# Phrases your (grand)parents used **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245 "2009-07-25T20:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/1 "2009-07-25T20:53:36Z")
The ‘I pit shitty drivers’ BBQ thread (the title – I haven’t opened the thread) instantly made me think ‘I shit driver pits’. This in turn reminded me of a phrase my dad used to use: **Shaking like a dog passing peach pits** When the air was rough (for flying), dad would say it was **rough as a cob** Apparently that’s from a time when people used corn cobs for wiping after defecation. A ‘brown-nose(er)’ is a sycophant – someone who has his nose up his superior’s arse. Of course these are not desirable people to have around. When I was a kid my dad’s friend from across the street would knock on the door. Dad would call out: **Is your nose clean?** Speaking of noses… **How’d you like a poke in the snot-locker?** And speaking of threats… **How’d you like a toilet water shampoo?** (i.e., a ‘swirly’) ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/2 "2009-07-25T21:01:09Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > T > **Shaking like a dog passing peach pits** I always heard, “Shivering like a dog shitting razor blades.” ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/3 "2009-07-25T21:50:02Z")
My dad used to say, of someone who looked bad (tired, sick, whatever), that the person looked like they’d been “ **rode hard and put away wet** ” (referring to something you’d never want to do to a horse.) Even though my dad spoke perfectly good English, the expression was “rode hard,” never “ridden hard.” My mother, in similar circumstances, would have described the same person as looking like they’d been “ **shot at and missed and shit at and hit all over**.” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/4 "2009-07-25T21:55:41Z")
**You have me heart scalded** Used when my dad was annoyed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/5 "2009-07-25T22:02:13Z")
**If the dog hadn’t stopped to take a shit, he would have caught the rabbit. If you hadn’t stopped to eat that shit, you’ve seen the race.** ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/6 "2009-07-25T22:05:30Z")
From my grandpa (still living) : “Doesn’t have a Chinaman’s chance” “How are things in Glockamora?” (He always says this, out of the blue, in a sing-song voice.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/7 "2009-07-25T22:12:34Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > “How are things in Glockamora?” (He always says this, out of the blue, in a sing-song voice.) [How Are Things In Glocca Morra?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98cdRRsKqWA) (YouTube) ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/8 "2009-07-25T22:18:31Z")
Jesus Christ, American popular music has changed so much, it _really_ blows my mind. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/9 "2009-07-25T23:11:03Z")
My paternal grandmother would say it is “half-past seven” if it was 7:30. I never heard anyone else express the time in that fashion. It is always “seven thirty” or “eleven thirty.” ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/10 "2009-07-25T23:14:19Z")
My grandfather was always fond of “well I’ll be a son of a gun” and “how do you like them apples?” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/11 "2009-07-25T23:16:18Z")
Grandpaisms: _Don’t go all hog-wild over it!_ (usually related to my enthusiasm for candy, comic books, or later, girls) _Come here, Schnickelfritz!_ (generally directed at me) _Vy is dere zo miny more orziz azzis den dere is orziz?_ ---
**Author:** ![MunkaMike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@MunkaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MunkaMike)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/12 "2009-07-25T23:32:47Z")
New member here, I had to post. Johnny LA, my dad wouldsay **You need a knuckle sandwich, right in the snot locker.** Qadgop My wife’s family uses the term Schnicklefritz as well. Did your grandparents also use the term Snutterguntz? When my Mom is tired of someone or something, **You make my ass tired.** Her favorite expletive is **Jesus, Mary, and Joseph** ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/13 "2009-07-25T23:43:06Z")
Fiance (in his 70s) - grinning like a jackass eating sawbriers Grandmother - What are you waiting for, the cows to come home? ``` She'll shit a brick! ``` ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/14 "2009-07-26T00:03:40Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > My paternal grandmother would say it is “half-past seven” if it was 7:30. > > I never heard anyone else express the time in that fashion. It is always “seven thirty” or “eleven thirty.” It’s falling out of use, but I still hear half-past (or quarter-after or quarter-till) on a regular basis, mostly by people older than I am (35). I actually say the quarters if it’s within a few minutes, but never the half-past. It’s a throwback to when digital time was still a novelty. There were only 4 times… x O’Clock, Quarter-After x, Half-Past x (or x:30) and Quarter-Till X. I suspect that schedules weren’t as tight back then and there was no practical difference between 7:30 and 7:37 unless you had a train to catch. [QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Come here, Schnickelfritz! (generally directed at me) [/QUOTE] My aunt still calls me Snicklefritz which seems to have originated with the [Pennsylvania Dutch](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_origin_of_the_word_snicklefritz) (which my family has absolutely no connection to). ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/15 "2009-07-26T01:07:59Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > My paternal grandmother would say it is “half-past seven” if it was 7:30. > > I never heard anyone else express the time in that fashion. It is always “seven thirty” or “eleven thirty.” I still say half-past, quarter past, ten to … _My_ paternal grandmother’s favourite was, “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/16 "2009-07-26T01:10:06Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > _My_ paternal grandmother’s favourite was, “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride”. My dad said that. He also said, ‘If wishes were horses, then riders would beg.’ ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/17 "2009-07-26T01:13:05Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > My dad said that. He also said, ‘If wishes were horses, then riders would beg.’ I like that. It sounds like something my own father would have said. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/18 "2009-07-26T01:18:23Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I like that. It sounds like something my own father would have said. You’re in Australia, aren’t you? My dad visited Australia, bro’! ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/19 "2009-07-26T01:22:56Z")
Grandpa, when threatening us young’uns would say **I’ll give you a knuckle sandwich with five jalapenas.** _that’s not a misspelling of jalapenos. that’s just how he said it_ And would curse by saying **dadgummit!** and **goldurnit!** And Nana, after she told us to do something and we’d dawdle, would say **You waiting for an invitation?** ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245/20 "2009-07-26T01:31:58Z")
**Did you teach the teacher?** Asked when I came home from school. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-your-grand-parents-used/504245.md?page=2)