when Adam was an oakum boy
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
An extremely long time ago; long before living memory.
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “when Adam was an oakum boy” mean?
An extremely long time ago; long before living memory.
Is “when Adam was an oakum boy” formal or informal?
when Adam was an oakum boy is generally dated, slang.