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Original poster

To have completely misunderstood the meaning of some sayings?

843 replies

KermitTheToad · 18/11/2025 20:53

I only found out today that the term Social Butterfly refers to someone who is outgoing and loves social events. I thought it meant you didn't like social events, as in you would fly away and avoid them. I also until recently thought that a Spendthrift is somebody who is frugal in their spending. I assumed that as thrifty meant not being wasteful, that Spendthrift meant being careful in what you spent.
YANBU..I see where you are coming from.
YABU.. You are a wally, go back to school!

OP posts:
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7
Friendlygingercat · 20/11/2025 15:00

Many interesting sayings have come down from military usuage📧

Keep your powder dry – remain prepared and ready to act

Bite the bullet – endure something painful or unpleasant

Charlie Foxtrot - a chaotic or disastrous situation

Friendly fire – an army hitting its own forces

Its not rocket science – not very difficult to do or understand

diddl · 20/11/2025 14:52

Isn't it friend in deed not indeed ? As in they help out

No.

They are indeed a friend as they help you out when you are in need.

Member984815 · 20/11/2025 14:47

Ladygodalmighty · 20/11/2025 10:52

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Means that the person who is there supporting you when you need help is truly your friend. 💞

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Isn't it friend in deed not indeed ? As in they help out

Leavesfalling · 20/11/2025 14:45

KilliMonjaro · 20/11/2025 14:39

Ooo those picky bits are very moreish! 🤣🤣🤣

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Oh thank you so much. Now I feel sick.

I see M&S have got an aisle dedicated to "picky bits" with a Picky Bits sign, which I avoid, often at great inconvenience to myself having to travel a further distance within store to get to the non picky part.

KilliMonjaro · 20/11/2025 14:39

Thistlewoman · 20/11/2025 10:58

TBH regardless of meaning, I think anyone who uses that word should be shot on sight.

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Ooo those picky bits are very moreish! 🤣🤣🤣

latetothefisting · 20/11/2025 13:30

soupyspoon · 19/11/2025 17:12

I KNOW!!!
I know its 'looks like a bomb's hit it'

But over the years, in our family and neighbours/friends its turned into a descriptor of its own 'bomsisit'

Thats a right bomsisit. Its a bomsitit in here

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But how have you "turned it into a descriptor of its own" when you're still using the same phrase to mean the same thing, just running the words together a bit more?

If a new person came into your family and you said "this room looks like a bombsisit" they wouldn't think "what the hell does that mean and start googling "what is a bonnsisit?" They'd realise you were saying "it looks like a bomb has a hit it" but just think you needed to enunciate a bit better!

Leavesfalling · 20/11/2025 13:13

Ladygodalmighty · 20/11/2025 11:03

The original meaning of the word "thrift" was wealth and/or savings, so a SPENDTHRIFT was someone who squandered their wealth or savings Also referred to as a "scattergood" which I think is a brilliant word which I'm going to start using 😃

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Yes I agree. I like the word "scattergood" too but just to double check what it means as this thread reveals many of us are complete nitwits including me. Is it a good thing or bad thing to be a scattergood? Im thinking bad but can't be 100% now...

verybighouseinthecountry · 20/11/2025 12:19

My mum used to say she was up to high dough, meaning agitated. I thought it was in reference to dough rising too high and the possibility of it going over the edge of the tin. I learned a few months ago it's high doh, as in music.

GoldenGail · 20/11/2025 12:19

Makeitstop2025 · 18/11/2025 21:12

Tall, Dark and Handsome. I always pictured that to mean a white man and that the "dark" was in reference to features such as black/brown hair or brown eyes. A friend told me that the dark was in reference to skin colour and that it basically meant a person of colour.

Before anyone comments that it shows my bias, I am a person of colour!

Actually in Scotland it does mean dark haired, We always ask for a tall, dark and handsome man to come first foot us at Hogmanay . A throwback from being invaded by tall blond vikings

k1233 · 20/11/2025 12:07

This is really interesting on how one word can mean a lot of things due to inflection and enunciation

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FkNB9kXXG/

Fluffy40 · 20/11/2025 11:21

When I was nursing I saw another nurse type, patient is very poly.

Ladygodalmighty · 20/11/2025 11:03

soupyspoon · 18/11/2025 21:09

Spendthrift is surely an oxymoron, Ive always known what it means but it doesnt make sense

The original meaning of the word "thrift" was wealth and/or savings, so a SPENDTHRIFT was someone who squandered their wealth or savings Also referred to as a "scattergood" which I think is a brilliant word which I'm going to start using 😃

diddl · 20/11/2025 11:01

WaaWaaPedal · 19/11/2025 22:13

Always thought nonplussed meant not bothered. Now I know I say non-non-plussed to mean not bothered instead 😆

You could just say plussed!

Thistlewoman · 20/11/2025 10:58

Maureenwasacat · 18/11/2025 22:49

My husband has recently learned that moreish doesn't mean bland

TBH regardless of meaning, I think anyone who uses that word should be shot on sight.

Ladygodalmighty · 20/11/2025 10:52

Thistlewoman · 20/11/2025 10:26

Your definition is not what that saying means.

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A friend in need is a friend indeed. Means that the person who is there supporting you when you need help is truly your friend. 💞

alexdgr8 · 20/11/2025 10:46

WarrenTofficier · 19/11/2025 20:20

Modern electric kettle do......
But that is a relatively recent development, they are also turned on rather on put (e.g. onto the stove) these days but put on persists as a phrase.
In our house the response to 'put the kettle on' is 'It won't fit me'.

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My Irish sister in law says plug out the kettle where we would say unplug.
I guess it's logical.
Plug in. Plug out.
Still sounds odd though.

Thistlewoman · 20/11/2025 10:32

I used to work with someone who regularly and happily trotted out the phrase 'change tact' when she meant 'change tack'. It used to drive me mad, but I was too polite to mention it.
Then there was the colleague who said 'pacific' when she meant 'specific'.. I had to leave the room when that one got used 🤣

sunshinestar1986 · 20/11/2025 10:30

Makeitstop2025 · 18/11/2025 21:12

Tall, Dark and Handsome. I always pictured that to mean a white man and that the "dark" was in reference to features such as black/brown hair or brown eyes. A friend told me that the dark was in reference to skin colour and that it basically meant a person of colour.

Before anyone comments that it shows my bias, I am a person of colour!

Erm not neccassarily
Dark can just be exactly as you assumed
Dark hair, maybe a little tan?
Ive seen Italians described like that
And even White English men with Dark hair and eyes

Thistlewoman · 20/11/2025 10:26

soupyspoon · 18/11/2025 22:21

No, a friend in need, is a friend indeed because they'll do anything for you because you're going to help them, so they are acting 'like a good friend' because they want something out of you.

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Your definition is not what that saying means.

DarkEyedSailor · 20/11/2025 09:59

azu · 19/11/2025 23:54

Same with 'hit the hay'...

I did, however, think there was a place I used to drive through called 'Weak Bridge'....

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A friend of mine got into an argument with a taxi office over "Nothrough Road".

Thistlewoman · 20/11/2025 09:46

SloppySocks · 18/11/2025 20:58

Can you be more pacific?

😱😱😱😱😱😱!!!

PetuniaT · 20/11/2025 09:21

KilliMonjaro · 20/11/2025 08:15

Should have.

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Some people don't understand ironing!😧

Speckly · 20/11/2025 09:20

Mistressofnone · 18/11/2025 21:50

The plant was called Audrey II I think @CurlyhairedAssassin

My mother always corrects me when I describe a man with rugby player sort of build as ‘stocky’. She says stocky means short & stout. So what is the word for a tall well-built but not overweight man?

Built like a brick shithouse 😉🤣

whatcanthematterbe81 · 20/11/2025 08:42

MessageMystery · 18/11/2025 21:23

My MIL lived in a supported living facility. It took me an age to work out why they had a “plant room” 🤣

Oh I was the same in my first job. I just thought they were very expensive plants and that’s why only the maintenance man was allowed in

MagpiePi · 20/11/2025 08:30

Words · 19/11/2025 14:18

Such a fun thread!

I was a bookworm (there is another one!) as a child so mispronounced words in my head that I hadn't heard out loud.

Jodhpurs became jod hoppers
Pneumonia Penohmonia

I still read computer outage as computer outrage.

À great reference book for all this is Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Fascinating!

I used to pronounce awkward as ah-walked in my head, and wonder what on earth it meant.

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