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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Davedrave on Friday 11 August 23 16:25 BST (UK)
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When I was small, if I asked about something my mother didn’t want me to know about (for example, that a parcel she had brought home contained a present for me), she would say it was a “wim wom for a wowser”.
If I asked my father where he’d been, and he didn’t want me to know, he would say “upper knocker down street, three doors past the shutter”. The first one seems to exist in several versions, but has anyone come across the second?
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Not heard of either of them, is it a regional thing?
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Our version was " a wim wom for grinding smoke " Not heard of the second one.
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If one of my grandmothers, who lived with us, decided that I was being too inquisitive or annoying, she would tell me, in a kindly way, to pop off and sell my matches. I have never heard this expression at any other time.
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You've set me off now ! The answer to what's the time - " half past pickaxe quarter to shovel " and something you couldn't find was " up in Annie's room behind the clock "
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Something I couldn’t find was
‘Hanging from my to lip shouting Tarzan !’
;D
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When I couldn’t find things it was “by my clogs on the piano”
Mike
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I got told by relatives "I gotta go and see a man about a dog" as a polite way of telling me to keep my nose out. That phrase is common, and is known in Australia, as sunny Aussie soap Home And Away had a character mention that phrase in 1994.
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I got told by relatives "I gotta go and see a man about a dog" as a polite way of telling me to keep my nose out. That phrase is common, and is known in Australia, as sunny Aussie soap Home And Away had a character mention that phrase in 1994.
That is generally used by men to say they need the “ Gents”!
Viktoria.
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Our version was " a wim wom for grinding smoke " Not heard of the second one.
My Yorkshire grandmother used that one.
My Berkshire grandfather used to say he had got to see a man about a dog when he was off to the pub.
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In response to being asked "Where are you going" or "Where have you been" my father's response would often be "Up Mike's".
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"What are you doing, Dad?"
"I'm making a wig wam for a goose's bridal (or bridle)"
In the 1950s.
franinoz
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If we asked what we were having for tea, the answer was "Ifit"...meaning, if it goes round the table you get a bit.
If we asked when we would be getting something that was out of reach, Dad would say "When Nelson gets his eye back"
If I said that I was hungry, my Mother would say "I'm angry, let's fight"
If I asked my Father where he was going, he always said "There and back to see how far it is"
Carol
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I got told by relatives "I gotta go and see a man about a dog" as a polite way of telling me to keep my nose out. That phrase is common, and is known in Australia, as sunny Aussie soap Home And Away had a character mention that phrase in 1994.
That is generally used by men to say they need the “ Gents”!
Viktoria.
My dad always said it was a polite way of "mind your own business". I was born in Norfolk to Essex parents.
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Members of my family used "Wim wom for a wowser", is it just a Brummie expression?
rayard.
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"See a man about a dog", remember that being a phrase for going to the bathroom! I remember another one about Percy but perhaps I shouldn't add that?
If my children asked me where I was going when they were small it was always "There and back to see how far it is". Used to really annoy them but that was 50 + years ago so I expect they see the funny side of it now!
Welly x
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If we asked what we were having for tea, the answer was "Ifit"...meaning, if it goes round the table you get a bit.
If we asked when we would be getting something that was out of reach, Dad would say "When Nelson gets his eye back"
If I said that I was hungry, my Mother would say "I'm angry, let's fight"
If I asked my Father where he was going, he always said "There and back to see how far it is"
Carol
My Lancashire-born father used to say the second and fourth sayings above.
When asked what was for a meal my mother from Sussex would say “bread and pullet”. Another expression was “all round Jack’s mother’s” to describe a roundabout way of getting somewhere.
Also one of my father’s responses to what might be in the offing was “three jumps at the cupboard door”, never did understand what that meant!
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Well,
"What are you doing, Dad?"
"I'm making a wig wam for a goose's bridal (or bridle)"
In the 1950s.
franinoz
In Australia
That is exactly the version my father used when asked "What's that thing?"
"Seeing a man about a dog"
And "going to strain the spuds"
were both expressions used only by men, for visiting the bathroom.
Ladies went to "powder their nose" or "spend a penny" for the same visit ;D
Sue
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Over here, the expression men use is “I have to see a man about a horse”.
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Over here, the expression men use is “I have to see a man about a horse”.
;D
What did women of a previous generation say?
Sue
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When asked what time it was the answer would be 'half past the leg of my shirt going on to the leg of my trousers'
Going to see man about a dog usually referred to Dad going for a pint.
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Over here, the expression men use is “I have to see a man about a horse”.
;D
What did women of a previous generation say?
Sue
“I have to powder my nose”?
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Over here, the expression men use is “I have to see a man about a horse”.
;D
What did women of a previous generation say?
Sue
“I have to powder my nose”?
I remember that one from my grandmother. When I was very young I believed her and always studied her nose when she came back - it looked no different, couldn't understand why.
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My Father-in-Law use to say, when going to the bathroom, "I'm just going to shake hands with my best friend" ;D
I never heard anyone else call it that.
Carol
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I just had to look how this thread started!!
My Nan born in 1900 used to say when I couldn't find something. "It's up in Annie's room behind the clock". Anyone heard of that expression, she was from the "Potteries".
Welly x
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I just had to look how this thread started!!
My Nan born in 1900 used to say when I couldn't find something. "It's up in Annie's room behind the clock". Anyone heard of that expression, she was from the "Potteries".
Welly x
Mentioned in my post #2 and our family is from Kent.
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Every cell in one's body has either an XX or an XY gender chromosome.
If you get a prostate cancer exam at 60, you are male.
Zaph
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I remember my mother-in-law born 1905 saying to me once "Looks a bit black over our Bill's mother's" I asked my husband who Bill was? Laughter all around. Didn't realize she meant it was going to rain and I should get the washing in. Young bride early 60's never heard that expression before. Welly x
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Looks a bit black over our Bill's mother's
A saying my dad used & me more recently.
If some wanted to express surprise they would say "well I'll go to the foot of our stairs".
Maybe it was the naughty step for adults.
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Black over Bills mothers was used by my husbands family. Which confused him as his grandad was very old and his mother long gone.
My grandad always said It’s black over yonder!
If asked what was for tea, the reply was Three kicks at the pantry door.
Coming into a room, you were asked to put wood in’t hole.
Going to bed- up wooden hill to Bedfordshire.
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Recall Great (maiden) Aunt Polly telling everyone as we sat round the table having tea that 'mae gen moch bach glustiau mawr' - which translates to 'Little pigs have got big ears.'
Took me years to work out what she meant!
Also recall her telling me when a child that 'fedrith pawb ddim bod yn olygus - which translates to 'not everyone can be good looking.' - great confidence booster!
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One I remember from working in the Black Country - "going all round The Wrekin" - meant never coming to the point.
The Wrekin is a prominent hill about 20 miles north west of Wolverhampton, the nearest Black Country town, but visible on the horizon even from there.
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I'm Canadian. We used to say, "mind your beeswax." I don't know if anyone says that anymore.
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I'm Canadian. We used to say, "mind your beeswax." I don't know if anyone says that anymore.
I still say it occasionally, but not directly at anyone, that would be rude!
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I'm Canadian. We used to say, "mind your beeswax." I don't know if anyone says that anymore.
I still say it occasionally, but not directly at anyone, that would be rude!
LOL, yeah, you could only say it to someone who wouldn't take it the wrong way.
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Never heard those. In Yorkshire it was "keep thi' sneck out" (not neck, and a sneck was a door catch I think). Dad always said "gone to see a man about a dog" which usually meant he was off to price a "fiddle job" up and didn't want us to say owt! When we asked where mum had vanished to (such a rare occasion, that, she was always there) he'd say she'd "run away wi' a black man" - lots of people said that, but no one does now! Adults were always "going to t'foot o'our stairs" and I have no idea why. Interesting reading all these memories.
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Never heard those. In Yorkshire it was "keep thi' sneck out" (not neck, and a sneck was a door catch I think). Dad always said "gone to see a man about a dog" which usually meant he was off to price a "fiddle job" up and didn't want us to say owt! When we asked where mum had vanished to (such a rare occasion, that, she was always there) he'd say she'd "run away wi' a black man" - lots of people said that, but no one does now! Adults were always "going to t'foot o'our stairs" and I have no idea why. Interesting reading all these memories.
“Black” might not have referred to colour in the past…many times it meant something bad or a setback. Our association with the dark of night likely had to do with frightening things and the unknown. It’s possible a “black man” was simply someone bad or unknown.
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We were told not to "Stick our nose in where it wasn't wanted....or " Keep your stiicky beak out of it"
Carol
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We were also told, "Don't be a nosy Parker."
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We were also told, "Don't be a nosy Parker."
Oh, I heard that one many time (Lancs. father)!
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We were also told, "Don't be a nosy Parker."
Oh, I heard that one many time (Lancs. father)!
Interesting! My mother's grandparents were from England but not Lancashire.
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One I remember from working in the Black Country - "going all round The Wrekin" - meant never coming to the point.
The Wrekin is a prominent hill about 20 miles north west of Wolverhampton, the nearest Black Country town, but visible on the horizon even from there.
The Wrekin is in Shropshire ,very prominent and yes, can be seen for a very long way.
Nearest town in Shropshire is Telford , an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty .
Lots of myths re giants etc .
Viktoria.
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Never heard those. In Yorkshire it was "keep thi' sneck out" (not neck, and a sneck was a door catch I think). Dad always said "gone to see a man about a dog" which usually meant he was off to price a "fiddle job" up and didn't want us to say owt! When we asked where mum had vanished to (such a rare occasion, that, she was always there) he'd say she'd "run away wi' a black man" - lots of people said that, but no one does now! Adults were always "going to t'foot o'our stairs" and I have no idea why. Interesting reading all these memories.
“Black” might not have referred to colour in the past…many times it meant something bad or a setback. Our association with the dark of night likely had to do with frightening things and the unknown. It’s possible a “black man” was simply someone bad or unknown.
Possible, but I don't think so. It was said during the "Windrush" years, when people of colour were a novelty. I can remember it being said in '66, and then it meant a man whose skin was black.
Regards
Chas
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Never heard those. In Yorkshire it was "keep thi' sneck out" (not neck, and a sneck was a door catch I think). Dad always said "gone to see a man about a dog" which usually meant he was off to price a "fiddle job" up and didn't want us to say owt! When we asked where mum had vanished to (such a rare occasion, that, she was always there) he'd say she'd "run away wi' a black man" - lots of people said that, but no one does now! Adults were always "going to t'foot o'our stairs" and I have no idea why. Interesting reading all these memories.
“Black” might not have referred to colour in the past…many times it meant something bad or a setback. Our association with the dark of night likely had to do with frightening things and the unknown. It’s possible a “black man” was simply someone bad or unknown.
Possible, but I don't think so. It was said during the "Windrush" years, when people of colour were a novelty. I can remember it being said in '66, and then it meant a man whose skin was black.
Regards
Chas
I think I am referring to expressions from much earlier than the 20th century - and many have survived over the centuries. That doesn't mean the saying was used in different ways than its original meaning more recently.
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Regarding a trip to the loo, a posh Oxford girl I knew used the phrase “I am just going to turn my bicycle round”. It took me a while to figure it out.
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I recall the "turn my bike round" being used in 1960s - exclusively by males, and when they were in pubs, and had too full a load of beer. Never connected it with "posh people". Perhaps she was using it for effect?
TY
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The following were used regularly in South Lancashire . . .
“Layo’ers for meddlers, an’ crutches for lame ducks” was a term used, if someone expressed curiosity as to what was in a parcel or package.
The term “dog shelf” was used when referring to the floor.
It could be said of an untidy person “they leave everythin’ on t’dog shelf, instead of laying it away”.
If the prospect was bleak in any way, people often said “It’s lookin’ dark o’er Lostock” (Lostock being a district of Bolton.)
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The term “dog shelf” was used when referring to the floor.
I've known the floor referred to as "the big hook".
If the prospect was bleak in any way, people often said “It’s lookin’ dark o’er Lostock” (Lostock being a district of Bolton.)
The prevailing weather in Bolton would come from the west, i.e. Lostock.
My mum has never used that expression, but her family lived on the western side of Bolton. In fact she was born in Chew Moor, which is part of Lostock!
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The prevailing weather in Bolton would come from the west, i.e. Lostock.
My mum has never used that expression, but her family lived on the western side of Bolton. In fact she was born in Chew Moor, which is part of Lostock!
We used it in UpHolland, west of Wigan. ;)