phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Putting your foot in your mouth

Posted by Bruce Kahl on October 18, 2002

In Reply to: Putting your foot in your mouth posted by Maria on October 18, 2002

: What would be the exact meaning and connotation of this one? My friend says "When you speak of someone "putting their foot in their mouth", it means that they spoke thoughtlessly, or made a brash comment without realizing that someone around might find the statement offensive. It does NOT apply to when someone makes an ordinary statement and someone else doesn't understand it or takes it the wrong way."
: But I think it's when you say something without taking account of what the connotation of what your saying might be. Such as when you ask a heaveset woman when her due date is, only to find that she's not pregnant. Clearly there's no misunderstanding there, and she didn't take it the wrong way. The issue is in what you said.
: Thanks for helping clear this up!

Asking a heavyset woman when her due date is and then finding out she is not pregnant is a perfect example of putting your foot in your mouth.

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.