General
mutt and jeff
What does mutt and jeff mean?
Deaf — either literally hard of hearing, or wilfully ignoring someone. Frequently shortened to just 'mutt' once the listener knows the rhyme.
"Speak up, love, me old man's a bit Mutt and Jeff these days."
Origin
From the early 20th-century American newspaper comic strip 'Mutt and Jeff' by Bud Fisher (1907), which was hugely popular in Britain. The names rhyme with 'deaf'. Often clipped to just 'mutt'.
Frequently asked questions
Why 'Mutton Jeff'?
It's a common mishearing/eggcorn of 'Mutt and Jeff' — the original comic-strip duo whose names rhyme with deaf.
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