Thursday Thirteen – 13 Old Cowboy Slang Phrases
October 18, 2007
Thirteen Things about Lorelei James My next contemporary Western erotic romance, RODE HARD, PUT UP WET, releases on Tuesday. Since that title is slang, and refers to riding a horse hard (to exhaustion) and putting it up wet, rather than brushing it off and cooling it down, I thought it appropriate to share some of the more colorful, funny, and just plain weird cowboy phrases I’ve run across in recent years during my research. I suspect few of them are in use today – at least not with any of the cowboys/working ranchers I know – but it’s a fun look back at why some of them are outdated.
1. He’s never been closer to a cow than a milk wagon – meaning the guy in question is not a real cowboy
2. His breath was near strong enough to crack a mirror – referring to a drunk man
3. Always dressed up like a sore wrist – a dandy
4. He never drowned hisself in his own sweat – a lazy man
5. Mexican strawberries – pinto beans
6. Wears calluses on his elbows leanin’ on the bar – a habitual drunkard
7. Singin’ in coyote key – a bad singing cowboy
8. Save part of your breath for breathin’ – someone who talked too much
9. His lip hangs like a blacksmith’s apron – a man who looks sick
10. Eyes that would chill a side of beef – a real tough feller
11. Eyes as soft as blackstrap poured on a tin plate – a compliment for a pretty woman
12. Pulled his picket pin – to kill a man
13. He’s in a sod-pawing, horn-tossin’ mood – a cowboy itching to fight.
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15 Comments:
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Charlene Teglia said:
Western expressions are so colorful! A saying I heard often: “Never go east of the Mississippi.”
Ann Aguirre said:
Oh, I really like “coyote key”, very evocative.
Janet said:
I like #10!
Aline de Chevigny said:
LMAO LOved them
Lesley said:
I love number 8! I may have to use it in the future!
Samantha Lucas said:
Love that list! Love your title too, that’s great. Hope you sell a tons! 🙂
Lisa Andel said:
Okay, I really thought that #12 was something different. 😀
Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen said:
those are great! LOL
Joely said:
Fun list! Happy TT and thanks for stopping by my blog. Congrats on the upcoming release!
Kelly McCrady said:
I’d like to know who designed the keyboard with the shift so close to “enter”…I hit enter on the Mr. Linky too soon LOL.
This list is funny. I have one more to share — “Colder than a witch’s tit,” something my dad used to say to indicate something was…well, cold.
Jennifer Y. said:
I loved this list!!!
Shelley Munro said:
I really liked your list and I even worked some of them out without your explanation. I loved the coyote one.
Amy Ruttan said:
Very cool, and I will be back next wednesday to find information on your new release. Always like me a cowboy story.
Great list. Happy TT!
Carrie Lofty said:
We did cowboy justice on Unusual Historicals earlier in the week. And I love the Mexican strawberries. Reminds me of when I was growing up…
Nicole Austin said:
Only a few more dayt til Rode Hard releases. Woohoo! I’ve been waiting very anxiously for this one. 😀
Great list! Happy TT!