To have completely misunderstood the meaning of some sayings?

[KermitTheToad]

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!

I was chuckling my way through everyone else's 'especially three sheets to the wind' but this stopped me in my tracks as I have also had these two wrong, but unlike you hadn't figured out I was wrong!

No - it does not mean that.

I remember one of my teachers once saying that ‘Industrial action’(a strike) should really be ‘Industrial Inaction’!!

Love these! Not really a phrase but I recently discovered that the word contraception is the opposite of conception! Didn’t think that ‘contra’ meant against in this instance! So it literally means ‘against conception!’ I felt really foolish learning this and I’m a science teacher.

OP your rationale as to why your definition of spendthrift etc. makes sense reminds me of Joey in friends 'It's a moo point!' You can make anything make vague sense if you try hard enough! It's like when people make up fake etymology for sayings like posh, (port out starboard home) or Fornicating Under Consent of the King

For years I thought hirsute mean similar to therefore. It seemed totally wrong when I learnt it meant hairy!

I've also just learnt the correct meaning of spendthrift!

Multi disciplinary team - took me a while when first working in MH to realise this wasn't a lot of people telling someone off 😁

No it’s not. It means dark hair surely.

To be fair, it can do 😂

I thougt I'd heard a new word when my DH said 'hyperberly' to me. Turns out I have been saying hyperbole wrong for 40 odd years and nobody told me.

Built like a brick shit outhouse.

I'm with you stocky means broad otherwise why would anyone ever say short and stocky as this would be a given by your mum's definition.

I converted to Law. The big City firms all ask for transcripts.

Edited to add that it’s only requested for the first few years. For example for a training contract or newly qualified roles. It soon defers to just your overall degree grade.

A spendthrift is the opposite of frugal.

No, a friend in need, is a friend indeed because they'll do anything for you because you're going to help them, so they are acting 'like a good friend' because they want something out of you.

I don't understand this either.

It means you don't / can't know if the thing has worked / is good until the very end, surely?!

So you don't know if the pudding is any good until you eat it - there's no way to tell before that.

I had an actual argument with a friend once because I said she was a "sight for sore eyes". She thought I'd insulted her, as in, looking at her made my eyes sore! It took a lot for convincing her that it's actually a positive thing.

I don't think I've said that out loud once in the past 40 years, in what contexts have you been saying it so many times?

But never once in front of your husband, I'm intrigued

You are correct, that's exactly what it means. And it can be metaphorical, as in 'show me the evidence' but I think originally did mean actually put your hands up.

It doesn't mean just people of colour.

Since being in primary school I thought pontious meant arrogant/obnoxious and the Biblical Pontious Pilate was an arrogant man called Pilate. I was so shocked to discover in my early 20s, after using pontious as an adjective for years that it was his name. I think I was getting it confused with pretentious 😳

Put up or shut up refers to boxing or poker.

No I think it means that they a true friend because they helped you.
A friend (when you are) in need is a friend indeed (to you!)

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