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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have completely misunderstood the meaning of some sayings?

843 replies

KermitTheToad · 18/11/2025 20:53

I only found out today that the term Social Butterfly refers to someone who is outgoing and loves social events. I thought it meant you didn't like social events, as in you would fly away and avoid them. I also until recently thought that a Spendthrift is somebody who is frugal in their spending. I assumed that as thrifty meant not being wasteful, that Spendthrift meant being careful in what you spent.
YANBU..I see where you are coming from.
YABU.. You are a wally, go back to school!

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pitterypattery00 · 18/11/2025 21:12

I thought 'it's baltic' meant it was really hot until I was well into my 20s.

Makeitstop2025 · 18/11/2025 21:12

Tall, Dark and Handsome. I always pictured that to mean a white man and that the "dark" was in reference to features such as black/brown hair or brown eyes. A friend told me that the dark was in reference to skin colour and that it basically meant a person of colour.

Before anyone comments that it shows my bias, I am a person of colour!

CalpolOnToast · 18/11/2025 21:11

My mum thought that social mobility referred to getting out and about socially 😊

CurlyhairedAssassin · 18/11/2025 21:10

Heavy plant crossing. I was flummoxed by that one for years. Always thought of triffids when I was a kid. Knew it couldn't be that but it was years into adulthood before I knew for sure what it meant. (probably when Google was invented so I could look it up without embarrassing myself by asking an acutal human).

confusedlots · 18/11/2025 21:10

I’ve always assumed spendthrift meant the opposite, I really never knew this!

Rhubarbandgooseburycrumble · 18/11/2025 21:10

I never knew that spendthrift meant that either 😂😂

littlebilliie · 18/11/2025 21:09

SloppySocks · 18/11/2025 20:58

Can you be more pacific?

😂

soupyspoon · 18/11/2025 21:09

Spendthrift is surely an oxymoron, Ive always known what it means but it doesnt make sense

Rayna37 · 18/11/2025 21:05

I’ve always struggled with spendthrift, it just doesn’t seem to make sense.

mondaytosunday · 18/11/2025 21:05

I always get confused about spendthrift - it just doesn’t make sense to me. But social butterfly does make sense - and can’t you understand it from the context?

jamcorrosion · 18/11/2025 21:04

CryMyEyesViolet · 18/11/2025 21:01

It is quite different - it’s the literal opposite of what OP thought, it couldn’t be much more different 😂

Is it?! Am I just as bad 😂

I’ve just re read it and still think they sound close

SelfRaisingFlour · 18/11/2025 21:03

I didn't know that "prodigal son" meant he was wasteful not a golden boy.

CryMyEyesViolet · 18/11/2025 21:01

jamcorrosion · 18/11/2025 20:59

I absolutely love your definition of social butterfly hahaha.

the other one isn’t much different

It is quite different - it’s the literal opposite of what OP thought, it couldn’t be much more different 😂

jamcorrosion · 18/11/2025 20:59

I absolutely love your definition of social butterfly hahaha.

the other one isn’t much different

LadyCathdeBourgh · 18/11/2025 20:59

I am the same with spendthrift. I also thought svelte meant fat/curvy.

SloppySocks · 18/11/2025 20:58

Can you be more pacific?

Jigglyhuffpuff · 18/11/2025 20:56

Are you one of those 'damp squid' people?

Bigearringsbigsmile · 18/11/2025 20:54

🤣

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