twenty-minute egg
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A very hard-boiled person; one who is tough and unsentimental
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
He was a twenty-minute egg, according to your grandfather, and such men are not soon forgotten.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “twenty-minute egg” mean?
A very hard-boiled person; one who is tough and unsentimental
Is “twenty-minute egg” formal or informal?
twenty-minute egg is generally dated, slang.