To think people should use these words/phrases more often

[SybilRamkin]

Inspired by the 'hubster' thread, there are several words and phrases in our glorious language that have been much neglected of late, and I resolve to use them more often.

My current favourites:

"I don't like the cut of your jib"

"steal a march [on someone]"

"lollygagging"

What words and/or phrases do you think should be brought back into common parlance?

I love 'forenenst'. As in 'I left my bike forenenst the wall'

We also use 'sucking diesel' to indicate that things are going rather well.

Apropos. For the snob in me.

Ain't got 2 ha'pennys to rub together. For the cockney in me

Also from same thread, Veta, Pigs might whistle but they've poor mouths for it!

Hullabaloo is definitely under-used.

"Oh my giddy aunt!".

I was calling DD a slug-a-bed the other day when she wouldn't get up (had Juliet's Nurse in my head), I think that one needs more use too!

I'm a big fan of calling people 'a berk'. I'm bringing it back solo.

I like to say curses instead of a swear. Like comic book baddies do.

I like to call 'shenanigans' if I suspect foul play

I like "overhauling" & use it a lot

My 4 year old says "oh my giddy aunt" and also "oh very well" followed by a big sigh if he realises he's not going to get his own way! And often- mummy stop faffing about!!

I like bemused, giving out (an Irish phrase that people don't seem to understand when I say it here in uk!) and consternation.

There's a shopping centre near me that has a sign saying 'no skylarking' which I quite enjoy.

I'm trying to resurrect calling people fuds as well.

At my convent school in the 1950's,a book called The Prisoner of Zenda had the words 'blaggard' and 'mountebank' blacked out and censored.I now never pass up an opportunity to use them. :)

Cracking thread... a couple of my favourite expressions are

I'm not so green as I'm cabbage looking.
He couldn't stop a pig in a passage.

My exFIL says "By the cringe" when he is really stirred up about something. Bloody marvellous.

I've always wanted to be able to use the phrase "He couldn't stop a pig in a ginnel" in earnest. Unfortunately I've sadly never had the opportunity, as increased levels of vitamin D in the modern diet have led to the near eradication of rickets.

I love these, and I wish I could use them in everyday conversation more often.

• arse about face
• as useful as a chocolate teapot
• Gordon Bennett!
• couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery

Ah my dad says 'By the cringe!' Wonderful phrase.

Hell fire
Hell's teeth
Blood and sand

All expressions of exasperation or disbelief in our house.

My favourite word at the moment is snifter. As in "I fancy popping to the pub for a quick snifter". I also really like tincture.

In our house, you will often hear:

Look lively!
He was as quick as a rat up a drainpipe.
Gubbins

I used "he couldn't stop a pig in an entry" (the Notts version of the ginnel phrase) about a bowlegged boy at school. Cruel perhaps? Not at the time - he had just goosed me & I was retaliating.

My father used to say about a stench, "It smells like a rat crawled up it & died"

Heebejeebies

I recently congratulated a colleague on his use of herewith. Same colleague used the word horseplay - am waiting for an opportunity to use that one myself.