Expressions grandparents use (or used)?

[TriggersBroom]

My kids think it's funny when their grandparents say 'bathers' meaning swimming costumes. Also 'five and twenty to four'.

Suntan cream is another odd one, as nobody is trying to get a tan these days.

Any other great examples of grandparent speak?

"Well go to the foot of our stairs!" as an expression of surprise and "It's black over Bill's mother's" when it's going to rain.

tonguebiter my Mum used "keep body and soul together " too, suspect she got it from my Gran. My other granny used to say "swanky" to mean stylish, good quality, posh etc eg a swanky hotel or "that's a swanky new jumper".

"Ooh you mucky little apeth" (if you had your dinner all round your mouth)

"Well that's neither arsehole nor watercress is it" (Grandad - meaning something was useless in a falling between two stools kind of way)

"She's a mardy arse isn't she" - for a grumpy woman
"She's got a face like a bulldog slapped with a herring" (ditto)

From my English grandad:
Funny haha or funny peculiar?
Time to go Up the hills to Bedfordshire
What time is it - half past a freckle

From my French grandmother:
Ne soit pas juif (I told her off for that as a teenager) - don't be stingy
Crier comme un petit sauvage (my mum still says this).

For any German speakers, die Zeit

Die Zeit have a lovely section in Zeit der Leser called 'mein Wortschatz' where readers write in with words / expressions that have fallen out of use but are often very evocative

My granny had loads.

Two shakes of a lambs tail as in I'll be there in a minute.

She also used to describe people as 'spunky' if they were particularly outgoing. To me, as a teenager, spunk referred to sperm!

My gran "fell in" if she was tricked or made a bad decision.

I used to like 'cough it up it might be a fiver' and 'my father's not a glazier' and 'you make a better door than a window' when someone is in the way.

"He (or she) is not as green as they are cabbage coloured"

It always sounded right in context but I'm not sure of exact meaning (not as stupid as he appears?).

Remembered some more:

No pockets in a shroud (you can't take it with you)

Empty vessels make the most noise.

Bumpsadaisie we say "face like a smacked arse"

Oh and "somebody's fancy man" if someone was flirting or had a bit on the side.

Just off to see me aunt (going to the loo)

The band is in town, I just heard the solo (someone farted)

Don't ask me no questions I'll tell ye no lies (I can't say?)

Rather feed you a week than a fortnight ( you eat a lot)

Followed a dust cart and thought it were a wedding (got the wrong end of the stick??)

Yon tongue is fastened in the middle and clacks at both ends (you talk too much)

What goes around comes around and least said soonest mended. (Karma and don't continue a argument that's over)

By the way she spoke you would never have thought my Nan was a true cockney!

"See you on the morrow!" when saying goodnight.

Grandmother
Waste not, want not
It's butter dear, not ba-her
Those who ask don't get
Now, have you washed your hands? (constantly)
Don't stick your head between the bannisters (she was right, took them ages to ease head out)
Slice of battenburg?

Mother
Not all truths are best said (exercise discretion)
Familiarity breeds contempt

'Cupboard love'

When I was a child and visit my granny and head straight to the pantry

'Skin a rabbit' has suddenly turned up in DM's vocabulary since DD was born

Blind men would frequently be pleased to see things too.

" health to wear" said when you were showing gran your new clothes.
& no one is going to believe this but I swear its true , " a good screw" meant he had a good job
And shocking to our ears now , wool thread fabric etc in chocolate brown was " nigger brown" !!!! We had to stop her saying that one.

Who let Polly out of the cage ? - if someone pumped

My Nan used to say:
Your face will stick like that if the wind changes
Don't care was made to care
And if i asked her the time and she wasn't wearing her watch would look at her wrist and say "a hair past a freckle"

A few years ago my friend described her baby grandson as having a face like a church clock, meaning he had a round face I suppose.