When it rains, it pours. And when it pours, it’s called a toad-strangler. Depending on what part of the U.S. you’re from, you might also call it other names, such as frog strangler, goose-drownder, or gullywasher. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Regional Rain Metaphors”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, this is Debbie Stein from Dallas, Texas.
Hi, Debbie. Welcome to the show.
Hey, Debbie. How can we help you?
Well, as a child and even as I grew into an adult in Texas, after a big rain, your friends would say, wow, that was a real toad strangler.
A toad strangler.
And I just wondered about the origin of that.
Do you say it? You sound a little uncertain about it.
Yeah, absolutely.
I guess as an adult in the professional world, it would not come out of my mouth, but amongst close friends and family, you might hear me say, wow, that was a real doe strangler.
Yeah, it’s pretty straightforward.
It has to do with strangling toes because the rain is just coming down in sheets.
And there are lots of variations of this, like frog strangler.
I’ve heard that one.
And goose drownder is another one of those.
Goose drownder.
Yeah.
Gully washer is the one I would think of.
Yeah, gully washer is very common in the South.
And trash mover.
I’ve never heard that one before.
Trash mover.
I’m looking at Dictionary of American Regional English, and yeah, trash mover.
Alas, that is probably very common, right?
Well, yeah.
Because trash in your ditches.
Yes.
Well, as my aunt would say, if you have a question, you should call and speak to Grant and Martha, because they’re going to tell you how the cow ate the cabbage.
Oh, yeah.
I got my answer.
How the cow ate the cabbage.
That’s a good Texas expression.
With gusto.
That’s right.
Tell them how the cow ate the cabbage.
Debbie, thank you so much for calling.
Oh, you’re so welcome.
We love your show.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
Bye-bye.
Yeah, lots of terms for a drenching rain here, like sod soaker and belly washer and water spout and drencher.
If you’ve got a word that we haven’t mentioned for a big rainstorm and what it does when it hits the ground, let us know.
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