coon's age

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

An Americanism recorded in 1843 and probably related to the old English expression in a crow's age meaning the same. Coon is a colloquialism for the North American raccoon.

Noun[edit]

coon's age (usually uncountable, plural coon's ages)

  1. (idiomatic, US, colloquial) A very long time.
    Jarn hasn't seen Schnie in a coon's age.
    We've been waiting a coon's age for our damn food.

Synonyms[edit]

References[edit]

  • Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997), page 168.[1]