Coyote ugly

Coyote ugly is an American slang expression where 'coyote' is used as an intensifier to mean 'very ugly', alluding, of course, to the American wild dog or jackal that is not a particularly good-looking animal. The expression dates from the late 20th century. Hence, the American expression 'a coyote date', which refers to a one-night stand with an ugly partner, which dates from around the same time, and is linked, somewhat bizarrely, to the expression ‘bite/chew one’s arm off’ in the sense that if one wakes up next to a sleeping 'coyote ugly' partner, one would rather chew one’s arm off than risk waking them. The phrase 'coyote ugly' was given fresh impetus by the chain of saloon bars called Coyote Ugly that first opened up in New York in 1993, and also the movie Coyote Ugly, which was released in the year 2000.