What does Foot in Mouth mean?

Say something foolish, embarrassing, or tactless. For example, Jane put her foot in her mouth when she called him by her first husband's name. This notion is sometimes put as having foot-in-mouth disease, as in He has a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease, always making some tactless remark.

Where did the phrase foot in mouth come from?

The variant foot-in-mouth disease is newer, and dates to at least the mid-1900s. It is a play on the foot-and-mouth (or hoof-and-mouth) viral disease that afflicts cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals causing blisters on the feet and inside the mouth. 5. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms.

Why do I put my foot in my mouth?

To put your foot in your mouth means to make yourself look foolish by accidentally saying something that offends or embarrasses someone. A few examples: You're in a group conversation at a party and tell everyone you think people who do yoga are flakes.

Is my foot an insult?

...my ˈfoot!

(informal, humorous) a strong way of saying that you disagree completely with what has just been said: 'Ian can't come because he's tired. ' 'Tired my foot! Lazy more like!

What to say when you put your foot in your mouth?

What to say: “What I said was unfair; I'm sorry.” Making amends after you've put your foot in your mouth will always involve some level of discomfort on your part. To help you and the other party move forward on good terms, remember that acknowledgment and humility go a long way.

What Does It Mean to Put Your Foot In Your Mouth?

What does wet behind the ears means?

Immature, inexperienced, as in How can you take instructions from Tom? He's still wet behind the ears, or Jane's not dry behind the ears yet. This term alludes to the fact that the last place to dry in a newborn colt or calf is the indentation behind its ears. [

What does it mean to have egg on your face?

Definition of with egg on one's face

: appearing foolish usually because something one said would happen has not happened The unexpected election result left a lot of journalists with egg on their faces.

Had a Ball meaning?

informal. : to have fun : to spend time in a very enjoyable way Everyone had a ball at the party.

What does it mean to throw something in someone's face?

to reject something that someone has said or done for you in a way that seems very ungrateful or rude.

What is the meaning of face fell?

—used to say that someone looks unhappy or disappointed Her face fell when I told her the bad news.

What does chip off the old block mean?

Definition of chip off the old block

An expression used of people who closely resemble their parents in some way: “Mark just won the same sailboat race his father won twenty years ago; he's a chip off the old block.”

What does left holding the bag mean?

Abandon someone, force someone to bear the responsibility or blame. For example, Her friends said they were too busy to help with cleaning up, and left Lucy holding the bag. This expression is often put as be left holding the bag, as in When they quit the clean-up committee, Lucy was left holding the bag.

What does shaky ground mean?

Definition of on shaky ground

: weak and likely to break down, collapse, or fail : not strong or well supported Their marriage is on shaky ground. His argument/theory rests on shaky ground.

What is the meaning of shakier?

adjectiveWord forms: shakier or shakiest. 1. tending to shake or tremble. 2. liable to prove defective; unreliable.

Is Shaky Ground an idiom?

[of an idea or proposal] on an unstable or questionable foundation; [of an idea or proposal] founded on a risky premise. When you suggest that we are to blame, you are on shaky ground.

What does grab the bull by the horns mean?

Definition of take the bull by the horns

: to deal with a difficult situation in a very direct or confident way She decided to take the bull by the horns and try to solve the problem without any further delay.

What does spreading yourself too thin mean?

To engage in so many activities that one can't perform any of them well: “Last semester, Pamela tried to play basketball, serve on the student council, and work at her father's store. She quickly discovered that she was spreading herself too thin.”

What does the phrase green around the gills mean?

Also, green around the gills. Looking ill or nauseated, as in After that bumpy ride she looked quite green about the gills. The use of green to describe an ailing person's complexion dates from about 1300, and gills has referred to the flesh around human jaws and ears since the 1600s.

What does a fish out of water mean?

A person away from his or her usual environment or activities. For example, Using a computer for the first time, Carl felt like a fish out of water, or On a hiking trail, Nell was a fish out of water. This expression alludes to the fact that fish cannot survive for long on dry land. [ Late 1300s]

What does it mean get off your high horse?

to stop talking as if you were better or smarter than other people: It's time you came down off your high horse and admitted you were wrong. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Showing arrogance and conceit.

What does 2 peas in a pod mean?

Definition of two peas in a pod

—used to say that two people or things are very similar to each other My brother and I are two peas in a pod. We both like the same things.

What's the meaning of wide eyed?

Definition of wide-eyed

1 : having or marked by unsophisticated or uncritical acceptance or admiration : naive wide-eyed innocence. 2 : having the eyes wide open especially with wonder or astonishment.

What does get a grip of yourself mean?

to make an effort to control your emotions and behave more calmly: Stop panicking and get a grip on yourself!

What does trailed off mean?

Definition of trail away/off

—used to say that someone's voice becomes softer and softer and then stops She started asking him a question, but then her voice trailed off.