# Terms that have fallen out of fashion **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 6, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938 "2012-03-06T16:39:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/141 "2012-03-08T16:31:21Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > ETA: I never did learn how you’re supposed to pronounce Kresge. But I know when to use an apostrophe in words like “you’re” It was KRESS-keez, where I’m from. In the Kohouse ‘skip the needle over a little’ has not fallen out of fashion and continues to mean stop nagging. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/142 "2012-03-08T16:35:45Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > I’ve mentioned this before in another thread, but for a while in the 80’s and into the early 90’s desktop PCs were called IBM compatibles. I remember that now! When we got our first computer I had to decide between an IBM or an IBM compatible. I was worried about the quality of a generic, so we got the IBM. ---
**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:** [March 8, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/143 "2012-03-08T16:53:08Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Can’t believe that nobody (myself included) thought of this one until now: > > _Dime store_. > > Like, there’s any stores around that still have very many items that sell for a _dime?_ Inflation turned dime stores into dollar stores. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/144 "2012-03-08T17:41:47Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Did grizzled old prospectors really uses terms like “Dag nab it!” or “Consarn it!”? Every time I see the Norwegian newspaper \*Dagbladet \*cited, I hear Jed Clampett cursing. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/145 "2012-03-08T18:13:13Z")
I never hear anybody say they’re “cross” when annoyed anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/146 "2012-03-08T18:21:33Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > I remember that now! When we got our first computer I had to decide between an IBM or an IBM compatible. I was worried about the quality of a generic, so we got the IBM. I’d forgotten about that! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/147 "2012-03-08T20:01:35Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > I remember that now! When we got our first computer I had to decide between an IBM or an IBM compatible. I was worried about the quality of a generic, so we got the IBM. Although I loved computers, I didn’t know much about them at the time and didn’t know how an IBM compatible would compare to my Commodore 64, which I thought was probably superior :smack:. Anyway, when I was a kid, there was doll called Dapper Dan ([link to a modern day version](http://www.amazon.com/Playskool-Dapper-Dan-14-Plush/dp/B000VQ27PY)). I thought it was a funny name, but never realized till years later that dapper meant neat in appearance. I’ll bet even by the 80’s that term was pretty much out of fashion. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/148 "2012-03-08T20:46:20Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Dime Store was the phrase I heard most often. All the smaller outlying towns had a Kresge store. Remember those? They eventually grew too big for their britches and mutated into K-Mart. > > ETA: I never did learn how you’re supposed to pronounce Kresge. But I know when to use an apostrophe in words like “you’re” We had an S.S. Kresge at the nearby mall. we pronounced it KREZ-ghee. You sometimes said KREZ-ghees, as if it was the store belonging to Mr. Kresge. As noted above, it became K-Mart. The Kresge from my local mall is long gone, but there’s a K-Mart down the road. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/149 "2012-03-08T20:48:25Z")
And MIT has a Kresge Auditorium. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/150 "2012-03-08T20:55:36Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > And MIT has a Kresge Auditorium. And a Kresge Chapel, just across the oval. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/151 "2012-03-08T21:23:08Z")
Oh yeah, very interesting looking building. I’ve never gone in. But I practically lived at the student center some years. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/152 "2012-03-08T21:24:48Z")
You don’t hear the word “flibbertigibbet” very much anymore. I’m not sure it was ever actually in fashion, though. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/153 "2012-03-08T22:31:50Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > I’ve mentioned this before in another thread, but for a while in the 80’s and into the early 90’s desktop PCs were called IBM compatibles. Or “IBM clones”, or just “clones”. > [@Leaffan](#): > > PS: As in Postscript isn’t really used any more. You can pretty much amend any letter or memo now without adding a PS at the bottom. I still use it all the time, when I’ve already sent an email and then think of something else I should have included. > [@Zsofia](#): > > I don’t know, but my dad doesn’t like to swear and he will very sincerely shout “DADGUMIT!” which I believe is “goddamn it” spelled sideways. I say “dagnabbit” all the time, when I want to say “goddamn it” but the kids are around. I might have got it from Yosemite Sam. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/154 "2012-03-08T23:13:23Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Oh yeah, very interesting looking building. I’ve never gone in. But I practically lived at the student center some years. How can you not have gone in? Even if you didn’t attend religious services, I had a friend get married there, attended a memorial, and a performance of part of _Equus_ there. The interior is as interesting as the exterior, with slits blow reflecting light from the moat outside onto the interior walls, which undulate. Behind the multipurpose multifaith altar is a sorta sculpture of gold wires with attached gold thingamajigs that get more numerous the lower down the are, giving the sense of something descending from the skylight above. [http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;\_ylt=A0PDoX3APFlPRGoAeW6JzbkF;\_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F\_adv\_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=1842&h=2320&imgurl=upload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fe%2Fe4%2FMIT\_Chapel%252C\_Cambridge%252C\_Massachusetts\_-\_interior.JPG&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AMIT\_Chapel%2C\_Cambridge%2C\_Massachusetts\_-\_interior.JPG&size=772.8+KB&name=File%3AMIT+Chapel%2C+Cambridge%2C+Massachusetts+-+interior.JPG+-+Wikimedia+...&p=MIT+Chapel+interior&oid=6e9b93f9810e297fef296f059ed9fcdb&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=File%253AMIT%2BChapel%252C%2BCambridge%252C%2BMassachusetts%2B-%2Binterior.JPG%2B-%2BWikimedia%2B...&b=0&ni=96&no=1&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=12qcb1jub&sigb=13hht95iq&sigi=13347p92k&.crumb=.ic219a74Q/](http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoX3APFlPRGoAeW6JzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=1842&h=2320&imgurl=upload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fe%2Fe4%2FMIT_Chapel%252C_Cambridge%252C_Massachusetts_-_interior.JPG&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AMIT_Chapel%2C_Cambridge%2C_Massachusetts_-_interior.JPG&size=772.8+KB&name=File%3AMIT+Chapel%2C+Cambridge%2C+Massachusetts+-+interior.JPG+-+Wikimedia+...&p=MIT+Chapel+interior&oid=6e9b93f9810e297fef296f059ed9fcdb&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=File%253AMIT%2BChapel%252C%2BCambridge%252C%2BMassachusetts%2B-%2Binterior.JPG%2B-%2BWikimedia%2B...&b=0&ni=96&no=1&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=12qcb1jub&sigb=13hht95iq&sigi=13347p92k&.crumb=.ic219a74Q/) [http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;\_ylt=A0PDoX3APFlPRGoAfW6JzbkF;\_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F\_adv\_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D5&w=480&h=640&imgurl=farm4.staticflickr.com%2F3189%2F2781217378\_4b11093780\_z.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fatelier79033%2F2781217378%2F&size=140.2+KB&name=the+non-denominational+chapel+on+the+campus+of+MIT%2C+completed+in+1955%2C+was+designed+by+Finnish-American&p=MIT+Chapel+interior&oid=5e3426a4e41a2bc2565a053e295fb8b3&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=the%2Bnon-denominational%2Bchapel%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bcampus%2Bof%2BMIT%252C%2Bcompleted%2Bin%2B1955%252C%2Bwas%2Bdesigned%2Bby%2BFinnish-American&b=0&ni=96&no=5&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=11lrnci1m&sigb=13hdaorrh&sigi=11nqjlrpq&.crumb=.ic219a74Q/](http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoX3APFlPRGoAfW6JzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D5&w=480&h=640&imgurl=farm4.staticflickr.com%2F3189%2F2781217378_4b11093780_z.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fatelier79033%2F2781217378%2F&size=140.2+KB&name=the+non-denominational+chapel+on+the+campus+of+MIT%2C+completed+in+1955%2C+was+designed+by+Finnish-American&p=MIT+Chapel+interior&oid=5e3426a4e41a2bc2565a053e295fb8b3&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=the%2Bnon-denominational%2Bchapel%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bcampus%2Bof%2BMIT%252C%2Bcompleted%2Bin%2B1955%252C%2Bwas%2Bdesigned%2Bby%2BFinnish-American&b=0&ni=96&no=5&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=11lrnci1m&sigb=13hdaorrh&sigi=11nqjlrpq&.crumb=.ic219a74Q/) [http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;\_ylt=A0PDoX36PFlPSHsA.JiJzbkF;\_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26\_adv\_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D64&w=210&h=280&imgurl=www.galinsky.com%2Fbuildings%2Fmitchapel%2Fwalls.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.galinsky.com%2Fbuildings%2Fmitchapel%2Findex.htm&size=30.9+KB&name=MIT+Chapel+Cambridge+MA+by+Eero+Saarinen&p=MIT+Chapel+interior&oid=ad5aa9613f86c68f7c21d44d7360f4b1&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=MIT%2BChapel%2BCambridge%2BMA%2Bby%2BEero%2BSaarinen&b=61&ni=96&no=64&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=11l200e8f&sigb=1487g1js7&sigi=11e4ucpva&.crumb=.ic219a74Q/](http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoX36PFlPSHsA.JiJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DMIT%2BChapel%2Binterior%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D64&w=210&h=280&imgurl=www.galinsky.com%2Fbuildings%2Fmitchapel%2Fwalls.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.galinsky.com%2Fbuildings%2Fmitchapel%2Findex.htm&size=30.9+KB&name=MIT+Chapel+Cambridge+MA+by+Eero+Saarinen&p=MIT+Chapel+interior&oid=ad5aa9613f86c68f7c21d44d7360f4b1&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=MIT%2BChapel%2BCambridge%2BMA%2Bby%2BEero%2BSaarinen&b=61&ni=96&no=64&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=11l200e8f&sigb=1487g1js7&sigi=11e4ucpva&.crumb=.ic219a74Q/) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/155 "2012-03-08T23:35:07Z")
> [@Rich\_G7subs](#): > > “Rabbit Ears” as a slang for the TV Antenna > > “I had to adjust the Rabbit Ears on the tube. Mannix was all snowy.” I have rabbit ears sitting behind and above my computer monitors at work. When people ask about them, I just say it’s for high definition wireless access to the Internet. They believe that and want to know how to set it up for themselves, I kid you not. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/156 "2012-03-09T01:55:14Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I think “stereo” as a noun is pretty much kaput. (Come to think of it, “kaput” is probably pretty much kaput too.) In several old sci-fi book, “stereo” meant something like “3-D” or “holographic.” > [@DMark](#): > > Does anyone brag they flew in a “jet” to Hawaii? Dunno. Does anyone use the phrase “jet set”? > [@Hampshire](#): > > The terms “widescreen” vs. “full frame” for DVDs seem to have fallen to the wayside. > Widescreen appears to be the default standard now. I don’t even think new dvd releases are even available in full-frame anymore. It used to be “letterbox” vs. “pan-and-scan.” > [@Infovore](#): > > It’s not really a term, but I do wonder how long it’ll be before the kids have no idea what that little icon is on their documents that’s supposed to represent “save” (it’s a 3.5" diskette). Those 3.5 inchers were called “floppy disks,” which was a holdover from the 5.25 inch disks which really were “floppy.” :smack: > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Glorioski! I still use this on occasion! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/157 "2012-03-09T04:04:51Z")
Are children still told not to dawdle? ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/158 "2012-03-09T06:08:06Z")
Put that in your pipe and smoke it! ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/159 "2012-03-09T14:20:37Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Are children still told not to dawdle? Well, considering that kids aren’t allowed to walk to & from school on their own anymore, I’m assuming they’re not told to not “dilly-dally” either. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938/160 "2012-03-09T14:32:01Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > How can you not have gone in? Even if you didn’t attend religious services, I had a friend get married there, attended a memorial, and a performance of part of _Equus_ there. I never really had a reason to. But [this sculpture](http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/plensa-donation-installation.html) makes me want to get off the bus, so maybe that’ll be my excuse to check out the chapel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-have-fallen-out-of-fashion/614938.md?page=9)