purple thumb

Hi,
I haven't heard this expression. Where did you find it?

Here's one possible meaning - a way of marking people in Iraq to show that they have voted.

http://aboveavgjane.blogspot.com/2005/05/purple-thumb.ht

Hi Clive,

Thanks for our quick reply. I read the article that talks about Iraqi women. Similar things are also common in other countries. For example, in India and Bangladesh when people go to vote, their fingers are marked with some indellible inks to prove that they have voted already and will be prevented if they come back to vote again.

One of my students in my class today a

AnonymousHi Clive,

The student replied curtly that a native speaker of English should know that. I didn't know what to say in defense.

Your student needs to learn some manners!

It refers to someone who is bad at crafting. When someone hits their thumb with a hammer, they get a purple thumb.

Anonymous The student replied curtly that a native speaker of English should know that. I didn't know what to say in defense.

Wow -- so a native speaker "should know" every possible idiomatic expression? I had no idea being a native speker of English came with such an awesome responsibility! It would be sort of interesting to find how just how he

Years ago a friend gave me a book about gardening for people with purple thumbs, which means that it's for people like me who have no luck with gardening. Therefore, the opposite of green thumb.

Sunny