Terms Which Have Disappeared

[Zombie_61]

Ever been "too big for your britches"?

This one time, at band camp...

 

[Trenchfriend]

"Do you got an egg wandering??"

For a bad-tempered, edgy person.

 

[tonyb]

Around here, I only see kids wearing galoshes or rainboots. Like you said, most people just walk in the rain with their regular shoes. Personally, I prefer to wear my leather work boots if I can.

We called ’em “rubbers,” too. We had the boot type, with metal buckles.

I had two older brothers but I was bigger than both by age 8 or so. So getting the hand-me-down rubbers from them and cousins and such was borderline cruel and unusual, what with all the pulling and tugging I went through to get those undersized rubbers over my shoes.

 

[Hercule]

Heavens to Betsy!

 

[tonyb]

“That money is burning a hole in his pocket.”

 

[Hats Matter]

I am coming to this Thread late in the game so these terms have likely been mentioned before. If not, here goes:

The "ameche", as in: "Hand me the ameche so I can make a call". Reference to the actor Don Ameche who played Alexander Graham Bell in the movies.

"Glad Rags" as in: "I need to get into some glad rags so we can hit town and paint it red". Glad Rags are fancy clothes. I think it applies more to women's clothes than men's clothes but I may be wring

 

[LizzieMaine]

That goes along with "soup and fish" as a term for men's full-dress evening wear, from the fact that such clothes were required at formal dinners.

And then there's "monkey suit," which could be used either as a derisive term for formal clothes, or as a rather affectionate term for a baseball uniform. In either case it was a reference to the stylized outfits worn by performing monkeys -- which the wearers of either class of garments often considered themselves to be.

 

[BobHufford]

"You'll ruin your supper!" (or dinner, if you prefer)

I don't recall ever actually "ruining" either one ... and it shows.

 

[tonyb]

That goes along with "soup and fish" as a term for men's full-dress evening wear, from the fact that such clothes were required at formal dinners.

And then there's "monkey suit," which could be used either as a derisive term for formal clothes, or as a rather affectionate term for a baseball uniform. In either case it was a reference to the stylized outfits worn by performing monkeys -- which the wearers of either class of garments often considered themselves to be.

“Putting on the dog” is (was) similar but not quite the same. Not formal wear, but showy, maybe even flashy, attire.

I got the sense it was mildly pejorative, that the person so attired was seen as a tad on the foppish side.

 

[ChiTownScion]

That goes along with "soup and fish" as a term for men's full-dress evening wear, from the fact that such clothes were required at formal dinners.

And then there's "monkey suit," which could be used either as a derisive term for formal clothes, or as a rather affectionate term for a baseball uniform. In either case it was a reference to the stylized outfits worn by performing monkeys -- which the wearers of either class of garments often considered themselves to be.

You are correct as to "soup & fish:" the term is employed to describe full formal (after six, white tie) dress. A full formal dinner usually included a soup course and a fish course in addition to the meat entree course. A "monkey suit" usually describes semi- formal (black tie: a tux/ DJ, but again, after six) wear.

As I have said before, black tie is the classic democratic (small case) development: the guy who worked on the floor of the factory could dress up in a tux and take his lady out for a night on the town and still be as stylish as the business owner at a lot less expense than a tailcoat, pique waist coat, high collared shirt, top hat, etc., would entail.

If you sail Cunard these days they still have what they call formal nights... but they're black tie and thus, semi- formal, affairs. Some of the other cruise lines boast what they term an "elegant night," where a clip on tie with a polyester polo shirt can be interpreted as ''elegant." I'm definitely more of the Cunard type.

 

[tonyb]

"You'll ruin your supper!" (or dinner, if you prefer)

I don't recall ever actually "ruining" either one ... and it shows.

My gastrointestinal tract was essentially without limits on capacity when I was of an age when grownups pulled that “you’ll ruin your dinner” stuff on me. When I was in my teens I’d have two or three sandwiches after school (this was maybe three hours after lunch) to hold me over until dinner.

 

[tonyb]

…
If you sail Cunard these days they still have what they call formal nights... but they're black tie and thus, semi- formal, affairs. Some of the other cruise lines boast what they term an "elegant night," where a clip on tie with a polyester polo shirt can be interpreted as ''elegant." I'm definitely more of the Cunard type.

I’ve cruised but once. It was anything but formal. It was kinda tacky, really. People stuffing their faces and disco dancing and throwing away money at the onboard casino. I checked out a Junot Diaz book at the onboard library. Watched a couple of football games on the gargantuscreen (some watched from the pool; I prefer my football dry). And stuffed my face.

 

[ThankfulGirl]

Powdering your nose, although that is an expression I still use.

Y's a letter and B's no better, for young children who persistently ask "why?" (MINE!!!!)
See also "Eh? is for horses" as a retort to people who say "eh?" instead of "sorry?" or "excuse me?" if they don't hear you properly.
I'm on a mission to rejuvenate disorganised things being "like Fred Carno's circus"

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Shotgun wedding

Mores have changed so that it's unlikely that anyone under 50 would recognize it.

 

[GHT]

Shotgun wedding

Mores have changed so that it's unlikely that anyone under 50 would recognize it.

Chances are that it's one of those sayings that people have heard of but are not aware of what it actually means.
Roy Hammond had quite a big hit in 1965/66 with Shotgun Wedding:

The reason a lot of younger people will know about it is due to the popularity of radio stations that play a constant selection of "oldies."

 

[Harp]

Chances are that it's one of those sayings that people have heard of but are not aware of what it actually means.

During the war a guy in my outfit received letter notice from his future father-in-law; either his daughter was wed,
or he would be dead, and the old man had been a marine in the South Pacific during WWII.
Special d-live mail taken quite seriously by its recipient who later married his preggers love.

 

[GHT]

During the war a guy in my outfit received letter notice from his future father-in-law; either his daughter was wed,
or he would be dead, and the old man had been a marine in the South Pacific during WWII.
Special d-live mail taken quite seriously by its recipient who later married his preggers love.

My father-in-law to be, although a lovely man, was a stickler for propriety. Tina was eighteen and I was twenty-two, we had been dance partners for about six months. Travelling around the country to compete in dance competitions was an expensive business, so to save on costs I asked for his permission to share a hotel room. His indignant reply was Victorian in every way. "If you want to sleep with my daughter, you'll marry her." So we did! How lucky was I?

 

[Harp]

How lucky was I?

Very lucky, you married a Hawaiian shirt tailor. Tell Tina we're all rather envious of you!

I am conservative and in my family there among nieces and nephews (confirmed bachelor myself) a bit too
much play without engagement rings, proposals, marriage. Your father-in-law and my buddy's shotgun-in-law dad
were correct. I believe a guy falls in love, gives his girl a diamond ring, and marries her...that's my take...
...but a bachelor keeps his opinions to himself.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

I don't remember the last time I heard the term G.I. (that is, not associated with gastrointestinal). I get the feeling that it started to disappear with the end of conscription.

 

[Harp]

I don't remember the last time I heard the term G.I. (that is, not associated with gastrointestinal). I get the feeling that it started to disappear with the end of conscription.

A somewhat fallen by the cultural wayside ubiquitous slang designate Kipling's Gentlemen rankers last hash whipped
at me inside Company A, 4th Infantry Battalion messhall Ft Polk, Louisiana nearly half century ago.
'Move your sorry ass boy or you'll GI this mess.'