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#1 2016-09-16 16:38:13

Dixon Wragg
Eggcornista
From: Cotati, California
Registered: 2008-07-04
Posts: 1375

"smoke like a fish"

He used to smoke like a fish.
oral history

I stumbled on this substitution (for “drink like a fish”) while researching an eggcorn. I find it amusing. How would the fish keep the cigarette lit?

To my surprise, it turns out there are lots of examples of “smoke like a fish” online. Many or most refer to a band by that name, but apparently the phrase is also a slang term referring to non-smokers, as well as being used in the opposite sense (as a substitution for “drink like a fish”).

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#2 2016-09-16 22:27:43

kem
Eggcornista
From: Victoria, BC
Registered: 2007-08-28
Posts: 2851

Re: "smoke like a fish"

Perhaps some blend with “smoked fish.”


Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.

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#3 2016-09-22 13:07:06

yanogator
Eggcornista
From: Ohio
Registered: 2007-06-07
Posts: 237

Re: "smoke like a fish"

That reminds me of a time a number of years ago when a friend referred to someone as “jet blonde”, thinking that “jet” just meant “extremely”.


“I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific.” – Lily Tomlin

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#4 2016-09-28 18:16:11

kem
Eggcornista
From: Victoria, BC
Registered: 2007-08-28
Posts: 2851

Re: "smoke like a fish"

That’s good, “jet blonde.”

“Jet,” of course, is a hard, black semi-precious form of lignite, once worn as a mourning jewel. Not the rocket.

There are several examples of your “jet blonde” on the web. In addition, we have several other jetted colors:

Baby forum:”: http://community.babycenter.com/post/a6 … ll_of_hair “My baby was born with a head full of hair. I have long thick jet black hair and my husband has jet RED hair.”

Web erotic fiction:”: https://www.literotica.com/s/vanessas-d … -10?page=3 “he grabbed her jet AUBURN hair and wrapped it around his hand until he had a vice handle on her head.”

Nineteenth century novel:”: https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=ch … wn+hair%22 “the large, dark eyes gleaming with interest, the jet-BROWN hair flecked with sun-rays that filtered through the foliage, a surpassingly lovely picture,”

Web fiction:”: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/311523/ … er-crimson “He had jet GREEN hair, with a violet-colored jacket.”

More web fiction:”: https://www.wattpad.com/60520296-the-ni … unted-team “There stood at the door way a possum like creature with black eyes and gruesome jet YELLOW hair and fur.”

Description of anime figure:”: http://siemens363.deviantart.com/art/Re … -163513727 “Suraimo has fairly long jet PURPLE hair tied in a spiky ponytail.”

Web page on hair colors:”: http://haircolorideas.org/jet-blue-hair-color.html “Jet BLUE hair color Ideas in 2016”

Blog entry:”: http://bigredden.blogspot.ca/2016_07_01_archive.html “Ned stood at six foot with jet GREY hair swept back over a big head and intense eyes.”

You seem to have discovered a so-far-unrecorded shift in English usage: “jet” as a specialized intensifier for hair color. Congratulations!

Last edited by kem (2016-09-28 18:17:25)


Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.

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