Many, many years ago (the 20s through the 50s) we used these terms and sayings in our every day life. I still use a few of these sayings even today but most of the time no one knows what I mean!
Hope you enjoy reading them and will pick out a couple to use now and then!
Funny Comparisons
- Slicker’n owl snot: Used to describe something extremely slippery or smooth.
- Dumber than a sack of rocks (or a bag of hammers): Used when someone makes a very foolish mistake.
- Colder than a well digger’s ass.: Used to describe freezing, bitter weather.
- Dry as a popcorn fart: Used during a severe drought or when something has zero moisture.
- Frog strangler: A massive, violent downpour of rain.
- Like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs: Someone who is extremely nervous or jumpy.
- Slower than molasses in January: Extremely slow-moving.
- Defecate or dismount (a cleaner version of an even ruder classic): Meaning “make a decision or get out of the way”.
Quirky Exclamations & Old-Timey Slang
- Heavens to Murgatroyd!: An old cartoon-popularized exclamation of shock.
- Horsefeathers!: An old-fashioned way to say “that’s complete nonsense”.
- Flapdoodle: Silly, meaningless talk or written nonsense.
- Blatherskite: A person who talks and complains endlessly about nothing.
- Catawamptiously chewed up: Utterly defeated or badly beaten.
- Hornswaggle: To trick or cheat someone out of something.
Terms of Approval and Praise
- Boss: Great, wonderful, or the best.
- A gas: A really fun time or event.
- Ginchy: Excellent, stylish, or attractive.
- Real gone: Deeply in love or completely carried away.
- The most: The ultimate or highest form of praise.
People and Social Labels
- Square: An uncool, old-fashioned person who conforms to the rules.
- Cat / Daddy-o: A cool, hip person or a casual way to address someone (borrowed from the jazz scene).
- Ankle-biter: A small child.
- Greaser: A rebellious young man with slicked-back hair and a leather jacket.
- Beatnik: A member of the post-war beat generation artistic subculture.
Actions and Activities
- Cruisin’ for a bruisin’: Looking or asking for trouble.
- Agitate the gravel / Split: To leave or take off quickly.
- Flip your lid: To lose control or go crazy with excitement.
- Backseat bingo: Making out in the back of a car.
- Cooking with gas: Doing something the best or most efficient way.
- Agitate the gravel: To leave quickly
- Antsville: A crowded place
- Apple butter: Smooth talk
- Back seat bingo: Getting frisky in the back of the car
- Bake a biscuit: To record an album
- Blanket: Sandwich
- Bundie: A male in need of a haircut
- Classy chassis: An attractive female body
- Come on, snake! Let’s rattle!: May I have this dance?
- Cut the gas!: Be quiet!
- Earth pads: Shoes
- Fake out: A bad date
- Fat City: A happy or great situation or place
- Flutter bum: An attractive guy
- Fuzzy duck: A female with a short haircut
- Gringles: Worries
- Grundy: Not good or bad
- Hey bean!: Hello!
- Lay dead: Wait a minute
- Moldy: A bad or mean teacher
- Negative perspiration: Easy
- Panic-and-a-half: A funny joke
- Pinky’s out of jail: Your slip is showing
- Put an egg in your shoe and beat it!: Go away!
- Razz my berries!: Impress me!
- Slodge: A friend
- What’s buzzin’, cuzzin’?: What’s new?
- Wig chop: Haircut
- You make the king’s jive: You speak English well
- Got the zorros: Feeling nervous
Classic Country & Wisdom Sayings
- Don’t take any wooden nickels: A parting warning to be careful and not get scammed.
- Hold your horses: A request to be patient or slow down.
- Plum tuckered out: Completely exhausted.
- Heavens to Betsy: An exclamation of surprise.
- It was like herding cats: Describing a task that is chaotic and hard to control.
Well there you have it, hope you enjoyed your trip and don’t think of me as an old blatherskite or a flapdoodle! Hope you come back often, have a good day and don’t take any wooden nickles!