What does clutch my pearls mean

One doesn't go round using it in the first person generally. Though a humorous-minded person might. Reading the whole of Bent's comment, he's saying it's wrong in one aspect , i. The video clip, featuring a fairly obvious single entendre, is less helpful as it's rude joke is not helping to elucidate the original meaning :o — Will Crawford. KillingTime 4, 42 42 gold badges 29 29 silver badges 34 34 bronze badges. Fuegatina99 User.

Fuegatina99 11 1 1 bronze badge. This appears to comment on and repeat information given in other answers. Answers benefit from citing researched sources.

Please take a moment to tour the site and see the help center for how to edit. So, I'm interested in what's you are gonna say. I find the many erudite answers compelling, but wrong. It suggests that something has triggered a fight or flight response, or a knee jerk reaction. Doug Henderson Doug Henderson 93 1 1 bronze badge.

I think, "squeezing" or "grabbing" are the more common collocations — Mari-Lou A. That's the meaning I assumed when I saw the question! Which indicates that 1 the phrase isn't at all common in the UK at least ; and 2 its real meaning isn't obvious if you don't already know it. Do you know of any references to this interpretation? If you had a source, it would lend your answer more credibility. One does NOT show disapproval by protecting their genitals. I doubt any living man would compare their "jewels" to that of pearls.

Although spherical, pearls tend to be quite small Show 1 more comment. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google. Sign up using Facebook. Sign up using Email and Password. Post as a guest Name. Email Required, but never shown.

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Origin of pearl-clutching First recorded in —05; see origin at pearl , clutch 1 , -ing 1 , -ing 2. Words nearby pearl-clutching Pearland , pearlash , pearl barley , pearl blue , Pearl City , pearl-clutching , pearl danio , pearl diver , pearler , pearlescent , pearl essence.