Terms Which Have Disappeared

[HudsonHawk]

They may have fallen out of common usage, but only because they've all been replaced by equally ***ist, racist and otherwise overtly offensive modern phrases.

Perhaps where you live, but not where I do. We are not nearly as offensive today as say 40 years ago.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Perhaps where you live, but not where I do. We are not nearly as offensive today as say 40 years ago.

All your offensive people have obviously moved up here.

 

[HudsonHawk]

All your offensive people have obviously moved up here.

It's payback for that War of Northern Aggression.

 

[Tomasso]

There are any number of ***ist, racist and otherwise overtly offensive phrases that have thankfully fallen out of common usage.

Only to be replaced by phrases like, "I'd hit dat."

Quite an improvement.............

 

[Steveb1]

How about "speaking the Kings English"? I remember back in the late 70's, I applied for a position for which this was a requirement.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Only to be replaced by phrases like, "I'd hit dat."

Quite an improvement.............

I don't hear that term where I live or in my circle of friends. And yes...it's a major improvement.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

lol lol lol lol

It's payback for that War of Northern Aggression.

 

[Shangas]

How about "speaking the Kings English"? I remember back in the late 70's, I applied for a position for which this was a requirement.

King's English, Queen's English, Received Pronunciation, BBC English... Haven't heard those very regularly.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Here's another one from a Dragnet episode. Friday and Romero were interviewing the mother of a teenaged suspect at work, where she was "a multigraph operator".

 

[DesertDan]

Goldbricking/Goldbricker - a person who loiters on company time
Switchboard & Switchboard operator
"On the level" = Telling the truth without exaggeration.
Top flight or Top shelf - to indicate a product or service of impeccable quality
"The dope" = information

 

[Shangas]

I still use "on the level".

When's the last time you and your friend/brother/sister broke something while playing, and had to "cheese it" before anybody caught you?

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

When I was in high school, I knew a recent graduate who, after knocking around a year or two, got training as a "key punch operator". Holy Hollerith, Batman!

 

[dh66]

I still use "top shelf" all the time. I always figured it was a reference to where the expensive liquor was.

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[Tomasso]

"In the pink." For healthy and fit.

 

[Shangas]

I haven't heard anyone use the term "make book" in years. I heard it a lot in old movies and radio-shows. Based on context, I assume it means to make a certainty about something. As in, you don't send a book to press and print, until EVERYTHING has been checked and certified, and there won't be any mistakes.

"Don, are you gonna be at Susan's party tonight?"
"Sure".
"You promised!"
"You can make book on it!"
"Sure Don, sure..."

 

[dh66]

I always thought it meant a sure bet, from book as in bookie - the person who runs the gambling operation.
Just throwin that out there.

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[Shangas]

I dunno. I tried to research it, but I haven't found much information on it.

 

[HudsonHawk]

When was the last time you were doing anything "in high cotton"? I used to hear that all the time...not so much anymore.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

I haven't heard anyone use the term "make book"

In the US, a person involved in taking illegal bets is called a "bookie" or "book maker", because he notes the wagers his customers place in his notebook. So, placing a bet is "making book". Another way of saying the same thing is "you can bet on it" with the unstated assumption is that the wager is sure to pay off.

 

[Shangas]

In the US, a person involved in taking illegal bets is called a "bookie" or "book maker", because he notes the wagers his customers place in his notebook. So, placing a bet is "making book". Another way of saying the same thing is "you can bet on it" with the unstated assumption is that the wager is sure to pay off.

Aah. Yeah that seems to make sense.

What the heck is "high cotton"? I've never heard that one!

When's the last time you heard anyone say "guts for garters"? And for that matter, what sort of garters? Sleeve-garters? Sock-garters? Hahaha.

EDIT

I just remembered that I have a book on my bookcase:

"As We Say in Our House" - A Book of Family Sayings, by Nigel Rees.

It's a book about the origins of a variety of colourful phrases. It's a fun read if anyone wants to look it up.

One of the more interesting ones I found was: "Good for the backs of waistcoats", meaning something ugly that was only good for lining waistcoats (since it would never be seen, even when it was used). Or more generally, something that should only be used in a place where nobody will notice it.