In "Balthazar", in "The Alexandria Quartet" (p 181 of original 1957 edition), Lawrence Durrell uses the expression, I quote: "He burst out sobbing like a donkey now, and in some fantastic way his tears kept running into laughter [...]."
The character in question, Pombal, is described sobbing (and laughing) as he is told some dramatic news.
The idea seems to be that the person is crying a lot (cf "smoking like a chimnea", etc.) - not that donkeys are known to sob...
I was wondering how common - or not - the expression is. I have done an online search and there are only 2 mentions of it on Google.
Is it an established expression or not, as far as you know?
Insight welcome.
The character in question, Pombal, is described sobbing (and laughing) as he is told some dramatic news.
The idea seems to be that the person is crying a lot (cf "smoking like a chimnea", etc.) - not that donkeys are known to sob...
I was wondering how common - or not - the expression is. I have done an online search and there are only 2 mentions of it on Google.
Is it an established expression or not, as far as you know?
Insight welcome.