farts in a skillet

[broompilot]

What does "farts in a skillet" mean?

[taichiperson]

A skillet is a type of kettle with holes in it, so keeping farts in a skillet would be pointless. Anyone know what it was actually used for?

[Quizmonster]

A skillet was a metal pot with legs, originally used for boiling liquids, stews etc but - in modern English - it generally means a flat frying/griddling-pan. They don't have holes in them to my knowledge, unless that version is employed in a particular area/dialect.
In fact, the original saying referred to "a fart in a colander" and that is a utensil full of holes, used as a strainer. If you accused someone of "standing around like a fart in a colander", it meant he wasn't actually doing anything useful. The idea behind it was that - with so many holes to choose from - a fart would be unable to make an exit anywhere.

[lankeela]

Our family uses 'fart in a colander' particularly my old mum who used to say it if I was in and out of the house or the room. i say it to my dogs if they won't settle and keep jumping on and off the settee or bed.

[Quizmonster]

That's it exactly, Lankeela. It refers to someone who's not sure whether he's coming or going, as it were.

[broompilot]

I thank you for your comments!
The only other comment I found on the WWW is this:

"The Banking and Teaching Maenads spoke of dialect, and taught me the meaning of "fart in a skillet", an expression so country I had never heard it. It apparently means an action that is both crazy and far fetched, such as cooking a fart in a skillet. Michael Moore resisting the chance to run his mouth at the Academy awards is a fart in a skillet."

It is an interesting expression regardless of associated meaning.

[taichiperson]

We use 'fart in a colander' too. I thought it meant that something is as useless as trying to keep a fart in a colander - i.e. impossible, therefore pointless. Sorry about the mistake with the skillet!!

[makemesmile]

Yes, my family used to use that saying - when you were running around seemingly not knowing what to do first: "Like a fart in a colander looking for a way out"

[beryllium]

yep, us too with the 'fart in a colander' meaning we cant decide which hole to exit out of = can't make a decision hehe....

[buzybee]

in ireland its "fart in the can" :o)

[broompilot]

Thanks everyone.

It finally occurred to me that I should have offered the context in which the phrase was used. Here goes:

I have a friend who is part of an experiment. His 'mentor' has gathered a group of 10 never-invested-in-the-stock-
market-before types and had them choose a stock from
companies that they feel are humane with their employees,globally responsible and sensitive to humanity or
something like that.

The mentor then bought $10,000 (US) of each stock and
will sell all at the end of 11 months. He will recover his
$100,000 (US) and whatever is left will be split up amongst
the 10 newbies.

Here is a clip from an e-mail he sent to my friend:

"When you first offered your entry for this group, you were nosed out because I sensed a lack of conviction. When circumstances allowed and I brought you into the group with your previous choice of Apple you still wondered if you had the right stock.

I knew all along that you and Apple were made for each other. You are both like farts in a skillet."


Thank you for helping me find some perspective here.

David

[DTCwordfan]

well, a lot of finance deals involve a lot of brown-tongues and given the stench around the City w-ankers and elsewhere, it follows as to a sensible meaning.

[rawconsults]

In central Illinois, mid-western United States, “Fart in a Skillet” refers to a person‘s inability to stand still. A.k.a. a busy-body. How an actual fart would respond when placed in a skillet, I couldn’t say.