Learn English – What does “Stumble into the buzzsaw” mean? Is it a popular idiom

expressionsidioms

I came across the expression “stumble into the buzzsaw” in the article titled “House Republican open to gun restriction” appearing in Time magazine January 11 issue.
The article begins with the following sentence:

“Why haven’t Republicans developed a Pavlovian reflex to stop touching
“legitimate rape,” the most electrified phrase in politics? Georgia
Representative Phil Gingrey is the latest to stumble into the Todd
Akin buzzsaw.”

I checked Readers English Japanese Dictionary at hand. There’s no idiom “stumble into the buzz saw,” but for “monkey with a buzzsaw.”
However, I was able to find another example of the usages of this phrase on Google search;

The majority of the eighteen pieces in Borjesson's book are about hard-working > – Between them, the authors of the incendiary new book Into the Buzzsaw, out this month from Prometheus, have won nearly … to the ideals of their profession, who stumble into the buzzsaw and have their careers and reputations eviscerated. – flatrock.org.nz/.

Putting the above two quotes together, it seems to me “stumble into the buzzsaw” means to get involved into a grave disaster just like stamping a land mine carelessly.

What is the exact meaning of 'stumble into the buzzsaw'? Is it a popuar idiom or a set of phrase?

Best Answer

  • you have the implication correctly, the person's inadvertent slip led to disaster.
  • it is not a set phrase or idiom, it is simply a one-off combination metaphorical use of the two words 'stumble' and 'buzzsaw'. '
    • 'Stumble' is somewhat of a dead metaphor in that stumbling or falling or slipping or tripping immediately invoke an small inadvertent action or mistake.
    • 'Buzzsaw' is very new and evocative of a quick debilitating disaster, quickly and violently removing a limb, with blood and gore.

Put together, they perfectly describe this particular situation, making a small slip that leads to disaster.

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