fart in a mitten
n.— «To run around like a “fart in a mitten” is descriptive of the sort of frenzied rushing of a puppy or small child. It has to be the ultimate mismatch of words, the origin of which is absolutely shrouded in the mists of total obscurity. But mother, nonetheless, accused me of it.» —by George B. Higgins, Greg O’Brien How to Speak Like a Cape Codder: An Old Salt’s Dictionary Dec., 2003. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Here’s an intriguing proverb: Moonlight doesn’t dry any mittens. What do you think it means? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Moonlight Doesn’t Dry Mittens” I found an intriguing saying in a book of...
A New York City man who grew up speaking both English and Tagalog reports an experience common to bilinguals: his behavior and emotions tend to shift when he’s speaking one language as opposed to the other. Two good books on the topic: Life...