AIBU to wonder exactly how one rocks up somewhere?

[RockingUp]

I keep seeing the term used on Mumsnet and I must know exactly what it involves. I'm picturing someone striding along with a '90s boombox on their shoulder but I suspect that isn't what they mean.

It’s just the way they roll 🙄OP. Another ridiculous American term. Like going for a lay down. You can almost forgive a kid for it, but coming from a mature adult is too much.

I always hear it as just appearing there with no semblance of a plan or attention to timing.

I imagine a man in an anorak wandering up to the side of a football pitch- knowing that he is meant to collect his child but doesn't know which group of flourescent bibbed children his belongs to- and he doesnt want to ask. So he does that awkward rock on your toes back to your heels with his hands in his pockets, hoping that something helpful will happpen.

I always picture it being like Peter Parker

It’s just the way they roll 🙄OP. Another ridiculous American term. Like going for a lay down.

Not sure what part of the US you heard that from, but have never heard “a lay down.” I’ve always heard “a lie down”.

I had to google this after I read your post, and that is what Google says it means ....to chat.

It's not how we use the term though. Odd how we use it very differently.

So I'm sure no-one thought ill of you using it. But it's not used offensively here though. More like 'one more drinks guys, then I'm gonna shoot the breeze'.

Maybe once it meant have a last drink, last chat and then leave...

Perhaps it's similar to 'swanning about?'

Really though, wouldn't life be boring if we didn't use a wide range of adjectives and adverbs? If we all said "It will be fine to arrive at any time between a quarter to six and a quarter past six" in the same accent and tone. Some people will, but some will say "Just rock up about 6" "Sixish will be fine" "Eighteen hundred hours on the dot!"
Etc etc etc.
Language evolves. And so it should! Or we'd all be starting sentences with "Firsooth!" 😊

I love 'swanning' 😆 It's definitely different to rocking!

Yeah maybe swanning is a bit more flamboyant than rocking

DH frequently announces that he is going to "jump in the shower", sounds awfully dangerous to me, might up his life insurance!

My midwife in my last pregnancy kept using that term.

”When we rock up for your section”
”When we rock up to see consultant”
”When we rock up for the next scan”
”When we rock up for the blood tests”
”I’ll rock up at 3 o’clock next week”

She used it so much I felt like I was in the Flintstones. I considered calling Dd pebbles.

When I was younger it was mostly used to describe someone who had usually turned up just in time or slightly late and either underprepared or underdressed for the occasion. Now it seems to just be a way of saying "turn up".

It's, "I'm going to go lie down"

Are you sure you'll be alright dear?

Had a 1978 coupe de ville just like this one.

It was a quiet but majestic car except when closing those heavy ass doors!

Perhaps this? Arriving in a soft top BMW 3 series.

I do like some of these phrases being used .rocking up ,swanning off/around , waltzing in . It does add a comedy element .

I once asked someone who said "I hit the gym" if they injured their hand in the process.

They didn't find it as funny as I did

Surely it’s better if people use a variety of different terms for ‘arrived’. Teachers across the land will should be delighted that people on MN are rocking up, swanning in, breezing by, waltzing in and so on all over the place in the stories people wrote on MN.

Swanning in reminds me of the Peter Kay sketch.

'you had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte'
is the line I think 😉

Yes yes to rocking, rolling up. And waltzing in.

but what about parading. Can you inly parade about when you’re naked or is it possible to parade clothed?

I like your style 😎

I'm a fan of 'trot'.
"So in he trots, half an hour late as usual"
I also like a good 'traipse'
"The builders came traipsing in at half past ten. (And they traipsed mud all over the carpet!)" Reminds me of my mum, who also favoured 'lollycadding' (lazing/reclining) 'maurading' (moving about quickly and not in silence) and 'Gadding'/'galivanting' (leaving the house).

You're right. Learnt something today and thats that I've been singing this wrong all my life it seems.....luckily not out loud!

Say what .....?? 👀

Of course my whole adult life I have been singing "as you watched yourself go by"

Meanwhile, he wasn't even walking by, he was dancing...

I am 52 btw!!