A mixed metaphor is the intermixing of two or more metaphors the literal meaning of which comes from different and incompatible areas. Apart from my cheeky example in the note above, also consider the following:
- I shall make no bones about the skeleton in the closet.
- We’ve got to grab the bull by the tail and look him in the eye.
- He’s like a duck out of water.
As you might already guess, the juxtaposition of such incongruous elements can have a profoundly humorous effect. However, humor is not the only possible option for mixed metaphors, as we shall see below. Whether to avoid mixed metaphors or not depends entirely on the intended meaning.
