Sometimes mis-spelled idioms are an improvement

[ErrolTheDragon]

I've just come across the truly charming 'hare's breath' in place of 'hair's breadth'.

Are there any variations on idiomatic phrases you enjoy?

[PedantScorner]

I can't think of any but I have seen a couple of typos that amused me.
Willy boots
Fur tree

[Sistanotcista]

My MIL always says "Out for clouts" instead of "Out for the count". It still makes sense :)

[Dilbertian]

When I was a kid I didn't understand the expression ' lucky beggar'. How is a beggar lucky? English is not my mother tongue. I was sure I must have misheard. So I started using a word I'd heard our neighbour use for his dc. It made much more sense to me, because dads love their dc, right? So this word must be related to good fortune.

Unfortunately that explanation did not wash at school when I got into trouble for calling people 'lucky bugger'.

[ErrolTheDragon]

I first came across 'bugger' while reading All Creatures Great and Small as a young teen, a farmer fairly affectionately calling a cow 't'owd bugger'. My older DB was somewhat shocked when I used the word.

My latest sighting of a good variation on an idiom - not sure whether it was deliberate or not - is 'state of the ark' in relation to something like a TV set.

[TwoMonthsOff]

@ErrolTheDragon
an improvement on ‘baited’ breath !

[ErrolTheDragon]

I can't help thinking that means someone with shocking halitosis.

[Swissnotswiss]

I used to think the expression "can't make ends meet" was "can't make hen's meat". I thought it meant you were so poor that you couldn't even have chicken. 😜