Refers to the first recorded act of scandalous political misbehavior committed by an American government official; it involved George Washington and a hatchet.
The tale about "little Georgie" and his hatchet is actually a myth, but is makes a good story, nonetheless. It is known, however, that Washington was guilty of far more "treesonous" acts (like mistreating his slaves and wrongfully jailing farmers) than merely being irresponsible with his lumberjack skills.
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 weren’t 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 didn’t take that long before the name was applied to someone who was an obnoxious, unpleasant OIC.
1 “Socks! Those aren’t socks you smelly git, they’re toe rags!”
2 “What have you been cooking? Smells like toe rag!”
3 “I can smell ‘er fanny from ‘ere, proper toe rag.”
4 That Heale Malcolm is a right toe rag.