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Original poster

...to think that this expresson is dying out?

441 replies

WalkDontWalk · 05/10/2025 14:25

On another thread someone used the expression 'taking the mick'. And I thought, 'I used to hear that all the time when I was a kid. But I rarely do now.'

So I started to think of others that my dad used but my kids don't.

'Having a kip' or 'I was akip'.

'Yikes' (My daughter says I'm the only non-cartoon that says 'yikes'.)

'Swinging the lead'

'Bunking off'. (Daughter: 'Never heard that. Sounds rude')

'Going Dutch' (Daughter. 'Nope. No idea. Is that rude too?')

'Haven't the foggiest.'

These were all in use in London fifty years ago. Maybe they were always regional.

OP posts:
Toofficeornot · 07/10/2025 01:28

I use all those phrases.
However, my son said he was a tekky sigma ligma today and I told him to speak english😂so I suspect the youth are moving on.

Lovesabadboy · 07/10/2025 00:35

louba85 · 05/10/2025 17:59

Definitely used all those growing up in south London in the 90s.
My 100% South London granny used to say "Ark at that" as in "listen".
She also used to say "Tada" for goodbye. I have never heard these since!

This reminds me of one windy, evening, my daughter (about 25 at the time) and I were in the bathroom together brushing our teeth.
The wind was battering against the window so much I said 'Hark at that wind'.
My daughter had never heard the word 'hark' before and, without missing a beat, responded 'Where on earth are you...Wuthering Heights?!' 😂
Much toothpaste was sprayed around the bathroom as we roared with laughter!
Another one that my daughters had never heard of was the word 'hail'...as in, 'Where do you hail from?'
I use 'Good Heavens' and 'Heavens to Murgatroyd' a lot.
I am only 57 - not 107, honestly!

PotterHead1985 · 06/10/2025 23:30

Im 40, irish (raised by an English woman) and know and say a good lot of these.

A couple more:

Keep sketch
Mouth as dry as ghandis flipflop
Feck that for a game of soldiers

Thursa · 06/10/2025 22:00

ImSoPeopledOut · 05/10/2025 18:40

"Charlie's dead" for a subtle "your slip is showing under your skirt" hint

"Seen more meat on a biscuit" for a very skinny person

Edited

Up our way you saw “more meat on a butcher’s pencil”.

DancingwiththeEuropeans · 06/10/2025 20:35

I say to the kids "Who's "she", the cat's mother?" if they refer to me as "she"- I don't really know why!
My grandad used to say daft ha'porth, and refer to his daughter's in law and later granddaughters as"a bevy of beauties".
My nana said ta-ra or toodle oo,for goodbye.
Mum used to say "It's like the Blackpool illuminations in here!" when all the lights were on
There were a lot of Shakespeare quotes or misquotes."What news on the Rialto?", "Lead on,Macduff"

ThePoliteLion · 06/10/2025 20:12

I use many of these expressions. Am wondering what has happened to the verb “to bonk”? The BBC news announcer today managed to quickly spit out “Bonkbuster” in relation to Jilly Cooper’s death, but he sounded like he didn’t understand the term….

ToWhitToWhoo · 06/10/2025 19:57

pontipinemum · 05/10/2025 15:12

@mzpq I'm Irish, but born/ part raised around London. As far as I know it's not a slur against Irish people. If it is let me know how so I can fish out my offended hat next time I hear it 😜

@WalkDontWalk swinging the lead is the only one I don't know. What does it mean? Hitting someone?

I'm 37 so wasn't around 50yrs ago to hear that one

'Swinging the lead' means getting out of work by making false excuses, especially pretending to be ill.

WilfredsPies · 06/10/2025 19:31

Saying someone looks like the wreck of the Hesperas (have only just discovered that it starts with an H rather than an E 😄)
Drawers
Fuck my old boots
knuckle sandwich
I’ll tan your hide
Haven’t got a pot to piss in
Brass monkeys
She’s all fur coat, no drawers
Here’s ten bob for some sweets
Clip round the earhole
Saucy mare
Little bleeder
The Queen of Sheba
Old Bill
Don’t come the old soldier with me
Look here, Sunshine/Sonny Jim
Jack the lad
Smells like a tart’s boudoir
It’s like a doss house in here
Thrupenny bits
Keep your hand on your ha’penny, girl
Keep your pecker up
Sweet Fanny Adams

I come from such a classy family! 😄

And nicknames for surnames. Smudger for Smith, Chalky for White etc.

MrsMoastyToasty · 06/10/2025 19:00

"Thr'penny bits" for boobss/tips.
"HE looks like he's lost a shilling and found a sixpence ". He looks sad or upset.
"CASH on the nail" to pay immediately. Based on the brass "nails" outside the Corn Exchange in Bristol where merchants used to trade and do deals. They're still there centuries later

...to think that this expresson is dying out?
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/10/2025 18:54

exhaustedbeinghappy · 06/10/2025 18:29

I know (and say) all of those! Also used the phrase ‘it’s going to hell in a hand cart’ the other day - my DD21 was not amused

Oh I say "Hell In a HandCart" my DS25 says it's "Hell In a Hand Basket " !

You'd really need a cart wouldn't you Grin

exhaustedbeinghappy · 06/10/2025 18:29

I know (and say) all of those! Also used the phrase ‘it’s going to hell in a hand cart’ the other day - my DD21 was not amused

Itiswhysofew · 06/10/2025 18:23

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 05/10/2025 17:52

A bunk up meant a fuck in London.

Show quote history

A bunk up also meant give me a hand, if you were climbing a wall or similar, "give us a bunk up." Kid in London 1970s.

Thought of one this morning - "Who d'ya think you are? The Queen of Sheba?". Someone getting above themselves or too lazy to do something for themselves.

maddiemookins16mum · 06/10/2025 13:50

I use all these apart from swinging the lead. I'm 61.

MagpiePi · 06/10/2025 13:37

HoppingPavlova · 06/10/2025 01:54

These were all in use in London fifty years ago. Maybe they were always regional

Nope, definitely not regional. I’m in Australia and still use all of those, except ‘yikes’. Like you, my kids, who have grown up with DH and I using all of those expressions, and know what they all mean, don’t use them themselves. Why, I have no idea.

When I was a child/young adult, the version of ‘yikes’ here was ‘struth’ (pronounced tooth). I haven’t heard that for decades now though, as we seem to have evolved to using ‘fuck’ wherever we used struth, or if we are trying to be polite we would say ‘shit’. Even my mum in old age had changed over on that one🤣. Also, ‘taking the Mick’ has changed into ‘taking the piss’, you’d have to be in an extremely formal setting to revert back to Mick.

You’ll know where ‘beyond the black stump’ is if you’re in Aus!
My son lived in QLD recently and was surprised how much c*nt is used and has a much milder effect than in the uk.

mzpq · 06/10/2025 13:22

Worralorra · 06/10/2025 13:19

It’s really not! “The Mick” referred to is micturation, urine, transported for the purpose of tanning - which is the origin of the phrase.
The other wording of this phrase, while more recognisable in its origin, is arguably more offensive (taking the P1$$)…

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I'm going to have to hide this thread because I keep getting untold notifications informing me that it's 'X, Y, Z' 🤭

So many different possibilities and so many thinking theirs is the right one 😁

Worralorra · 06/10/2025 13:19

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

It’s really not! “The Mick” referred to is micturation, urine, transported for the purpose of tanning - which is the origin of the phrase.
The other wording of this phrase, while more recognisable in its origin, is arguably more offensive (taking the P1$$)…

bigsoftcocks · 06/10/2025 13:00

FurForksSake · 06/10/2025 11:36

Helen Daniels in Neighbours has a chauffeur company called Home James.

Ah Helen Daniels .. takes me back!

bigsoftcocks · 06/10/2025 12:58

Taking the mick was also taking the st Michael when I was young in 80s. Always made me think of the old brand used by M&S

Smokeybacon72 · 06/10/2025 12:58

Michty me! Jings crivens n help ma boab.

DancingOctopus · 06/10/2025 12:54

Winnertrinner · 06/10/2025 02:37

Infra dig (in for a dig - a joke?)

Having it off - sex

A dry shite (dull person)

Big long streak of piss (useless person)

Infra dig means " below one's dignity".

FurForksSake · 06/10/2025 12:46

@EllatrixB isn’t it just 😆😆😆😆

EllatrixB · 06/10/2025 12:30

FurForksSake · 06/10/2025 11:36

Helen Daniels in Neighbours has a chauffeur company called Home James.

This is a very elder Millennial memory to have retained, love it 😂

Pedant5corner · 06/10/2025 11:45

UnctuousUnicorns · 06/10/2025 11:30

I still say "cross". I think of it as more mild than "angry", more like "annoyed".

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Same here.

FurForksSake · 06/10/2025 11:36

Helen Daniels in Neighbours has a chauffeur company called Home James.

UnctuousUnicorns · 06/10/2025 11:30

38thparallel · 06/10/2025 11:26

I also say ‘crikey’ and ‘yikes’ and ‘cross’

I hadn’t realised ‘cross’ has fallen out of fashion. Do people only say ‘angry’ nowadays?

I still say "cross". I think of it as more mild than "angry", more like "annoyed".