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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. A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the ...
Jun 6, 2019 · Updated on June 06, 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
Aug 16, 2024 · Overloading your writing with mixed metaphors can be overwhelming and confusing for readers. Use them as a spice, not the main ingredient. Aim for Humor: The best mixed metaphors often incite a chuckle. Embrace the absurdity! Maintain Context: While mixed metaphors are inherently nonsensical, they should still fit the context of your writing or ...
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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
The term metaphor meant in Greek "carry something across" or "transfer," which suggests many of the more elaborate definitions below: Metaphor Table. Definition. Origin. A comparison between two things, based on resemblance or similarity, without using "like" or "as". most dictionaries and textbooks. The act of giving a thing a name that ...
Sep 26, 2021 · A mixed metaphor is a combination of two or more incompatible figurative elements, producing a ridiculous effect. These elements can be metaphors, malaphors, or idioms. There are two ways for characters to use this technique, also known as a "mixaphor." In dialogue, it would either be used intentionally or unintentionally.
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Types of Metaphors. 1. Conventional Metaphors. Conventional metaphor is a great example of a highly popular similarity that people easily recognizes and perceives as part of a norm and thus may be used in daily conversation. Examples: Time is money. Life is a journey. Love is a battlefield. 2.
