pigroot

plural pigroots

1. An area of soil where pigs have turned up the ground with their snouts looking for worms, insects, and plant roots to eat.
2. Any plant of the genus Sisyrinchium.
3. An instance of pigrooting

   Howie showed his objection to the early hour with a few pigroots—he impressed the television people but merely caused the sure-seated Maddie to laugh.

   2015, Fiona McCallum, Return to the Adelaide Hills, page 418

present singular third person pigroots · participle present pigrooting · participle past pigrooted · past pigrooted

1. To lower the head, firmly plant the forelegs, and kick upwards with the hindlegs.

   The great beast went round and round the yard pig-rooting and crow-hopping and I hung on for dear life.

   1933, Frank Clune, Try Anything Once, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 31

   2 more examples

   Eventually we saddled the team; then Slippery, with a snort, started pig-rooting and bolted amongst the trees, with the trackers hanging on to him.

   1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 13

   I put my hand over the saddle and grabbed the monkey or jug handle (a strap fitted to the offside top of the saddle and used to help you get mounted fast — if the horse pigroots you can hold on to this to stop yourself coming off) and slowly started to pull myself aboard.

   1998, Bob Flatt, Bull from the bush: Australian outback yarns, page 24