What does this phrase mean?

Sweet many of us asking, 'Let's see some context'

To me it means that it's smart to use coatsleeves, or
the process of its application performed often, or

I'm baffled but sure somebody else will help

Thank you, that makes a sense, I think. In the context was talking about mice singing carol and describing their appearance)))

I think we might have to get more specific in the context. We don't usually "apply coat sleeves", we put on a coat.

I've never heard the expression.

Rog, me nuther

I got it, I think. When you said that the context "was talking about mice singing carol and describing their appearance", it struck a bell. I think you read an inaccurate translation of the Christmas carol Deck The Halls. There is a line there that says, "Don we now our gay apparel". To don clothing means to put on or wear clothing. Here are the lyrics to the song:

Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Troll the ancient Yule tide carol,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

See the blazing Yule before us,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Follow me in merry measure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While I tell of Yule tide treasure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Fast away the old year passes,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.


Sing we joyous, all together,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Source

Here is a video with mice singing the song.



Just go to YouTube and search YouTube's searching feature with the phrase, "Mice singing Deck The Halls", and you will see many videos of mice and some other animals singing that Christmas carol.

Actually, those lines were from Graham's "The Wind in The Willows") He uses so difficult sentence structures and reverse word combination that makes reading slow for me.

Are you trying to take a version of Wind In The Willows that is already translated into a foreign language and re-translate it back into English? If so, can you give me two or three sentences from that work that contain the words "applying coat-sleeves a good deal" in that foreign language? I think I might have a plan.

PS: Just thought I would add this: There is a smaller synonym phrase in "applying coat-sleeves a good deal". That synonym phrase is "a good deal", which means "often" or "frequently".

As in, "That fellow parks his car so that he takes up two parking spaces a good deal". Or, "For exercise, she walks the mile and a half to work a good deal".

So if we apply that definition of "a good deal,", we have "Applying coat-sleeves often". Since coat-sleeves are usually attached to a coat, the phrase become "Applying coats often". Since we usually put on a coat or wear a coat, (unless you are talking about a coat of paint on a house or a car), the phrase now becomes "Put on their coats often", or "Wear their coats frequently". Or something like that.

You misspelled nutter.

Maybe he meant NEITHER?

I read this book in original, it wasn't translated in other language and retranslated. Maybe that sentence also means that they kept tugging their coat sleeves because of nervosity and shyness?

It could very well mean that.

Incidentally, "nervosity" is a word, but it is almost never used. "Nervousness" or just "nerves", (as in, "because of nerves"), are the usual choices for that emotion.

Again Tim, made my day

Okay, I have your answer. I internet searched Wind In The Willows and your quote, and found the paragraph it appeared in. Here it is:

It was a pretty sight, and a seasonable one, that met their eyes when they flung the door open. In the fore-court, lit by the dim rays of a horn lantern, some eight or ten little fieldmice stood in a semicircle, red worsted comforters round their throats, their fore-paws thrust deep into their pockets, their feet jigging for warmth. With bright beady eyes they glanced shyly at each other, sniggering a little, sniffing and applying coat- sleeves a good deal. As the door opened, one of the elder ones that carried the lantern was just saying, 'Now then, one, two, three!' and forthwith their shrill little voices uprose on the air, singing one of the old-time carols that their forefathers composed in fields that were fallow and held by frost, or when snow-bound in chimney corners, and handed down to be sung in the miry street to lamp-lit windows at Yule-time.
Source

Fear and nervousness are not part of this scene-the mice visit the Mole and sing Christmas carols every year, frequently being invited in for dinner. In the cold, the mice's noses were running, so they ran their noses over their coat sleeves. Much like a young child would do.

In this case, "apply" is used as definition #3 in Merriam Webster's Online dictionary:
a : to put to use especially for some practical purpose <He applies pressure to get what he wants.>
b : to bring into action <apply the brakes>
c : to lay or spread on <apply varnish>
d : to put into operation or effect <apply a law>

So that's what it means.

Wow, thank you so much! This is really what an author meant in a context! Blickers, it's a good help for me.

Glad to be able to help.

Lick, you're a positive phenom

Oops, TAATANE; phenom = phenomenon = happ, often sci

happ = happening, something that takes place
sci = scientific

TAATANE = Come on fellas loosen up