Daft as a brush, and other very British sayings

[GypsyRoseGarden]

Reading another thread, a poster mentioned “daft as a brush” which made me smile - it’s so very British - expressive but not vindictive

Another saying I like is “completely trollied” for so very drunk that they can’t walk straight

What are your favorite very British sayings ?

Face like a well skeplt airse.

Do you think I came down the Clyde on the Banana boat.

Lewis's was not John Lewis. The John Lewis shop was George Henry Lee.

@belvoirbeaver

My grandma always used to say "you know what thought did, followed a muck cart and thought it was a wedding" whenever my cousins and I did something stupid and tried to excuse ourselves by saying "but we thought..."

My Grandad used to use this expression, I've never seen or heard that anyone else has.

“A knees-up”
is dancing at a party, so you would probably be enjoying yourself!

His/her face was tripping him/her
Half-inched
Hank Marvin

@Lonelycrab

Having a knees up.

I mean, does putting your knees above their normal position mean you’re enjoying yourself?

It's dancing!

I've heard of it.

Quote fail. I was referring 'you know what thought did...'

A blue moon is literally a rare thing. When you have 2 full moons in the same month, the second one is called a blue moon. I'd love to know the equivalent of many of these in other languages.

One I used earlier: 'Oh, for crying out loud'. One of my parents', and clearly an attempt to avoid blaspheming ('for Christ's sake', I presume).

'Knees up' reminds me of 'slap up meal'.

Large as life and twice as natural.

Cold as a witch's tits

Some from my grandparents:

When asked what there was to eat, they’d often reply “Iffits”. Apparently, “if it’s there we will have it, if it’s not we won’t”

Also a reason why they couldn’t do something was “because I have a bone in my leg”

When asked their age “as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth”

“Once every Preston Guild“ ~ something occurring very rarely. Preston Guild celebrations are held every twenty years.

If the wind changes, you'll stay like that

Running around like a blue arsed fly

I could eat you up

Barking up the wrong tree

Letting the cat out of the bag

Looks like he/she is a bull dog chewing a wasp / licking wee off nettles

One I used earlier: 'Oh, for crying out loud'. One of my parents', and clearly an attempt to avoid blaspheming ('for Christ's sake', I presume).
I think it's to avoid saying 'oh fuck!' say the first bit aloud up to the c of crying.

"For crying out loud" isn't a very British saying, there is a song by MeatLoaf with that title!

@Clawdy my mum still says "like Piffy on a rock bun"! We're in the north west as well. In fact my mum and gran between said most of these on this thread......

I also say mardy and mither which confuse my southern DH. That's more of a regional thing than national though.

Am in NI, so some of these are regional:

Wind yer neck in.
Catch yourself on.
If it's for ye, it'll never go past ye.
You must think I came down the Lagan in a bubble.
It's all gone pear shaped.

Why have a dog and bark yourself?

Thisfucker was your grandad from Yorkshire? I always assumed it was a Yorkshire saying? I could be wrong though.

Arse over tit/elbow

belvoirbeaver
No not Yorkshire, Lancashire.

@Clawdy , yep we stood around like piffy / piffy on a rock bun in Manchester too .

You look like a startled flue brush - when their hair is a mess / needs a comb.
I will get / use my gentle persuader on it , gentle persuader = hammer - so often joking used a a threat when a inanimate object is not working.

He will meet himself coming back - someone that dashes about a lot

My mother used the phrase "you may as well try and knit fog...." yesterday 😂

Mutton dressed as lamb.