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Words we don't use any more

(394 Posts)
Magenta8 Sun 10-May-26 16:52:51

I was thinking about words that my parents used that are not in common usage anymore.

The ones that spring to mind are; slacks (trousers), wind cheater (anorak), wireless (radio) and drawers (knickers).

I am sure there are many more and probably some interesting regional words that have fallen into disuse.

ROMILO Mon 11-May-26 08:59:12

Words that my Grandmother used.
Ginnel -any narrow passageway outside.
Smashed to smithereens - anything that got broken.
Threepenny bit- something you were given to spend if you were good. Sixpenny bit if you were very good.
In her last years if she was under the weather (there's another one I still use) she would eat ' pobs' if I remember this was bread and butter squares in hot milk!

Grannybags Mon 11-May-26 09:40:25

My Mum used to talk about sops and pobs ROMILO!

Moth62 Mon 11-May-26 09:42:52

My dad used to talk about eating pobs as a small boy! I’ve never heard anyone else use the term, I thought it was just a family thing.

M0nica Mon 11-May-26 09:50:23

Ginnel is a word still being used in the areas that have them, 'ginnel' and 'twitchen', and other words for those little short lanes that run through most villages and most towns, though then often called 'alleys'

'smashed to smithereens' is also in my vocalulary and I have heard others use it.

I suspecct there are words I consider extinct that others use regulalry

M0nica Mon 11-May-26 09:52:44

Bodach

We used to call RN military lorries 'tillys' (from 'utility vehicle' apparently)
Come to think of it, lorries are nowadays mostly referred to as 'trucks'.

ditto in the army. my father used to be collected from married uarters by a tilly each morning and a small group of us children at a small remote military facility used to travel to and from school in a tilly.

Moth62 Mon 11-May-26 09:53:18

It was always pronounced gennel in my Yorkshire pit village, but yes, the little alleyway between blocks of houses.

Moth62 Mon 11-May-26 09:55:00

Gennel with a soft ‘g’ whereas ginnel is usually a hard ‘g’, I think.

nanna8 Mon 11-May-26 10:01:05

Oh I remember my Yorkshire auntie talking about the ginnel next to her house. My grandma used to say ‘siding’ the table for clearing it. She lived in Yorkshire but born in Durham. She used to say when you died you were ‘ off t’tsports’ never worked out what that meant. She was a Methodist, maybe it was religious ?

Magenta8 Mon 11-May-26 10:06:54

My grandmother called it a 'Calliope' (pronounced Cal-eye-o-pea)

My mother called it 'Dobby Horses'

I called it a 'Roundabout'

My DCs call it a 'Carousel'

Moth62 Mon 11-May-26 10:10:48

Oh, yes, siding the pots. I’d forgotten that one!

Witzend Mon 11-May-26 10:11:10

Corsets!
My maternal GM used to wonder why any woman of say 30+ didn’t wear corsets.

Also ‘roll on’ girdle, as used to be seen in M&S lingerie.

ROMILO Mon 11-May-26 10:12:44

One that would fool most of today's youngsters, 'ten bob note' always a nice surprise in a birthday card!

MissAdventure Mon 11-May-26 10:15:26

Oh, my mum used to weqr a 'roll on'.

Grannmarie Mon 11-May-26 10:17:21

NotSpaghetti

Granmarie - not sure if we are a thoroughly odd bunch but I was only talking about our dusty mantlepiece yesterday.
And
Today my youngest daughter and her partner collected a bureau from her childhood bedroom.
And
Yesterday, tidying up at my older daughter's house aftef a party I was told to put the new lego in the tallboy.... and later she showed me how she has taken the doors off her ancient display cabinet so she could just use it as shelving!
However-
Nobody in the family has a dresser - but the daughter with the tallboy has my parent's old oak court cabinet!
grin

I think we are of the same vintage, NotSpaghetti!😂

I haven't heard of a court cabinet, is it like a display cabinet?

Gran22boys Mon 11-May-26 10:22:18

Moth62

It was always pronounced gennel in my Yorkshire pit village, but yes, the little alleyway between blocks of houses.

My friend from Leicestershire used to call them jitties.

MissAdventure Mon 11-May-26 10:31:23

Courting, walking out, betrothed.

SORES Mon 11-May-26 10:51:31

record player
radiogram
hi fi
wireless
rag rug
pelmet
duffle coat
gabardine mac
satchel
bedjacket
bolster
counterpane
eiderdown
horsehair
back boiler
Anaglypta
fender
spills
coal scuttle
antimacassar
fireside chair
ashtray
rug beater
Kleeneze
bath cubes
Stew
Camp coffee
compact
powder puff
Pacamac
plastic rainhood
suspenders
stilletoes
chiffon scarf
certainly, Madam
corset
whalebone
knocker elastic

xxxxxxxx

words my Nan used regularly, died with her…

scandalous!
vexed/vexing
tally man (don’t open the door)
I’ll mug you (meaning, I will treat you)
blacklead (pencil)
Jaffa (large orange)
lobby (long narrow hallway)
parlour
the Old Queen
Beecham’s powders
a menace - this was a broad judgement but often aimed at me
gas poker
radio Luxembourg
front steps
back kitchen
“I’m a pensioner I should only pay half”
doll’s hospital
down the yard
Bobbies (police)
globes (lightbulbs, 2watts)
Mario Lanza
drawers or kecks, ( knickers of the peach old lady type)
you’ll catch your death (still damp hair)
Matinee tickets (see pensioner comment above)

Moth62 Mon 11-May-26 11:01:25

A lot of those took me right back, SORES smile

friendlygingercat Mon 11-May-26 11:10:37

Scallywag = badly behaved person
Bolshy = rebellious
Ragamuffin = untidy person
Dunce = stupid person
Hobbledehoy = graceless or clumsy person
Teddy boy = wearing Edwardian style clothes

NotSpaghetti Mon 11-May-26 11:15:42

I loved the travelling salesmen's vans too ferry23 but I rarely wanted anything out of them as the shop focused on "Bride's Mother" and evening wear so that was largely what the salesmen brought.

One thing I remember clearly as being super important (that I haven't heard for years) is foundation garments.

Get your foundation garments right before you go clothes shopping!

SORES Mon 11-May-26 11:17:26

Moth62

A lot of those took me right back, SORES smile

In a good way I hope - now I’m nostalgic and missing my Nan

boheminan Mon 11-May-26 11:26:50

'All fur coat and no knickers' was frequently spat out by mum towards women she looked down on

NotSpaghetti Mon 11-May-26 11:37:43

Grannmarie
It's a type of sideboard with (in our case) a cupboard at the bottom, used to store plates. Then they generally seem to have drawers (this is where our cutlery was kept) and then we kept glasses in the top cupboard.

I was told that "Court" came from the French because they aren't tall like a dresser but cut short. Originally from the 16th and 17th century. The ones I've seen are all quite chunky and for reasons I don't know have bulbous side decorations.

Maybe a more knowledgeable person here could tell me?

I have seen some with an open shelf at the bottom instead of one big cupboard. I think you will recognise them. There were lots of reproduction ones.
I will look for photos...

yogitree Mon 11-May-26 11:43:48

'Wet look' shoes - patent
Bahookey - bottom
Gallon of petrol
The Pit (instead of the ramps in garages nowadays)
Slatterly habits - behaving 'commonly' which is of itself outdated now
Divot - derogatory but slightly more polite than 'sod'
Lobby - largish hall or side room
Candelwick bedspread
Dilly-dally - dawdle
Sanitary Belt - how awful that was
"It's spitting outside"
The party line - a shared telephone line
Common as muck - a not very nice description of a person
Tearaway - usually a younger person up to no good
Gym knickers
Underskirts
Breeks - trousers
Easter Bonnets
Rainmate - foldable rain hat that tied under your chin
Galoshes!
Side car
Chump - silly person
Nippy Sweetie - a person quick to respond negatively
The Nick - local jail
Askit powders
Cremola Foam
"Cut at number 3 please" a visit to the butcher for cold meat with granny
Cream Cookies - cakes with synthetic cream and dusted sugar
Lucky Bags
Penny Caramels
Half-penny lollies
Distempering the walls haha
Baxi Fire

I'm enjoying this way too much!

MissAdventure Mon 11-May-26 11:48:46

Some Scottish ones there, yogitree?