marriage broom
n.— «Lasko bought a few of her mother’s brooms (she stresses the artisanal nature of these objects; Curt decides not to use one to shoo Enzo off his leg) and spent time with broom maker Marlow Gates at his Leicester, North Carolina, studio, learning to strip bark, sand wood and weave handles together into what is called a “marriage broom.”» —“Britta’s bees [with video]” by Brendan Fitzgerald C-Ville (Charlotteville, Virginia) Dec. 25, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Nikki in Charlotte, North Carolina, shares the story of a man who casually told passersby You dropped your pocket, prompting them to check for something that wasn’t there in the first place. That silly saying reminds her of playing pool and trying...
Melissa in Charlotte, North Carolina, remembers her grandfather would describe something excellent as better than snuff, but not near as dusty. The snuff in this case refers to finely ground smokeless tobacco. It arose at a time when snuff was...
The phrase “marriage broom” comes from the use of a broom for enacting marriages among slaves in the American South. Official marriages having been prohibited among black slaves, unofficial marriage were enacted by the couple jumping over a broom which had been laid on the ground. “Jumping the broom” can still be observed in some black marriages in the US.