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Idioms and sayings

(160 Posts)
yogagran Wed 21-Nov-12 20:40:17

Talking to my DGD this afternoon I mentioned that "there was just enough blue in the sky to patch a sailors trousers". She looked at me as though I was completely mad and I had to explain the expression. This set me thinking that a lot of these sayings are going out of fashion and may be lost forever within our lifetime. What other sayings and phrases do you use, or remember your parents using?

Sook Sat 16-Nov-13 17:41:17

When asking some ones whereabouts 'Gone to see a man about a dog'

Put the wood in the hole....Close the door.

Born in a barn.....Left the door open.

Commenting on some ones walk.......'Here is my head, my arse is following

A person with knock knees.....One leg belting the hell out of the other.

Somebody who walks with their feet turning out....Quarter to three feet.

feetlebaum Sat 16-Nov-13 17:26:21

There's a French expression that translates as 'raining halberds' - a halberd being a pike fitted with an ax head.

Nonu Sat 16-Nov-13 17:06:32

Red hat , no drawers.

Lace curtains and kippers.

AlieOxon Sat 16-Nov-13 16:48:09

'Raining stair rods' but don't know where that came from.

That's if you remember them!

Penstemmon Sat 16-Nov-13 16:32:47

Eee she's a bit of a "'ere's your hat, what's your hurry?" referring to someone who is not very welcoming or makes it clear when it's time for you to leave!

What's for tea? something and nothing pie!

feetlebaum Sat 16-Nov-13 16:16:15

Mine would say that too!

@MiceElf - ' bread and pullet' - I never did understand that one! An alternative was 'bread and scrape'.

Bellasnana Sat 16-Nov-13 15:37:33

If we asked my mother how old she was, she would always reply ' I'm as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth'.

JessM Sat 16-Nov-13 14:03:18

there is a welsh saying that is the equivalent of "raining cats and dogs"
Raining old women and sticks hmm

Galen Sat 16-Nov-13 13:19:15

I had identical twin aunts. They often used to change their named dresses over to confuse their teachers. However one day the class was disrupted by a very noisy dog barking in the next door garden. The teacher sent one twin to go and ask the neighbour to quieter his dog. While she was gone the teacher changed. The second teacher asked where twin no 1 was . Twin two replied 'she's gone to see a man about a dog' she got the cane for cheek!

frankie74 Sat 16-Nov-13 13:09:31

Going to see a man about a dog

frankie74 Sat 16-Nov-13 13:08:15

I was brought up in Stockport where 'mither' & 'nesh' were everyday words. I once heard our grocer (now there's an old-fashioned word!!) telling my dad (re. trying to sell his car) that he'd 'been trying to get without for long enough'.

I spent much of my adult life in Derbyshire where dark rain clouds were 'black as a bag'.

annodomini Sat 16-Nov-13 12:50:30

Like a hen on a hot girdle (griddle south of the border).

Nonu Sat 16-Nov-13 12:00:33

The cock does the crowing , but the hen lays the eggs !
laugh !

Ariadne Sat 16-Nov-13 11:33:28

"Like an old hen scratching for daylight" when someone was in a flap. That was my Nan's saying.

MiceElf Sat 16-Nov-13 11:17:11

Either

Cows cocks and onions or

Bread and pullet

Zephrine Sat 16-Nov-13 11:02:31

Answer to what's for dinner was "bread and duck under the table"

My grandmother's hair was "as straight as a yard of pump water"

Richmonde Sat 16-Nov-13 10:16:52

According to some authorities, it was a small box in which you kept your starched "bands" (men's starched collar from the 18th century). I always imagine those cylindrical, striped hatboxes from the early 1900s.

KatyK Tue 12-Nov-13 12:59:59

Phoenix - I must be an old fashioned gal at heart. I am always saying I feel a bit mithered. We used many of the above. My mil must have got mixed up with her sailor's trousers, she used to say (as does my DH now) 'there's enough blue in the sky to make an elephant a pair of trousers'. And if someone was a bit 'bow-legged' folks used to say 'he wouldn't be able to stop a pig in an entry' !

Gagagran Tue 12-Nov-13 11:54:02

There and back to see how far it is - when asked where someone was going.

I'm a Yorkshire girl and we still refer to bedding as bed clothes.

Flowerofthewest Tue 12-Nov-13 11:27:46

What's the time? - Just past septic!Mu DMiL had a few:

It's looking black over Will's Mothers! (if sky looked stormy)

Thinks her body every self 'cos her mother's got a mangle! - for someone who she thought was acting above their station.

That's a lovely little .......... if it doesn't get any bigger - for something small or tiny but nice to look at.

Put your Sunday go to meeting clothes on - Put you good clothes on.

She had many more, really miss her, lovely lady

Nonu Tue 12-Nov-13 11:25:39

grin

feetlebaum Tue 12-Nov-13 11:22:26

My mother aid that, Nonu, only less politely...

Nonu Tue 12-Nov-13 10:34:49

My Grandma always used to say about some one who was a bit off hand .
They walk around with their behind their hand !

elizal Tue 12-Nov-13 09:23:24

"to see a man about a dog" meant to place a bet with the local bookie, before off-track betting was legal

numberplease Sun 25-Nov-12 17:39:53

When my step-father met anyone he knew in the street, he`d shout out to them, "Cock your leg up and shout sugar!" Heaven KNOWS what for!