Phrases you don’t hear much any more

[BarbaraVineFan]

I was just thinking about the phrase ‘I speak as I find’, which my gran always used to use to mean that she was always honest (sometimes blunt!) and realised that it has been years since I heard it! Any other phrases like this that used to be really common, but now are a dying breed?

In Devon it was "Red hat and no knickers".

DM also used to say "ginger twins" if two different people poured tea from the same teapot - supposed to be the fate of a woman who did so.

Trouble at Mill

If you pull a face the wind will blow and you’ll stay like that.

and so true!

A slag looks better than a dick'o'nory

'I might as well dress you in workhouse slops' (DM, when I came in filthy and looking as if I'd ben pulled through a hedge backwards.)

I love that one! I find it poetic, and trot it out when I can.

Do you think my head buttons at the back cos my belly button’s at the front?

Are we talking about phrases that younger adults don't seem to be familiar with? If so it's happening more with me, and every time someone young looks at me blankly it reminds me that I'm getting old....😆

At work last week, I said "bloody hell, it's like Fort Knox in here." Blank faces amongst the younger staff....

Similar - "It's like Fred Karno's in here...."

Mind you, my kids laugh at me when I insist on sticking "worthy" on the end of "cringe". It irks me that it's gone.....

The present.. manys the slip.
On YouTube.if you want to have a listen.

A couple from my grandparents’ era:

When asked what’s for dinner: “iffits” - if it’s there, you can have some, if it’s not, you won’t.

Also as an excuse for why they couldn’t do something: “I’ve got a bone in me leg”

Put the wood in it - shut the door.
I love these - my DS is ASD and takes everything literally. Very confusing for him, lol. (He's fine, don't worry)
Raining cats n dogs.
Cat got your tongue?
Would you Apple & Eve it?
Well there's a blast from the past.
God's crying (rain)
God's angry (storm)
The sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hip hooray, the sun has got his hat on and he's coming out to stay. (DS thinks I made that up)
Well, you could have blown me sideways.
Any port in a storm.
Need's must.

Sorry, I could go on all night. Great thread.

He’s built like a brick shit house

lol

Don’t like the cut of your jib

Looks/smells like a tart’s boudoir in here

Christ on a bloody bike

Up and down all day like a tarts knickers

I could ride bare arse to London on that (blunt knife)

‘Wonens troubles’

‘Shes no better than she should be’ (attractive female my nan would have deemed to be a ‘loose women’ )

Its freezing brass monkeys - ( very cold weather )

I’ll eat my hat
horsefeathers
I stand sat upon

Dresses by the parish! I’ll be adopting that

Someone being - all fur coat and no knickers.

Neither use nor ornament.

I often use the latter as it is so beautifully disparaging but can't think when I last heard anyone else say it.

I always used to wonder what was so bad about Coventry whenever I read it. I mean, I knew it was a metaphor but I wondered why pick there. So I grew up thinking Coventry was just a shithole. I still haven't been - it's ingrained. 😆

We had "my nails itch" if we were complaining about a imaginary ailment!

Also
If she fell in the sea she wouldn't get wet

In all seriousness, the way the world has gone, I'm terrified at times to use any old phrases in cases it has roots set in something I knew nothing about. There was one I read about recently (and no, it wasn't the "rule of thumb" which has has a lot of publicity), I only wish I could remember what it was, as I sure wouldn't be using it again having found out what the alleged history of it was.

Also my dad ' come on, you can fit a bus through there', referring to someone not driving their car through a gap

'You wally!'

My Grandad used to say 'Geddon, sausage!' If he won at cards. And 'Frame, lass!' which meant something like buck up, get sturdy. Or maybe get on with it. Not sure. 😆

I first heard that when our family moved to Fleetwood, and I went to a new friend’s house for tea.

I told my friend I needed to go home. I was a very literal child.