- Meaning
- This idiom refers to a very long time, often with a sense of nostalgia or exaggeration, as if measured by the lifespan of a raccoon, a creature associated with rural life. It conveys an extended period of absence or inactivity, typically used in informal, folksy contexts to express rarity or delay. The phrase carries a tone of quaintness, humor, or impatience, reflecting cultural values of time’s passage and the human tendency to exaggerate duration. Its animal imagery evokes a rustic charm, resonating in casual conversations or storytelling. The idiom, though less common today due to its dated and potentially offensive origins, remains a colorful metaphor for long intervals.
- Origin
- The phrase originated in 19th-century America, likely in rural Southern or Appalachian communities, where ‘coon’ (raccoon) was a common term in folklore and slang. Its earliest recorded use appears in *The Knickerbocker* magazine (1840s), noting ‘in a coon’s age’ for a long absence. The idiom gained traction in American literature, particularly in Joel Chandler Harris’ *Uncle Remus* (1880), which used folksy expressions. Its spread was amplified by oral tradition and early 20th-century media, though its use declined post-1960s due to ‘coon’ being a racial slur in other contexts. Its adoption was primarily in the U.S., with limited use elsewhere, due to its regional imagery.
- Variants
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- In a coon’s age
- Coon’s age
- In a raccoon’s age
- Examples
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- I haven’t seen her in a coon’s age; where’s she been?
- It’s been a coon’s age since we last went fishing together.
- In a raccoon’s age, I haven’t tasted homemade pie like this.
- He hasn’t visited in a coon’s age, probably since the old mill closed.
- In a coon’s age, that shop hasn’t changed its dusty old sign.
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