It's better
than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
Posted
by Word Camel on January 25, 2002 I have always wondered about
the origin of this phrase. I came tantalizingly close to finding it a few years
through the magic off Boolean logic and the Internet. I followed a link to a page
entitled " Ancient Celtic Sayings", only to find that it was no longer
there. I did look at the previous discussion of this in the archives:
: Eric
Partridge, "A Dictionary of Catch Phrases American and British," mentions ". .
. poke in the eye . . ." as an Australian item in a group of similar phrases of
which he says most seem to have originated late in the 19th century. This group
includes "better than a kick in the ass with a frozen boot" (Canadian) and "better
than a slap across the belly with a wet fish" (US).
I am still haunted byt
the mising web page and wondering if anyone has come across another explanation
that might deny or confirm its "Ancient Celtic" origins.
Many thanks,
Camel
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