Odd expressions you've heard now & then

[dilettante]

We never even dared to giggle, but when we got away we thought it was hilarious that our maternal grandfather always said "sody pop."

Of course he'd been raised in Ohio, and you know how those people are.

 

[Beezer]

Odd expressions...

I visited the province of PEI years ago in Canada and got lost driving in an industrial area of this small town.

I pulled over and asked this man in blue overalls where the nearest ATM was.

Me: "Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me where I could find the nearest ATM machine?

Guy: "Come again, laddy?"

Me: "Oh. I need to find a Bank machine to make a withdrawal."

Guy: "Oh sure, there's a Titless Teller two blocks up the road on your right."

Oh man I laughed! I had never heard that expression for an automated bank machine before...nor since!

 

[chic]

My dad used to tell me I was about as much use as tits on a bull. I guess he meant I was useless.

 

[oscash]

I heard it used when I lived in Australia.

That expression is still being used but mainly with the older folk. I'm afraid all the old Australiana expressions are slowly fading away. The young ones don't know what we're talking about.

 

[AprilSun]

My Dad used to tell me "You'd talk the horns off of a billy goat" I just can't imagine why he would tell me that.

 

[dilettante]

Kids do their best to learn language. However this requires years of gathered experiences and even then few of us perfect it.

We had an "Aunt Helen" and her family lived next door to our grandparents, far out of town.

One time my youngest sister was excited about something or other and was making a little speech in front of my mother and some visiting ladies when she came out with "... they went clear to Helen gone."

Well that was awkward!

 

[jimintoronto]

Is it true that there is a town in your state named "Hell " ? JimB.

 

[wcwbf]

Another of my father‘s Montana farm sayings — Built like a brick shithouse. I believe it could be applied to any sturdy well built structure, and uh, sometimes a woman.

even though a bit OT, just HAD to add this. i worked as a teacher aide with a HS special needs student... autistic. his teacher was putting some kind of presentation together for parents' night and was including students' favorite song. when my guy was asked what his favorite song was, he said... "she's a brick... house!" thought i was gonna end up on the floor.

 

[dilettante]

Is it true that there is a town in your state named "Hell " ? JimB.

Yes, but calling it a town would be a stretch. It isn't much more than a gift shop/post office as I recall.

 

[Mike]

Is it true that there is a town in your state named "Hell " ? JimB.

Hell is a village in Norway, at least that was the original
one as far as I know.

Mike.

 

[Mike]

An old saying that I haven't heard for ages, "He is about
as much use as a chocolate tea pot"!

Mike.

 

[againstthegrain]

"he doesn't no whether to shit or go blind" - heard in central Oregon

 

[dilettante]

The Dutch won’t tell you to own up to consequences…they’ll say “when you burn your butt, you need to sit on the blisters” (Wie zijn billen brandt, moet op de blaren zitten).

Some years after my divorce I got engaged again. I told Ma and she said "Burn your ass on the stove, you sit on the blister."

My guess is that that's the real saying, or at least closer.

 

[Manatee]

When a sailor "deep sixes" something, he throws it away.

 

[Manatee]

The US southwest has lots of lizards. They're quite small - just a few inches long and very adorable. Being desert creatures, they're very poor swimmers. A fair number have met an early demise in our pool. When removing the cover we rescue any little guys who've have been sunning themselves.

We have a mess of lizards in Florida that swim just fine.

 

[Manatee]

Is it true that there is a town in your state named "Hell " ? JimB.

There is a Hell in the Cayman Islands. It has black rock formations.

 

[JBR]

An old saying that I haven't heard for ages, "He is about
as much use as a chocolate tea pot"!

Mike.

Am I off beam?, but is this at all related to when one person says to one next to him/her, about the quality of food they've been served, "Tastier than a cork trivet."

 

[dobielvr]

We never even dared to giggle, but when we got away we thought it was hilarious that our maternal grandfather always said "sody pop."

Of course he'd been raised in Ohio, and you know how those people are.

My Dad used to always say 'sody pop' too.
He had an old red sody pop machine at his shop that I would choose from when I was there. Only 5c a pop!

Thanks for the memory..

 

[Ruthanne]

My mother had some troubles and she would say "I must be a glutton for punishment.."

 

[Mike]

Am I off beam?, but is this at all related to when one person says to one next to him/her, about the quality of food they've been served, "Tastier than a cork trivet."

How much hot water would a chocolate teapot hold?
Not any, so it is useless, so the person being discussed
is in the same league.

Mike.

 

[Supernatural]

A lady in our neighbourhood mid-60s had the longest finger nails I ever did see. She took care of those daily. She'd completely loose it if she broke one...

Her regular expression was: "Oh F... Another nail taken by the devil..." I never heard anyone using this phrase after we moved away early 70s...

 

[DebraMae]

I've got a hitch in my getalong. -Meaning this is not going as planned.

Looks like socks on a rooster. -Not very pretty, whatever it is.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. -Usually referring to a person that was a lower status. (Think My Fair Lady)

Caught between a rock and a hard place. -There is no good option here.

Any wind can blow him. - A person without ethics or a moral compass.

 

[dobielvr]

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

Come hell or high water.

He's/she's a tall drink of water.

 

[JBR]

How much hot water would a chocolate teapot hold?
Not any, so it is useless, so the person being discussed
is in the same league.

Mike.

Here's one that I believe is in the same family. It's not from my region, but I read this somewhere recently. "It's handier than a shirt on a pocket"

 

[PeppermintPatty]

He’s a jolly good chap