Etymology Journal ยท C
Colder than a well digger's backside
Meaning
- A highly descriptive way of saying it is exceptionally cold. It refers to the damp, uncomfortable conditions found at the bottom of a well.
Folksy, colorful
Used in a sentence
- We should head inside, it's colder than a well digger's backside out here.
- Make sure you bundle up because it's colder than a well digger's backside today.
- I went for a walk and realized it was colder than a well digger's backside.
The backstory
Well-digging was a dangerous and difficult job performed in confined, deep holes. The phrase became a common hyperbolic staple in rural American vernacular during the mid-20th century.
Heard in
The South
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