“Hard scrabble” mentioned yesterday, is not a difficult crossword game.
Dad’s family lived a hard scrabble life.
A few other expressions we once used which are not heard so much
today.
Carl is putting on the dog. Which of course is not to suggest that Carl
is going to serve canine for dinner.
Matt earned his degree at the School of Hard Knocks.
Ernie has more degrees than a thermometer, but he he doesn’t have sense
enough to pound sand in a rat hole.
Agnes went to college to get her MRS degree.
Liam is too smart for his own good; and
Louise is too clever by half.
I’d like to buy Dunc for what he’s worth and sell him for what he thinks
he’s worth.
14 comments:
Most of these I knew, but a couple I didn't and I will look for places to use them today!
My grandmother used to call a person who regularly did unwise, disruptive things "a fart on a curtain rod." Boy, would I like to know what that means.
I typed out a bunch that my father used constantly - but they were very NYC-centric and I'm not sure they fit the criteria. One of these little sayings that I have never quite grasped is - 'Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth' - whenever I come across it (which isn't all that often of late) I have to look it up - my brain refuses to retain its meaning.
Shelly, use them to make them your own!
Jim, yes, that one bumfoozles me as well.
Grace, that's a good one. I've heard it used. Must be a really cold lady, or one whose disapproval is intense. Maybe some of these can be interpreted in different ways?
Sadder than a woman with champagne taste and a beer budget.
Slicker than snot on a door knob.
Prettier [cuter?] than a bug's ear.
Chuck, good ones. I usually modify the second one by specifying a "glass door know."
BBBH is sitting here suggesting some she wants to add. Her dad said, You squirm around like a maggot in hot ashes.
Get the chip off your shoulder before someone knocks it off.
Quit wearing your heart on your sleeve.
Your face will freeze that way.
Her grandma used to tell her, You're actin' all pizzle-sprung. Or, This old thing sure is pizzle-sprung.
knob, drat it, knob.
And if all your friends jumped off the Empire State Building (or the Brooklyn Bridge) does that mean you should do it too? (Not one of my fathers, just a classic...)
Oh, I use a lot of these, but for the life of me, I can't remember them now!! Criminy. I think we use so many of these sayings that we don't blink when we use them--they are like second nature.
Grace, that one may have NYC references, but it's pretty universal, I guess. "Royal Gorge" in my case.
Lin, upon my word, I believe you slipped a couple in there!
Finally thought of one: "He just grew up like topsy."
Vee, I remember hearing that one. We have Harriett Beecher Stowe to thank for it.
Sometimes I think I'm Ernie. A boy named Jimmy and I were voted most likely to succeed, but the picture in the yearbook wasn't great and my mom said we didn't look like we had enough sense to come in out of the rain.
Shark, I think you have exhibited an abundance of good sense. Success is not properly measured in terms of worldly possessions, and you have succeeded in living a good and productive life.
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