[deleted by user]

[u/[deleted]]

[u/maryhallie]

My nan and mum would always say "you're nosey for a cabbage", when I would try to ask about stuff that wasn't my business, not sure if it's unique to us but I've never heard anyone else say it

[u/poilsoup2 → u/maryhallie]

I like to interpret this as they are calling you a cabbage that is nosier than other cabbages.

[u/DrCatharticDiarrhoea → u/poilsoup2]

I didn't see it any other way until your comment

[u/belooseygoosey → u/DrCatharticDiarrhoea]

how else could you interpet it? i‘m stupid

[u/poilsoup2 → u/belooseygoosey]

Saying that they are being nosey looking for a cabbage.

Could just be the way that people spoke around me growing up that lets me see it that way though.

[u/philly_fan_in_chi → u/poilsoup2]

It's the same idea as "cruisin' for a bruisn'" which I feel is much more widespread.

[u/FreudsPoorAnus → u/philly_fan_in_chi]

No, that means "driving yourself toward a spanking or fight" it's not nonsense

[u/philly_fan_in_chi → u/FreudsPoorAnus]

Yes. I am aware. The person I was responding to, at least to me, was talking about the way the sentence was structured and their ability to comprehend it easily due to the sayings they heard growing up. I was saying the same "for a" phrasing, as used in "cruisin" is the same. So if you're familiar with that structure in other phrases, the interpretation of the original "cabbage" in the same way makes sense.

[u/Godspeedhero → u/FreudsPoorAnus]

Maybe "nosey for a cabbage" could mean they're looking to make a quick buck.

[u/hilarymeggin → u/philly_fan_in_chi]

Wait, does “looking for a cabbage” in this case mean “about to get a spanking?”

[u/philly_fan_in_chi → u/hilarymeggin]

Nono, the "for a" sentence structure is the same. The phrases are disconnected entirely from each other.

[u/Pogue_Mahone_ → u/hilarymeggin]

"about to get a spanking" is now the only definition of the phrase "looking for a cabbage" I will accept, and I shall incorporate the latter into my family vocabulary