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Everyday Sayings That Make No Sense

Everyday Sayings That Make No Sense

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The English language is a weird thing, and we are constantly inventing new ways to express ourselves. Unfortunately, sometimes we try to get a bit too creative, and don’t realize that the expressions we’re saying make absolutely no sense when you boil them down. Here are ten everyday phrases we’ve all said that don’t actually mean what you think they do.

FrontStreetGalleryPoulsbo.com
FrontStreetGalleryPoulsbo.com

“Head over heels”

Aren’t we already head over heels every day? As in, when you’re standing up, your head rests over your heels? Though the expression refers to somebody falling down, or falling in love, etc., it might make more sense to switch it to “head over behind,” or something along those lines.

Independent.co.uk
Independent.co.uk

“Slept like a baby”

Babies never sleep through the night, do they? Or if they do, it’s a rare occurrence that’s celebrated by new parents with all the fanfare of a World Series win. Sleeping like a baby infers that you woke up every hour on the hour and screamed your head off until somebody changed your diaper.

ReimanPub.com
ReimanPub.com

“Easy as pie”

Pie is actually really hard to make. Making the crust and filling taste right to begin with is no small task, and don’t even get me started on making those top dimples just right. Eating pie isn’t even that easy either – have you ever had a bash at one with no fork and your hands tied behind your back, country fair style? Definitely not easy.

TheLibertyBeat.com
TheLibertyBeat.com

“Clean as a whistle”

Clean as a whistle? What on earth is that about? Whistles are FILTHY. Full of spit, dirt, and who knows what else. Whistles should not be your go-to cleaning barometer. If it’s clean as a whistle, wash it again.

Examiner.com
Examiner.com

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you”

The phrase refers to needing to settle an argument with somebody, but what does picking at a bone have to do with it? It would make sense if we were talking about a group of vultures who wanted to spend some quality time with one another over a nice bone, but it doesn’t really work in the human context.

HollowWordAnswers.com
HollowWordAnswers.com

“Beat around the bush”

Beating around the bush means you’re putting off doing something, or not getting to the point in an argument. But since when is beating a bush, or even running around a bush, if that’s what you take from it, a stalling tactic? Imagine being in a disagreement with somebody, and rather than make a salient point, they run off and start jogging circles around some shrubbery. You’d just walk away.

QueenCakeDesign.com
QueenCakeDesign.com

“Have your cake and eat it too”

You would assume that if you’re eating cake, it was yours. And isn’t eating your cake the same thing as having it? If this phrase wanted to be more accurate, it would be something more like, “Keep your cake and eat it too.” Which just makes you a Fatty Fatty No Friends.

2FlashGames.com
2FlashGames.com

“It’s a dog-eat-dog world”

Basically, we’re likening a competitive atmosphere to cannibalism. That seems a bit excessive, even in capitalistic societies. When have you ever seen a dog eat a dog, even in the wild? They’ll ruthlessly go after squirrels or rabbits, sure, but they usually leave their own kind well enough alone.

BP.Blogspot.com
BP.Blogspot.com

“I could care less”

If you could care less, you’re saying that you care a certain amount, and it’s possible for you to care less than you currently do. To be fair, this is kind of a misinterpretation of the actual saying, which is, “I couldn’t care less,” but enough people get it wrong that it makes the list.

ArlingtonVA.com
ArlingtonVA.com

“I don’t give a rat’s a**”

For those who have tired of the aforementioned phrase, “I could care less,” they’ll sometimes throw in a “I don’t give a rat’s a**,” to express the depth to which they really don’t care about something. But does that mean that if you did care about it, you would give a rat’s behind to somebody to demonstrate that? That’s a weird way of showing your commitment, to my way of thinking.