talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey

To talk endlessly and exhaustingly. I love my Aunt Lily, but she'd talk the hind legs off a donkey if you let her!

talk the hind leg off a donkey

BRITISH

If you say that someone could talk the hind leg off a donkey, you mean that they talk a lot. You won't be short of conversation with Adrian. He could talk the hind leg off a donkey.

talk the hind leg off a donkey

talk incessantly. British informal

In 1808 talking a horse's hind leg off was described as an ‘old vulgar hyperbole’ in Cobbett's Weekly Political Register , but the version with donkey was current by the mid 19th century. In 1879 Anthony Trollope mentioned talk the hind legs off a dog as an Australian variant.

1970 Nina Bawden The Birds on the Trees Talk, talk—talk the hind leg off a donkey, that one.

talk the hind leg(s) off a ˈdonkey

(informal, humorous) (usually used with can or could) talk for a long time: He would make a good politician — he could talk the hind legs off a donkey!