The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

A PROVERB

AS LEAN AS A RAIL.

Submitter comment: USED TO DESCRIBE A VERY THIN PERSON, ESPECIALLY IF THE
PERSON IS THIN AS THE RESULT OF A LONG SICKNESS.
I CANNOT REMEMBER WHERE I FIRST HEARD THIS EXPRESSION,
BUT IT IS A COMMON ONE. I RECORDED IT AUGUST 9, 1968
IN NASHVILLE.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Date learned: 08-09-1968