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?

'He doesn't know if he's having a shit or a haircut' - used to describe someone utterly clueless. I just find the mental image utterly hilarious.

'Thrice' is sadly falling out of common usage.

'Erse for elbow' is beautifully descriptive and thus should not be allowed to fall into desuetude.

"For Pete's sake!" as said frequently in Thunderbirds.

"Crapulation!" How to swear politely.

I do love eating things with a spoon

A friend at work describes someone with sticking out teeth as 'could eat an apple through a letterbox'!

The Hairy Bikers use hinny from time to time

We also have chinny reckon at work...is it a south east thing I wonder?

Love 'not my circus, not my monkeys is my current fave - I have to keep finding excuses to use that one.

What about 'like a fart in a colander' that was one of my mums when I was a kid .

'He'd get up on a gust of wind, that fella' to describe someone who's not very particular about who they'd shag. Often used about the Branning brothers in Eastenders.

I Iove 'put that on your needles and knit it!' Using that tomorrow.

"Spit spot" to hurry kids along
You skopididdle.
I have been known to call silly people "you balloon" stops kids at school in their tracks.
I like malarkey.

Miss Penelope-another fule here.

Collywobbles
Ejit

changeable weather -a right monkeys wedding.
Big teeth - could eat a tomato through a tennis racket.

I was also fond of being 'my little flower of the desert' until i realised it meant a cactus.

And my dad said i have a singing voice 'like a goose farting in the fog'

Christ on a bike

'as dull as a month of Sundays'
'well this isn't bathing the baby!' - for when you're being lazy
Bleedin Nora
Jeez Louise
We also say ' hells bells' too (originally from Lancashire)

I'm from Dublin, living in UK with a string Irish accent. I say 'Goody gum drops' and 'Pipe the fuck down!' quite a bit! People then mock me in my accent and say something like 'Bejesus! I haven't heard dat in a while' hahaha!

These are great. Not my circus, not my monkeys is one that I know from MN and have found very comforting.

I love crikey. I use it all the time, both in writing and in speech.

I'd spell 'behoove' 'behove' (I know each is fine) as the other makes me think of shoeing horses. But it is a good word.

'I don't give a flying fuck' seems to be uncommon where I am now, and I am busily popularising it.

'You'd be up early mornings' to mean 'you'd be bloody lucky/quick'.

'down the rabbit hole' to mean 'going after an argument/claim beyond all good reason'. Like a terrier who won't be called back.

I'm really sad that I've heard on here that to some people 'knackered' has a connotation of being exhausted through sex. Where I come from it means so tired you're ready for the knackers' yard (like an old horse), and I love it. I can't break the habit of using it but now feel vaguely uncouth.

Oh and ' you're as slow as treacle!' As my mum would say every morning as we'd try and rush out the house for school

thatnice - your ''well this isn't bathing the baby!' reminds me of 'fine words butter no parsnips'. I've never used it in my life, but I love it.

One I have head over here a few times is "Bobby Dazzler" Some stranger said to me a while back "It's a Bobby Dazzler of a day, eh sweetheart?" Crying laughing for ages!

I do like Bobby Dazzler. Where does it come from?

I like 'bugger me sideways' for surprise. A very camp family friend of my first boyfriend used to say it, with a naughty glance to let you know he might be being more literal than you were meant to think. Also 'bugger me backwards and call me Julie'.

I recently adopted "omni-shambles" and "cluster-fuck" from Life is Toff. Made me weep with laughter.

I'm over-using "spiffing" lately.

I chucked some pitta bread towards DS this evening. He just raised an eyebrow and said "elegant". I loved that.

'Im doing my level best' - said with exasperation

'Its a bit dark over Bill's mother's" -about the weather

It's like farting against thunder - no point trying!

On the knackered theme...

"I feel like Barnie's Bull"