like whiteheads

English

Alternative forms

• like a whitehead

Adverb

like whiteheads (comparative more like whiteheads, superlative most like whiteheads)

1. (colloquial) With all of one's energy; vigorously.
   • 1920, Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, The Monitor, page 34:

     So many things of interest have happened since you people heard from us we hardly know where to “begin to commence at," but really, we're here and working like whiteheads.

   • 1976, MacKinlay Kantor, Andersonville, page 226:

     Edward Blamey and some of his friends had stuffed a toy cannon with powder and wadded newspapers, and they touched it off right in the middle of Judge J. T. Day's speech, and then they ran like whiteheads when they saw the constable coming . ran long and lightly and youthfully with their pockets filled with torpedoes and Chinese crackers and squibs . . . three cheers for the Red, White and Blue!

   • 2014, Katherine Dunn, Geek Love:

     Don't piffle to the children, Al. Those hens ran like whiteheads.