   Handy as a Pocket on a Shirt"As handy as a pocket on a shirt" is a Southern and Appalachian compliment meaning very useful, helpful, or convenient-right there when you need it. synonyms: mighty useful, right handy, a big help, convenient Hillbilly Dude Says...  I've heard 'you as handy as a pocket on a shirt,' but I never heard it growin' up. This one's more modern. Hillbilly Dude Says... I've heard 'you as handy as a pocket on a shirt,' but I never heard it growin' up. This one's more modern. Pronunciation[HAN-dee az uh PAH-kit on uh SHURT] /ˈhæn.di æz ə ˈpɑː.kɪt ɒn ə ʃɝːt/ Meaning & Usage- Very useful or helpful (compliment, simile)
Clara:
Thanks for getting that gate unstuck.
Elmer:
Well you’re as handy as a pocket on a shirt yourself-always know what tool I need.variations: handy as a shirt pocket, handy as a pocket Origin and EtymologyA folksy American simile rooted in Southern/Appalachian speech, attested in 20th-century regional humor and local print. The image fits practical, rural life-shirt pockets are simple, always useful, and close at hand-so the comparison naturally came to mean "especially helpful." Usage Notes
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