Etymology Journal · B
Bleeding like a stuck pig
Meaning
- Used to describe someone who is bleeding profusely after an injury. It is a gruesome but common rural metaphor used for anything that is leaking or losing fluid at a high rate.
Graphic, rustic
Used in a sentence
- He scraped his knee on the gravel and was bleeding like a stuck pig.
- The radiator was leaking coolant like a stuck pig all over the driveway.
- Look at that cut, you are bleeding like a stuck pig, let us get you a bandage.
The backstory
This comes from old farm practices regarding the slaughter of livestock. It is a harsh, graphic expression that has lingered in the vernacular despite being quite grim.
Heard in
The South, rural areas
Vibe check