"Black as a witches Tit"

[mutleyfour]

Any ideas where this saying came from? :confused:

[airborne_artist]

Medieval witches were often accused of having a third nipple, but where the colour black come in :confused:

[BOAC]

...........have you ever seen a witch's tit?:)

[Aeronut]

I think you will find that the term is "as slack as a witches tit"

The origin of which lies chiefly from the fact that the breasts of medieval women known to practice sorcery were renowned for their sagginess. See also "roof tilers nailbags"

[mutleyfour]

Interesting Aeronut, I only ask as I regularly hear it mentioned in the crew room. Crews regularly talk about a bad FLIR night as being Black as a witches Tit. I assume there are other variants to the theme as a google search indicates as cold as a witches tit also.

[GPMG]

Ahhhhh, another Aeronut wind up....cheers.

Black as a witches tit

Is from the belief that anyone with a third nipple or other kind of difference must be in league with Lucifer (Ive got one and I don't even know his email address).

Witches are supposed to be black hearted and evil.


But what about.
'Dim as a Toc-H lamp'

[Chicken Leg]

It originated from Cockney Slang:

Black as a witches tit for tat (hat).

[r supwoods]

The countryside north of Wyton is ... "As flat as a witches tit" ... does this count?

[dodgysootie]

I expect anyones Tits would be black after being burnt alive. " Lorks alordy, my bottoms on fire!!" Joan of Arc.

[philrigger]

But what about.
'Dim as a Toc-H lamp'[/QUOTE]

See: www.greatwar.co.uk/westfront/ypsalient/toch/toch

A Toc-H lamp was reputedly not very bright.

'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'

[GANNET FAN]

Hang on a minute, I have always used "flatter" than a witch's tit, having picked this up from FAA pilots. Haven't seen either a flat or black one but flatter makes more sense, that's if you want to be derogatory

[rogerk]

colder than a witch's tit Very cold, when applied to the weather, or air temperature.

Old Sioux days in Germany with bugger all heating !

But if you want the "full monty" try this link !!

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/c.htm

:ok:

[gar170]

...........have you ever seen a witch's tit?:)
No but i have worked with a few.

[MikeTells]

On the K Model Hercules, the turbine scavenge pump can be seen by looking up the jet pipe from the rear. It is conical and blackened with soot and was thus known as the witches tit.

[hobie]

it's colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra face down in a snow bank

how did I go through life not knowing that saying ..... :p

[bootscooter]

I always thought the term was "as cold as a witches tit!"

[Lafyar Cokov]

I've always wondered about the expression: "I'll be all over you like a nun sandwich"

[Lon More]

I understand the B17 was quite draughty, especially after taking a few hits
http://www.303rdbg.com/gc-witchestit2.jpg

[Aeronut]

Great pic Lon,

I think the witch nose art adds weight to my argument - GPMG, look at em - hanging down like roof tilers nailbags.

QED

[threepointonefour]

" ... a witches tit "

I once saw one back in '91 during the MAIT phase of the F3 OCU ... the late Guy Woods used to wax lyrical about this mythical 180 x 8/5/4 stern intercept phenomenon. The 'nipple occurred at the 90 to go stage! And it was black.

[teeteringhead]

Only ever heard the "cold as ...." variety myself. If I ever thought about it, I guess it's down to chill factor on broom sticks.

Don't think it could be from "tit for tat"=hat though Chicken Leg. As a fully paid up gor-blimey-luvva-duck-Landaner I've only ever heard "titfer" as a abbreviation rather than "tit".....

[Zoom]

I first heard the expression when Peter Cook and Dudley Moor used it in one of their great sketches of the mid-60s. Can't remember the context. " 'It was as black as a witches' tit, your honour,' I said", or somesuch.

[Wensleydale]

"Cold as a witch's tit".
"Black as a witch's cat".

:O

[Red Snow]

I'm with you on this one, Wensleydale.

Except that more modern interpretations of the "Black as..." phrase often replace 'cat' with a FOUR-letter word that also begins with 'c' and ends in 't'.

I've heard an old-school professional photographer refer to 'WC' conditions (i.e. 'Black as a ...')

[Glass Half Empty]

Got to be Jurby Range at the dead of night upside down doing some silly loft attack in a howling gale while pis#ing with rain. Very black and definately tits up if you did not recover - not sure where the witch came in but.............

[Neptunus Rex]

"Black as a Vampire's Ar*ehole"
Seems to be fairly accurate, like many Australian expressions.
:cool:
Neppie

[Tim Mills]

Hooray,a chance to get off PPRunes 'not trying' list!

I've always thought of it as 'cold as....' But another I heard way back in the dark ages when doing the CFS course wasfrom our USAF squadron commander, who referred to an icy runway as 'slippery as owl sh*t'. Never heard it used before or since! Anyone else?

[mutleyfour]

Hooray,a chance to get off PPRunes 'not trying' list!
I've always thought of it as 'cold as....' But another I heard way back in the dark ages when doing the CFS course wasfrom our USAF squadron commander, who referred to an icy runway as 'slippery as owl sh*t'. Never heard it used before or since! Anyone else?

Never heard that one before but I love it, just adding it into my long term memory for use later!:} :}

[moggiee]

" ... a witches tit "

I once saw one back in '91 during the MAIT phase of the F3 OCU ... the late Guy Woods used to wax lyrical about this mythical 180 x 8/5/4 stern intercept phenomenon. The 'nipple occurred at the 90 to go stage! And it was black.
It was never black - it was green on the F3 TVTABs.

"Flat as a witches tit" is the phrase I know well.

"Black as a .............. arsehole" - the missing word can not be used in the traditional saying for fear of having Trevor Philips and the whole of the CRE landing on my head!

[threepointonefour]

It was never black - it was green on the F3 TVTABs.


I think you'll find that the t!t was black, but the outline (if it actually stayed on screen), was green. Or maybe I've forgotten over time ...

[Lou Scannon]

I prefer:


"Dark?....it was like half a yard up a bears bottom!".

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Hooray,a chance to get off PPRunes 'not trying' list!
I've always thought of it as 'cold as....' But another I heard way back in the dark ages when doing the CFS course wasfrom our USAF squadron commander, who referred to an icy runway as 'slippery as owl sh*t'. Never heard it used before or since! Anyone else?
I heard a good ol' boy USAF Lt Col up in Keflavik describe the runway as "slicker than owlsh1t"..
I never had an opportunity to use it myself though subsequently...
sv

[Missed Me!]

Definitely Mixed Metaphors...
Black as Pitch.
As Cold as a Witches Tit.

(as for a Witches tit being cold, no one was ever going to get the warmth of the - "Milk of human kindness" - from a witches tit.)

I rest my case.

[Tim Mills]

Thanks sidevalve. I've always thought it was probably an American expression, and your version is certainly better. I really only remember the reference to owl, excrement and slippery, and since I only flew with the chap once, in November 1957, have a bit of an excuse for not quite getting it right!

I would imagine there would be more occasion to use it at Keflavik, and now and again at Little Rissington, than in this neck of the woods just now!

[Arthur Rowe]

An old (Irish) instructor of mine used to comment after a particularly smooth landing (his) 'as smooth as a cat p1ssing on glass'. Never heard it before or since.

I like the way Google is advertising witches hats on this thread - no tits available?

[MiG Eater]

There is also the witches tit which often refers to the nozzle/diffuser at the rear of the final turbine [see image]

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/propulsion/jet/turbojet.jpg

Taken from Aerospaceweb.