to stare like a stuck pig
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
With open mouth and staring eyes, as a pig thaHs being killed ; in the utmost astonishment, mingled sometimes with fear.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to stare like a stuck pig” mean?
With open mouth and staring eyes, as a pig thaHs being killed ; in the utmost astonishment, mingled sometimes with fear.
Is “to stare like a stuck pig” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.