Not as green as cabbage looking

Posted by Hugh Scutter on March 16, 2004

In Reply to: Not as green as cabbage looking posted by R. Berg on March 11, 2004

: : : : : : A phrase used by someone recently was

: : : : : : "not as green as cabbage looking"

: : : : : : Anyone know the origin (or even the meaning) of this please

: : : : : 'I'm not as green as I'm cabbagey looking' means 'I'm not as stupid as I might look.' A related expression, meaning much the same thing is 'I didn't come down with the last shower of cabbages.' 'Fraid I don't know the origins.

: : : : It sounds Southern to me but I haven't found it in a reference yet.

: : : It sound very Irish to me.

: : I think you must be right, Barney. I've never heard it outside Ireland. Sometimes the shower of cabbages can be a shower of turnips. Irish turnips are Swedes in Britain and something beginning with 'b' in the US. Confusing, isn't it?

: Something beginning with "b." I think you mean rutabagas.
: --B. Rerg

Thanks very much for your help.