Idioms and sayings

My late father would describe anything that was in particularly good order as "tickettyboo" (spelling?) I think it was an Army word. He served in the Tank Regiment in WW2.

Hunky dory and ticketyboo.

Deedaa - I was always being accused by my Mum of being "In and out like-" something or other; "A dog at a fair", "a fiddler's elbow" or "a fart in a collander"!

And if I kept on doing it she'd "have a pink fit with her leg up"... and yes, we often had "wait and see" for pudding, as well.

Elegran

Fullers Earth is also used as Kitty Litter...

Better not used for all purposes at once.

My grandmother was always threatening to have a coniption (sp?) fit. I believe this is an american expression so heaven knows where she got it from.

Hi all. Remembering some of these sayings very fondly! A conniption, meaning a fit of violent emotion such as anger or panic: my husband (originally from Birmingham) used it once - I'd never heard it before! My Grandma used to say there's a good time coming but it's a good time coming!

My mum used to say someone would have kittens if she knew that....

I think I have heard 'conniption' used in Scotland. My uncle used to say that anyone being grumpy or awkward was 'carnaptious'. I have just confirmed that it is a real word in the Scots vocabulary. I think I may start using it.

When my step-father met anyone he knew in the street, he`d shout out to them, "Cock your leg up and shout sugar!" Heaven KNOWS what for!

"to see a man about a dog" meant to place a bet with the local bookie, before off-track betting was legal

My Grandma always used to say about some one who was a bit off hand .
They walk around with their behind their hand !

My mother aid that, Nonu, only less politely...

What's the time? - Just past septic!Mu DMiL had a few:

It's looking black over Will's Mothers! (if sky looked stormy)

Thinks her body every self 'cos her mother's got a mangle! - for someone who she thought was acting above their station.

That's a lovely little .......... if it doesn't get any bigger - for something small or tiny but nice to look at.

Put your Sunday go to meeting clothes on - Put you good clothes on.

She had many more, really miss her, lovely lady

There and back to see how far it is - when asked where someone was going.

I'm a Yorkshire girl and we still refer to bedding as bed clothes.

Phoenix - I must be an old fashioned gal at heart. I am always saying I feel a bit mithered. We used many of the above. My mil must have got mixed up with her sailor's trousers, she used to say (as does my DH now) 'there's enough blue in the sky to make an elephant a pair of trousers'. And if someone was a bit 'bow-legged' folks used to say 'he wouldn't be able to stop a pig in an entry' !

According to some authorities, it was a small box in which you kept your starched "bands" (men's starched collar from the 18th century). I always imagine those cylindrical, striped hatboxes from the early 1900s.

Answer to what's for dinner was "bread and duck under the table"

My grandmother's hair was "as straight as a yard of pump water"

Either

Cows cocks and onions or

Bread and pullet

"Like an old hen scratching for daylight" when someone was in a flap. That was my Nan's saying.

The cock does the crowing , but the hen lays the eggs !
laugh !

Like a hen on a hot girdle (griddle south of the border).

I was brought up in Stockport where 'mither' & 'nesh' were everyday words. I once heard our grocer (now there's an old-fashioned word!!) telling my dad (re. trying to sell his car) that he'd 'been trying to get without for long enough'.

I spent much of my adult life in Derbyshire where dark rain clouds were 'black as a bag'.

Going to see a man about a dog