Have you ever used a word or phrase that you thought everyone knew but they didn't?

[CaramelJones]

Prompted by a discussion with a friend. When we first met she kept saying mardy and I had no idea what she meant.

Has anyone experienced similar with a regional word or a term that only your family use? It's making me wonder which regional words I might be using without thinking of it.

Sennight!

Like fortnight means 14 days sennight means 7. I have always used it.

I have never heard anyone else use it in the wild other than my family. (And Shakespeare).

Also 'gloaming' one of my favourite words.

I am not from the UK although English is my first language. But there are some very old words in use where I am from that no-one uses here it seems. I find the development of language to be quite fascinating!

(I do wish sennight would come back into common use. I love it).

Moger meaning a mess or disaster

I have never heard anyone else use it in the wild other than my family. (And Shakespeare)

Fairly sure Jane Austen uses it - seem to recall it being used about one of Mr Collins' visits in Pride and Prejudice starting from Saturday se'nnight or something similar.

Cumbria!
I once said something about scratting about in a drawer and was met with blank faces. Tried to explain that scrat just meant the same as ratch... Didn't help 🤣

Hello from Hull!

Midlands:

Nesh definitely not insulting, I say it about myself all the time 😁

Sometimes has the addition of carrot as in, "ooh he's a nesh carrot"

Sneeped = upset but a very particular kind of upset.

Lobby = stew

I once asked a taxi driver to let us out just past the Belisha beacon. DH and our friends though that was really bizarre and had no idea what I meant. Driver was fine with it!

Noggin is definitely a thing!

"We all squoze into the lift", "I squoze the toothpaste tube", apparently not a real word at all, should be squeezed, I've always said squoze and was only questioned on it recently (I'm late 40s!).

Hold on, you're telling me that everybody doesn't call it pop? What's it called then? Just 'fizzy drink' or something?!

I use it and it's use where I'm from so she's not alone, promise!

Bobbin(g) =skiving off school

Mither

Syking (absolutely no idea how spelled as never seen it written down) =crying uncontrollably when your whole body shakes and you can't get your breath - usually babies when they're really devastated!

Daft apeth/barn pot

Baggin as in it's baggin time. Meaning time for a food break usually mid morning or mid afternoon break.

@Eminybob I think you’re right, my parents used this too!

Slummy for loose change.
My DH who’s from less than 30 miles away from where I grew up had no idea what it meant.

Banjaxed

Dong drop. I was too embarrassed to explain

Like chocker block

Spelk (for splinter).

Noggin for your head is definitely a word!

My family use "his nibs" to refer to their husbands!

I've adopted words I like from different areas, despite being southern home county I love using "mizzle". We do have twitten down here as well.

Blether is another good one I've picked up.

Yes Dh was baffled at the term daps and also sponge bag. He had never heard of either! (I’m from Somerset he’s from Norfolk)

Chamming - the noise you make when eating with an open mouth.

scooroot (when the brides father throws money & the local kids gather it up)

I didn't realise that a) not everyone has one until I was getting married & ex-h had no idea what I was on about & b) some people call it a scramble, scrammy or scatter.

All round the wrekin for the long way round.. I'm from Birmingham, the wrekin is a hill in Shropshire.
Also used to say outdoor for off licence when I first moved to London but no one had a clue! Island for roundabout I think is also a brummie thing, still say that one

Gamp. I said it quite recently when I walked into the office at work, and nobody knew what I was on about. I said I'd left my gamp in the car, and had to explain that I meant my umbrella.