HudsonHawk
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,380
Perhaps where you live, but not where I do. We are not nearly as offensive today as say 40 years ago.
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Terms Which Have Disappeared
- Thread starter KILO NOVEMBER
- Start date
Perhaps where you live, but not where I do. We are not nearly as offensive today as say 40 years ago.
LizzieMaine
Bartender
- Messages
- 33,835
- Location
- Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
All your offensive people have obviously moved up here.
HudsonHawk
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,380
It's payback for that War of Northern Aggression.
Only to be replaced by phrases like, "I'd hit dat."
Quite an improvement.............
Steveb1
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 85
- Location
- Baltimore Area
How about "speaking the Kings English"? I remember back in the late 70's, I applied for a position for which this was a requirement.
HudsonHawk
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,380
I don't hear that term where I live or in my circle of friends. And yes...it's a major improvement.
- Messages
- 10,883
- Location
- Portage, Wis.
Shangas
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,116
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
King's English, Queen's English, Received Pronunciation, BBC English... Haven't heard those very regularly.
KILO NOVEMBER
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,071
- Location
- Hurricane Coast Florida
Here's another one from a Dragnet episode. Friday and Romero were interviewing the mother of a teenaged suspect at work, where she was "a multigraph operator".
Goldbricking/Goldbricker - a person who loiters on company time
Switchboard & Switchboard operator
"On the level" = Telling the truth without exaggeration.
Top flight or Top shelf - to indicate a product or service of impeccable quality
"The dope" = information
Switchboard & Switchboard operator
"On the level" = Telling the truth without exaggeration.
Top flight or Top shelf - to indicate a product or service of impeccable quality
"The dope" = information
Shangas
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,116
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
I still use "on the level".
When's the last time you and your friend/brother/sister broke something while playing, and had to "cheese it" before anybody caught you?
When's the last time you and your friend/brother/sister broke something while playing, and had to "cheese it" before anybody caught you?
KILO NOVEMBER
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,071
- Location
- Hurricane Coast Florida
When I was in high school, I knew a recent graduate who, after knocking around a year or two, got training as a "key punch operator". Holy Hollerith, Batman!
- Messages
- 13,678
- Location
- down south
I still use "top shelf" all the time. I always figured it was a reference to where the expensive liquor was.
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Shangas
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,116
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
I haven't heard anyone use the term "make book" in years. I heard it a lot in old movies and radio-shows. Based on context, I assume it means to make a certainty about something. As in, you don't send a book to press and print, until EVERYTHING has been checked and certified, and there won't be any mistakes.
"Don, are you gonna be at Susan's party tonight?"
"Sure".
"You promised!"
"You can make book on it!"
"Sure Don, sure..."
"Don, are you gonna be at Susan's party tonight?"
"Sure".
"You promised!"
"You can make book on it!"
"Sure Don, sure..."
- Messages
- 13,678
- Location
- down south
I always thought it meant a sure bet, from book as in bookie - the person who runs the gambling operation.
Just throwin that out there.
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Just throwin that out there.
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Shangas
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,116
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
I dunno. I tried to research it, but I haven't found much information on it.
HudsonHawk
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,380
When was the last time you were doing anything "in high cotton"? I used to hear that all the time...not so much anymore.
KILO NOVEMBER
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,071
- Location
- Hurricane Coast Florida
In the US, a person involved in taking illegal bets is called a "bookie" or "book maker", because he notes the wagers his customers place in his notebook. So, placing a bet is "making book". Another way of saying the same thing is "you can bet on it" with the unstated assumption is that the wager is sure to pay off.
Shangas
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,116
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
Aah. Yeah that seems to make sense.
What the heck is "high cotton"? I've never heard that one!
When's the last time you heard anyone say "guts for garters"? And for that matter, what sort of garters? Sleeve-garters? Sock-garters? Hahaha.
EDIT
I just remembered that I have a book on my bookcase:
"As We Say in Our House" - A Book of Family Sayings, by Nigel Rees.
It's a book about the origins of a variety of colourful phrases. It's a fun read if anyone wants to look it up.
One of the more interesting ones I found was: "Good for the backs of waistcoats", meaning something ugly that was only good for lining waistcoats (since it would never be seen, even when it was used). Or more generally, something that should only be used in a place where nobody will notice it.
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