English

Etymology
Possibly from "he couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag."

Phrase
out of a paper bag

1. idiom|formulaic Unable to perform X with even a basic level of competence or effectiveness.

#:If he wants to be a writer someday, he needs to start practicing, because he couldn't write his way out of a paper bag right now.

Usage notes
This is a formulaic phrase. "Punch" or "write" may be replaced with nearly any verb. Variously stated as a "wet paper bag."

Category:English prepositional phrases

• 2007-10-08 12:20 - Visviva - [[unable to X one's way out of a paper bag]] moved to [[out of a paper bag]]: per RFD.

Full Revision History