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40 OLD PHRASES AND SAYINGS

Did You Know? |

40 Old Phrases and Sayings

Did you grow up hearing your elders say phrases that you had no idea what they meant?

I know I did.

Even today, when I hear or read such, I find myself thinking of my grandmother and recalling those old sayings coming out of her mouth.

Some of them you heard so often that they managed to make it into your vocabulary.

When I hear myself saying such, I smile and again I think of my grandmother.

Here’s 40 old phrases and sayings you might have heard:

• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!
• A little bird told me a secret. (I didn’t know birds could talk!)
• A stitch in time saves nine. (Nine what?)
• A watched pot never boils! (This is so true!)
• Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!
• Heavens to Betsy! (Who is Betsy?)
• I can’t get a word in edgeways.
• I feel finer than a frog’s hair split four ways! (I didn’t know frogs had hair!)
• I guess it grew legs and walked away!
• I love you a bushel and a peck!
• I wouldn’t touch that with a ten foot pole!
• If the good Lord is willing and the creek don’t rise! (Sounds serious!)
• I’m pleased as punch!
• It ain’t over until the fat lady sings!
• It’s time to bite the bullet!
• He kicked the bucket!
• He spilled the beans!
• Money doesn’t grow on trees! (Of course it doesn’t!)
• Pon my honor!
• She showed her true colors.
• She’s no spring chicken!
• Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite! (I wouldn’t sleep in that bed!)
• Speak of the devil!
• Take it with a grain of salt. (Take what and a grain of salt isn’t very much!)
• That just takes the cake!
• That will happen when pigs fly! (Pigs fly?)
• That’s all she wrote!
• The proof is in the pudding.
• That’s the real McCoy!
• They live so far out in the country that they get their sunshine pumped in!
• You are as handy as a pocket on a shirt! (That’s mighty handy!)
• You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.
• You can’t get blood from a turnip! (Who would even try such?)
• You’re as blind as a bat! (Bats are blind? Really?)
• Up the creek without a paddle!
• Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! (Say what?)
• Were you born in a barn?
• Whew, saved by the bell!
• You all are like two peas in a pod.

Can you add any to my list?

 

 

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21 Comments

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  • Clearissa
    · Reply

    October 3, 2017 at 10:25 AM

    This list made me laugh out loud. I will bet you I heard my elders say every one of those and then some. I am trying really hard to think of more but it appears you’ve covered a lot of them. I’ll keep thinking. 🙂 Funny. Thanks for the memories.

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 3, 2017 at 10:09 PM

      As I always say Clearissa: Laughter is the best medicine!

  • Christie Hawkes
    · Reply

    October 3, 2017 at 1:22 PM

    It’s so funny that you shared this now. I was just speaking with my hairdresser Saturday about this very topic. We were saying how confusing it would be to someone for whom English is a second language if they took some of these sayings literally. Thanks for linking up on #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty and making me smile!

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 3, 2017 at 10:10 PM

      Ain’t that the truth? You’re welcome and thank you for co-hosting with me Christie.

  • Donna
    · Reply

    October 3, 2017 at 8:46 PM

    Wow! Great minds are thinking alike today! Richard and I are currently in Utah and just visited a local restaurant. On the restaurant’s menu, they had the first half of old sayings (some of them written above). Beside the beginnings of these sayings, a First Grade teacher had her students complete the sentences.
    A couple that I remember where:

    You can lead a horse to water…but how?
    He who lies with pigs…wakes up smelly.
    Don’t change horses…until they stop running.
    You can’t teach an old dog…new math.
    A bird in the hand…is going to poop on you!

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 3, 2017 at 10:14 PM

      So funny Donna, kids are amazing! I think I like these 2 the best:

      He who lies with pigs…wakes up smelly.
      A bird in the hand…is going to poop on you!

  • Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
    · Reply

    October 4, 2017 at 6:22 AM

    Even though English is my second language I heard just about everyone of them except for pumping the sunshine. I was quite a reader so I read quite a few of them.
    Snug as a bug in a rug.
    One pickle short of a full jar.
    Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
    A rose by any other name is still a rose.
    Clear as a bell.
    Sweeter than honey.
    Hotter than hell.
    Cute as a button.
    I’m sure throughout the day more little sayings will pop up.

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 5, 2017 at 7:23 PM

      I’ve heard all of the ones you mentioned Marisa.

  • amy
    · Reply

    October 4, 2017 at 8:49 AM

    Too funny! Yes, I remember hearing a lot of these growing up.

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 5, 2017 at 6:57 PM

      Glad you got a laugh Amy!

  • hillsmom
    · Reply

    October 4, 2017 at 10:32 AM

    I recently read something about old phrases such as these, which I do remember hearing as a child. But the saying about “The good Lord willing, and the creek don’t rise…” was originally supposed to refer to the Creek Indians and a rebellion by that tribe. What do you think?

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 5, 2017 at 6:58 PM

      Could be hillsmom, I have no idea 🙂

  • Dennis J Gwin
    · Reply

    October 4, 2017 at 1:36 PM

    It is true about the Creek Indian reference. Andrew Jackson sent a request for reinforcements before the Battle Of New Orleans. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops “the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don’t rise (in rebellion).

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 5, 2017 at 6:59 PM

      Very interesting! Thanks for letting us know Dennis!

  • Pam
    · Reply

    October 6, 2017 at 12:17 PM

    Yes! to so many of those! I heard over half of those from my grandmother when I was growing up and I love being reminded of the ones I had forgotten. Such a fun post!

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      October 6, 2017 at 12:50 PM

      Glad you liked it Pam.

  • Linda
    · Reply

    October 27, 2017 at 7:13 PM

    As handy as a glass door on a toilet! is one I remember. Sometimes when I use old sayings people look at me as though I’m from another planet!

    • Grammy Dee
      · Reply

      Author
      October 27, 2017 at 10:44 PM

      I understand Linda, my grandbabies look at me the same way 🙂

  • Anne Fraser
    · Reply

    January 20, 2019 at 7:17 AM

    A couple from my childhood.”This won’the buy the baby a new bonnet”. “I don’t want to see tomorrow’so washing”. If you were showing your underwear.

  • Jean | Delightful Repast
    · Reply

    January 20, 2019 at 9:16 AM

    Dee, something I only recently learned is that the “creek” in your thirteenth old saying is a reference to the Creek people. Another one someone mentioned to me just yesterday that she learned from an elderly friend is “That takes the rag off the bush.”

    • Dee | Grammy's Grid
      · Reply

      Author
      January 20, 2019 at 11:51 AM

      Thanks Jean! That makes me think I should do a post on how some of the sayings came about, huh?

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I’m a grandmother in my 50s who blogs about things to amuse, inform, inspire, and make you laugh!

-Grammy Dee

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