TO WAKE SNAKES, verb. phr. (American).—1.  To rouse oneself, to be up and doing; and (2) to get into trouble.

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  1848.  J. R. LOWELL, The Biglow Papers.

        This goin’ ware glory waits ye haint one agreeable feetur,
An’ ef it worn’t fer WAKIN’ SNAKES, I ’d home agin short meter.

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  1850.  Southern and South-western Sketches, 119. Well, here I be; WAKE SNAKES, the day’s a-breaking.

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  1855.  HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), Nature and Human Nature, 164. Come, WAKE SNAKES, and push off with the captain, and get the fish on board.

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  1863.  Punch, 29 Aug., 85. 2. ‘Mexico and Monroe.’

        So then, as Mexico’s gone goose,
And WAKIN SNAKES it ain’t no use,
Agin old BULL let ’s vengeance vow,
And take no action else jest now.

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  TO WAKE UP THE WRONG PASSENGER, verb. phr. (American).—To make a mistake, ‘get the wrong sow by the ear’: see WRONG PASSENGER.

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