The language of the 1800s
- Thread starter Jessie
- Start date
According to my late grandma (born 1891), someone who was useless was "not worth the powder to blow them to H_ll."
She would describe an untrustworthy person as someone who would "steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes."
One expression I never understood (and no one left to ask) is an unpleasant person having "a face like a ten day clock." Huh?
Maybe I can come up with a few more. Happy holiday to all!
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
She would describe an untrustworthy person as someone who would "steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes."
One expression I never understood (and no one left to ask) is an unpleasant person having "a face like a ten day clock." Huh?
Maybe I can come up with a few more. Happy holiday to all!
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Alpo
Member
You sure it was "like a ten-day clock"?
I've heard of people having a face that could stop a clock, or an 8-day-clock, so I suppose a really ugly person could have a face that could stop a ten-day-clock.
I've heard of people having a face that could stop a clock, or an 8-day-clock, so I suppose a really ugly person could have a face that could stop a ten-day-clock.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
"I got it all lined out." Refers to the days when many churches didn't have hymnals and whoever led the singing would sing a line for the congregation to repeat, then sing another, etc.
"brush arbor"--a temporary outdoor shelter where marathon revival meetings were held.
"dinner on the grounds"--often served when a church had a special event like a reunion.
"snake oil salesman"--someone, often a politician, who was a con artist.
"ribbon clerk"--a wimp.
"Once bitten, twice shy."
"tighter than an idiot's watch"
"beat him like a rented mule."
"He was grinning like a possum eating poke berries."
"I smell a rat."
"cigar store Indian"
"barber pole"
"keelhauling"
"brush arbor"--a temporary outdoor shelter where marathon revival meetings were held.
"dinner on the grounds"--often served when a church had a special event like a reunion.
"snake oil salesman"--someone, often a politician, who was a con artist.
"ribbon clerk"--a wimp.
"Once bitten, twice shy."
"tighter than an idiot's watch"
"beat him like a rented mule."
"He was grinning like a possum eating poke berries."
"I smell a rat."
"cigar store Indian"
"barber pole"
"keelhauling"
You want a piece of me? You'd better bring a ladder and a sandwich, because you'll have to climb up to do it, and it'll take all day.
Quieter than a mouse blowing bubbles in a feather bed.
Useless as the nipples on a boar hog.
Colder than a well-digger's ***.
Hotter than a two-dollar pistol.
It'll never be noticed from a galloping horse.
His eyes are brown because he's up to here with ****.
He/she looks like he/she was rode hard and put up wet.
His picture was turned to the wall.
John
Quieter than a mouse blowing bubbles in a feather bed.
Useless as the nipples on a boar hog.
Colder than a well-digger's ***.
Hotter than a two-dollar pistol.
It'll never be noticed from a galloping horse.
His eyes are brown because he's up to here with ****.
He/she looks like he/she was rode hard and put up wet.
His picture was turned to the wall.
John
The "creek" wasn't water; it was a tribe of indians, and they could spoil your day when you had other plans.
John
My dad recalled Dizzy, narrating a baseball game that was close to being rained out - "He just slud into second base."
John
This was kicked around on another thread a week or so ago. They were attempting to figure out if Val Kilmer said, "I'll be your huckleberry." - as in I'm your friend. OR "I'll be your hucklebearer." - as in I'll carry your casket. (Handles on caskets are known as "huckles".
I've posted a few of these before, but here they are again:
If BS was music, he / she would be a brass band.
You'll go to hell for lying as well as stealing.
Tighter than two *** cheeks.
Tight than a skeeter's *** stretched over a rain barrel.
Dumber than dirt.
LTC
If BS was music, he / she would be a brass band.
You'll go to hell for lying as well as stealing.
Tighter than two *** cheeks.
Tight than a skeeter's *** stretched over a rain barrel.
Dumber than dirt.
LTC
Alpo
Member
re: all lined out
A few years ago we went to a cowboy shoot up in Wisconsin.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/345476-little-giveaway-we-have-winner.html if you're curious.
Sunday we had "cowboy church", and we sang one hymn - Rock of Ages. And just the first verse.
After the service I asked the preacher why just the one verse. He said most folks only knew the one. I asked him why he didn't line it out, and he had no idea what I was talking about.
When I explained it, he thought that was a really neat idea, and said he would do that from now on, when he had cowboy church.
But I left wondering how anyone could not know what "lining out a song" was. Don't people read anymore?
A few years ago we went to a cowboy shoot up in Wisconsin.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/345476-little-giveaway-we-have-winner.html if you're curious.
Sunday we had "cowboy church", and we sang one hymn - Rock of Ages. And just the first verse.
After the service I asked the preacher why just the one verse. He said most folks only knew the one. I asked him why he didn't line it out, and he had no idea what I was talking about.
When I explained it, he thought that was a really neat idea, and said he would do that from now on, when he had cowboy church.
But I left wondering how anyone could not know what "lining out a song" was. Don't people read anymore?
Hi Alpo, yes, I'm sure. I heard that expression "more times than you can shake a stick at."
The Sunday NY Times Magazine used to have a column (perhaps still does?) on the derivation of expressions in the English language. It's not always as crystal-clear as it would immediately seem.
Thanks for your reply!
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
That was a pet expression Diz used a lot after it became well known. Dean was quite a character, and needed Peewee Reese (a very, very nice man from my adopted home town) sitting next to him for balance.
A couple more: "frog strangler" or "goose drownder" for a torrential rain.
"That just about caps the stack."
"He got a burr under his saddle."
I haven't heard that in a long time. Larry
For us country people it was water. There were not any bridges and when the water rose in the creek you couldn't drive through it so you couldn't go do what you had planned. Larry
Steely Dan
Member
Well, my granny had a saying related to my granddad.
"Slower than smoke off of cold ****".
When someone would come to the house (Family), and they knocked at the door, granddad would holler "We don't need none!"
Boy I miss them.
"Slower than smoke off of cold ****".
When someone would come to the house (Family), and they knocked at the door, granddad would holler "We don't need none!"
Boy I miss them.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
Yep, that's what it meant when I was a kid in Tennessee.
On the other hand, when we young'uns were "ripping and running" and being loud, adults would often refer to us as "wild little Indians".
And then there was "as the crow flies". I'm pretty sure the "c" was lower case.
