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29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are having a conversation with someone and they use a word or a phrase that you haven’t heard of and have no idea what it means? There are some people who like to use more colorful language and revive words that are no longer used or have changed their meaning throughout time. If you still feel lost when you hear some archaic word or phrase, you are not alone as one Reddit user, @SunRevolutionary8315, asked other people online “What is an outdated word or phrase an older family member uses that makes your brain hurt?” Soon people started sharing sayings their parents, grandparents and other older relatives use in their everyday language and trying to explain the meaning behind these words. So if you’re also looking for ways to expand your vocabulary, the post with more than 34k upvotes is a great source of knowledge.
Do you know someone in your family who also likes to puzzle you with outdated language? Don’t forget to share it in the comments down below!
More Info: Reddit
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#2
My late father (born in '33) used to say he'd been "d**ked by the dangling dong of destiny" when something went wrong that was out of his control.
spirit wolf 3 years ago
I will be adopting this phrase, going into effect immediately. Thank you!
#3
When I was a kid and we had a slow start to our day my mother would say “we’re off like a herd of turtles” still makes me smile
#4
There was an older gentleman, about 70, that I used to work with that looked at me and said “His butter done slid off his biscuit” referring to another coworker acting crazy. I’m in southern Kentucky.
#5
My grandpa likes to use the phrase "not my monkey, not my circus"
to everyone asking if he's Polish, we're Latino. He says it in both Spanish and English, "no es mi circo, no son mis monos". I didn't realize until writing it out that he flips the order in English.
#6
answers the phone
“Yellow!”
Sky Render 3 years ago (edited)
Better than the early 2000s, when the standard phone greeting was "WHAZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!?"...
#7
Went into a speed shop the other day and overheard the shop owner talking to someone on the phone. Man was 60+ and said un-ironically "Catch ya on the flip side Daddio" to end the conversation he was having.
#9
You can call me anything you like except late for dinner!
I use this all the time and my wife tells me that’s something only old men say
#10
“If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas”
#11
My nana says “That really turns me on” about ANYTHING. Good ice cream, a movie, music, doesn’t matter.
#12
"Davenport" to mean couch. Apparently, it was a name-brand couch back in the day.
#13
My mom was not a fan of colorful language, I can't recall ever hearing an f-bomb escape her lips. But if she was mad at someone, she would say "They can just go piss up a rope!" I still don't know WTF she meant.
#14
My dad used to say “That’ll put lead in your pencil”.
Tiny Dancer 3 years ago
That's got to be right up there with, "That'll put hair on your chest!", which always bugged me seeing as I was a chick, lol.
#15
My mother used to say "he's got his wobbly boots on" whenever she saw someone drunk.
#16
When you put something in your mouth it's really hot and react.
Que grandma "well it wasn't cooked on a f*****k sewing machine"
Daniel Pacheco 3 years ago
wonder if your grandma has latino roots? Sewing machines and to-saw, in castellano & spanish is 'máquina cosedora' / 'coser' (which is very simmilar to 'cocer' /to cook
#18
When talking about drinking, my dad says "I got plowed the other night" rather than "I got drunk the other night"
#19
I have a friend, about 15 years older than me, who constantly says s**t like "bump uglies".
#20
My mom is 71, she says things are cool. But she pronounces it like kewel, or kyoul.
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
She’s only five years older than I am and one of my faves is “cool beans”
#21
"The devil's been beatin' his wife"- when the sun is out but it's still raining. I heard this a lot growing up but apparently some people have never heard of it?
Yugan Talovich 3 years ago
There's a very old English proverb that goes something like, If it rains while the sun is shining, the devil is beating his wife with a leg of mutton. It's so weird I've never forgotten it.
#22
My grandma would say “bull feathers” instead of bulls**t
#23
My older relatives in Michigan (all passed away now) used to say Geez-O-Pete instead of Jesus Christ, I guess so as not to blaspheme? Who f**king knows?
#24
My dad still talks about "The Japs!" Like he fought in world war 2. But he's too young and also not American.
#25
I hate when old people ask “can you whack this off for me”
For $20 anything is possible tho
Thorfin Wolfsbane 3 years ago
"technically, sir, if I whacked it off for you, it wouldn't be called whacking off..."
#26
My coworker says "It's hotter than a blistered d**k in a wool sock"
#27
50/50 chance my mom is gonna say “and we’re off like a dirty shirt” when leaving an establishment.
I kinda like it though
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
My favorite is “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” I like it so much that I had a Swedish person tell me how to say it, so now I say (this is a transliteration since I have now idea how it it would be spelled in Swedish) the upper-case letters are said in a higher tone than the lower-case ones (apparently this matters) “Lo-TOOS spreng-A det-TA EES-glass stahnd...or, in the language of my people, Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
#28
grandpa: says narcist instead of narcissist. apparently back in the day that was normal
grandma: if wishes were fishes we’d have a big fry
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
"If wishes were Porsches, beggars would drive" ---- my mom having twisted "If wishes were horses".
#29
My mom says she’s “gotta go tink tink” instead of to the bathroom.
What do you think ?
Green Cabochon 3 years ago
"If it was a snake it woulda bit you," when it takes a minute to notice something. My grandma always said it and now my mom does.
Walking On Sunshine 3 years ago
Oh Lord I can hear my grandmother saying that! Thank you!
Load More Replies...
A Head 3 years ago
Had a math professor in college - very nice older Texan woman - who, when talking about someone of...lesser intelligence, would say "He wouldn't now how to pour water out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel!"
Vicky Z 3 years ago
I have a question!! How do the older women in your country refer to menstruation? I've heard so many different versions and the most weird are "she has her clothes" (don't even know what that even means) and the classic "the Russians are coming" which I never liked as an expression.
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
Older women in the Netherlands do not speak much about menstruation. I've heard "Being on the rag." (which seems to have it's origin from the time where women had to sew the pads themselves) and "Waving the red flag."
Load More Replies...
Green Cabochon 3 years ago
"If it was a snake it woulda bit you," when it takes a minute to notice something. My grandma always said it and now my mom does.
Walking On Sunshine 3 years ago
Oh Lord I can hear my grandmother saying that! Thank you!
Load More Replies... A Head 3 years ago
Had a math professor in college - very nice older Texan woman - who, when talking about someone of...lesser intelligence, would say "He wouldn't now how to pour water out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel!"
Vicky Z 3 years ago
I have a question!! How do the older women in your country refer to menstruation? I've heard so many different versions and the most weird are "she has her clothes" (don't even know what that even means) and the classic "the Russians are coming" which I never liked as an expression.
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
Older women in the Netherlands do not speak much about menstruation. I've heard "Being on the rag." (which seems to have it's origin from the time where women had to sew the pads themselves) and "Waving the red flag."
Load More Replies... You May Like “Took Me 20 Years And 60 Watches”: Movie Jokes That Took People Literal Years To Understand Netizens Point Out The 37 Biggest Movies They'll Never Re-Watch Again, Under Any Circumstances
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