🗣️ Taking Words Right Out of One’s Mouth: The Eloquent Espionage of Agreement 🎙️
To take the words right out of one’s mouth means to agree with someone completely or to say something that another person was just about to say. This vivid image conjures the notion of verbal mind-reading and intense agreement.
Definition:
- Literal: Literally taking words from someone’s mouth, an impossible but humorous visualization.
- Figurative: Expresses complete agreement or the act of anticipating someone’s thought and vocalizing it.
Origins:
This phrase has historical depth, being expressed as early as the sixteenth century. In 1568, Richard Grafton’s A Chronicle at Large (published in 1809) used it vividly: “The Pope… takying their wordes out of their mouthes, said…”
Similar Expressions:
- Great minds think alike: Suggests that people of intelligence tend to think in similar, synchronized ways.
- Thinking along the same lines: Denotes agreement in thought or perspective.
- Couldn’t have said it better myself: Indicates full agreement with what has been said.
- On the same wavelength: Represents shared understanding or thinking.
Quotes:
- “You took the words right out of my mouth!”—An exclamation often followed by a bemused grin.
- “Well, that’s exactly what I was going to say!”—A common reaction when someone preempts your thoughts.
Literary and Media References:
- Books:
- Mindwriter by Lexi Verboseworth, a fictional exploration where communication transcends spoken words.
- Movies and Shows:
- Inception (2010): While not about words per se, it deals with trespassing in someone’s mental space, paralleling the notion of inferred thoughts.
Suggested Reading/Watching List:
- Inception (2010)
- Guess What I’m Thinking by Idea Roseta
- Words of the Heart by Sam Mindbeam
Farewell Thought:
Buckle up and marvel at the power of shared thoughts and synchronized communication! Next time someone takes the words right out of your mouth, revel in the cosmic connection that unites you!
And that’s all for today’s exploration of synchronized speech and verbal deja-vu. Until next time, may your moments of mutual agreement be ever delightful!
