hollow leg

plural hollow legs

1. Capacity to eat large quantities.

   When I was young and growing a lot, and Mama couldn't feed me enough, she used to say I had a hollow leg.

   1998, Barbara Kingsolver, The Bean Trees, page 228

   2 more examples

   Fannie Jump Creighton had a hollow leg, as the saying goes, and Idabelle was so fat, if she tripped coming up the hill she'd roll all the way to the bottom.

   1999, Rita Mae Brown, Six of One, page 137

   My brother, who had recently overtaken me in height and then racked up another six inches, ate to fill his hollow leg. My father did better than expected, too, eating two pieces of pie with our amaretto-flavored whipped cream.

   2006, Amanda Boyden, Pretty Little Dirty, page 268

2. Ability or tendency to drink large quantities of alcohol.

   I didn't want his unhappiness or his pain, or his personality changes, but I wanted to drink as much, as often. I certainly wanted his hollow leg.

   1985, Megan Moran, Lost Years: Confessions of a Woman Alcoholic, page 209

   1 more example

   Where was Uncle? Gone for a stiff one? Again? His hollow leg, you know. Ducking in the john to throw up on his loafers? Probably that. What did he have tonight? Anything good?

   2006, Steven Sidor, Bone Factory, page 89