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Original poster

...to think that this expresson is dying out?

441 replies

WalkDontWalk · 05/10/2025 14:25

On another thread someone used the expression 'taking the mick'. And I thought, 'I used to hear that all the time when I was a kid. But I rarely do now.'

So I started to think of others that my dad used but my kids don't.

'Having a kip' or 'I was akip'.

'Yikes' (My daughter says I'm the only non-cartoon that says 'yikes'.)

'Swinging the lead'

'Bunking off'. (Daughter: 'Never heard that. Sounds rude')

'Going Dutch' (Daughter. 'Nope. No idea. Is that rude too?')

'Haven't the foggiest.'

These were all in use in London fifty years ago. Maybe they were always regional.

OP posts:
Redpeach · 05/10/2025 15:56

Who is micky bliss

Denim4ever · 05/10/2025 15:56

Some things are regional. Growing up down south with parents who came from the midlands I use the expression 'All around the Wrekin' for going the the long way round without realising for some time that the Wrekin is a place. The local expression for the same circs is 'all round Wills mothers' . No idea if there was ever a real Will or his mother 🤣

Adult DS was very keen on Wallace and Gromit as a toddler. He yawned one day at nursery and staff asked him if he was tired. He replied 'I'm cream crackered'

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/10/2025 15:58

Mercurial123 · 05/10/2025 15:55

I've never said any of those and I'm in my early 50s. My parents do.

I've also never heard "wow, just wow" ever used in real life only on MN.

"Big Wow" was used in my quarters to indicate that one is somewhat underwhelmed, so the exact opposite.

Squirrelsnut · 05/10/2025 15:59

WalkDontWalk · 05/10/2025 14:25

On another thread someone used the expression 'taking the mick'. And I thought, 'I used to hear that all the time when I was a kid. But I rarely do now.'

So I started to think of others that my dad used but my kids don't.

'Having a kip' or 'I was akip'.

'Yikes' (My daughter says I'm the only non-cartoon that says 'yikes'.)

'Swinging the lead'

'Bunking off'. (Daughter: 'Never heard that. Sounds rude')

'Going Dutch' (Daughter. 'Nope. No idea. Is that rude too?')

'Haven't the foggiest.'

These were all in use in London fifty years ago. Maybe they were always regional.

I use all of them (55) and know others that do too.

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 15:59

AutumnGlum · 05/10/2025 15:55

My Mancunian Granny used to say ‘I’ll have your guts for garters’, anyone heard that before?

Yes!

Also,
That's rather racy
Up the duff
Turned up their toes

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/10/2025 15:59

Mind, it was years before I understood what "What did your last one die of?" meant!

HelpMeGetThrough · 05/10/2025 16:01

Pushing up the daisies.

ginasevern · 05/10/2025 16:01

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

You might be thinking of "having a paddy", as in losing your temper. It's a reference to Irish people being perceived as hot headed (for want of a better description).

Mumof2amazingasdkiddos · 05/10/2025 16:01

I'm 43 and from the North and know all these sayings so I don't think they are regional but I agree they are dying out as I've not heard them for years (apart from kip as I still use that one!)

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 16:03

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 05/10/2025 14:39

No. Taking the ‘mickey’ is from rhyming slang for piss - Mickey Bliss

Show quote history

Could well be this and later got mixed up with expressions like ' that's a bit Irish ' or ' he's having a Paddy' ? There were a lot of Irish jokes around the 70s. Taking the piss has replaced it mainly. Or ' ripping the piss out of it'.
Not to mention ' you're 'avin a larf aintcha?'

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/10/2025 16:04

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 15:59

Yes!

Also,
That's rather racy
Up the duff
Turned up their toes

Show quote history

I'm familiar with "guts for garters" too, from Merseyside here.

TinDogTavern · 05/10/2025 16:04

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 15:43

My friend blew her street credibility at a feminist meeting when she admired some male writer. But she thinks the main offence was describing him as ' dishy'. There's no way back from such cringe apparently!

My mum says “dishy”. She’s 82. She said it once to me when I was a teenager and I died of cringe THEN, and I’m now 56.

tinytemper66 · 05/10/2025 16:05

I still use them all-59 and live in Wales!

PersephonePomegranate · 05/10/2025 16:06

VoltaireMittyDream · 05/10/2025 15:26

I think we should bring back ‘pants’.

’Oh pants. I forgot my wallet’
’I want to see the new James Bond and it was pants.’

Nooooo! Leave that abomination in the 90s where it belongs!

OSTMusTisNT · 05/10/2025 16:07

"Do you think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat?"

Haven't heard that for years, not sure if the origins of it?

And,

"Its as much use as a chocolate fireguard/ashtray on a motorbike."

Guessing central heating and vaping will be the demise of these 2.

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/10/2025 16:08

TinDogTavern · 05/10/2025 16:04

My mum says “dishy”. She’s 82. She said it once to me when I was a teenager and I died of cringe THEN, and I’m now 56.

Show quote history

I would find "dishy" cringe worthy too. We used to say, "he's a bit of alright", or "I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crisps". This would be when we were about twelve or thirteen. 😅

notatinydancer · 05/10/2025 16:11

Darragon · 05/10/2025 15:00

Gordon Benett has died a death. My mum once said it in a shop and the bloke behind her said ‘what?’ and was a bit offended that she’d taken his name in vain. Unless he was pulling her leg. And my DF used to say he needed to ‘see a man about a dog’ regularly when I was younger. I constantly thought we were finally getting a puppy. I was 12 before I realised what it actually meant. 😂 I was just saying to DH not even half an hour ago that colourful language seems to have died out and not been replaced with much.

I say Gordon Bennet sometimes. Who was he ? 😂

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/10/2025 16:12

"Do you think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat?"

That sounds like a variation of "just stepped off the boat" i.e. unfamiliar with and clueless i.e. naive? My parents would say, "Do you think I was born yesterday?"

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:15

OSTMusTisNT · 05/10/2025 16:07

"Do you think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat?"

Haven't heard that for years, not sure if the origins of it?

And,

"Its as much use as a chocolate fireguard/ashtray on a motorbike."

Guessing central heating and vaping will be the demise of these 2.

Do you think I just arrived on the banana boat? (not up the Clyde though)
Taken to mean you're mistaken in treating me as completely clueless.

And I've heard it's as much use as a chocolate teapot.

FeebasAquarium · 05/10/2025 16:15

Ds (15) has extended it to taking the Mickey Mouse club house which never fails to make me laugh 😆
i think I heard most of those growing up (London) except yikes (unless scooby doo was on) but mostly from older relatives, perhaps they’re dying out?

Sirzy · 05/10/2025 16:17

I’m just outside Liverpool and use all except yikes and going Dutch.

skippy67 · 05/10/2025 16:18

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

No.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 05/10/2025 16:18

mzpq · 05/10/2025 14:27

I think 'Taking the mick' is now considered offence, as in a slur against the Irish, isn't it?

It seems everything can be considered offensive these days..

I thought it was was cockney rhyming slang for Mickey Bliss (Taking the Piss)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_the_piss

Taking the piss - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_the_piss

BellyPork · 05/10/2025 16:19

Abhannmor · 05/10/2025 16:03

Could well be this and later got mixed up with expressions like ' that's a bit Irish ' or ' he's having a Paddy' ? There were a lot of Irish jokes around the 70s. Taking the piss has replaced it mainly. Or ' ripping the piss out of it'.
Not to mention ' you're 'avin a larf aintcha?'

Show quote history

How about You're having a giraffe! (in a cockney accent)

ginasevern · 05/10/2025 16:20

Catpiece · 05/10/2025 15:45

I’m a South London Cockney and I still say them all. Another saying from when I was a kid was “I should coco” meaning “I don’t think so”

My mum used to say "I should coco" quite often, although we're from the West Country. It became a trendy expression in the 1930's when she was a teenager. Sort of like "whatever" or "as if" these days. It was used in a novel about London gangsters in 1936 and caught on from there, but it obviously pre-dates the book.