English

Etymology
Cockney phrase from East London indicating something bizarre internally, but appearing natural, human, and normal on the surface. The phrase became popular as a result of the novella A Clockwork Orange written by Anthony Burgess.

Adjective
queer as a clockwork orange

1. simile strange, odd, unusual
2. simile unusually camp, undoubtedly homosexual

#*a1997: Tony Harrison, quoted in Sandie Byrne's introduction to Tony Harrison: Loiner (ed Sandie Byrne, 1997)
#*:He sauntered the flunkied restaurant, queer /As a clockwork orange and not scared. /God, I was grateful for the nights we shared.

Synonyms
italbrac|strange, unusual queer as a nine bob note, queer as a three dollar bill, queer as a coot

Translations
Spanish: más raro que un perro verde

References
2002: Dominic Head, The Cambridge Introduction to Modern British Fiction, 1950-2000
:(footnote) Morrison observes that the title is taken from a Cockney expression, 'as queer as a clockwork orange' which means 'very queer indeed', with or without a sexual implication.

• 2008-01-02 01:59 - Keene - {{simile}}

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