19 Common Sayings That Don’t Make Any Sense if You Really Think About Them. Are You Guilty of Saying Them, Floridians?

The English language is packed with sayings that make us sound wise… until you realize most of them don’t make an ounce of sense.

The minute you dig deeper, you realize they’re confusing or contradictory.

Here are the sayings Floridians repeat with confidence that fall apart the second you think about them.

“I Slept Like a Baby”

On the surface, it sounds like a compliment about a good night’s rest. Babies, though, are known for waking up often and crying through the night.

The phrase has stuck around for decades, even if it doesn’t line up with reality.

People use it to mean deep, peaceful sleep.

Still, the saying survives, even if the logic behind it never really made sense.

“It Is What It Is”

This phrase shows up everywhere when people can’t explain a situation. It sounds final, but it actually says very little.

Instead of providing clarity, it just repeats itself.

Nothing is added, yet everyone understands the meaning.

It has become a way to shrug off frustration without going into detail.

It’s one of those sayings people use constantly, even while realizing it doesn’t really say much at all.

“Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps”

At first glance, it sounds motivational. In reality, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is physically impossible.

The phrase came from old-fashioned imagery, but over time it turned into a lesson about self-reliance.

Even though the words make little sense, the meaning is clear. People use it to encourage hard work and persistence.

It’s proof that phrases can lose their literal meaning and still hold cultural weight.

“Head Over Heels”

Falling in love is often described this way, but it doesn’t quite add up. People are always head over heels just by standing upright.

The phrase is supposed to suggest excitement or being turned upside down. Still, the wording feels strange once you think about it.

It stuck in the language because it paints a picture, even if the details are off. Romance doesn’t usually involve cartwheels.

Yet people say it all the time, proving that logic matters less than the feeling.

“The Proof Is in the Pudding”

Most people use this phrase to mean the truth will reveal itself, but the wording doesn’t really make sense.

Proof isn’t something anyone expects to find in a dessert.

The original saying was longer and clearer, but over time, it got shortened into something confusing. Now people repeat it without thinking about the food reference.

The image it creates is funny if you stop and picture it. No one is digging through pudding to find evidence of anything.

Still, the phrase has stuck, and most people never question it until someone points it out.

“Curiosity Killed the Cat”

This warning pops up whenever someone asks too many questions. Yet if you think about it, it sounds far darker than the way people casually use it.

The saying suggests that curiosity leads to harm, which is an odd message to pass along.

Curiosity is usually seen as a positive trait.

It has roots in old proverbs, but the modern use often leaves people scratching their heads. Why bring cats into it at all?

Despite the strange logic, the phrase lives on in everyday conversations.

“Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees”

Parents have repeated this line for generations, but the imagery is a little silly. No one has ever expected to pick dollar bills off a branch.

The saying is supposed to remind people about hard work and responsibility.

Still, the literal image is what makes it sound odd.

It has become such a staple of family life that people barely hear the words anymore. They know what it means, not what it says.

It’s one of those sayings that survives because of its lesson, not its logic.

“Bite the Bullet”

Today, people use this phrase when preparing to face something unpleasant. If you think about it literally, it sounds dangerous and unnecessary.

The origin goes back to old wartime practices, but that history is long forgotten in everyday use.

Now people say it without knowing where it came from.

The phrase has lost its edge over time, but the imagery still feels harsh. Few realize how strange it sounds until they stop to think.

Even so, it remains one of the most common sayings people reach for.

“Break a Leg”

This phrase is used to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance. Taken literally, though, it sounds like the opposite of encouragement.

The odd wording comes from old theater traditions, but most people don’t think about that history. They just repeat it without a second thought.

If you picture it, the phrase makes very little sense.

Wishing injury to someone isn’t the best way to cheer them on.

Still, it’s one of the most common well-wishes, and no one questions it in the moment.

“Cat Got Your Tongue”

When someone is unusually quiet, this phrase often pops up. But imagining a cat stealing someone’s tongue is more disturbing than playful.

The words are meant to tease, yet the imagery doesn’t match the lighthearted use.

It’s one of those sayings that has drifted far from its origins.

Most people never stop to think about how strange it sounds. They just use it as a quick joke.

The odd mix of humor and nonsense has kept it alive for generations.

“Raining Cats and Dogs”

Heavy rain is often described this way, but no one has ever seen animals falling from the sky.

The image it creates is ridiculous if taken literally.

The phrase has uncertain roots, which makes its survival even stranger.

It paints a vivid picture, which may explain why it stuck around. Still, the words themselves make no logical sense.

It’s proof that colorful language can outlast its original meaning.

“Kick the Bucket”

This saying is a softer way of talking about death, but the words themselves are unusual. There’s nothing about a bucket that connects directly to the idea.

The phrase has been around for centuries, yet its exact origin is debated.

People just accept it as normal.

If you pause to think about it, it’s one of the oddest metaphors in common use. The image doesn’t line up with the meaning at all.

Still, it remains a polite way to avoid using harsher language.

“Let the Cat Out of the Bag”

This phrase is used when someone reveals a secret, but the imagery is bizarre.

What cat, and why is it in a bag in the first place?

The words come from old traditions, yet most people never think about that history. They just use it to describe spilling the truth.

Taken literally, the phrase is confusing and a little unsettling. No one is carrying animals around in bags anymore.

Even so, it continues to be one of the most common ways to describe giving something away.

“Burning the Midnight Oil”

People say this when working late, but the wording feels old-fashioned. Few people actually use oil lamps anymore.

The phrase has hung on long after the original context faded. Now it just means staying up too late.

It’s a clear example of how language outlives the tools it came from.

Despite being outdated, some people still repeat it without thinking twice.

“Under the Weather”

When someone feels sick, they often say they’re under the weather. But what does that really mean?

Everyone is under the weather all the time.

The phrase once had a specific nautical meaning, but that context is gone. Now it just sounds like odd shorthand.

Still, it has become one of the most common ways to describe feeling unwell. People rarely stop to question it.

The strange wording shows how sayings can drift far from logic.

“Barking Up the Wrong Tree”

This phrase is used when someone is mistaken, but the picture it creates is a little strange. Few people today have seen a dog barking at the wrong tree.

The words come from hunting traditions, but those origins are rarely remembered. Most people just use it casually.

Without the background, the saying makes little sense. It’s still vivid, but also outdated.

Even so, it’s stayed in common speech for generations.

“Throw in the Towel”

This phrase means giving up, but the wording is unusual. Why would someone toss a towel to signal surrender?

It actually comes from boxing, but most people using it have never stepped in a ring. They just repeat the saying without thinking about its roots.

Taken literally, it sounds like someone cleaning up instead of quitting.

The image doesn’t match the meaning at all.

Still, it’s one of the most common ways to describe walking away from something.

“Back to the Drawing Board”

When plans fail, people often say it’s back to the drawing board. Yet most don’t use drawing boards in daily life.

The phrase reflects a time when designs were drafted by hand.

Today, it feels outdated but is still widely understood.

If you picture it literally, the wording makes little sense for modern problems. Nobody pulls out paper and pencils to start over anymore.

Even so, the phrase has survived and continues to pop up everywhere.

“Saved by the Bell”

People use this when they escape a tough moment, but the phrase is rooted in old traditions that sound strange today.

The meaning has shifted over time.