They Say Em' From the Golden Era - Slang & Memorable Phrases

[Lesvinyl]

"Just rattle your chain if you need anything."

 

[dhermann1]

Changed meaning

How about this one: I saw another thread called "For Geeks Only" that made me recall hearing that the original meaning of the word "GEEK" was a carnival side show performer who bit the heads off chickens. Am I making this up? (I often make things up without realizing it.) Sounds extremely weird, but I think this may be true. Excuse me while I do some Googling.
Edit: Yup. I just checked it out on Wikipedia. Very weird.

 

[Viola]

My grandmother would use "banging a kettle" as a synonym for yapping or yammering. "Quit banging a kettle over it."

My mom, being rushed, followed, or when people or cats would take her seat, "Would you be so quick into my grave?!"

My mom also says "from the get-go" for from the beginning, and everything is "yea high."

-Viola

 

[Jessica Reinard]

How about this one: I saw another thread called "For Geeks Only" that made me recall hearing that the original meaning of the word "GEEK" was a carnival side show performer who bit the heads off chickens. Am I making this up? (I often make things up without realizing it.) Sounds extremely weird, but I think this may be true. Excuse me while I do some Googling.
Edit: Yup. I just checked it out on Wikipedia. Very weird.

Ever read a book called 'Geek Love'?

One to google and definitely one to read!

 

[Senator Jack]

I still use some of the original beat phrases:

'Don't bust yer konk over it.' - Konk = head
'Lemme see what's in the kick.' - How much money do I have.

Having read a lot or Ring Lardner as a kid, I still use the term 'jack' for money.

 

[Harry Pierpont]

Actually

You rarely hear, "Are my seams straight?" anymore.


Lee
___________________

Well, maybe some of you ladies hear that one.

I hear that from my wife very often!

 

[Harry Pierpont]

Speaking of swine

How about; "your about as worthless as teats on a boar"

 

[jamespowers]

Does anyone ever use don and doff as expressions for putting on and taking off thier hats anymore?
Do on = don
Do off =doff
Pretty simple really.

Regards,

J

 

[flat-top]

Growing up in The Bronx, my hoodlum uncles used to tell me to "cop a mope" which meant "take a walk".

 

[scotrace]

Note

Three large "slang" threads merged into one.

 

[Feraud]

The film Miller's Crossing has some excellent vintage slang.

 

[GeniusInTheLamp]

Here's a couple more I heard in the movies:

"Jiggers!" (Look out, someone's coming)

"For the love of Pete!" (same as "For Pete's sake")

Also during World War II, members of the French Resistance who needed to relieve themselves would say, "Je vais telephoner a Hitler".

 

[ScionPI2005]

"For the love of Pete!" (same as "For Pete's sake")

I have always wondered how that quote came about. Why is it Pete's sake? Why not Bill's sake or Mary's? Does anyone know?

 

[Twitch]

Anyone remember the term gat?

Came from shortening Gattling gun to just gat. Was used during the prohibition era to name any gun, but specifically the thompson submachine gun, aka The Tommy Gun.

 

[carter]

"Twenty-three Skidoo!"

and

"What's shakin'?"
"Ain't nothin' shakin' but the leaves in the trees."

 

[dr greg]

freak out

How about this one: I saw another thread called "For Geeks Only" that made me recall hearing that the original meaning of the word "GEEK" was a carnival side show performer who bit the heads off chickens. .

Everyone usually quotes Tod Browning's FREAKS in regard to this stuff, but an equally interesting if melodramatic look at sideshow carnie culture and the "geek" is this one

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_Alley_(1947_film)

 

[Benny Holiday]

More Aussie 30's/40's phrases care of my parents/relatives

"To shoot through" - to leave.

"I haven't got a brass razoo." - I'm flat broke, have no money at all.

"Donkey's years." - a long time, as in 'I haven't been there in donkey's years.'

"Woop Woop" - a mythical place meant to be very far away, as in 'He lives out in Woop Woop.'

"Have a Barney" - to have an argument or fight.

"Hoo roo." - good bye.

"Don't come the raw prawn with me, mate" - Don't try to fool me.

"Moosh" - Mouth, as in 'I'm gonna give that bloke a smack in the moosh.'

"Knock off" - To finish work.

"Gasbag" - To talk a lot; or a long chat; or someone who talks a lot.

"Dinki-di" - Good or authentic.

"Ropable" - Extremely annoyed.

"What d'ya think it is, Bush Week?" - I don't believe you.

"Cakehole"- Mouth.

"The Wallopers" - The police ( a favourite of my Father's).

"Hard yakka" - hard work.

There's an American phrase you often hear in the old movies, but is seldom heard any more, and that's "So long!" when someone's saying good bye.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

i greet with "What's new, buckaroo?" every once in awhile

and ill throw ",Jack." on the end of certain sentences, like: "I ain't goin' in that house, Jack!" or "Don't mess with me, Jack"...somethin' like that...

 

[KittyT]

Historical Slang

What are your favorite old-time slang words? Do you use them in your everyday speech?

I love 50s slang, although there are some that I use more than others. I use the words "cat" and "square" pretty regularly. I use "dig" and "hip", as in "I'm hip" or "I dig", but with less regularity. I've always loved the phrase "get bent", although it dropped out of my lexicon a couple years ago. Perhaps it's time to revive that one.

"Daddy-O" is my absolute favorite, but I tend to only use it with cats I'm romantically connected with.

 

[SpitfireXIV]

fftopic:

the phrase "get bent" was reprised by the Simpsons in the 1990's. although, now after going through scuba classes, the phrase means something entirely different to me: actually getting a case of the bends (aka Decompression Sickness). that's about the last thing i would utter around divers.

i use the phrase "What the Sam Hill" a lot -- from "It's a Wonderful Life." that's about it for me...