John in Seguin, Texas, says his mother used to use a phrase that sounded like colder than a well-digger’s clavicle. Why would she use that term, if that’s what it was? Clavicle comes from a Latin word that means little key. This is part of a complete episode.
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I heard this expression from my elderly grandfather as a kid. If the ladies were around it was “colder than a well-digger’s clavicle,” but if it was only the fellows in the room it was “colder than a well-digger’s testicle.” The meter is the same, when he would say it in front of the ladies, he would wink at the boys. From a practical standpoint it would make sense that the lower body part would be more likely to get wet and cold and to be a cause of concern.