Favorite quirky sayings

[bee*]

Date: 4/9/2008 7:42:37 AM
Author: Delster

brazenirishhussy there are loads more of those Dublin sayings - in fact, all of the statues have nicknames. The Annalivia statute (naked lady reclining in a fountain with only her hair preserving her modesty) is known as ''the wh***e in the sewer'' (it''s pronounced ''hoo-urr'' in Ireland). The Spire (enormous lighted needle on the main street that can be seen from anywhere in the city) is ''the stiletto in the ghetto''. The Dublin wags are great! I bet bee can chime in with some more classics.

The Annalivia statue is also called the Floozie in the Jacuzzi and my granny used to call it the b*tch in the ditch

!

When you cross the ha''penny bridge, there''s a statue just outside the pub with two women sitting down talking and that one was always known as the hags with the bags.

Some of my other favourite saying are:

he doesn''t know his ar*e from his elbow

My granny used to always say-a bird never flew on one wing-in other words, you can''t just have one drink.

My dad used to call trouble makers "bowsies"

To have a canary (in other words to have a fright)

And the word that D hates that I''m trying to stop saying at the moment is knackered (ie tired). I can''t stop saying that damn word.

I have to go to work now but I''ll try and remember some more while I''m there.

 

[iheartscience]

I want to go to Dublin and hear all the sayings-they''re hilarious! Ireland''s definitely on my trip list. When I go I''ll be listening for all these sayings!

 

[ladypirate]

Date: 4/9/2008 7:42:37 AM
Author: Delster
What else. In Ireland the meaning of a word is changed if you repeat it. It kind of adds emphasis. So 'are you going out?' means 'are you going to the pub?'. And 'are you going out out?' means 'are you going clubbing?'. Similarly 'do you smoke?' means 'do you smoke cigarettes?' and 'do you smoke smoke?' is asking you if you smoke something stronger! 'Were you with him?' means 'did you kiss him?'. I'll let you work out for yourselves what it means if you are asked 'were you with him with him?'!!!

Hee! I remember when I was in jr. high or so, there was a big difference between liking someone and like liking someone.

I have no idea where I picked this up, but as a sub for a curse word, I'll occasionally say "Fruity Monkeys!"

I have been told that I use some odd old fashioned sayings (picked up from my parents), but I can't remember what they are since they just seem normal to me! My grandfather, though, used to say "Aww, horse manure!" as another curse sub. He was quite the character.

ETA: Another one is "aww, bless him/her/them" when something is really cute. i.e. Look at the adorable kitten! Aww, bless him.

 

[Mannequin]

Whenever we used to go somewhere as a family when I was younger, we usually ran a few minutes late because Mom had to "put her face on" and it took forever. As we''d peel out of the driveway heading to our destination, she''d announce to us, "We''re off like a bride''s nightgown!" Totally embarrassing when you''re eight years old, but now, strangely hilarious.

This March, my parents celebrated a 27th wedding anniversary. Every wedding anniversary, my Daddy uses the same saying, so this year, it went: "27 years with you has been like 27 minutes... underwater, without a breath."

 

[bee*]

One of the clients tonight was saying that she was running like the clappers-in other words, running really fast.

I have a couple of rude ones which I don''t think I can post here also

Also if you want to call someone an idiot they''re an eegit (think that''s how it''s spelt) or a gobshite.

When I was younger, everyone used to say "sound as a pound" which meant cool/good. So if a person was nice he was sound as a pound!

Have to go out now but will check does anyone know any others tonight.

 

[Delster]

I definitely recognise all of those bee! I say knackered all the time. Is it the traveller thing about it that bothers D?

Hmmmmm, I thought of a couple more.

My Nana used to say "home again, home again, jig-iddy-jig" when we'd get home after a long trip. Every time!

One of my college housemates once announced that her weekend was great because "everyone was flaming and the place was jointed" We just fell about the place laughing, it took ages to decipher it (in case you can't, she meant everyone was drunk and the pub was packed

)!

A wet drizzly day in Ireland is called "a grand soft day". I think that one might be more common though?

To my generation at least, kissing is called 'shifting'. The young 'uns now call it snogging, like they do in England

If something is great, it's 'class' or 'wicked', in the south it might be 'rapid' (with a silent d at the end there!) or, in my home town, 'moon'. Yes, we're an odd bunch.

I bet I can get even more out of BF when he gets home - he's got loads of these bizarre sayings no-one ever heard before!

 

[krisvrn]

mine favs are: "he is a legend in his own mind"

OR when someone says "No way" I always want to say "Way"

 

[chizzy1982]

Bee - I remember "sound as a pound"!!

Few of my faves:

"Madder than a box of snakes/frogs" depending which bit of the UK you are from
" Thats just not cricket" - used to describe actions which are poor form
" Whoa there Leslie" - normally used when something is happening too quickly
"More tea Vicar" - VERY useful in tumbleweed situtations

L

 

[goldenstar]

FI always says "no more comments from the peanut gallery", which he picked up from his mom. Now I say it too.
When someone is attractive from from far away but not up close he says "good from afar but far from good". I LOVE that one.
I always say "finders keepers, losers weepers". lol, how immature...

 

[Erin]

"When the music stops, you''d better have a chair" when caught procrastinating on something.
"It''s raining like piss pouring out of a boot." My boyfriend always says that during a hard rain.
"Do you wanna go with?" Instead of adding to the end of the sentence: us, or, the mall, just "We''re going to the movies, wanna go with?"
"Looks like I''m the only chip in the cookie." My friend who is always the only dark skinned one in the room.
"You''d better bring em back where for you gottem." Heard a woman say this to her son who wanted her to buy him a toy.
"It''s colder than a witch''s tit." Don''t know why.

"Easy peasy lemon squeezy" is my personal favorite for anytime you''re psyching yourself out of something being too hard.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Date: 4/8/2008 9:24:23 PM
Author: diamondfan
I know those too Sumbride. Cannot recall from where.


I always thought ''Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick''. I cannot think of many things that would be worse, so it is an odd thing to say.

Haha this is one of my family''s favorite sayings. Anytime you are something awful (i.e. a boring choir recital for a cousin, etc) we''ll just say "sharp stick" and everyone knows what you mean!

 

[bee*]

Delster-it's not the traveller thing that bothers him-he just hates the word

And the more he gives out about it, the more I keep saying it

I'd never heard "grand soft day"-must be a bogger saying

(hehe another Dublin saying).

I thought of another one

to be "up the pole" or "up the duff" is to be pregnant.

to "waffle" means to tell a long and uninteresting story.

and one I also always say-"I'm wrecked" which means I'm exhausted.

D just emailed me this one-

"to make a balls of something" -in other words to mess up.

and he just called his colleague a "jammy git"-in other words he's lucky.


I read this earlier on a tourist site also and I thought it was so funny (and true)

An important part of Dublin culture, particularly in pubs, with a group of people and with drink taken, is the art of slagging. This involves targeting someone's weak points and wittily criticising them. The person is usually present in the company and has the opportunity to defend him/herself by slagging someone else. It is always good-natured and never cruel or heartless.

and on that note I'll love ya and leave ya (end it on another saying

)

 

[Selkie]

So many fun British and Irish phrases! The sayings "taking the piss" or "taking the mickey" out of someone (making fun of them) crack me up whenever I hear them (which isn''t often, since I''m in the US, but whatever.)

 

[justjulia]

We''re just flags in the wind.

(just along for the ride...)

 

[rizz]

my dad always says "you''re like a fly around a sh*te" when you are getting to close to something lol still makes me laugh!

 

[somethingshiny]

This is a great thread!!

Delster~ we change meaning by using a word twice, too. My friend and I were at a restaurant and in one conversation used the term "wood wood" (meaning not paneling) and "fabric fabric" (meaning a drapery type material). WE also always ask if "you want a drink or a drink drink" I guess it is funny.

Terms that make me giggle.

"Jacked up" (like it''s all ef''d up!)
"Summer teeth" (summer in his face, summer in his pocket....what can I say, I live in redneck territory)
"you could pitch a quarter thru it" (meaning the gap between the front teeth)
"get in there and getcha some" (used often and in many circumstances, but my mind always goes to the gutter.)
"are you outside your mind?" (instead of "have you lost your mind?")
"72" (the answer to any numerical question, I''m not sure why)
"eating a banana" (also "nitting a navaho rug", "declawing kittens", "discovering fire" all used in cases when a person is asked what they''re doing when it''s quite apparent.)
"better than a swift kick in the pants" (maybe it''s because we hung our laundry to dry, but I always pictured someone going up to our clothesline and trying to kick the hanging jeans.)

 

[Lorelei]

Happy as a pig in muck....

 

[Deelight]

I really had trouble thinking of any but a couple that I can remember:

Going off like a frog in a sock - meaning a raging good time time
John Wayne, it is rough and tough and don''t take no s*hit off no one -Nickname for the really cheap and nasty toilet paper

It is funny though listening to saying from around the world as many are similar but have slight differences

 

[Delster]

bee the Ray D''Arcy show did a whole segment once taking the mick out of Mairead cos she thought a grand soft day meant a lovely nice day where you hair wouldn''t get ruined by the rain! They teased her mercilessly about being a townie, not knowing what a grand soft day was

I asked BF for a few more and he came up with:

- as happy as a cow in a rake of hay (which would be very happy!)

and

- yer one has a face like a bulldog chewing on a wasp (meaning she''s either unattractive, or very grumpy)

There were many more but they''re unrepeatable in polite society! We were in stitches for hours

 

[bee*]

or you could have a face like the back of a bus

(I love that one)

My lecturer kept saying everything was "donkeys years old" this morning, as in very old.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 4/9/2008 6:53:06 PM
Author: bee*
Delster-it''s not the traveller thing that bothers him-he just hates the word

And the more he gives out about it, the more I keep saying it

I''d never heard ''grand soft day''-must be a bogger saying

(hehe another Dublin saying).

I thought of another one

to be ''up the pole'' or ''up the duff'' is to be pregnant.

to ''waffle'' means to tell a long and uninteresting story.

and one I also always say-''I''m wrecked'' which means I''m exhausted.

D just emailed me this one-

''to make a balls of something'' -in other words to mess up.

and he just called his colleague a ''jammy git''-in other words he''s lucky.


I read this earlier on a tourist site also and I thought it was so funny (and true)

An important part of Dublin culture, particularly in pubs, with a group of people and with drink taken, is the art of slagging. This involves targeting someone''s weak points and wittily criticising them. The person is usually present in the company and has the opportunity to defend him/herself by slagging someone else. It is always good-natured and never cruel or heartless.

and on that note I''ll love ya and leave ya (end it on another saying

)

That''s funny, I was thinking it was a grand soft day as I walked into work yesterday.
I got in the habit of saying "going to a hooley (sp) for some craic" From the other UCD students. I agree though, most of the ones I learned across the pond were not to be repeated in polite comapny. My friend could tell exactly which part of the country a person was from based on their curses. He did teach me to identify the region based on the way people said the f word, it is accurate and really funny to do.

 

[Delster]

Date: 4/10/2008 12:06:23 PM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy
That''s funny, I was thinking it was a grand soft day as I walked into work yesterday.
I got in the habit of saying ''going to a hooley (sp) for some craic'' From the other UCD students. I agree though, most of the ones I learned across the pond were not to be repeated in polite comapny. My friend could tell exactly which part of the country a person was from based on their curses. He did teach me to identify the region based on the way people said the f word, it is accurate and really funny to do.

Wait, I need to learn this!!!

 

[ladypirate]

I also always loved the saying "high-falutin''" For some reason it always cracks me up.

 

[bee*]

Date: 4/10/2008 12:06:23 PM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 4/9/2008 6:53:06 PM

Author: bee*

Delster-it''s not the traveller thing that bothers him-he just hates the word

And the more he gives out about it, the more I keep saying it

I''d never heard ''grand soft day''-must be a bogger saying

(hehe another Dublin saying).


I thought of another one


to be ''up the pole'' or ''up the duff'' is to be pregnant.


to ''waffle'' means to tell a long and uninteresting story.


and one I also always say-''I''m wrecked'' which means I''m exhausted.


D just emailed me this one-


''to make a balls of something'' -in other words to mess up.


and he just called his colleague a ''jammy git''-in other words he''s lucky.



I read this earlier on a tourist site also and I thought it was so funny (and true)


An important part of Dublin culture, particularly in pubs, with a group of people and with drink taken, is the art of slagging. This involves targeting someone''s weak points and wittily criticising them. The person is usually present in the company and has the opportunity to defend him/herself by slagging someone else. It is always good-natured and never cruel or heartless.


and on that note I''ll love ya and leave ya (end it on another saying

)

That''s funny, I was thinking it was a grand soft day as I walked into work yesterday.

I got in the habit of saying ''going to a hooley (sp) for some craic'' From the other UCD students. I agree though, most of the ones I learned across the pond were not to be repeated in polite comapny. My friend could tell exactly which part of the country a person was from based on their curses. He did teach me to identify the region based on the way people said the f word, it is accurate and really funny to do.

Oh I love going to a hooley! In fact I might be off to one tonight!

 

[ladypirate]

Date: 4/10/2008 1:28:49 PM
Author: bee*

Date: 4/10/2008 12:06:23 PM

Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 4/9/2008 6:53:06 PM


Author: bee*


Delster-it''s not the traveller thing that bothers him-he just hates the word

And the more he gives out about it, the more I keep saying it

I''d never heard ''grand soft day''-must be a bogger saying

(hehe another Dublin saying).



I thought of another one



to be ''up the pole'' or ''up the duff'' is to be pregnant.



to ''waffle'' means to tell a long and uninteresting story.



and one I also always say-''I''m wrecked'' which means I''m exhausted.



D just emailed me this one-



''to make a balls of something'' -in other words to mess up.



and he just called his colleague a ''jammy git''-in other words he''s lucky.




I read this earlier on a tourist site also and I thought it was so funny (and true)



An important part of Dublin culture, particularly in pubs, with a group of people and with drink taken, is the art of slagging. This involves targeting someone''s weak points and wittily criticising them. The person is usually present in the company and has the opportunity to defend him/herself by slagging someone else. It is always good-natured and never cruel or heartless.



and on that note I''ll love ya and leave ya (end it on another saying

)

That''s funny, I was thinking it was a grand soft day as I walked into work yesterday.


I got in the habit of saying ''going to a hooley (sp) for some craic'' From the other UCD students. I agree though, most of the ones I learned across the pond were not to be repeated in polite comapny. My friend could tell exactly which part of the country a person was from based on their curses. He did teach me to identify the region based on the way people said the f word, it is accurate and really funny to do.

Oh I love going to a hooley! In fact I might be off to one tonight!

Hee! Whenever I hear "hooley" it reminds me of the song "Courtin'' in the Kitchen". I want to go back to Ireland!

 

[bee*]

Date: 4/10/2008 1:44:20 PM
Author: ladypirate

Date: 4/10/2008 1:28:49 PM

Author: bee*

Date: 4/10/2008 12:06:23 PM


Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 4/9/2008 6:53:06 PM



Author: bee*



Delster-it''s not the traveller thing that bothers him-he just hates the word

And the more he gives out about it, the more I keep saying it

I''d never heard ''grand soft day''-must be a bogger saying

(hehe another Dublin saying).




I thought of another one




to be ''up the pole'' or ''up the duff'' is to be pregnant.




to ''waffle'' means to tell a long and uninteresting story.




and one I also always say-''I''m wrecked'' which means I''m exhausted.




D just emailed me this one-




''to make a balls of something'' -in other words to mess up.




and he just called his colleague a ''jammy git''-in other words he''s lucky.





I read this earlier on a tourist site also and I thought it was so funny (and true)




An important part of Dublin culture, particularly in pubs, with a group of people and with drink taken, is the art of slagging. This involves targeting someone''s weak points and wittily criticising them. The person is usually present in the company and has the opportunity to defend him/herself by slagging someone else. It is always good-natured and never cruel or heartless.




and on that note I''ll love ya and leave ya (end it on another saying

)

That''s funny, I was thinking it was a grand soft day as I walked into work yesterday.



I got in the habit of saying ''going to a hooley (sp) for some craic'' From the other UCD students. I agree though, most of the ones I learned across the pond were not to be repeated in polite comapny. My friend could tell exactly which part of the country a person was from based on their curses. He did teach me to identify the region based on the way people said the f word, it is accurate and really funny to do.

Oh I love going to a hooley! In fact I might be off to one tonight!

Hee! Whenever I hear ''hooley'' it reminds me of the song ''Courtin'' in the Kitchen''. I want to go back to Ireland!

lol! You''ll have to come back!

 

[dianne]

Date: 4/9/2008 3:24:37 PM
Author: Starset Princess
'When the music stops, you'd better have a chair' when caught procrastinating on something.
'It's raining like piss pouring out of a boot.' My boyfriend always says that during a hard rain.
'Do you wanna go with?' Instead of adding to the end of the sentence: us, or, the mall, just 'We're going to the movies, wanna go with?'
'Looks like I'm the only chip in the cookie.' My friend who is always the only dark skinned one in the room.
'You'd better bring em back where for you gottem.' Heard a woman say this to her son who wanted her to buy him a toy.
'It's colder than a witch's tit.' Don't know why.

'Easy peasy lemon squeezy' is my personal favorite for anytime you're psyching yourself out of something being too hard.

I know why, Starset, because the rest of the saying is "in a brass bra".

A lot of these are from my grandmothers. I remember so many because we just had a conversation like this at work this week:
"Grinning like a mule eatin' briars"---smiling really big
"Got too many irons in the fire"----got too many things going on
"Crooked as a dogs hind leg"
"Wrinkled as a dogs butt"
"Jumped on that like a duck on a junebug"---someone went for something with gusto
"I'd rather be beat with a briar"---same as "rather poke my eye out"
"He's a tater"--my DH personal favorite for someone who just seems useless...he calls them a tater(slang for potato?)...cracks me up.
"Don't pay it no never-mind"---To ignore something
"light bread"---loaf bread
"sweet milk"---evaporated milk
"tin foil"---aluminum foil
"poke" or "brown sack"---paper bag
"tote"---carry
"what'cha doin' that fer?"---why are you doing that?
"what color is the sky in your world?"---asked when caught daydreaming
"fine as frog's hair"---which meant very good, very fine indeed
"nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers"
"they could eat corn on the cob through a picket fence"---someone who has a large gap between two front teeth
"she's got a ring through his nose"---meaning the woman leads the man around
"when I say "Jump!", you say "How high?""---usually said to children by adults who want them to obey
"go get me a switch" or "i'll switch your legs good"---said to children when parents planned to "spank" them with a thin, flexible tree limb----trust me, you never wanted to hear those words

"you were sawing wood last night"---loud snoring
"smelled like raw hell"---foul smell
"gag a maggot"---very putrid
"cold as a well-diggers a$$"---cold, very cold

 

[Kaleigh]

My Nanny had lots of sayings, many I can''t post, too dirty. But here''s one that has had such meaning to me since she passed.

Leave it lay where Jesus flung it. ( Meaning leave well enough alone, don''t get into a hassle.. Keep the peace.

)

 

[marcy]

Great topic, Gypsy. I have a list of very funny / obnoxious comments for appraisals at work – I’ll have to get it Monday and post it.

Skippy too funny about “too bad, so sad”. I used to say that a lot.

My husband’s grandfather used to say “it’s a lazy wind – it goes through you instead of around you”.

Being surrounded by smart alecs I came up with “Everyone’s a comedian, but no everyone’s funny”.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 4/9/2008 6:31:06 AM
Author: ZoeBartlett
When I was growing up, a classmate of mine lived next door to us. His mom would drive us to school every day, and every time we set off for school, she''d say, ''we''re off like a herd of turtles.'' That used to bug me so much but now I catch myself sometimes saying that to my FI when we''re heading out the door.

This is an odd one and I''m not sure where it first started. I went to college in MA and my roommate used to say ''cool beans!'' when she thought something was cool, great, etc. I told my FI about that one a few years ago and he occasionally says it.

I know there are others I''ve heard and like but I can''t remember any at the moment.

Zoe, my dad used to say "we''re off like a herd of pregnant turtles through cow sh*t.
Also, I always thought the expression "cool beans" came from the 1987 t.v. show "Beans Baxter." I can''t find anything online to back up that thought, though....but I remember starting to hear it around that time, I was in elementary school then.