Sayings that your parents (or grandparents) used but you don't hear anymore.

[Fizbosshoes]

Inspired by another poster explaining their username which was a saying, my parents (mainly my dad) seemed to have lots of sayings that I rarely hear any more . I'm sure I don't have as many that I say to my kids - ill have to ask them in 20 or 30 years! These were some I can remember (they probably said them in the 1980s/90s)

For someone being clumsy or making a meal of something they were like
-a bull in a China shop

• a bull at a gate
• a fart in a collander

If laughing at something they didn't think was funny

• you'd laugh to see a pudden (??) crawl

Describing a child who was very chatty

• they had more mouth than grub to put in it

Describing someone who was probably overweight

• they're built to last

Surprised at something

• Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs

If you wanted something you couldn't have

• if wishes were horses, beggars would ride
• beggars can't be choosers

If someone seemed to be lucky or get away with something

• if they fell in the sea, they wouldn't get wet.

And I can't remember in what context it was used but
-If grandma had wheels she'd be a bus.

I'm sure there were more but I can't think of them all . Does anyone else remember these or have other ones?

@woodhill

We're you born in a barn if you left the door open

Born on a bus in London, as the old route masters were doorless

My dad used to say 'you've got more clothes/shoes/insert relevant word than Soft Mick!'
I always wondered about Soft Mick...
I sometimes say 'what you talking about, Willis?' which confuses my kids.

@woodhill

Or wild woman of Borneo?

When your hair was tatty growing up

Made me smile, my Granny used to say that!

"Face on yer like a bulldog chewing a wasp" is one I don't hear much anymore.

When asked where some one had been: “ High Street Wapping, where kippers grow on trees!”

When asked where some thing was: “ up Jack’s Arse!”

Ah..."Where are you going Mum?"
"To see a man about a dog".
I spent the whole day thinking we were getting a puppy!

Stone the crows

Yes, 'going to see a man about a dog.'

Where's so-and-so? 'Up in Annie's room, behind the clock.'

'Water bewitched and tea begrudged' for weak tea.

'Much wants more.'

'You're like a pig handling plum pudding' if you were doing something clumsily.

'What in tarnation.,.,.,.,.,.,.?

"Fur coat and nae knickers"
"You make a good door ,but you're no use as a window" said if you blocked someone's view of the TV.

She looked at me as if I was (obvs should be were) a piece of cheese = she was snooty

She’s got a shilling on herself.

@Needcoffeecoffeecoffee

In answer to what's for tea we had "a walk round the table" Like Blackpool illuminations if too many lights on Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire

lol we got a run round the table and a kick up the arse 😂

My favourite history teacher back in the day described someone as having "more faces than the toon hall clock" I loved that

If you can't be good be careful. If you can't be careful I'm not buying you a pram

Let the dog see the rabbit!
That was one of my dads!

"The Lord between us and eating black turf"
I'm Irish and I guess it's something to do with the famine.

'shit before the shovel' when allowing someone to go in front of you.

'it'll be a pigs ear in the morning' if you injured yourself.

A place for everything and everything in its place

Whistling women and crowing hen are neither use to god nor men.

Y is a letter and you should know better.

@Fizbosshoes

Oh that reminds me "what's for tea?" "Bread and pull-it" or "wait and see pie"

Bread and iffit! Bread - and if it's there you can have it!

@Handsoffreturns

Arse over tit has always been a personal favourite

Yes yes! Although I've changed it to bum over boob when I use!

Probable specific to Scotland and central belt at that

Penny a skelp - sounds horrific explained but actually real fun. If as a child we were cheeky we were thrown over and uncles shoulders and relatives were allowed to skelp (spank - but it was never painful or against our wishes) us for a penny in the cheeky jar! (This Money went to a local charity)

For a window you make a great door! - when you unwittingly wandered in from of the tv and blocked the view!

'Too many chiefs, not enough Indians'. My Dad always used that to describe the NHS. Another one he used 'not enough foot soldiers'.

Still true

Could not organise 'a piss up in a brewery'. If a person had all resources necessary but never got the job completed.

Tons of memes referencing this one in relation to the downing st Covid parties!

My gran used to say 'If it's for you it won't go bye you'.

Still one of my favourites

Sundays laundry's out! - your petticoat is showing! (Nobody but my mum wears petticoats now do they?)

My gran, if someone was being mean with money : "There's no pockets in a shroud."

One of my mums favourites this

My Gran always used to refer to "spending a penny" if anyone needed to go to the toilet. eek! I'm old enough to remember when this was true! Certain public toilets usually in train stations - a bloody quid now!!!

All fur coat and no knickers. This is how mum describes one of my aunties! 

It's not the cough that carries you off, it's the coffin they carry you off in painfully apt with Covid!

About as useful as a chocolate fireguard

Mine said of certain people/organisations (mainly the tories) "about as much use as a chocolate teapot at a garden party"

"If brains were gunpowder, you wouldn't have enough to blow your hat off."

My family's one is

If you had another brain cell it'd be lonely

@ThomasinaGallico that was used in our family even though my grandad had been a pow he never seemed to take offence though

@crackofdoom some things were superstitions as much as sayings, picking up a coin you'd dropped yourself - and depriving the find from sweeps and homeless - was considered greedy and unlucky among my lot

I sometimes say 'what you talking about, Willis?' which confuses my kids.

That's definitely an era specific one!

My mum also sometimes says (when a day hasn't gone as expected AT ALL) "I love it when a plan comes together" with a wry anyone here get that one ?

[quote SomeLikeItTepid]@Fanofcrisps I still use this and quite often get lots of confused looks 🤔🤣[/quote]
What does it mean.
I've heard it loads but don't know what it means

My roots are cockney Londoners.

" Let the dog see the rabbit" is one my parents always used to say.

@leotardrock

Let the dog see the rabbit! That was one of my dads!

Yes!!