# Words we don't use any more **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2000, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818 "2000-04-08T14:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/41 "2000-04-09T19:34:00Z")
On other people’s selections: **Fellah** – I use this term, and **buddy** not infrequently, as well as **pal**. But I hardly ever say **mac**. Also out of fashion and not likely to be picked up by me are **bo** , **chum** and **gee**. **Hood** – I don’t often say `hood,’ but I do say **Hoodlum** or **Hooligan**. **Two Bits** – I use this term every chance I find, along with **fin** and **sawbuck** because I discovered to my suprise that a lot of people don’t know what these terms mean, and I just can’t quite get over that. **Deasil/Widdershins** I think you’ll find that these words are quite popular with pagan types, who will go out of their way to find an excuse to use them. Can you blame them? **Gat** – currently, this term is in use in gangsta rap circles. Occasionally, I hear a gun referred to as **heat** though rarely a **heater**. Some of my other favorite terms are all but extinct: **pipe** , **Johnny Roscoe** , **smoke wagon** , **hog’s leg** , **the difference** … **Trousers** – I don’t say **trousers** much, but I ought to. It’s a good word. Also out of fashion is the term **dungarees**. **Aught/Naught** – I’ve found both these terms to be common, particularly among gamers. **Drag** – People don’t drag off their cigarettes much anymore, nor do they take **pulls** from whiskey bottles, or **throw a lip over** glasses of beer. My own selections: **Town Clown** – the sheriff of a small town. **Butter-and-Eggs Man** – rich guy, also known as a **sugar daddy**. **Hincty** – suspicious. **How do you like that guy?** **Get a load of that guy.** **Screw** – a policeman or security guard. **Doorknob shaker** – the house detective of a hotel. **French walk** – to throw someone out by grabbing them by the seat of their pants, also known as the **bum’s rush**. **Aw-reet** – Alright. ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/42 "2000-04-09T19:43:00Z")
> [@](#): > > “Say…” to start a sentence, as in “Say, what’s the big idea!” Say, that’s news to me! I use it like that all the time. Sometimes, I also use “…see?” to conclude a sentence. I watched too many old movies as a kid, see? * * * Heck is where you go when you don’t believe in Gosh. ---
**Author:** ![smilingjaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@smilingjaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smilingjaws)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/43 "2000-04-09T19:55:00Z")
How’s this one for ancient? “Oh ye gods and fishes” actually said to me by my ancient 3rd cousin who was quite a “trip” P.S. I say trousers, cool, bee’s knees, and gee willikers, not on your tintype occasionally. Sometimes I even say “oh, flip” instead of that ugly word! Never have said 'mother flipper" though–come to think of it, that would apply to me today–I made my daughter pancakes for breakfast 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ophanim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8491ac/32.png) [@Ophanim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ophanim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/44 "2000-04-09T20:15:00Z")
Nobody’s said **Bodacious** yet? * * * ## **Ophanim** Not Voted, \*\*Coolest, Dumbest, Happiest, Drunkest, Surliest, Gayest, Most Godly, or anything else! \*\* Damn you all to HELL! Where’s my side of FUN!? Kisses! Ophy ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/45 "2000-04-09T20:23:00Z")
Nobody calls a guy a **heel** anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/46 "2000-04-09T20:40:00Z")
Flabbergasted Moxie lollygagger ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/47 "2000-04-09T20:41:00Z")
I forgot this one as I say it about 10 times a day to my son whenever he protests something: _caterwauling_ Quit yer caterwauling. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/48 "2000-04-09T21:33:00Z")
Talera - heehee - and I waited for the longest time for Him to ask me to hit it, too. > [@](#): > > absoTIVEly posiLOOTly > > gibberish > > buddy ol’ pal > > bolderdash ::Sigh:: … Just … ::Sigh:: (And it’s _balderdash_, btw. :p) Hmm…Zeitgeist…I _love_ that word. Must endeavour to use it more often. I really _should_ stop reading this thread… BTW: If you’re wondering why I haven’t contributed any ‘words nobody uses any more’ - well…look how many of the already listed words I _do_ use…and in only a few cases do I do it knowing they’re unusual. ::Sigh:: * * * _Eschew Obfuscation_ ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/49 "2000-04-09T23:27:00Z")
Maroon, as in "What a Maroon! ---
**Author:** ![JamesM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JamesM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesM)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/50 "2000-04-09T23:29:00Z")
“Trousers” is english (Britsh) for Pants (American). In the UK your pants are what you ware underneath your trousers!! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/51 "2000-04-10T21:29:00Z")
This is of more recent vintage than most of the words under discussion, but it occurred to me that I haven’t heard ‘bogus’ for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/52 "2000-04-10T21:53:00Z")
I like to use: **skeewiff** , as in “That poster of the kitty hanging in there is all skeewiff.” (probably some regional corruption of ‘skew’); **jiggery-pokery** , skullduggery, as in “Matlock was wise to their jiggery-pokery.”; **birl** , lowland Scots for spin, or turn, as in “Give the handle a wee birl.”; **whatsit, doodah,** and **thingummy** , when you can’t think of the correct word for an object, as in “Pass me the whatsit that’s on top of the thingummy.” * * * **Swirly Thing alert!!** ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/53 "2000-04-11T00:06:00Z")
“Stop on a dime” “Twisted up like a pretzel” I used to use both of those when livingin South Africa. People would give me odd looks. Finally a co-worker pointed out their ten-cent piece had no nickname, and they just didn’t have pretzels. ---
**Author:** ![Sentinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sentinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sentinel)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/54 "2000-04-11T02:52:00Z")
Interfacing Networking Downloading Delete Reboot Run it up the hard drive. (All office terms frequently used for everything except computer work! Each time something new in computer lingo came out, I cringed because I just KNEW the damn term would show up around the conference table.) rap (not rape) Lay it on me, man! Heavy! interaction emotional trip fuzz (cops) Mary Jane (pot) There’s a few I’d like to have go away real soon, like ‘comfort zone,’ ‘investment horizon,’ ‘upgradable’ --(not dealing with computers either), and ‘it’s natural so it’s good for you.’ * * * **Some mornings, it’s just not worth chewing through the leather straps.** ---
**Author:** ![Kepi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kepi/32/7251_2.png) [@Kepi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepi)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/55 "2000-04-11T03:42:00Z")
I use “brother” in a 50s “I Love Lucy” kinda way. As in, “That’s all, brother! Count me out!” (Sometimes, I’ll change it to “That’s all, sister!”) ---
**Author:** ![purrplebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90ced4/32.png) [@purrplebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purrplebear)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/56 "2000-04-11T04:14:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Federalist: > \*\*absoTIVEly posiLOOTly > > gibberish > > bolderdash\*\* WOW!! I haven’t heard anyone else besides my Mom and I use those words. Especially abso_tive_ly posi_lute_ly. Memories… and, we spelled it balderdash. There are so many more that I still use today. Oh, my. I guess I am an anacronism myself! 😉 * * * You are more than a human being, you are a human becoming. Og Mandino That’s my name, not a description. I am neither purple nor a bear. Okay, so I’m purple.\ ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/57 "2000-04-11T11:32:00Z")
How about… hoojie(mom uses it all the time) Chingus, chinga, chingazadera(pop used to use those) Buddah(as in pot) I can say, that , on a regular basis I can be caught using the following: Bro, Brother, Bruddah, buddy, friend, dude, fuckin-A Etc… ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/58 "2000-04-11T13:23:00Z")
Jiminy! As you all know by now, I have a fondness for using words that went out of style by 1950. I constantly have editors calling me up to find out what the hell “Banana Oil,” “photo-plays,” “chorine,” “bub,” “pins” or “Hello, Central” mean. —Bertha, the Beautiful Sewing Machine Girl ---
**Author:** ![Girlbysea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Girlbysea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlbysea)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/59 "2000-04-11T13:27:00Z")
Love… We use it, but some people don’t truly understand it… * * * Life is like a river, changing as it flows… ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818/60 "2000-04-11T14:22:00Z")
I’m not sure on this, but I think these are pretty much out of circulation: Davenport slacks underpants “gag me with a spoon” rock and roll (isn’t it just rock now) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-dont-use-any-more/15818.md?page=4)