# Expressions that no one uses but you **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 27, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249 "2004-04-27T06:51:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/1 "2004-04-27T06:51:19Z")
For years, I have used the expression “what’s-his-melon” (or “what’s-her-melon”) as an equivalent to “what’s-her-name,” “what’s-his-face,” etc. (I assume this comes from “melon” being slang for “head,” as in, “I’m going to bust your melon if you don’t shut up.”) I am confident I did not make this up. I know because I sometimes take credit for having made up things that I did not make up, so if were going to make a mistake on this, it would be in the other direction. Imagine my surprise, then, when a Google search for “what’s-his-melon” turned up zero documents. I know I’m not the only person who says this. Or am I? Anybody else got a favorite phrase that seems to be unique? Try some that you’re sure everyone uses-- you might be surprised. Also, start saying “what’s-his-melon” more often, so I don’t feel like a freak. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/2 "2004-04-27T07:17:18Z")
“You got it, pontiac!” No idea why I use this or even where I got it from. But I’ve never heard anyone else use it. ---
**Author:** ![spiralscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@spiralscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiralscratch)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/3 "2004-04-27T08:04:08Z")
I’ve always used “forever and a day” to describe something taking a huge and/or inordinate amount of time. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/4 "2004-04-27T08:20:28Z")
> [@spiralscratch](#): > > I’ve always used “forever and a day” to describe something taking a huge and/or inordinate amount of time. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it elsewhere. I hear it all the time. Once upon a time I started saying “word to your mugger” for no good reason. ---
**Author:** ![spiralscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@spiralscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiralscratch)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/5 "2004-04-27T10:11:45Z")
> [@Johnny Bravo](#): > > I hear it all the time. Damn. Oh well… ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/6 "2004-04-27T10:26:22Z")
When I was younger and disinclined to cuss, I used “razzenfratz” as my expletive of choice. Dunno where it came from, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone else use it. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/7 "2004-04-27T10:45:28Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > When I was younger and disinclined to cuss, I used “razzenfratz” as my expletive of choice. Dunno where it came from, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone else use it. Sounds “Yosemite Sam-mish” to me. I use “noon-thirty” to mean 12:30 pm. I know lots of folks use “Oh-Dark-Thirty” meaning “way too friggin’ early in the morning”. I use “in the A. of M.” for morning time. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/8 "2004-04-27T11:10:03Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > When I was younger and disinclined to cuss, I used “razzenfratz” as my expletive of choice. Dunno where it came from, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone else use it. Home Alone maybe? Sounds like what the bad guys say when they get mad at the kid. > [@spiralscratch](#): > > I’ve always used “forever and a day” to describe something taking a huge and/or inordinate amount of time. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it elsewhere. [47,300 matches on Google](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22forever+and+a+day%22&btnG=Google+Search) indicate it’s a fairly common expression. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/9 "2004-04-27T11:15:35Z")
> [@cazzle](#): > > Home Alone maybe? Sounds like what the bad guys say when they get mad at the kid. Oh this waaaaaaaay predates Home Alone. I was using the expression in the 60s and 70s - you know, when I was a kid and didn’t want to say “bad” words. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/10 "2004-04-27T11:18:21Z")
“I nearly halved myself in three” I use it for various things, fr’instance upon completion of an extremely difficult task “I nearly halved myself in three doing that!” or if something is really really funny I’ll “nearly halve myself in three” laughing at it, you get the idea. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/11 "2004-04-27T11:47:17Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > When I was younger and disinclined to cuss, I used “razzenfratz” as my expletive of choice. Dunno where it came from, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone else use it. Didn’t Muttley used to say that to Dick Dastardly? As for me; no, I only use other people’s stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/12 "2004-04-27T12:01:30Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > “You got it, pontiac!” > > No idea why I use this or even where I got it from. But I’ve never heard anyone else use it. You ever spend any time in Winnipeg? This was the advertising phrase of a local car dealership during the 90s. “You’ve got it Park Pontiac.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_world\_s\_most\_deadliest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@The\_world\_s\_most\_deadliest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_world_s_most_deadliest)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/13 "2004-04-27T12:06:28Z")
With certain friends, I have slowly gone from “What’s up” to “whassup” to “quassup” to “croissant”. So if you ever meet a slightly crazed chick greeting people with a hale hearty “croissant!”, its me. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/14 "2004-04-27T12:08:37Z")
I use “in the wrong church,” or “in the right church” to describe whether the conversation or circumstances are being understood or not (Boy, are you in the wrong church on that one). I’m not religious and don’t know where it came from. I also use “running around the barn” to describe doing a whole lot of unnessary thinking (Why don’t you just do it instead of running around the barn?). I got that from my mother (she used “running around Robin Hood’s barn”). ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/15 "2004-04-27T12:13:13Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > Didn’t Muttley used to say that to Dick Dastardly? Could be, but I don’t recall ever watching that cartoon - I’m only marginally aware of the characters. And I seem to recall Yosemite Sam was more “rassem-frassem” and such. All I know is it’s an expression I used and I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone else use it. Which is the topic, yes? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/16 "2004-04-27T12:17:04Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > Didn’t Muttley used to say that to Dick Dastardly? I always attribute “reffa steffa shneffa” (my contribution to this thread) to Muttley. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/17 "2004-04-27T12:32:31Z")
Well, I may be the only person in the world under the age of 90 who uses the words “dreadful” or “cross” (meaning mildly angry). At least that’s what people keep telling me. I’ve adopted one of my daughter’s verbal typos for everyday use: " Oh, for crying out Pete!" But the only real expression I use that I’ve never heard anyone else use is “run over by a trolleybus.” “I feel like I’ve been run over by a trolleybus.” “Live for today, man, cuz tomorrow you could be run over by a trolleybus.” “Jeez, it looks like this thing has been run over by a trolleybus!” ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/18 "2004-04-27T12:52:03Z")
When I lived on the Left Coast, I would refer to the town of Carpenteria as Crap ‘n’ diarrhea. This evolved into an expression of anger, “Crap…and diarrhea!” Now anytime I say, “Aw, Crap!” the wife and kids automatically chime in with “…and diarrhea!” ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/19 "2004-04-27T13:09:52Z")
> [@qwest](#): > > You ever spend any time in Winnipeg? This was the advertising phrase of a local car dealership during the 90s. “You’ve got it Park Pontiac.” Wicked! > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > When I was younger and disinclined to cuss, I used “razzenfratz” as my expletive of choice. Dunno where it came from, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone else use it. I pronounced it razzlefratz, but I am not sure it was Yosemite Sam… ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249/20 "2004-04-27T13:20:18Z")
I use the term “festeris” (fa-stare-is) to mean that “thingy” that you can’t think of the correct name of (how was that for tortured syntax?). “Susan, where’s the…the…oh, hell, you know…the festeris? Where’s the damn festeris?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressions-that-no-one-uses-but-you/242249.md?page=2)