Charming, old fashioned sayings

[randomer]

My IL used to say they couldn't "get on with " something like a cooker or a book.That used to make me smile.
My mother used to say " Oh I like you in that" meaning that suits you, another one which made me smile.

merryhouse those last three are old nursery rhymes, not heard them for years!

My mum and Nan both say “Go without until you bust” if you refuse an offer of something like cake or a second helping - apparently abbreviated from my Great Nan’s “Go without until you bust and may you die a-swellin’”! Also “Rushing around like a fart in a colander” for being in a flap and “a lick and a promise” for a quick wash.

@Echobelly

I like my grandparents' saying (a specifically Jewish thing, I think) of 'Use/wear it in health' when you get something new.

Interesting - the Turkish language has the same sayings.

I love these, and still use some of them! In our house if it's too dark and needs a light on I say 'it's like the Black Hole of Calcutta', or if unneccessary lights are on then ''It's like Blackpool Illuminations'.
Grew up in Lancashire, and many of the above are familiar, but also remember:
Has t'cat died? said to a person whose socks are falling down, ie at half mast
I'll knock you into the middle of next week - a threat used by my mum on naughty kids
I could eat a pig between two bread vans - said when very hungry
I could eat a scabby pig 'bowt bread - ditto ('bowt = without)
Waiting like Piffy - said when impatiently waiting for someone
It's summat and nowt - to describe a trifling matter
You don't get owt for nowt - meaning you have to put some effort in to get a result
Spitting feathers - means you are very thirsty
Who's she, the cat's mother? I think this was if you referred to your mum etc as 'she', a bit hazy on this one!

Already explained above, we also used these:
San fairy ann,
Put t'wood in t'hole (pronounced t'thole)
Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs
Neither use nor ornament
Corporation pop
You make a better door than a window
Were you born in a barn?

Of a bad singer - He/she couldn't shout coal down our passage.

For something unbelievable - Never in the creation of crawshite (crow shit)

And my favourite, from FIL, to express surprise - Well, seduce my dilapidated footwear (and if you looked even vaguely puzzled he would follow up with the translation fuck my old boots.

He / She is as mad as a box of frogs!

This thread is wonderful!!

A few of my mother's:
You're as black as the ace of spades - you must submit to a good scrubbing, you filthy child.
Everything is three prices in that place - that is a very expensive shop.
I'm still not the better of it - I have not yet recovered from that.
He was like a briar - he was in a very bad mood.
And a lovely one - a leana mo chroí, sometimes shortened to a leana, which is Irish for "child of my heart". A term of affection.

My aunt had some good ones too:
He'll have me in a home for the bewildered - I will need psychiatric treatment because of that man's behaviour.
I'm so hungry I'd eat the leg of the lamb of God.
In reply to a query as to how she was - "I'm still casting a shadow."
She has a great welcome for herself - she thinks very highly of herself.

I know a lad who says, when he is confused and confuddled, "I don't know whether it's Pancake Tuesday or Sheffield Wednesday."

A very localised differences one:
We used to say "as bent as an X" to describe a dodgy and untrustworthy individual. We were fascinated that our cousins in the town 16 miles away used the clearly wrong phrase, "as bent as an S-hook"!

@SoftDay, what a wonderous seam of language! Lancashire?

" Neither use nor ornament" is how my Nan referred to my Pap.

You could peel an orange in your pocket - when someone was being sly
If I fell into a barrel of cocks I'd come up sucking me thumb- if you were having a run of bad luck
All mouth no trousers - a boastful man

[quote randomer]@SoftDay, what a wonderous seam of language! Lancashire?[/quote]
Hey randomer. No, all Irish!

Thanks so much for starting this thread. It is fantastic and has really cheered me up. I love reading all the different phrases, words etc. that have fallen out of use or are specifically regional. I think we should all try to use a different one in a sentence every day!!

so what is piffy?

More from my ancient Lancashire Granny.

If someone was up on something high, e.g a roof, she’d say cheerfully. “If he falls off, he’ll be strawberry jam”.

And she used to sing this rhyme:

“Will you come into my parlour?” said the spider to the fly.
“’Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy.”
“Not today, thanks, Mr Long Shanks,
I’ve other fish to fry”

Yes, who or what is Piffy?

I googled. It appears half the Internet has asked who or what is Piffy, but no one actually knows.

My mother would say red shoes, no knickers (not red hat.) I have a few pairs of red shoes, and I nearly always wear knickers.

I use quite a few of the phrases listed upthread. Maybe I am old-fashioned, though.

I've always liked 'I should cocoa' in response to bring told what I should do.
It looks somewhat strange written down as it's all in the tone of voice (scathing) but it's just a variant of 'Should I heck' or 'not in a month of Sundays'.
Which is also a strange expression. Wonder where it comes from.

I like the word "Billio" Might be the wrong spelling. I was just thinking about when I used to have severe eczema on the palms of my hands and it itched like hell. "Itched like billio" has the same meaning but nicer.

I use Billio - "I've been at it like Billio" to mean working hard (usually housework.

He's got muscles like knots in cotton - for a scrawny, weedy lad. My brother thought that was a compliment whe he was little and used to preen.

Scrag End was term for a a scrawny kid.

Not so daft as you're cabbage-looking - meaning not as naïve or gullible as you look.

I use it too - Billio ... Billyo ... Billy-oh? Grr

@buyacaravanwithoutfinwheels
"You could peel an orange in your pocket"
Where you live you say means sly.
Where I live it means someone is tight/ mean. They wouldn't share.

@VexedofVirginiaWater

I use it too - Billio ... Billyo ... Billy-oh? Grr

I've seen it written as Billy-o ...

An essay on Billy-o

worldwidewords.org/topicalwords/tw-bil1.htm

I'm a holy show. ( I look a fright/ terrible )

She’s big sorted - she has a high opinion of herself