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?

@Spiderinthedownstairsloo

Family members in their late 70s:

‘I’ll have your guts for garters!’

When asked what’s for tea…..’two jumps at the back door and a bite of the latch!’

When asked where they’ve been….’there and back to see how far it is.’

‘Fiddlesticks!’ (as a mild expletive for when something has gone wrong)

My mum used to say 'I'll have your guts for garters!' I've never heard anyone else say it. Reading it just then gave me the shivers as though I was in trouble!

Nan, whats for dinner?
Shit and sugar

Stop telling tales
No skin off my my nose

'I'll knock your block off' 😂

Daft as lights you are

Mum's reply to "what's for tea?" was iffits. Iffits there you can have it, iffits not you can't.
Dad's reply was skimps - lite bits of stick, dipped in shit. Never heard that one anywhere else.
If my Nan wanted to get our attention she'd say "listen, listen, the cats pissin" Never heard that one anywhere else either

@thegreylady

Sit still you are up and down like the vicar’s knickers!

Up and down like a whores drawers (knickers)

@JoanChitty

I would like to add, “You give me the screaming abdads “ You make me

Cross and “He’s gone doollally tat! “Meaning he’s mad!

Abdabs in this house not abdads!

No idea what either are!

"He'll fart on an egg less now/ he's shit in the nest now"
"Do you see that up yonder?"
"I want, doesn't get"
"Time has come for us to go, back next week, brand new show/ up the wooden hill"
"He wouldn't break much delf"
"You've had your eye wiped"
"You're big and ugly enough now"

You’ll have someone’s eye out with that
Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole
That’s like the pot calling the kettle black
I’ll crown you
Raining cats and dogs
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings
Up jacks arse and round the corner
You look like the wreck of the Hesperus

My mums great aunt…

Whit are ye dain? Lying there like a big store dug!

Away fur the messages.

He’s gone to see a man aboot a dug.

Ah yes, away for the messages!!

My granddad's two phases of choice sound violent written down, but he was the gentlest and kindest of men and always said them in a funny way.

'If I had a gun...' said wistfully. Usually in response to the copious pigeons where they lived.
And, the mild non threat to 'belt you one' when we were being a pain.

He never hit us or his own children, but it stemmed from his own (happy but typical 1910s) childhood.

I wouldn't repeat either of these in public .

Also both grandparents would say 'egg on your head' if someone had been made a fool of I think. But they'd say it in Tamil (they were from Southern India).

Up the dicky dancers is my favourite of my grans little phrases.

Carry on with that behaviour and you won't sit down for a week!!

Harem scarem - you look a mess

Dad - That skirts half way up your bottom - it was probably just above the knee

Keep your hair on
Don't get your knickers in a twist
You've got ants in your pants
Eat your crusts or your hair won't curl (before the straighter craze!)
Iffits for dinner.

DM (a gardener) used to say when planting seeds:
"One for the rook,
one for the crow,
one for to rot,
and one for to grow!

Pardon me for being so rude it was not me it was my food...
Whoever smelt it dealt it. Who ever said the rhyme did the crime...
Children are to be seen not to be heard...
Don't give up your day job....

I don't know if these sayings were just from my family or if others know of them

My auntie, to people she disliked : " If you were a dog, I'd have you put down!"

W

Oops, that W was sent by mistake!

It’s a bit black over Bill’s Mothers is my personal favorite

My grandma used to say
"I could eat a scabby donkey"
And when I wore dr martens and leggings she said I looked like max wall

“Worse things happen at sea” …..to be fair a shit load can go wrong out there and there’s no one for miles to save you so they may have a point🤷🏼‍♀️