a hair past a freckle

English

Noun

a hair past a freckle

1. (humorous) Said when asked the time, humorously indicating that one does not know or does not care to check, or that one is not wearing a wristwatch and that nothing is to be seen on the wrist but hairs and freckles.
   • 1987, Joan Silber, In the City, New York: Penguin Books, published 1988, →ISBN, page 91:

     "What time is it?" she said.¶ "A hair past a freckle," he said, pretending to look at his wrist.

   • 1994, Terry & Wayne Baltz, The Invisible Kid and the Killer Cat, Fort Collins: Prairie Divide Productions, →ISBN, page 85:

     Eddie cocked his elbow and looked at his watch-less wrist. "A hair past a freckle, Eastern Elbow Time," he said. He gave Mrs. Marvelle his goofy grin.

   • 2006, Jeff House, Writing Is Dialogue, Norwood: Christopher-Gordon, →ISBN, page 178:

     I bussed it to The New Fruiton Times building and arrived at a hair past a freckle. I don't own a watch either.

   • 2010, Alan Call, The Warf-A-Tron Report‎^[1], Xlibris, →ISBN:

     "What time it is?"^[sic] Jim looked at his empty wrist and said, "Just a hair past a freckle."

   • 2011, Adrianne Byrd, King's Passion, New York: Kimani Press, →ISBN, pages 42–43:

     "What time is it?" the guy asked, looking at his wrist and seeming disappointed to discover that he didn't have on a watch.¶ Eamon thought he'd help by looking at his own watch, but his was gone, too. "It's a hair past a freckle, apparently."

   • 2016, Craig Lancaster, Edward Unspooled, Billings: Missouri Breaks Press, →ISBN, page 222:

     He looked at his left wrist, as if there were a watch there. Scott Shamwell never wears a watch, and yet he always does this when time of day is at issue. I always point out that he isn't wearing a watch, and he always says "So? I can see that it's half a hair past a freckle." This makes me laugh, so we do it every time.