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Where did the phrase fart in a skillet come from?
This blog post will explore where the phrase “fart in a skillet” came from.
The first time this phrase was used in writing is unknown, but it appeared frequently during the Civil War.
‘Fart in skillet’ is an American English idiom used for when somebody passes gas, commonly after eating beans.
There are many theories as to where this term came from although it has been around since before the United States was even established and there is no consensus on its exact etymology.
Some of the theories about the origin of this idiom are given below:
- One theory is that soldiers would drive flat-bottomed wagons (skillets) over fields of stumps and hollows which may have caused explosive farts.
- Another version says that men cooking at night might start a fire with gunpowder consisting of nitre, charcoal, and sulfur; if they didn’t put enough water on it, there could be an unintentional explosion.
- Yet another myth suggests that people who were constipated drank alcohol to help loosen their bowels resulting in gas being passed through the mouth or rectum resulting in the said explosion!
- It’s likely that the origins are a combination of these ideas or perhaps something completely different!
