots:
a square deal
a fair shake
a fair shake
“no such dice”
roots:
no such luck
no dice
no dice
“think outside the beaten path”
roots:
think outside the box
off the beaten path
off the beaten path
“kick the ghost”
roots:
kick the bucket
give up the ghost
give up the ghost
“every dog has his fifteen minutes”
roots:
every dog has his day
fifteen minutes of fame
fifteen minutes of fame
“sugar your punches”
roots:
sugar-coat it
pull your punches
pull your punches
“the meat of the matter”
roots:
the meat of it
the heart of the matter
the heart of the matter
“locked in stone”
roots:
locked in
written in stone
written in stone
“don’t get your hackles in a dander!”
roots:
don’t get your hackles up
don’t get your dander up
don’t get your dander up
“a blank start”
roots:
a blank slate
a fresh start
a fresh start
“you only live a little”
roots:
you only live once
live a little
live a little
“high-line”
roots:
high-end
top of the line
top of the line
“you make my knees flutter”
roots:
you make my knees weak
you make my heart flutter
you make my heart flutter
“cream of the Earth”
roots:
cream of the crop
salt of the Earth
salt of the Earth
“I’ve got the whole oyster in my hand”
roots:
I’ve got the whole world in my hand
the world is my oyster
the world is my oyster
“scaredy-shit”
roots:
scaredy-cat
chicken-shit
chicken-shit
“glory salad”
roots:
glory days
salad days
salad days
“passing of the guard”
roots:
passing of the torch
changing of the guard
changing of the guard
“seize while the iron is hot”
roots:
seize the day
strike while the iron is hot
strike while the iron is hot
“off the top of my hand”
roots:
off the top of my head
off-hand
off-hand
“up in debate”
roots:
up in the air
open to debate
open to debate
“the penny of no return”
roots:
in for a penny, in for a pound
the point of no return
the point of no return
“don’t bite a gift horse in the mouth”
roots:
don’t bite the hand that feeds you
don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
“on the fly of your pants”
roots:
on the fly
by the seat of your pants
by the seat of your pants
“outside the pale of debate”
roots:
outside the realm of debate
beyond the pale
beyond the pale
“by the skin of a prayer”
roots:
by the skin of my teeth
on a wing and a prayer
on a wing and a prayer
“a feather of honour”
roots:
a feather in your cap
a badge of honour
a badge of honour
“take the wind out of your parade”
roots:
take the wind out of your sails
rain on your parade
rain on your parade
“piece of pie”
roots:
piece of cake
easy as pie
easy as pie
“making mountains out of teacups”
roots:
making mountains out of molehills
a tempest in a teacup
a tempest in a teacup
“roll with the flow”
roots:
roll with the punches
go with the flow
go with the flow
“hang you high and dry”
roots:
hang you out to dry
leave you high and dry
leave you high and dry
“I cracked my ass off”
roots:
I cracked up
I laughed my ass off
I laughed my ass off
“shrifted”
roots:
shafted
short shrift
short shrift
“that tastes like my alley”
roots:
that suits my taste
that’s right up my alley
that’s right up my alley
“set him out”
roots:
set him straight
straighten him out
(absent pivot)
straighten him out
(absent pivot)
“a diamond in a million”
roots:
a diamond in the rough
one in a million
one in a million
“go full hog”
roots:
go full bore
go whole hog
go whole hog
“up to mustard”
roots:
up to snuff
cut the mustard
cut the mustard
“add insult to the fire”
roots:
add insult to injury
adding fuel to the fire
adding fuel to the fire
“earn your own weight”
roots:
earn your keep
pull your own weight
pull your own weight
“I had a riot”
roots:
I had a blast
it was a riot
it was a riot
“roll up your bootstraps”
roots:
roll up your sleeves
pull yourself up by your bootstraps
pull yourself up by your bootstraps
“a jack for all seasons”
roots:
a jack of all trades
a man for all seasons
a man for all seasons
“leaper beware”
roots:
look before you leap
buyer beware
buyer beware
“you don’t shit”
roots:
you don’t say
no shit
no shit
“that makes my blood red”
roots:
that makes my blood boil
I’m seeing red
I’m seeing red
“blind robbery”
roots:
robbed blind
highway robbery
highway robbery
“in a thumbnail”
roots:
in a nutshell
a thumbnail sketch
a thumbnail sketch
“show-dog”
roots:
show-off
hot-dog
hot-dog
“put your nose to the wheel”
roots:
nose to the grindstone
put your shoulder to the wheel
put your shoulder to the wheel
“you can’t teach an old dog to change its spots”
roots:
you can’t teach an old dog new tricks
a leopard can’t change its spots
a leopard can’t change its spots
“when the day is said and done”
roots:
at the end of the day
when all is said and done
when all is said and done
“the early bird gets the spoils”
roots:
the early bird catches the worm
to the victor go the spoils
to the victor go the spoils
“double-edged blessing”
roots:
double-edged sword
mixed blessing
mixed blessing
“skirt around the bush”
roots:
skirt the issue
beat around the bush
beat around the bush
“bowled away”
roots:
bowled over
blown away
blown away
“if it ain’t broke, don’t rock it”
roots:
if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
don’t rock the boat
don’t rock the boat
“hold your own weight”
roots:
hold your own
pull your own weight
pull your own weight
“blow a cow”
roots:
blow a fuse
have a cow
have a cow
“the tables have shifted”
roots:
the tables have turned
the winds have shifted
the winds have shifted
“little by slightly”
roots:
ever so slightly
little by little
little by little
“when pigs freeze over”
roots:
when pigs fly
when Hell freezes over
when Hell freezes over
“look who’s calling the kettle black”
roots:
look who’s talking
the pot is calling the kettle black
the pot is calling the kettle black
“if you want to make an omelet, you’ve got to get your hands dirty”
roots:
if you want to make an omelet, you’ve got to break some eggs
get your hands dirty
get your hands dirty
“cut from the same ilk”
roots:
cut from the same cloth
of the same ilk
of the same ilk
“pay through the arm and leg”
roots:
pay through the nose
pay an arm and a leg
pay an arm and a leg
“a bit of a fetch”
roots:
a bit of a stretch
far-fetched
far-fetched
“shake your nose at”
roots:
shake a stick at
thumb your nose at
thumb your nose at
“throw in the quits”
roots:
throw in the towel
call it quits
call it quits
“give up the towel”
roots:
give up
throw in the towel
throw in the towel
“the nail in the camel’s back”
roots:
the last nail in the coffin
the straw that broke the camel’s back
the straw that broke the camel’s back
“look on the full side of the glass”
roots:
look on the bright side
the glass is half full
the glass is half full
“clean edge”
roots:
straight edge
clean cut
clean cut
“I’m laying down the foot”
roots:
I’m laying down the law
I’m putting my foot down
I’m putting my foot down
“off the hip”
roots:
off the cuff
shoot from the hip
shoot from the hip
“squeaky as a whistle”
roots:
squeaky clean
clean as a whistle
(absent pivot)
clean as a whistle
(absent pivot)
“by hook or high water”
roots:
by hook or by crook
come Hell or high water
come Hell or high water
“bread and potatoes”
roots:
meat and potatoes
bread and butter
bread and butter
“healthy as a picture”
roots:
healthy as a horse
the picture of health
the picture of health
“hit gold”
roots:
hit the jackpot
struck gold
struck gold
“that’s getting on my skin”
roots:
that’s getting on my nerves
that gets under my skin
that gets under my skin
“get both worlds with one stone”
roots:
get the best of both worlds
get two birds with one stone
get two birds with one stone
“make hay while the iron is hot”
roots:
make hay while the sun shines
strike while the iron is hot
strike while the iron is hot
“does that jog a bell?”
roots:
does that ring a bell?
does that jog your memory?
does that jog your memory?
“on the top of my fly”
roots:
on the fly
off the top of my head
off the top of my head
“the rat grind”
roots:
the grind
the rat race
the rat race
“frothing at the bit”
roots:
frothing at the mouth
champing at the bit
champing at the bit
“give me some faith”
roots:
give me some credit
have a little faith
have a little faith
“I’ve got my back against a hard place”
roots:
I’ve got my back against a wall
between a rock and hard place
between a rock and hard place
“jump in edgewise”
roots:
jump in
get a word in edgewise
get a word in edgewise
“don’t sugar-coat any punches”
roots:
don’t sugar-coat it
don’t pull any punches
don’t pull any punches
“tell it like a spade”
roots:
tell it like it is
call a spade a spade
call a spade a spade
“wild cannon”
roots:
wild card
loose cannon
loose cannon
“selling like gangbusters”
roots:
selling like hotcakes
going like gangbusters
going like gangbusters
“peachy beans”
roots:
peachy keen
cool beans
cool beans
“you hit the nail on the money”
roots:
you hit the nail on the head
on the money
on the money
“small fish”
roots:
small potatoes
you’ve got bigger fish to fry
you’ve got bigger fish to fry
“get the bearings of the land”
roots:
get my bearings
the lay of the land
the lay of the land
“you don’t get a free lunch for nothing”
roots:
you don’t get something for nothing
there’s no free lunch
there’s no free lunch
“rain on your thunder”
roots:
rain on your parade
steal your thunder
steal your thunder
“like taking candy from a barrel”
roots:
like taking candy from a baby
like shooting fish in a barrel
like shooting fish in a barrel
“in clam Heaven”
roots:
happy as a clam
in hog Heaven
in hog Heaven
“heard wind”
roots:
heard tell
caught wind
caught wind
“gauche pas”
roots:
gauche
faux pas
faux pas
“a diamond around the edges”
roots:
a diamond in the rough
rough around the edges
rough around the edges
“like a pig in Heaven”
roots:
like a pig in slop
in hog Heaven
in hog Heaven
“the short end of the shaft”
roots:
the short end of the stick
shafted
shafted
“out of the woods and into the fire”
roots:
not out of the woods yet
out of the frying pan and into the fire
out of the frying pan and into the fire
“walk what you preach”
roots:
if you’re going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk
practice what you preach
practice what you preach
“a beef to pick”
roots:
a bone to pick
a beef
a beef
“back to ground one”
roots:
back to ground zero
back to square one
back to square one
“it’s not rocket surgery”
roots:
it’s not rocket science
it’s not brain surgery
it’s not brain surgery
“a crap toss”
roots:
a crap shoot
a coin toss
a coin toss
“give up the farm”
roots:
bought the farm
give up the ghost
give up the ghost
“beat around the eggshells”
roots:
beat around the bush
walk on eggshells
walk on eggshells
“he’s not playing with a full deck of marbles”
roots:
he’s not playing with a full deck of cards
he’s lost his marbles
he’s lost his marbles
“clean off your chest”
roots:
come clean
get something off your chest
get something off your chest
“your fifteen minutes in the sun”
roots:
everyone has their fifteen minutes of fame
your moment in the sun
your moment in the sun
“get your teeth wet”
roots:
get your feet wet
cut your teeth
cut your teeth
“you’re dead toast”
roots:
you’re dead meat
you’re toast
you’re toast
“shit or get off the fence”
roots:
shit or get off the pot
stop sitting on the fence
stop sitting on the fence
“snowed me over”
roots:
snow job
pulled one over on me
pulled one over on me
“people from all strokes of life”
roots:
people from all walks of life
different strokes for different folks
different strokes for different folks
“skating on the edge”
roots:
skating on thin ice
living on the edge
living on the edge
“packblazer”
roots:
leader of the pack
trailblazer
trailblazer
“a slippery inch”
roots:
a slippery slope
give them an inch, they’ll take a mile
give them an inch, they’ll take a mile
“kettle of worms”
roots:
kettle of fish
can of worms
can of worms
“uprage”
roots:
uproar
outrage
outrage
“the cream de la crème”
roots:
the cream of the crop
the crème de la crème
(multilingual)
the crème de la crème
(multilingual)
“tough it up”
roots:
tough it out
suck it up
suck it up
“grab the bull by the reins”
roots:
grab the bull by the horns
take the reins
take the reins
“the cat’s knees”
roots:
the cat’s pajamas
the bee’s knees
the bee’s knees
“give it a stab”
roots:
give it a shot
take a stab at it
take a stab at it
“healthy as a fiddle”
roots:
healthy as a horse
fit as a fiddle
fit as a fiddle
“a dead spitter”
roots:
a dead ringer
the spitting image
the spitting image
“zip your pie trap!”
roots:
zip it!
shut your pie hole!
shut your trap!
(triple-root)
shut your pie hole!
shut your trap!
(triple-root)
“hold your guns”
roots:
hold your ground
stick to your guns
stick to your guns
“keep your horses”
roots:
hold your horses
keep your shirt on
keep your shirt on
“on gravy street”
roots:
riding the gravy train
on easy street
on easy street
“down to the gritty brass”
roots:
down to the nitty gritty
down to brass tacks
down to brass tacks
“time is ticking”
roots:
time’s ‘a wastin’
the clock is ticking
the clock is ticking
“bygones under the bridge”
roots:
let bygones be bygones
water under the bridge
water under the bridge
“a wolf in the grass”
roots:
a wolf in sheep’s clothing
a snake in the grass
a snake in the grass
“skeletons in your laundry”
roots:
air your dirty laundry
skeletons in your closet
skeletons in your closet
“when the dust is said and done”
roots:
when the dust settles
when all is said and done
when all is said and done
“like shooting cake in the park”
roots:
like shooting fish in a barrel
a cakewalk
a walk in the park
(triple-root)
a cakewalk
a walk in the park
(triple-root)
“you can’t squeeze blood from a sow’s ear”
roots:
you can’t squeeze blood from a stone
you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear
you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear
“thieves in a pod”
roots:
thick as thieves
peas in a pod
peas in a pod
“at the drop of a dime”
roots:
at the drop of a hat
on a dime
on a dime
“past the hill”
roots:
past your prime
over the hill
over the hill
“caught with your hands down”
roots:
caught with your pants down
caught red-handed
caught red-handed
“on my corner”
roots:
on my side
in my corner
in my corner
“the chip doesn’t fall far from the block”
roots:
a chip off the old block
the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
“bite the plunge”
roots:
bite the bullet
take the plunge
take the plunge
“long voyage”
roots:
so long
bon voyage
bon voyage
“candy-livered”
roots:
candy-assed
lily-livered
lily-livered
“the full nine yards”
roots:
the fully monty
the whole nine yards
the whole nine yards
“I’ve got the upper leg”
roots:
I’ve got the upper hand
I’ve got a leg up on the competition
I’ve got a leg up on the competition
“great minds flock together”
roots:
great minds think alike
birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together
“keep your ears peeled”
roots:
keep your ears to the ground
keep your eyes peeled
keep your eyes peeled
“nobody’s human”
roots:
nobody’s perfect
only human
only human
“rubs me to no end”
roots:
rubs me the wrong way
bothers me to no end
bothers me to no end
“hunky-dandy”
roots:
hunky-dory
fine and dandy
fine and dandy
“I blew the pooch”
roots:
I blew it
I screwed the pooch
I screwed the pooch
Incongruent Conflations
“let the sleeping dog out of the bag”
roots:
let sleeping dogs lie
let the cat out of the bag
let the cat out of the bag
“bright as a baby’s bottom”
roots:
bright as a new penny
soft as a baby’s bottom
soft as a baby’s bottom
“burn the oil at both ends”
roots:
burn the midnight oil
burn the candle at both ends
burn the candle at both ends
“I have too many eggs on my plate”
roots:
I have too much on my plate
don’t put all your eggs in one basket
don’t put all your eggs in one basket
“set the bar too far”
roots:
set the bar too high
a bridge too far
a bridge too far
“dressed to the teeth”
roots:
dressed to the nines
armed to the teeth
armed to the teeth
“you can beat a dead horse, but you can’t make it drink”
roots:
to beat a dead horse
you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink
you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink
“rest your laurels”
roots:
rest your case
rest on your laurels
rest on your laurels
“you can put the cart before the horse, but you can’t make him drink”
roots:
put the cart before the horse
you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink
you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink
“no skin off my teeth”
roots:
no skin off my nose
by the skin of my teeth
by the skin of my teeth
“over the roof”
roots:
over the top
through the roof
through the roof
“that blew my marbles”
roots:
that blew my mind
he lost his marbles
he lost his marbles
“under the dumps”
roots:
under the weather
down in the dumps
down in the dumps
“a penny saved is worth two in the bush”
roots:
a penny saved is a penny earned
a bird in hand is worth two in the bush
a bird in hand is worth two in the bush
“burn your wild oats”
roots:
sow your wild oats
burn the candle at both ends
burn the candle at both ends
“we’re all in the same shoes”
roots:
we’re all in the same boat
put yourself in my shoes
put yourself in my shoes
“preaching to a dead horse”
roots:
preaching to the choir
beating a dead horse
beating a dead horse
“it’s greener on the fence”
roots:
the grass is always greener on the other side
sitting on the fence
sitting on the fence
“dressed to the yards”
roots:
dressed to the nines
the whole nine yards
(absent pivot)
the whole nine yards
(absent pivot)
“beat an old saw”
roots:
beat a dead horse
an old saw
an old saw
“don’t cry over cookie crumbles”
roots:
don’t cry over spilt milk
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
“get your feet dirty”
roots:
get your feet wet
get your hands dirty
get your hands dirty
“throw me a limb”
roots:
throw me a bone
out on a limb
out on a limb
“into blue air”
roots:
out of the blue
into thin air
into thin air
“we’ll burn that bridge when we come to it”
roots:
don’t burn your bridges
we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it
we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it
“putting on the Joneses”
roots:
putting on airs
keeping up with the Joneses
keeping up with the Joneses
“spine-chilling”
roots:
spine-tingling
bone-chilling
bone-chilling
“the dagger in the coffin”
roots:
the dagger to the heart
the last nail in the coffin
the last nail in the coffin
“just under the bar”
roots:
just under the wire
raise the bar
raise the bar
“racking my head against a wall”
roots:
racking my brain
banging my head against a wall
banging my head against a wall
“out of the frying pan and into the soup”
roots:
out of the frying pan and into the fire
in the soup
in the soup
“off the hook and into the fire”
roots:
off the hook
out of the frying pan, into the fire
out of the frying pan, into the fire
“robbing Peter to pay the piper”
roots:
robbing Peter to pay Paul
pay the piper
pay the piper
“don’t count all your eggs in one basket”
roots:
don’t count your chickens before they hatch
don’t put all your eggs in one basket
don’t put all your eggs in one basket
“rough behind the ears”
roots:
rough around the edges
wet behind the ears
wet behind the ears
“you can’t have your druthers and eat them too”
roots:
if I had my druthers
you can’t have your cake and eat it too
you can’t have your cake and eat it too
“shoot yourself to spite your face”
roots:
shoot yourself in the foot
cut off your nose to spite your face
cut off your nose to spite your face
“pet beef”
roots:
pet peeve
a beef
a beef
“benchstone”
roots:
benchmark
milestone
milestone
“balls to the grindstone”
roots:
balls to the wall
nose to the grindstone
nose to the grindstone
“an ace in a poke”
roots:
an ace in the hole
a pig in a poke
a pig in a poke
“a windshed moment”
roots:
a windfall
a watershed moment
a watershed moment
“that’s a load off my monkey”
roots:
a monkey on my back
that’s a load off my mind
that’s a load off my mind
“a circular slope”
roots:
circular logic
a slippery slope
a slippery slope
“it takes all types to tango”
roots:
it takes all types to make the world go around
it takes two to tango
it takes two to tango
“a stacked question”
roots:
a stacked deck
a loaded question
a loaded question
“trotting to the ends of the globe”
roots:
globetrotter
traveling to the ends of the Earth
traveling to the ends of the Earth
“tongue in hat”
roots:
tongue in cheek
talk through your hat
talk through your hat
“hard and dry rule”
roots:
hard and fast rule
cut and dry issue
cut and dry issue
“you’re a shoo-in the door”
roots:
you’re a shoo-in
get your foot in the door
get your foot in the door
“what goes around must come down”
roots:
what goes around comes around
what goes up must come down
what goes up must come down
“a wild herring”
roots:
a wild goose chase
a red herring
a red herring
“hand over mouth”
roots:
hand over fist
hand to mouth
hand to mouth
WTFWJD?”
roots:
WTF?
WWJD?
WWJD?
“short-minded”
roots:
absent-minded
short-sighted
short-sighted
“burning the elbow grease”
roots:
burning the midnight oil
elbow grease
elbow grease
“keep me in the post”
roots:
keep me in the loop
keep me posted
keep me posted
“throw your towel into the ring”
roots:
throw in the towel
throw your hat into the ring
throw your hat into the ring
“don’t judge a sheep by its clothing”
roots:
don’t judge a book by its cover
a wolf in sheep’s clothing
a wolf in sheep’s clothing
“jump the horse”
roots:
jump the gun
put the cart before the horse
put the cart before the horse
“better safe than never”
roots:
better safe than sorry
better late than never
better late than never
“take the baby with the bathwater”
roots:
take the good with the bad
don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater
don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater
“let the heavens fall where they may”
roots:
let the chips fall where they may
do justice though the heavens fall
do justice though the heavens fall
“a vicious prophecy”
roots:
a self-fulfilling prophecy
a vicious cycle
a vicious cycle
“steam your wild oats”
roots:
blow off some steam
sow your wild oats
sow your wild oats
“a wild haystack”
roots:
a wild goose chase
a needle in a haystack
a needle in a haystack
“rough it out”
roots:
rough it
tough it out
tough it out
“the Devil’s in the pudding”
roots:
the Devil’s in the details
the proof of the pudding
the proof of the pudding
“hard and white rule”
roots:
hard and fast rule
black and white issu
black and white issu
“like a bull in a candy shop”
roots:
like a bull in a china shop
like a kid in a candy shop
like a kid in a candy shop
“hook, line, and barrel”
roots:
hook, line, and sinker
lock, stock, and barrel
lock, stock, and barrel
“he’s blowing red”
roots:
he’s blowing his top
he’s seeing red
he’s seeing red
“skating on eggshells”
roots:
skating on thin ice
walking on eggshells
walking on eggshells
“red goose chase”
roots:
red herring
wild goose chase
wild goose chase
“let the cookies fall where they may”
roots:
let the chips fall where they may
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
that’s the way the cookie crumbles
“worth your gold”
roots:
worth your salt
worth your weight in gold
worth your weight in gold