How Do You Spell FLY OFF ON A TANGENT?

Pronunciation: [flˈa͡ɪ ˈɒf ˌɒn ɐ tˈand͡ʒənt] (IPA)

The phrase "fly off on a tangent" means to abruptly steer the conversation or thought process in a different direction. The word "tangent" is pronounced /ˈtændʒənt/ and comes from the Latin word "tangens," which means "touching." The spelling of the word is influenced by its etymology and pronunciation. The "g" is silent, and the stress falls on the second syllable. It is interesting to note that the phrase is often misspelled as "fly off on a tan gent," which alters its meaning completely.

Meaning and Definition
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FLY OFF ON A TANGENT Meaning and Definition

  1. "Fly off on a tangent" is an idiomatic expression used to describe engaging in or embarking on a sudden and unrelated topic, diverting from the main or previously discussed subject of conversation or thought. When someone "flies off on a tangent," they abruptly veer away from the focus at hand and start discussing something entirely different, often irrelevant or unrelated.

    This phrase originates from the mathematical concept of a tangent line, which represents a straight line that touches a curve at a specific point without intersecting it. The idea behind this expression is that when a person unexpectedly goes off on a tangent, their thoughts or words do not connect or intersect with the ongoing discussion, similar to how a tangent line does not intersect with a curve.

    The phrase is commonly used to depict a sudden change in conversation, typically due to a triggered thought or a minor detail. People may "fly off on a tangent" when their mind wanders, or when they become overly enthusiastic about a particular topic and temporarily lose sight of the main subject.

    Overall, "fly off on a tangent" refers to the act of digressing abruptly from the current topic, diverting attention to an unrelated matter, and temporarily losing sight of the original conversation or train of thought.

Common Misspellings for FLY OFF ON A TANGENT

  • dly off on a tangent
  • cly off on a tangent
  • vly off on a tangent
  • gly off on a tangent
  • tly off on a tangent
  • rly off on a tangent
  • fky off on a tangent
  • fpy off on a tangent
  • foy off on a tangent
  • flt off on a tangent
  • flg off on a tangent
  • flh off on a tangent
  • flu off on a tangent
  • fl7 off on a tangent
  • fl6 off on a tangent
  • fly iff on a tangent
  • fly kff on a tangent
  • fly lff on a tangent
  • fly pff on a tangent
  • fly 0ff on a tangent