coon's age

English

Etymology

An Americanism recorded in 1843 and probably related to the old English expression in a crow's age meaning the same. Coon is a colloquialism for the North American raccoon.

Noun

coon's age (usually uncountable, plural coon's ages)

1. (idiomatic, US, colloquial) A very long time.

   Jarn hasn't seen Schnie in a coon's age.

   We've been waiting a coon's age for our damn food.

Synonyms

• (colloquial: a long time): dog's age

References

• Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997), page 168.[1]