Expression picked up recently on this forum. Mo... - PMRGCAuk

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Expression picked up recently on this forum. More please!

Constance13 profile image
69 Replies

Swim in your own lane.

Blowing up a hoolie.

We grow inward and lose our reason for being.

.............

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Constance13 profile image
Constance13
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69 Replies
PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

Blowing up a hoolie featured on Sky News this morning!!!!

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer

“Plough your own furrow” - countryman’s version of “swim in your own lane”😉

GOOD_GRIEF profile image
GOOD_GRIEF

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

- HENRY DAVID THOREAU, Walden, chapter 18, 1854.

Marymon profile image
Marymon in reply toGOOD_GRIEF

Hence: Anthony Powell’s Novel -

‘Dance to the Music of Time’,

In four movements.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS

Flattered, but need to comment that your third example is not an expression but part of an original reply. :)

Marymon profile image
Marymon

Paddle your own canoe

Same as in DL’s reply.

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh

Chewing you knuckles (this is my own one)

Within a hair's breath

tearing one's hair out

stumped

Chasing your own tail

Sitting on one's hands

One step at a time (several allied to this one)

A blind man would be glad to see it

Cooking up a storm

Flying too close to the sun

Glued to one's chair

Gob-smacked

Star struck

So much more than our history (just now on a TV programme)

There are so many - but not necessarily picked up from this form, though not sure if that was the stricture ?

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply toRuadh

No, I also meant sayings from Grandparents, Mum & Dad, local expressions.

Chrob profile image
Chrob in reply toConstance13

It’s black over bills mothers , = looks like rain . I’ll swing fer yo, = I could kill you .

scats profile image
scats in reply toChrob

my mum used to say it's black over Wills mothers, never heard anyone else use it. I just thought it was another example of her getting things confused.

Chrob profile image
Chrob in reply toscats

It’s north derby , I think instead of mother pronounced muther .

scats profile image
scats in reply toChrob

Interesting mum never went north of the midlands.

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply toscats

“Will’s mother’s” - for sure! My family’s from Hampshire -so used down south as well!

On a sunny/cloudy day - “ enough blue to make a sailor’s shirt or sometimes trousers” . My family said shirt, my hubby’s said trousers. Both lived In same county!

scats profile image
scats in reply toDorsetLady

We're right on the Hampshire border! Must be quite widely used I don't get out enough. Know about the sailors trousers too, always assumed because of all the navy around here

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply toscats

Could be Hampshire related - mums family came from Romsey/Southampton area. It’s always been a maritime county with Soton & Pompey dominating cities. Oh arr shiver me timbers!

scats profile image
scats in reply toDorsetLady

Ah the good ship PMR hoves into view again!

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply toDorsetLady

Yes. Enough blue to make a pair of sailor's trousers - might be fine, or, stay fine (hopeful for good weather !) Or just, 'Sailor's trousers'.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toscats

If you google it you'll find a load of links for where it comes from. Like

nottinghamhiddenhistoryteam...

or this

phrases.org.uk/bulletin_boa...

Hours of interesting reading on t'internet...

Chrob profile image
Chrob in reply toPMRpro

My family are York and Nottingham originally plus way back Cornwall . Reet mix .

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toChrob

Miners????????????

Chrob profile image
Chrob in reply toPMRpro

Would seem most likely , not for quite a few years though .

scats profile image
scats in reply toPMRpro

Thanks. Probably find that all these sayings got mixed up during the war but were more local before that.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toscats

Or possibly earlier with movement of people for work during the industrial revolution?

Constance13 profile image
Constance13

There’s one over here (Germany):

He hasn’t got all his cups in the cupboard.

Meaning: She (thought I’d better change the sex this time)😂😂 she’s two pence short of a shilling.

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply toConstance13

One my Grandma used to say: Stop chewing pickles.

Jeannie29 profile image
Jeannie29 in reply toConstance13

I am often saying "a ha'penny short of a shilling", but these days it seems to myself I am referring to!!!

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toJeannie29

A sandwich short of a picnic is another of that sort.

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply toJeannie29

Wonder which is correct 1/2 penny or 2 pence? Suppose it depends which county you live in!

And NO not “you” it means a bit backward (for our friends who don’t know what the hell we are talking about).😂

Jeannie29 profile image
Jeannie29 in reply toConstance13

Could be an age thing, I’m an old money person haha

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply toJeannie29

Hee hee! Me too (79). I didn’t even notice I had written “pence”.

Jeannie29 profile image
Jeannie29 in reply toConstance13

Well at least we know somethings the younger ones don’t lol

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply toJeannie29

Speaking of "old money", In 1973 we were looking for a small flat to stay in for a couple of months, in London. We had nearly settled on a place when the price quoted suddenly went from 20 pounds to 20 guineas. I believe even as long ago as that guineas were no longer legal tender. Suppose the landlord thought he could pull a fast one on the callow colonials. We pulled out of the transaction and ended up staying for a couple of months in a B&B (breakfast and evening meal included, my kind of place). "Get to meet the English" proclaimed the adverts for B&Bs. Our landlady was Hungarian, having migrated in 1956 (draftswoman, never grasped English well enough to get a job in UK, so lived in her kitchen and let out all the other rooms). While staying there we met a Frenchwoman, a man from Australia, a couple of Lebanese students....

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply toHeronNS

Brilliant - Much better and fun.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply toRuadh

We really enjoyed staying with her. If we were home at lunchtime she'd feed us, no charge. I think she liked us too. Edgeware Road. My husband was doing research at the Public Records Office (original documents more interesting to read than microfilm/fiche copies in Ottawa) and I would walk to the British Museum every day. Attended the many free lectures which were given back then, and took a whole month to look at all the exhibits. Eventually the security guards got used to me and stopped following me around!

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply toConstance13

Really confuse em - tanner = sixpence

Nowt to do with tanning leather or 'being' a tanner...HaHa

Constance, you mean twopence = tuppence

And, nowt to do with tupping... <LOL>

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply toConstance13

ha'penny surely!?

4840 profile image
4840 in reply toConstance13

Nicht alle Tassen im Schrank......I remember this saying. Long time ago when I lived in Germany.

Up the wooden hill! (stairs) Sound as a Pound. Daft as a Brush.

xdbx profile image
xdbx in reply to

‘Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire’ was my family’s version

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply toxdbx

Yes, mine as well. Nowhere near Bedfordshire!

If you tried to wind my dad up he'd say, go take a funny run, I've never heard anyone else use that expression, it could mean something rude, he was a bit of an old cor blimey (cockney)

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply to

Take a long run off a short pier ! = 'funny run'

in reply toRuadh

Not rude then, how disappointing.

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply to

No Chris, not at all 'rude' <LOL>

Saw that you wanted more of these. I do tend to sort of collect them...and having lived in London, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, have picked up and used a variety of expressions. Am busy digging through memories, so 'wayt o'nt' (wait on it). <G>

in reply toRuadh

I lived in S.Yorks for 20 years still use - mithering - and - having a monk on. Soon found it was no good using rhyming slang, no-one knew what tatters meant. Most of The Sweeney must have gone over their heads!

in reply to

Lonnie Donegan's 'My Old Man's A Dustman'! That would go down like a bomb now!!!! Daisy Roots.(boots)

karools16 profile image
karools16

What's blowing up a hoolie???? Does ot mean a storm?

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply tokarools16

Yes blowing up a storm. Or sometimes to be rowdy. Some thoughts it’s Irish or Scottish from making a lot of noise - or acting like a hooligan!

But weather is usual.

karools16 profile image
karools16 in reply toDorsetLady

Thanks for that. Will try and remember to use in conversation and see what response.

karools16 profile image
karools16

In S.Africa we say a Monkey's wedding, when the sun is shining and the rain falls simultaneously.

As scarce as hen's teeth.

As scarce as rocking horse manure.

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh

Sandwiches short of a picnic = not quite all there

Hen's teeth - my secretary used - she always made me laugh

Nithering - Lincolnshire / Yorkshire expression, cold, windy

Mardy : "She's a mardy one" - Sulky / out of sorts (Lincs)

Snap / take your snap = take your food / lunch box as t'were

Dukes / put up your dukes = fists

Mash the tea = let the tea brew, northern English

There are so many, not that we used that many at home, but used by neighbours, colleagues. Fascinating.

nevagivup profile image
nevagivup

If something works for you, but someone else has a different idea about what works, then "Whatever floats your boat!"

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh

Bully off, was one we used at home, meaning get off / go away. From hockey, when one does indeed, 'bully off' !

Also 'Bully for you' - meaning, you did well, good show etc. again, hockey, you won the bully...

Shanks pony - gotta walk !

Spindle shanks = thin legs, thighs... (Shakespearean)

Daft as a brush = lost your marbles = not quite 'all there' !

Right plonker - bit of an idiot

Monkey's outside / brass monkeys = flippin freezing out

Plastered = drunk

Horses for Courses = right person (or whatever) for the job

in other words, can't put a cart horse on the race track or a race horse to run a furrow / to the plough !

Bit of an Anorak = weirdly interested in summat - like train spotting ...!!

Harry starkers = naked (No reference to Prince Harry !!)

Don't get your knickers in a twist = don't get worked up

Dog's dinner = over dressed / derogatory

Bob's your uncle = there ya go & Bob's yr bleedin / for heaven's sake !

Gordon Bennett = for heaven's sake & Core blimey

Knackered = right tired out (like those cyclists must have felt after completing the Tour de France !)

Bee’s Knees = Awesome

Know Your Onions = Knowledgeable

Knows out about it = knows nothing about ....

Right chuffed = right proud, pleased with...

Sudden death = refers to soggy suet pudding with currents in it !!

One from my mother - always made me laugh : "The beautiful Miss Bradies in their private ass and cart" = putting on the 'show'

All good for a larf, innit !

scats profile image
scats

Where we lived in Wales they said they were starving when they were cold.

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh in reply toscats

Yes, 'starving' as in cold, comes from being real hungry, and when right cold, then if hungry, feel the cold even more. So, when cold, hot soup and some carbohydrates will warm you up.

Reminds me : 'Warms the cockles' - of your heart, in regards to a kind person : 'She / he 'warms the cockles' of your heart'.

karools16 profile image
karools16

Growing up, my Dad used to say' Go to the top of the class and sharpen the pencils'.If you had done something good/clever.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply tokarools16

Reminds me of my grandmother who said one must have "slept with the knives" if you were particularly sharp (clever).

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS

Yammering. A word which entered the family vocabulary with the arrival of our third child, son number two, who had to make himself heard over the general activity of the household.

Slowdown profile image
Slowdown

I'll go and have a geek dreckly, the dearofver - I'll go and have a look right now (or later, dreckly is a bit manana-ish) the dear of her. A concerned (or not very) Cornish neighbour :-)

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh

Some want 'more' - OK. IF too much, can always delet some, or, the whole stream - chuntering on...

Twig = caught on to meaning, understanding / twigged = understood

Addle-pate = numbskull

Argy-bargy = interrupting / obnoxious

Balderdash = nonsense (one we used in the family)

Blather = blathering on = twaddle = give over talking nonsense

Corker = WOW / that's a corker. Also, that's a huge lie !

Squelch = sugary, overly 'sweet' story. Also, sticky mud, muddy

Clagged, claggy = stuck in clay, squelch ! Animal, especially sheep, clagged

Clod-hopper = heavy boots, stomping along, noisy footsteps. Also, a peasant : what a 'clod hopper'. (Not P.C. !)

Chipper = perky, bright, doing good, in fine fettle

Palavar = discussions = discussions, usually important, settling matters. India and Africa

Shindy - what a noise, what a shindy, disturbance

Gawk, what a gawk = twit, what a twit (dunderhead)

Gawp = stare blankly : stop gawping at...

Craw, to stick in one's craw = stuck in one's throat : that 'sticks in my craw'. As in chickens and poultry, birds

Hard lines = tough. Shoot. Get on with it, swallow it.

Grockles = tourists, visitors to ... (derogatory)

Scrumping = snitching apples and fruit from orchards (used to do this). Went scrumping !

Snitch = tell on someone (nasty), telling tales ! Not done...

Flummoxed = Ho-Hum; <scratches head>; dunno what to do

Out of kilter = crooked, not straight, feeling unwell / out of sorts - Ah, out of kilter today

Dawdle = walk slowly, dawdle along - Hmmmmm : dawdle along gawking !

Buckle under = get going, go do, get on with it.

Right, enough, before everyone is 'farwelted'.....leave you to check that one out; clue, Lincolnshire dialect...!

This has been fun.

Slowdown profile image
Slowdown in reply toRuadh

Grockles is Devon, Emmets Cornish! Let's not get into the cream, jam and scone debate ;-)

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply toRuadh

That’s what I hoped! Just to get a bit of light relief for a little while away from our aches and pains.💥🍾🍸💐

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh

Lived in Exmouth as a kiddy - was at school in Devon - years ago. The school was burnt down - no, way long after I left ! Was a beautiful building, Pomeroy family originally. Now the whole developed into millionaire's paradise.

Constance13 profile image
Constance13 in reply toRuadh

That’s happened to the village we lived in in the Cotswolds. We sold our house there ten years ago BEFORE the explosion. If only we had known!😡

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

All fur coat and no knickers - all show no substance

So sharp you’ll cut yourself - when you make a smart come back.

A face like a smacked a*se. - not a happy bunny.

Constance13 profile image
Constance13

First one was a favourite with my MIL.😀

Ruadh profile image
Ruadh

My m-in-l had one similar, but forget how it went exactly <G>

PiersC profile image
PiersC

A couple of kangaroos short of a top paddock.....

enan-illuc profile image
enan-illuc

"Let everyone feast, but not from my table."

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