homely as a hedge fence

homely as a hedge fence

English

Adjective

homely as a hedge fence

1. (chiefly US, dated, idiomatic) Having no physically attractive characteristics, but not blatantly ugly; very plain in appearance.
   • 1850 October 7, "A Trifling Mistake," The Adams Sentinal (Gettysbury, Pennsylvania), p. 1 (Google news archive)

     "I must have a husband!" said Miss Crooks, "what shall I do? Here I am hard upon my 25th year, and they say I am as homely as a hedge fence to boot! what shall I do?"

   • 1988 December, Denise McCluggage, "Top Snow Country Vehicles," Snow Country Magazine, p. 71 (Google preview) (retrieved 7 April 2019):

     This Subaru station wagon was as homely as a hedge fence and cramped as a corn crib, but it was the immediate hit of every ski town in the country.

   • 2008 July 12, Anna Mundow, "Legends of Troy," Irish Times (retrieved 7 April 2019):

     "Louise had been sweet-tempered but homely as a hedge fence," Charlotte observes, " […] pools of wrinkles widened out over her face like somebody had thrown a pebble in it."