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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

cotton-picking en · ADJ

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (US, colloquial, dialectal, idiomatic) An intensifier, like "darn", used for emphasis or to signify that something is of little value.
    • I think the President's Adviser on Domestic Affairs should keep his cotton-picking hands off the economic policy for a change. 1975, Richard M Nixon - Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President:
    • "Oh, wait one damn cotton-picking minute," Andy said. 1967, Howard Fast., The Hunter and the Trap, page 14:
    • "Now hold up here just a cotton-picking minute," 1959, U.S. Army Aviation Center, U.S. Army Aviation School, United States Army aviation digest, page 31:
    • Santana spat, “You've got to be out of your cotton-picking mind. Who the hell would go back to that place?” 2019, Larry Johns, The Devil's Breath:
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cotton, picking.
    • "...are not entitled to anything, Mrs. Wright, (referring to one of the appellees), because your son (referring to the deceased, F.A. Wright, Jr.), was a cotton picking Negro." 1965, “American law reports annotated. second series”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 76, page 1276:

Forms

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cotton-pickin' alternative lexicographic

cotton-picking en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) The harvesting of cotton
    • The season of cotton-picking commences in the latter part of July, and continues without intermission to the Christmas holidays. 1859, Opportunities for Industry and the Safe Investment of Capital: