Phrases that hit the nail on the head

[Arlanymor]

Having looked at the thread about phrases/words/terms that people hate - what about the ones that just feel spot on?

I heard this earlier today in relation to the modern obsession with celebrities doing crazy things for clout to keep themselves 'relevant' and in the spotlight...

"The attention economy".

Yes! Spot on! Great term for those who monetise meaningless content for maximum exposure on social media - behaviour that pays dividends in the attention economy.

Ah, micturation, what a great word to use instead of urination. That might fox the Dr's receptionist if you don't want to say "I bloody well can't piss or urinate.... instead - I need to see the GP immediately as I am unable to Micturate!"

More jam than Hartley's.
Up and down like a tarts knickers.
As green as they're cabbage looking.

I am trying to remember where I first heard it and it stuck - maybe Blackadder or something similar?!

I've no idea, but I'm nicking it from you!

I also think that we need to reinvigorate pang-wangle, particularly in these precarious days!

When you've eaten too much 'i'm as full as an egg', or the very northern, 'i'm as stuffed as a fat lass's shoe'

May as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb.
(As in, no point in stopping now.)

One sandwich short of a picnic.

Yeah this one - listen to what someone is saying, and not who is saying it.

Shit or get off the pot.

i can’t stand ditherers, especially when it’s commitment phobic men!

Shrouds have no pockets.
One I use when people who can easily afford something but avoid doing so.

My late Dad bless him, had a saying -

There's no fun in a graveyard, so give me my flowers now.

Meaning, have fun and show love and affection while we're here, not by putting flowers on the grave when we're gone.

My granny used to say “she couldn’t find her arse with both hands” to describe an idiot.

Similar to the one my grandma used to use... "doesn't know their arse from their elbow" 😁

Grief is the price we pay for love.

I like "don't piss on my chips and tell me its vinegar".

Also, referring to people as good sticks or bad sticks depending on whether you liked them or not. "He's a right bad stick" was about as character damning as you can get in my family.

"there he was, depriving some village of an idiot".

"so tight, he would peel an orange in his pocket".

"so tight, if he found a plaster, he'd cut himself"

"enough cheek for a spare arse"

I also like "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar"

It is easier to get what you want from people if you are polite and kind ("honey") rather than rude or unpleasant ("vinegar"). Something my MIL could do with learning.

Never a borrower or a lender be

They're feathering their own nest

My very favourite which I learned from my Grandad “Get off the cross we need the wood”

I use it surprisingly often.

I love shit or get off the pot 🤣

Youth is wasted on the young

It was in The Big Lebowski - the spoiling of the rug

I use this often!

Not my circus, not my monkeys!
Like herding cats.
Like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling.
He doesn't know if it's Christmas or Tuesday.

I've never seen that though. But thanks for suggesting!

Two Irish phrases I’ve only seen online

He has a great welcome for himself
He makes great allowance for himself

A Polish saying, apparently – ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys’

A Turkish saying, apparently – reminds me of Trump – ‘When the clown enters the palace, the clown does not become a king, the palace becomes a circus’

An American saying that also reminds me of Trump – ‘He couldn’t pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel.’