cotton-picking

The harvesting of cotton

The season of cotton-picking commences in the latter part of July, and continues without intermission to the Christmas holidays.

An intensifier, like "darn", used for emphasis or to signify that something is of little value.

"Now hold up here just a cotton-picking minute,"

"Oh, wait one damn cotton-picking minute," Andy said.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cotton, picking.

"...are not entitled to anything, Mrs. Wright, (referring to one of the appellees), because your son (referring to the deceased, F.A. Wright, Jr.), was a cotton picking Negro."