A toe rag was originally a
foot wrapping used, since mediaeval times up until the mid-nineteenth century, to protect the
foot from chafing by boots or shoes. As these were, quite literally, rags they werenât usually
washed, and so with use they became very smelly until they were thrown away. Because of the similarity in smell, toe rag also became the name applied to dried, salted
cod or other things with a strong, unpleasant, fishy smell. It didnât take that long before the name was applied to someone who was an obnoxious, unpleasant OIC.
1 â
Socks! Those arenât
socks you smelly git, theyâre toe rags!â
2 âWhat have you been cooking? Smells like toe rag!â
3 âI can smell âer
fanny from âere, proper toe rag.â
4 That Heale Malcolm is a right toe rag.