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  1. Jun 21, 2022 · 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.

  2. Mixed metaphor is a linguistic phenomenon or a figure of speech in which two or more metaphors are combined into a single meaning, that makes confusing or illogical statements. For Example: You’re a shining star in my galaxy, a precious gem that illuminates my world.

    • 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
  3. Jun 25, 2024 · A mixed metaphor is a figure of speech that combines two different metaphors in a nonsensical, oftentimes comedic, way. The original meanings of the two metaphors are usually lost once they are combined into a mixed metaphor.

  4. What are Mixed Metaphors? A mixed metaphor is a mixture of two or more dissimilar, figurative elements, like metaphors, similes, and idioms, which in turn, lead to the silly or even confusing effect. This is likely to occur when you are creative and borrow ideas from various quarters or contexts potentially rendering your statement nonsensical ...

  5. Aug 16, 2024 · A mixed metaphor is the combination of two or more unrelated and sometimes incongruous metaphors, resulting in a statement that is not logically consistent or, at times, unintentionally humorous.

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  7. mixed metaphor: The awkward, often silly use of more than one metaphor at a time. To be avoided! The movie struck a spark that massaged the audience's conscience. dead metaphor: A commonly used metaphor that has become over time part of ordinary language. tying up loose ends, a submarine sandwich, a branch of government, and most clichés

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