Idiom
talk a hind leg off a donkey
Meanings
To talk continuously for a very long time, often making it hard for others to get a word in.
Definition
To talk a hind leg off a donkey means to talk nonstop for a long time, often in a very chatty or boring way.
If someone can talk a hind leg off a donkey, they speak continuously and at great length. The idiom suggests they are extremely talkative and hard to stop. It can be mildly humorous and may imply that the listener is getting tired of the talking. This expression is especially common in British English.
Examples
- If you get Uncle Mark started on football, he can talk a hind leg off a donkey.
- She talked a hind leg off a donkey on the train, and I barely said a word.
- He can talk a hind leg off a donkey when he’s nervous.
- We popped in for five minutes, but her neighbour talked a hind leg off a donkey.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes change the fixed wording (e.g., saying "talk the hind leg off a donkey"), but the usual form is "talk a hind leg off a donkey."
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