menubar

Friday, March 20, 2015

There’s a Nigger in the Woodpile


Both woodshed and woodpile are used. In the Southern US, the saying tended to mean that something was either wrong or highly unusual about some situation.

“something (as a concealed motive or obscure factor) contrary to appearances in a situation”

“The judge’s eyebrows rose. But he only grunted. He thought: Indian Island, eh? There’s a nigger in the woodpile.”
Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None

No comments: