Meaning of nigger in the woodpile | Babel Free

Definitions

A hidden motive, influence or factor; a concealed (potential) snag; something suspicious.

dated, ethnic, offensive, slur

Equivalents

Examples

“Democra s^([sic]) placed no nigger in the woodpile—the imputation came with a bad grace from the gentleman from Kosciusko.”

“(Bus traffic in the London area fell 33 per cent, although the total for public transport increased by 8 per cent; but private car journeys, the nigger in the public transport woodpile, went up 78 per cent in the decade).”

CEFR level