What is the origin of "tea-towel holder"?

[javero]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 10:33pm

I'm well aware of the meaning, but have never been able to make the connection between the term and the physical object.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/10/12 at 11:56pm

Doing some searching, it appears to stem from the UK in the 1950's when a product was introduced to hold kitchen towels or handtowels. It would attatch to a wall and have * like slits in it to poke the towel to to hang it. It resembled an anus ergo the modern slang.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 9/11/12 at 3:52am

Updated On: 9/11/12 at 03:52 AM

[javero]

Posted: 9/11/12 at 2:15pm

rotflmao @ that pic jerseygirl

Thanks for responding. I ran into a colleague from Ireland at a conference recently. He used the term in a joke but it was lost in translation.

Posted: 9/11/12 at 2:29pm

What does the term mean-- other than "That which holds a tea towel"??

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 9/11/12 at 2:48pm

That which holds a Hamm.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/11/12 at 2:50pm

A Hamm's Ham cozy if you will.

Posted: 9/11/12 at 3:03pm

As in "I did your missus up the Tea Towel Holder, mate!"

[javero]

Posted: 9/11/12 at 4:41pm

Joe,

I was reluctant to reply but it was along those lines.

It was a delightfully lewd joke about Prince Harry and one of his gal pals visiting the Obamas at the White House right after the stunt in Las Vegas. I don't remember the joke precisely but it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "a tempest in a tea pot".

[Jon]

Posted: 9/12/12 at 6:40pm

I prefer "balloon knot."