Yahoo Canada Web Search

Search results

  1. Jan 12, 2023 · An example of a mixed metaphor is a figure of speech that just doesn't make sense. Writers often intentionally include misused metaphors to produce a comedic effect, showcasing a character’s ignorance or naivety.

    • Similes

      Definition; Examples; Similes vs. metaphors; What is a...

    • Metaphor

      Visual metaphor definition and example. For example,...

    • Using Mixed Metaphors
    • Examples of Mixed Metaphors
    • Sources

    In "Garner's Modern American Usage", Bryan A. Garner offers this classic example of a mixed metaphor from a speech by Boyle Roche in the Irish Parliament: This sort of mixed metaphor may occur when a speaker is so familiar with the figurative sense of a phrase ("smell a rat," "nip in the bud") that he fails to recognize the absurdity that results f...

    "So now what we are dealing with is the rubber meeting the road, and instead of biting the bullet on these issues, we just want to punt."
    "[T]he bill is mostly a stew of spending on existing programs, whatever their warts may be."
    "A friend of mine, talking about the Democratic presidential candidates, tossed out a wonderful mixed metaphor: 'This is awfully weak tea to have to hang your hat on.'"
    "The mayor has a heart as big as the Sahara for protecting 'his' police officers, and that is commendable. Unfortunately, he also often strips his gears by failing to engage the clutch when shiftin...

    Lynne Truss, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation", 2003 Chicago Tribune, cited by The New Yorker, August 13, 2007 The New York Times, January 27, 2009 Montgomery Advertiser, Alabama, cited by The New Yorker, November 16, 1987 Bob Herbert, "Behind the Curtain," The New York Times, November 27, 2007 Thomas L. Friedman, ...

    • Richard Nordquist
  2. Aug 11, 2023 · A mixed metaphor is a figure of speech that combines two or more metaphors, resulting in a confusing or nonsensical statement. Mixed metaphors are usually accidental and are often perceived as unintentionally humorous.

  3. Jun 6, 2019 · A mixed metaphor is a succession of incongruous or ludicrous comparisons. Also known—playfully—as a mixaphor. Although many style guides condemn the use of mixed metaphors, in practice most of the objectionable combinations (as in the examples below) are actually clichés or dead metaphors.

    • Richard Nordquist
  4. Jun 21, 2022 · Mixed Metaphors Explained: 8 Examples of Mixed Metaphors. A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the head”); when you start mixing imagery ("hitting the nail on the nose"), you can create a type of malapropism known as a mixed metaphor.

  5. A mixed metaphor is a figure of speech that combines two or more incompatible metaphors, leading to a confusing or illogical expression. These can occur accidentally or intentionally in writing, often resulting in a humorous or jarring effect.

  6. People also ask

  7. Recognize and correct errors in mixed sentence construction. A mixed-construction sentence contains parts that do not fit together because of grammatical structure or meaning. These sentence errors occur when writers begin a statement in one way, or one direction, and then unintentionally change grammatical paths. This kind of sentence ...