"Old fashioned" expressions that young people have never heard.

My manger asked a colleague to make a dozen copies. He didn't know what a dozen was. That was 5 years ago

I still say, when asked what's for dinner 'bread and pullit'.
Black as the ace of spades to dirty child.

Fatoldlady- my Dad used to say " Don't look at me in that tone of voice, it smells a funny colour". He also used to say "the umpteenth of octember" when asked when anything was.

Can anyone remember 'Charly's dead' when your petticoat was showing? I doubt the youngsters know what a petticoat is though

I remember Charley's dead.
Its strange how it was said in a kind of whispering way, as if it was really rude to show a tiny bit of petticoat.

MissAdventure

Got the painters in - having your period.

Eagle has landed……another for your period starting !!

Probably get banned from Gransnet for saying this.
But many Northerners used to say this when freezing Winters really set in.

Never ones to mince their words
Bloody hell.

Just been to put rubbish In the bin outside. Eeh! It was as cold as buggery.oot there.

“ She has a face as long as Livery Street”
Brummie here !

It' raining cats and dogs.
Gordon Bennet.
Our maths teacher used to say when he was in despair, 'and Jesus wept'.

WithNobsOnIt

Probably get banned from Gransnet for saying this.
But many Northerners used to say this when freezing Winters really set in.

Never ones to mince their words
Bloody hell.

Just been to put rubbish In the bin outside. Eeh! It was as cold as buggery.oot there.

Kids were often referred to as "little buggers" by the older folk where I grew up.

I dont recall it ever seeming offensive in that context, just like a variation of 'little blighters' or 'little beggars'.

My uncle was in the Navy in the Second World War and used a lot of Forces slang such as he was doing his "dobying"

eddiecat78

Can anyone explain this one? When I was a teenager my dad commented that one of my friends had an old fashioned look. I objected, saying she was very up to date. He just said that that wasn't what he meant - but I've never found out what he did mean!

An old-fashioned look meant a reproving look given to those who made dirty jokes, or said anything at all with the slightest sexual meaning.

If for instance you were to tell anyone "She told me with an old fashioned look that Jeanie and Ian are getting married" then the old-fashioned look conveyed the information that the couple HAD to be married soon, as there was a bairn on the way.

"Sitting like Patience on a momument" was used to describe someone sitting around doing nowt except staring into space. It is actually a quotation from Twelfth Night, (She sat like Patience on a monument, smiling at grief) but few knew that.

I said to my neighbour I had been changing my continental quilt she hadn't a clue what I was talking about

roxie39

My uncle was in the Navy in the Second World War and used a lot of Forces slang such as he was doing his "dobying"

That comes from India in the days of the Raj.A dhobi wallah was a servant who washed clothes.

If it was dark, it was said to be like The Black Hole Of Calcutta which was actually based on a real life terrible crime, again in India in the days of the Raj.

gillyknits

Just looked linty up and it’s a small bird like a wren ( which is Geordie, like my mum)

Linnet?

When cold it was Brass Monkeys weather ( cold as the balls on a brass monkey)😲

Yer goin' yer dinger - doing something in excess or to high degree.

RSALLAN2002

Yer goin' yer dinger - doing something in excess or to high degree.

Which country says that?

If my grandmother, who was extremely prudish, disapproved of something, she would say:"it's a bit near." One of my mother's expressions was the wreck of the Hesperus, usually when describing hair that needed a good brush.

Yes near the mark or close to the bone.
Looking like the wreck of the Hesperus or looking as if ‘she had been dragged through a hedge backwards’ all common sayings in our house.😁

She's no oil painting - a not very attractive woman

Two cars on the drive, no food in the fridge - show offs or trying to "keep up with the Jones's"

Just remembered the expression "a face only his mother could love."

I’m an ex-pat Yorkshire lass living in Wiltshire I brought my children up using ‘Yorkshire’ isums was at his first job and had to make the tea, he was asked why it was taking so long so he told them he was waiting for it to ‘mash’ and no understood what he meant (iykyk it’s brew)

My English mum used the expression "Jerrybuilt" when something was shoddy. This wasn't understood at all in Ireland.

That rips my knitting when something annoys or exasperates you.