# Sayings Our Parents Used; Do you use them now?



## Ruthanne (May 8, 2016)

What kinds of sayings did your parents use and do you use them now?  Do you find the old cliches helpful or not?

Mine said "that's water under the bridge" and "wait till your dad gets home" and "I won't give up my day job" and there's lots others.  I just can't 

remember them all right now.  Maybe you can jog my memory!


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## NancyNGA (May 8, 2016)

My father always used the expression, "Don't take any wooden nickels."  Usually when you were leaving, meaning, take care of yourself.  No, I don't use this routinely.  

There are more but, I can't think of them right now.   Will get back later.


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## tnthomas (May 8, 2016)

Ruthanne said:


> What kinds of sayings did your parents use and do you use them now?  Do you find the old cliches helpful or not?
> 
> Mine said "that's water under the bridge" and "wait till your dad gets home" and "I won't give up my day job" and there's lots others.  I just can't
> 
> remember them all right now.  Maybe you can jog my memory!




I use old sayings all the time, now and then my son[age 37] will question me as to the meaning and origin.

"water under the bridge"
"no sense cryin' over spilled milk"
"we're in fat city"
"that's pretty cheesy"
"all bark and no bite"

laptop battery dying- will add some later


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## jnos (May 8, 2016)

Most often said by my dad (when I was a teen), "You can sleep when you're dead." I don't use it but do think of it occasionally.

Another when he was in his late 80's and in poor health, "I hope they pull me up quick."

I heard this a lot from my mom. "What will the neighbors think?"

One I repeat a lot, is "For Pete's sake!"

Maybe more later

tnthomas, if you're looking for meaning of phrases/expressions, check out Chrysti the Wordsmith.


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## SeaBreeze (May 8, 2016)

My mother used to say these, and I have used them myself once in a blue moon.

Money doesn't grow on trees

There's no free lunch


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## Capt Lightning (May 9, 2016)

My mother used to say things like "What's for you  won't go by you."  (If it's meant to happen, it will)
and "Ca canny" - go carefully.


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## debbie in seattle (May 9, 2016)

My mom always said, "There's 3 sides to the story, his, hers and the truth".   Me, my husband and my kids still say that.


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## AprilSun (May 9, 2016)

Some I remember and I still use are:

"Pot calling the kettle black", "What's good for the goose is good for the gander", "Two wrongs don't make a right", "You can't take it with you".  And how well I remember hearing them say, "What will the neighbors think". Now that's one I don't use because I don't care what my neighbors think.  These days, people don't know their neighbors.


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## Ruthanne (May 9, 2016)

Wow, now I recall my parents saying practically all of the things all of you said.  How about "a penny saved is a penny earned".  I recall, too, "the pot calling the kettle black."  My mom used the saying "Two wrongs don't make a right" all the time maybe because she had 6 fighting kids!    I think of that one a lot and it is true but sometimes feels good to make the other wrong.  How about "pushing up daisies", "kick the bucket" and "you can't take it with you when your dead" (I'm not sure of the exact words on that one.)  "One foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel".  These are funny when I think about them.  lol.


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## Guitarist (May 9, 2016)

My father got an expression from his mother that I remember, about every mother believing in her child and being on his/her side:

"Every mama crow thinks her little crow is the blackest."

Not very PC these days!


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## Son_of_Perdition (May 9, 2016)

Four come to mind from my dad

"Friends & relatives will ruin you in a business"

"Show me a good pool player & I'll show you a wasted youth"

"Give a man an honest days work for an honest days pay"

"Never trust a religious school teacher"

He was a Mason Contractor.


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## Ruthanne (May 9, 2016)

Guitarist said:


> My father got an expression from his mother that I remember, about every mother believing in her child and being on his/her side:
> 
> "Every mama crow thinks her little crow is the blackest."
> 
> Not very PC these days!


That's a new one on me!


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## Ruthanne (May 9, 2016)

I thought of another saying my mom used to say a lot;  "patience is a virtue."  I have always tried to be patient because of that.  Sometimes, though, I'm not patient.


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## AuntieV (May 14, 2016)

Mom used to tell my brothers "If you hoot with the owls you can crow with the rooster".


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## Buckeye (May 14, 2016)

My paternal Grandmother Edith used to refer to my Grandfather's adult beverage as "Kickapoo Joy Juice".  Never heard anyone else use that phrase.  This was in the 1950s.


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## muffin (May 14, 2016)

One I can remember ...you made your bed now you can lie on it
and...more hands make light work.....and don't count your chickens before they hatch.


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## tnthomas (May 14, 2016)

AuntieV said:


> Mom used to tell my brothers "If you hoot with the owls you can crow with the rooster".



....and that leads to "birds of a feather flock together."

...did anyone mention "as the crow flies" ?

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"   Oh, this is actually _off topic_, and has more to do with chaos matrix theory.

Continuing:

"The early bird gets the worm"
"Who ruffled her feathers"
I say this one when appropriate:
"What's good for the goose is good for the gander"


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## Ruthanne (May 14, 2016)

I recall a lot of those sayings now.


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## Capt Lightning (May 15, 2016)

It occurred that I still use a couple of sayings that my mother used .....

"A lick and a promise" = a quick wash.

"Pruch & plunder"  Pruch = a 'perk' or goods earned for extra work.  The expression means a random selection of goods possibly found, given or bought at a sale or market.

"A face like a Lurgan spade"  This is one I heard in Ulster and means to look unhappy.  A Lurgan spade is a style of spade with a long thin blade.  Hence someone with a long face.


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## ndynt (May 15, 2016)

My father frequently used the comments, "Steal a penny and you are a thief....steal a million and you are brilliant", regarding politicians and questionable businessmen.   Along with, "A weak person blames their shortcomings on what their life has been."   (This one got me through many life situations...made me a very strong woman)


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## jujube (May 16, 2016)

Hoot N Annie said:


> My paternal Grandmother Edith used to refer to my Grandfather's adult beverage as "Kickapoo Joy Juice".  Never heard anyone else use that phrase.  This was in the 1950s.



Yes, I've heard that one used.  I think it originally referred to the liquor given to Indians (there is a Kickapoo tribe) which tended to intoxicate them quickly as they were not used to it.


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## Butterfly (May 17, 2016)

Ruthanne said:


> I thought of another saying my mom used to say a lot;  "patience is a virtue."  I have always tried to be patient because of that.  Sometimes, though, I'm not patient.



I well remember the "patience is a virtue" one.  I'm not very good at patience, either.

Also, "if 'everyone' jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?"  This in response to my wanting to do something or go somewhere because "everyone" was doing it.

"Don't count your chickens . .. ." is another one I heard a lot.  And "what if your face freezes that way?"


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## Warrigal (May 17, 2016)

Hmm. The first thing that comes to mind is, "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about".
Mum didn't raise any cry babies.


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## Goldfynche (May 17, 2016)

*Act in haste. Repent at your leisure*. Was one I heard quite a lot.

*I can't help it! It's the way my mother put my hat on*. Was a traditional London cockney saying.

*Stone the crows. *Was another.

Everyone must have heard *Close your mouth, or the flies will get in.*


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## ndynt (May 17, 2016)

If your friend can stay up late and do anything she wants....go live with her family.


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## Butterfly (May 17, 2016)

Warrigal said:


> Hmm. The first thing that comes to mind is, "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about".
> Mum didn't raise any cry babies.



I heard that "stop crying or . . . ." one a lot too.


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## Ruthanne (May 17, 2016)

My mother used to say "dropped a button" referring to passing gas.  lol


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## Robusta (May 19, 2016)

Make hay while the sun shines! was a common phrase, meaning do it now while the opportunity is ripe. When hay is cut and windrowed it can't be rained on,so once the hay was dry it was all hands on deck till t was in the barn.

My uncle upon finishing a job before gathering his tools or cleaning up often would say, "Ain't naught left, but to pizz on the fire and call in the dawgs!"


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## Ruthanne (May 22, 2016)

robusta said:


> make hay while the sun shines! Was a common phrase, meaning do it now while the opportunity is ripe. When hay is cut and windrowed it can't be rained on,so once the hay was dry it was all hands on deck till t was in the barn.
> 
> My uncle upon finishing a job before gathering his tools or cleaning up often would say, "ain't naught left, but to pizz on the fire and call in the dawgs!"


lol


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## Geezerette (May 24, 2016)

My Dad was a very easy going man raised on a farm  who thought kids should play like kids, & when Mom thought we were being too rowdy he'd say "do what you want as long as you don't scare the horses." We didn't have any horses but he grew up with them.


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## Ruthanne (May 24, 2016)

Geezerette said:


> My Dad was a very easy going man raised on a farm  who thought kids should play like kids, & when Mom thought we were being too rowdy he'd say "do what you want as long as you don't scare the horses." We didn't have any horses but he grew up with them.


Hahahahaha!


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## myfeethurt (May 25, 2016)

Back in 1940-50 if you asked mother what was for super it was always cats ass and cabbage


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## Shalimar (May 25, 2016)

Really cat? When my Son was small, it was always rat on a stick. Lol.


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## Ruthanne (May 25, 2016)

myfeethurt said:


> Back in 1940-50 if you asked mother what was for super it was always cats ass and cabbage


Ewww



Shalimar said:


> Really cat? When my Son was small, it was always rat on a stick. Lol.


Yuck!


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## Ken N Tx (May 26, 2016)




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## Ruthanne (May 26, 2016)

Ken N Tx said:


> View attachment 29685


I recall that one, too, lol!


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## Shalimar (May 26, 2016)

I remember my grandmother, and then my mother saying, brag's a good dog, but hangon's better. The used to call moths, millers for some reason??


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## Geezerette (May 30, 2016)

Another I haven't heard in a long time, but met someone whose manner reminded me of it . If mom & gram met someone who they thought was too uppity or not open & honest they would say "butter wouldn't melt in her mouth" suggesting a really cold person. Anyone else heard or used this one?


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## Ruthanne (May 30, 2016)

No, I haven't heard that one but it's a good one.


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## Goldfynche (May 31, 2016)

My late wife's grandmother used to have a brilliant saying. Whenever there was an annoying sound, perhaps a motorist sitting on their horn. She would shout "What else did you get for Christmas?"


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## QuickSilver (May 31, 2016)

" I brought you into this world... I'll take you out"      YIKES

"I hope your children pay you back 10 times for what you've done to me"...     It worked...  the quintessential mother's curse. 


My aunt used to say  "you're full of canal water"   when she thought someone was BSing



My Mother in Law....  "he's having a calf with a crocheted tail"   when someone was having a fit or tantrum


OR..... "drunk as a bicycle"....  for someone fall down drunk.


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## Cookie (May 31, 2016)

My mom used to say in her mother tongue, when someone said something that was ridiculous yet funny:  "May you get kicked by a duck!"

Also, if we were laughing too much and carrying on:  "He who laughs too much on Friday, will cry on Sunday."


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## NancyNGA (May 31, 2016)

My grandmother had one:  "Well, dog my cats!"  It meant that she was surprised, or astonished, by something.


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## QuickSilver (May 31, 2016)

Cookie said:


> My mom used to say in her mother tongue, when someone said something that was ridiculous yet funny:  "May you get kicked by a duck!"
> 
> Also, if we were laughing too much and carrying on:  "He who laughs too much on Friday, will cry on Sunday."



My mother had a version of that "laughing" saying...   "Laugh before breakfast, cry before bedtime"


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## Shalimar (May 31, 2016)

I recall my mother saying --if my shoes were unpolished, "look at your feet, and your feathers will fall."


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## Ruthanne (May 31, 2016)

Those are all funny!


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## Butterfly (May 31, 2016)

Geezerette said:


> Another I haven't heard in a long time, but met someone whose manner reminded me of it . If mom & gram met someone who they thought was too uppity or not open & honest they would say "butter wouldn't melt in her mouth" suggesting a really cold person. Anyone else heard or used this one?



I've heard that one all my life.


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## Capt Lightning (Jun 1, 2016)

"You look as though you've been up the lumb"  meaning  "grubby", from the Scottish 'lumb' = chimney.


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## AprilSun (Jun 3, 2016)

Another one I used to hear was "Cat got your tongue?". I didn't hear it much because I wasn't quiet too often.


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## Ruthanne (Jun 3, 2016)

I remember that one!!  I wonder where these phrases originated from?


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## lydiag (Jun 3, 2016)

We were often scratching for money, so we would say bill-collector calls were always "Pay up or the kids go"  meaning we'd be on the line for the debt (anyone read the "Ransom of Red Chief"? the joke would be on the bill collector.) 

Dad would also say we were so poor we'd have "weenies" one night, and "weenie water soup" the next.


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## Ruthanne (Jun 3, 2016)

lydiag said:


> We were often scratching for money, so we would say bill-collector calls were always "Pay up or the kids go"  meaning we'd be on the line for the debt (anyone read the "Ransom of Red Chief"? the joke would be on the bill collector.)
> 
> Dad would also say we were so poor we'd have "weenies" one night, and "weenie water soup" the next.


That's funny Lydia!


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## Butterfly (Jun 11, 2016)

One thing my mom used to say, vis-a-vis relationships with boys, was "who's going to buy the cow if they get the milk for free?"


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## HazyDavey (Jun 13, 2016)

My Dad used to say to me, "Don't go at it like you're killing snakes."  Meaning slow down, think it out, do a good job. He was the only one I've ever heard say that.


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## Ruthanne (Jun 13, 2016)

Butterfly said:


> One thing my mom used to say, vis-a-vis relationships with boys, was "who's going to buy the cow if they get the milk for free?"


Yep, I've heard that a lot.



Hazy Davey said:


> My Dad used to say to me, "Don't go at it like you're killing snakes."  Meaning slow down, think it out, do a good job. He was the only one I've ever heard say that.


Never heard that one.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 13, 2016)

Hazy Davey said:


> My Dad used to say to me, "Don't go at it like you're killing snakes."  Meaning slow down, think it out, do a good job. He was the only one I've ever heard say that.



Mine would say, "Don't run around like a chicken with it's head cut off,"  to mean the same thing.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jun 13, 2016)

My Grandmother had one that I think she made up. If you had something you didn't know quite what to do with or where you were going to put it, she would say, hang it on the Christmas tree. Didn't matter what time of year or what it was. My Dad also would say, it would take an act of congress to finish something. It applied to anything that was difficult to do. He also said don't take any wooden nickles.


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