A figure of speech that uses an unexpected ending to a series or phrase. For example:
“The car stopped on a dime, which unfortunately was in a pedestrian’s pocket.”
“Where there’s a will, I want to be in it.”
Where there's a will, I want to be in it. "I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat." — Will Rogers "I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it." — Groucho Marx "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana." — Groucho Marx "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my father, not screaming and terrified like his passengers." — Bob Monkhouse "A modest man, who has much to be modest about." — Winston Churchill (of Clement Atlee) "If you are going through hell, keep going." — Winston Churchill "I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long." — Mitch Hedberg "Take my wife—please." — Henny Youngman " It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." Winston Churchill "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else." Winston Churchill This also includes the “humourous triple”, where two or more leading things in a sequence establish a pattern, with the last item being something unexpected.
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Comments
its an attempt at humour – Paraprosdokian even
If at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Like that one
The midwife was surprised."
To err is human, to forgive is not.
The doctor nearly died!"
"I shot an arrow in the air,
It fell to earth, I know not where.
(I lose more darn arrows that way.)"
Ten points, iyp!
Early to bed early to rise, makes people suspicious
A journy of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance
Follow your dreams, except the one where you are naked at work.
Teeheehee!
We need an influx here!
We have a lot of 'back streets' or 'alleys' in our town, because it dates back to the times when trash was collected from your back door, and you needed an [inferior] entrance for 'tradesmen' ... and so on. Recently a lot of steel gates have been installed where they adjoin the streets, to cut down on crime and so forth.
I propose the name 'alley-gaters' for the people who install them.
Not much of a paraprosdokian, but hopefully it will re-ignite interest.
Good one.
This isn't a paraprosdokian, either, but I came up with it the other night and thought I'd share:
"I can turn all of these animal pelts into snuggly winter coats," the Frenchman said. "I call it the Furrier Transform."
Of course, you have to mispronounce it for it to make sense...
I lol'ed :D
Woody Allen uses them at times, doesn't he? Like:
Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions."
If that counts.
Oh, Precipitation... that's worse than one of my puns!
Like it.
bel, yours reminds me of the Jewish matron offering round the cakes at afternoon tea. One guest says "Oh, thank you, but no, I already ate two."
"Excuse me, it was three," says the matron, "but have another. Who's counting?"
How about this one:
I have never broken into song, but I have, on occasion, managed to sneak past the guards.
‘Statelily swept he along, and under his feet were his chilblains.’ -Aristotle.
Heh! Finrod, that second-from-last one there reminded me of a joke:
A convict is sent to hone his skills in the prison wood shop, and he grows to become an excellent carpenter. One day, the warden comes to him and requests, “Would you please come to install a wooden plank in my wall for me to prepare food on? I’d really appreciate it.”
“Sorry man, but counter fitting’s what got me into this place!”
Groan.
Keep 'em coming.
iyp, that is a wonderful joke. I'm going to save it.
Come on, people, more bad jokes and paraprosdokians! I don't feel clever enough to come up with my own.
There's only so much people can say.
So why do people keep talking?
because penguins have fallen in love with the mooon (8)