Is there a word for mangled idiom that becomes commonplace

gedaliyah@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 128 points –

Like "does the Pope shit in the woods?" or "that train has sailed?"

Also, what good examples can you think of?

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Not the brightest bulb in the shed

In a similar vein, "not the sharpest spoon in the drawer"

I always liked "not the sharpest bulb in the tree".

(Because it kinda makes sense. Some Christmas lights have pointy bulbs. But nobody picks them for sharpness.)