What is the origin of the phrase: "blow smoke up your ass"?

Answer by  Olive (1195)

It was believed that blowing smoke up the rectum of a dead person could revive them-there was even a Tobacco Resuscitator machine. If a person had the least bit of life in them, certainly this machine would at the very least wake them up in a very dramatic and lively way.

Answer by  LohnJaw (122)

I can't be certain, but I do know that in Victorian Britain people used to revive half-drowned people by blowing tobacco smoke up their backsides.

Answer by  hibpmgirl (2166)

Blowing smoke is a phrase that means to deceive, comes from magicians when they would use smoke to distract or deceive the audience. the up your ass part is a prety new addition to this phrase and it is unknown where this part of the phrase originated from. To blow smoke up ones ass would mean to deceive someone basically

Answer by  stiners (221)

Blowing smoke may refer to a magician's device of using smoke to hide his trick. Up your ass being added because it sounds good. However, tobacco smoke enemas were once used to revive drowning victims. The uselessness of this technique may have led to the phrase that we know now.