Seeking origin/meaning of archaic & obscure phrase

[bassteban]

My 88-yr-old mother, being somewhat harrassed by my father, responding by saying, 'Quit woolin' me around!' She then realized she had no idea where this metaphor(simile?)came from or what it means, or meant originally. A google search of the words *wooling, woolin', woolin & woolen* yielded nothing applicable.
Please help me, TBOT- you're my only hope.

[Funky Ghost]

Sounds like a Sheep herder ref. to me. "Don't try to lead me around like a sheep?"

I'm just guessing here

[Smurf-o-Deth]

"Woolin'," short for "woolgathering," would mean in context: "indulgence in idle fantasies and daydreaming; absentmindedness." Origin, according to the online Etymology Dictionary:

woolgathering
1553, "indulging in wandering fancies and purposeless thinking," from the lit. meaning "gathering fragments of wool torn from sheep by bushes, etc."

[bassteban]

I'm going w/Smurf-o-Deth on this one- well done, sir. TB>the rest of the damn net.

[macaroni tony]

wow smurf, well done!

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by bassteban

My 88-yr-old mother, being somewhat harrassed by my father, responding by saying, 'Quit woolin' me around!' She then realized she had no idea where this metaphor(simile?)came from or what it means, or meant originally. A google search of the words *wooling, woolin', woolin & woolen* yielded nothing applicable.
Please help me, TBOT- you're my only hope.

Its not a metaphor nor a simile. I believe the correct word may be "idiom".

[macaroni tony]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Its not a metaphor nor a simile. I believe the correct word may be "idiom".

Ah, back to being a smart*** Things are lookin up!