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Nesa Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

A-pullin' bolls and pull

Hi

Here is a quotation from a migratory labourer's wife: 'We made good money a-pullin' bolls, when we could pull. But we've had no work since March. when we miss, we set and eat just the same...'.

What do the highlighted parts mean?

Regards,

Nesa
  

Top answer

'Bolls' are the seed pods of cotton plants, which are pulled off the plant when the cotton is high.

— Mister Micawber

  • 'Bolls' are the seed pods of cotton plants, which are pulled off the plant when the cotton is high.
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7 Answers
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'Bolls' are the seed pods of cotton plants, which are pulled off the plant when the cotton is high.
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Dear Nesa

I must give way to Mr M here, since it is a US phrase

It's clear that the US cotton-picking industry also needed migrant workers; and that the important part of the plant - which needed to be picked - was the boll. The top of the plant, I guess

In imported English - though not heard now - we have "Now just you wait a cotton-pickin' moment!". I think this refe
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Sorry, but one more thing. The text continues as:

'The worst thing we did was when we sold the car, but we had to sell it to eat, and now we can't get away from here. We'd like to starve if it hadn't been for what my sister in Enid sent me.'.

What does the highlighted part mean? Could you please paraphrase it?

Regards, Nesa
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It means "we would have starved..." or "we almost starved."
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I got it. I think it means if my sister didn't send me what she sent, money or anything, we would have starved.
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