bag of weasels

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

bag of weasels (plural bags of weasels)

1. (informal, used in similes) Something that has pronounced weaselly characteristics, such as pettiness, bad temper, and deviousness.
   • 1831, Mrs. S. C. Hall, Sketches of Irish character, page 180:

     When she entered the kitchen matters were going on as usual — her mother bustling in glorious style, and as cross (her husband muttered) "as a bag of weasels."

   • 1842, The Citizen: Or, Dublin Monthly Magazine - Volumes 3-4, page 257:

     Ciril Usage was jist about as crass a crayther as you could find in a bag of weasels; but Charley, to himself be tould it, was a funny rogue, an' could take his weight out of any body he met; an' may be he didn't keep “Civil Usage” an' the women in other's hair the whole road.

   • 2015, David Mortimer, Classic Rugby Clangers, →ISBN:

     Skulduggery mainly, but not exclusively, in the front row, 1966 & 1990s 'Props are as crafty as a bag of weasels,' as Bill McLaren famously said.

   • 2017 June 3, Daniel Taylor, “Real Madrid win Champions League as Cristiano Ronaldo double defeats Juv”, in The Guardian (London)‎^[1]:

     There was still time for Sergio Ramos, as devious as a bag of weasels, to help engineer Cuadrado’s second yellow card with a bout of pretend agony but Madrid’s second-half performance had a lot more good than bad.