Just for fun- what phrases do you read on MN that you never hear in RL?

[BeerOrStout]

I've read this again, today. 'A prince among men'.

I've never heard anyone say that in RL. (Yes, I've read it but not heard it.)

I actually like this one and have never had a problem turning down invitations, politely. I do get that a lot of people agonise over it though. Give fewer fucks.thats my advice.🙂

I've just rewatched the Friends Ep where Monica uses it to describe the age difference between herself and her schoolboy boyfriend 😂
Wonder if it was invented there and then?

giving someone a "paddington hard stare" was in use in the army in the early 80s

As was "boils my piss" and plenty of the other things on here

things like "pull someone up" and "outwith" are regional dialect/terms

https://youtube.com/shorts/P9J_oJkm6NY?si=GupTPaYsnbOFCYXY

The Peabody Duck March, at the Peabody Hotel, Memphis Tennessee.

Here are some real life ducks in a row. Well nearly, the ducks won't always do it properly and if you want to be really pedantic, a row probably should be horizontal.

CF, cocklodger and “of an evening”. I wondered if of an evening is posh? Or just normal?

We are hosting.

The awful, nonsensical and utterly pointless “fuck off to the far side of fuck and when you get there fuck off some more”

Who the hell ever thought that made sense?

It’s a horrendous phrase. As is “I lost my shit”.

I’ve never seen or heard either outside mumsnet, thankfully.

Not posh. Archaic/affectedly formal. Like describing your evening walk as a “nocturnal perambulation”

I saw it on a novelty mug about 20 years ago. With a picture of a man with a monocle pointing off into the distance. I am always surprised anybody has memorised it.

I definitely use Cocklodger in real life! It’s such a perfect description - everyone knows what you mean even if they aren’t a Mumsnetter!

batshit
CF in the sense of cheeky f’er
ODFOD
PFB
cool girls/cool wives
a Wendy/being Wendied
fanny gallops (sorry 😂)

I think it was some US actress. It's a made up word.

My generation would say 'Gives me the creeps' or 'Makes my skin crawl'.

I'd never heard 'Who pissed on your cornflakes'

I guess the politer version is 'Get out of bed the wrong side today?'

I’ve never, in a long and eventful life had anyone “scream in my face”. Seems to happen to Mumsnetters and their children every day.

Yes, indeed. If Mn is a snapshot of the humanitarian impulses of the British public, it’s both puzzling and depressing.

And I’ve never found myself crying and shaking after a mildly unpleasant event.

Yes! And life admin - I still have no clue what it is. One of my friends said it included washing your hair 🤷🏼‍♀️

Makes perfect sense and isn't just on MN. In fact, four years ago my current boss suggested I keep this phrase in reserve, just in case I ever needed it. He is definitely not on Mumsnet!

'Gosh'

Red flags everywhere!

The passive aggressive “HTH”

🤔 Doesn’t ‘pulling someone up’ on something just mean pointing out they’re wrong? I’ve used it myself irl. It’s in the dictionary - I double checked!

Yes, it’s a common enough phrase. Did a pp think it involved physically pulling someone somewhere?

‘That doesn’t work for me.’
Daft expression! Just say, ‘Sorry, I can’t.’
‘Wind your neck in.’ What’s wrong with MYOB?