Foot-in-Mouth Disease - The knack of always saying the wrong thing. The expression is both a verbal play on the foot-and-mouth disease that affects livestock and on the expression “to put one’s foot in one’s mouth,” meaning to make a verbal blunder. The latter dates from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century (see also put one’s foot in it). The current cliché is much newer, dating from the mid-twentieth century.
Related & Similar Terms
- Put one’s foot in it: To say something foolish, embarrassing, or inappropriate.
- Open mouth, insert foot: Similar to putting one’s foot in one’s mouth.
- Shoot oneself in the foot: To do or say something that causes harm to oneself or one’s own interests.
- Verbal faux pas: A slip or blunder in speaking.
- Slip of the tongue: A minor mistake in speech.
Synonyms
- Verbal blunder
- Gaffe
- Mistake
- Misstep
- Blunder
Antonyms
- Smooth talk
- Eloquence
- Tactfulness
Humorous Quotes
- “I’d agree with you but then we’d both be wrong.”
- “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” – Often attributed to Abraham Lincoln or Mark Twain.
Proverbs and Expressions
- A still tongue makes a wise head.
- Silence is a source of great strength.
Literary References
Books:
- “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” by Toby Young
- “Around the World in 80 Clichés” by Laura Lee
Movies:
- “Liar Liar” (1997) starring Jim Carrey
- “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001), featuring endless foot-in-mouth moments
Songs:
- “Oops!… I Did It Again” by Britney Spears
- “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” by Olivia Rodrigo
Poetry
“Harlem Night Song” by Langston Hughes: Though it’s more about love, quietly contemplate how not to say something foolish to your loved one!
Inspirational Thought & Farewell
🌟 “Remember, it’s not about how many times you’ve put your foot in your mouth, but rather how you learn to gracefully extract it and carry on speaking.” — L. P. Linguist 🚶♂️💬✨
