# Phrases you're surprised people aren't familiar with **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 20, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974 "2011-09-20T18:44:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/161 "2011-09-28T12:58:38Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The Wikipedia article you linked to even references Cecil, so why not go straight to the source: > > [Does “in like Flynn” refer to Errol Flynn’s success with women?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1127/does-in-like-flynn-refer-to-errol-flynns-success-with-women) Right. Whatever the case it is not In Like Flint. ---
**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:** [September 28, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/162 "2011-09-28T13:53:36Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Right. Whatever the case it is not In Like Flint. I betcha a lotta lot of young people think it is. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/163 "2011-09-28T14:22:26Z")
Because there WAS A MOVIE called **In Like Flint** which most younger people remember, as opposed to the ancient trope. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/164 "2011-09-28T14:50:11Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > Because there WAS A MOVIE called **In Like Flint** which most younger people remember, as opposed to the ancient trope. Never heard of it. Looking it up, it’s a movie from 1967. Was there a more recent version that was popular or something? Or does it have some kind of cult status? ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/165 "2011-09-28T14:56:22Z")
I was in a meeting a year or so ago, and I used the phrase “From go to whoa”. Everyone just stopped, looked at me and said, “What?” ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/166 "2011-09-28T21:11:26Z")
In one of **Scott Adam** ’s non comic-strip books, maybe “The Dilbert Principle”, he would post stories that people E-mailed him. One of them was about a manager who sent out a memo that ended, “we can’t stand pat this year.” An employee named Pat came into his office in tears asking what she ever did to him. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/167 "2011-09-29T02:19:13Z")
“Rode hard and put up wet” used to refer to how a careless person might treat their horse - rode it so fast, it sweated into a lather, and was then put in its stall without being groomed. For some reason, if I use that phrase to describe a person or thing that appears overworked and neglected, I get a very strange look. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/168 "2011-09-29T14:17:41Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > “Rode hard and put up wet” used to refer to how a careless person might treat their horse - rode it so fast, it sweated into a lather, and was then put in its stall without being groomed. > > For some reason, if I use that phrase to describe a person or thing that appears overworked and neglected, I get a very strange look. I did the exact same thing. I was interpreting for our company president, and just tossed that one out. I too had the horse image in mind, etc. But as he picked his jaw up off the floor, I decided to retire that particular saying. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/169 "2011-09-30T16:07:59Z")
> **[The meanings and origins of the Phrases, Sayings and Proverbs we use daily.](https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/)** > > The meanings and origins of thousands of phrases, sayings, proverbs, idioms, expressions in daily use. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/170 "2011-09-30T22:40:01Z")
I don’t know if I’m surprised that people weren’t familiar with it, but I was asked how I was going at work the other day and responded “Oh, you know - comme ci comme ça” And just got a series of “Bwuh?” in response. Apparently it’s _not_ an everyday phrase for most folks. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/171 "2011-10-01T01:43:56Z")
I always liked the phrase “sucking hind tit”. If your team’s losing you might say “yep, they’re sucking hind tit tonight! I bet they don’t even score!” ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/172 "2011-10-01T03:05:36Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > I was in a meeting a year or so ago, and I used the phrase “From go to whoa”. I’ve never heard that one. What’s it mean? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/173 "2011-10-01T03:09:21Z")
Sounds like something Keanu Reeves would say. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/174 "2011-10-01T20:41:58Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > [ul] > [li]Your mother wears Army boots.[/li][/ul] I’ve heard it a lot, but have no idea what it’s supposed to mean. > [@Elret](#): > > Sorry for the hijack, but can someone explain the mysteries of Google to me? How can there be fewer hits on “swing a cat” than there are on “room to swing a cat”? Shouldn’t the results for “swing a cat” include the 710,000 hits for “room to swing a cat” PLUS any other instance of “swing a cat” that don’t include “room to”? In short, the more words you use, the broader the search results will be. For the long version, see below. Google uses what’s called “natural language search” algorithms: this means that it takes your average phrase and parses it so that the results are narrowed further when you use more words. Exceptions to this tend to be smaller words like “a”, “an”, “the”, etc. Connector terms like “and” “or” and “nott” will also affect the search. Because of the way that Google keeps adding on code to make the searches “smarter”, it often tries to figure out word importance by context within the phrase. Try typing in the word “why” and letting the suggested results pop up. Google has added in algorithms that not only record what searches users are performing, but has tied it into trying to “help” you when you’re creating a set of keywords. It’s somewhat related to the algorithms that determine important keywords based on context within the phrase. To contrast this, databases, many library catalogs and the old search engines (1990s era) used what’s called “boolean”. It required you to parse your search terms for the search engine much like you would a basic algebraic equation. Those connector terms I talked about are based in boolean logic: “and” narrows a search, “or” broadens the search" and “not” will eliminate terms immediately behind it from the search. Adding in either quotation marks or parentheses/brackets around a search term will parse that term as one piece for the search engine/database/catalog. If you want/need further explanations, consult someone who writes code for search engines. 🙂 > [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > In a similar fashion, I have always understand duffel bag to mean a cylindrical canvas bag that cinches with a drawstring at the top. But she used it to refer to what I call an athletic bag – a smaller cylindrical bag with that zips open along the side and has fabric handles. Turns out, judging by Google, a lot of other people fallen into the same error she has. I use the term to mean either of those, as they are both “duffel bags” to me. Any cylindrical bag that’s of a reasonably large size (athletic bag or larger) that’s meant to tote a lot of stuff is a duffel bag to me. [This](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&q=army+duffle+bag&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&biw=1488&bih=904&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17068461290926764433&sa=X&ei=WnqHTsWHJ4eztweO-O0v&ved=0CHMQ8wIwAQ) and [this](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&pwst=1&q=sport+duffel+bag&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&biw=1488&bih=904&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5288452281805102141&sa=X&ei=o3qHToanF8O4tge6zNQq&ved=0CJMBEPMCMAM) aren’t different enough in my linguistic world to need differentiation. > [@rjk](#): > > Off topic, but anyway… > > At work we sell various breaded chicken breasts, that all come from the kitchen as the full “butterfly,” both sides still together. A woman with her little kid in the cart came up and decided to get two butterflies instead of the three singles she had intended. The kid was almost in tears about killing butterflies until we finally convinced him it was really chicken that just _looks_ like a butterfly’s wings. > > It’s time she had a long talk with him about metaphors. So the kid got upset about dead butterflies, but has no idea that chickens are animals too? Does he think that all meat just magically appears, or is grown on a meat tree next to the apple tree? ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/175 "2011-10-01T21:35:09Z")
The reason people like me say “In like Flint” is because we like Coburn and don’t really care about Flynn. Surprising one – my pop was smoking some (a lot) of brisket and asked if I’d eat some. I said, “You bet, old man, PDQ it’d be gone.” My mother (about same age as pappy) had to have it explained to her by both of the menfolk – and that’s an _old_ motherfucker, my pop. I’ve had troubles with some regionalisms, like “useful as tits on a bullhog” – people don’t get what a bullhog is, apparently, or are somewhat slow. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/176 "2011-10-01T21:58:22Z")
Your mama wears army boots= she’s not very feminine, the blunt version is that she is butch. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/177 "2011-10-02T04:36:35Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > The reason people like me say “In like Flint” is because we like Coburn and don’t really care about Flynn. More likely a result of your age. > [@jaledin](#): > > I’ve had troubles with some regionalisms, like “useful as tits on a bullhog” – people don’t get what a bullhog is, apparently, or are somewhat slow. Possibly because the expression is “like tits on a boar hog.” Again, probably a result of your age. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/178 "2011-10-02T09:36:31Z")
> [@YoSaffBridge](#): > > I’ve never heard that one. What’s it mean? Go is fairly self-explanatory. Whoa is a command commonly used to halt a horse. In other words “Stop” The phrase could be parsed as “From go to stop” or “From beginning to end” ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/179 "2011-10-02T11:31:25Z")
We had a strange bird walking around in the back yard the other day. I mentioned to my wife that I would get some salt. Blank look. I said “So you can out it on its tail”. Even blanker look. ---
**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:** [October 2, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974/180 "2011-10-02T17:16:36Z")
I was talking to a young person and used the phrase “wrong side of the blanket.” Totally blank stare. It’s odd that I would use it because I hate euphanisms, and I hate the whole idea that one’s parentage can be illegitimate or “wong.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-youre-surprised-people-arent-familiar-with/596974.md?page=10)