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sayings

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I bought "Brewer's Phrase and Fable" for about a pound from the "Works" in Birmingham, around 1990.

Here is what he says about raining cats and dogs...
View attachment 141375
I read somewhere, I forget where, that raining cats and dogs was when we lived in thatch borrans and the like and the cats and dogs and other small livestock were kept in the rafters at night, and sometimes they fell through.
 
My dear late Dublin friend gave us 2 little coffee cups on which he said is an old Irish saying,".... May the roof of your house never fall in, and those living in it, never fall out".
 
When my Mom was tired she used to say what I can only spell as I'm " fenaygin' " now. She also used it if someone was pretending to be ill so I wonder if it came from the word "feign". I've never heard anyone else say it.
When she was angry she said she was "on a line" !
 
Never heard of that one!
I used to ask my Dublin mate's Granny (who came from North of their Border) how she was, and she would say malogen. My Nan would say fair to middlin. A bit off colour I suppose. My mate's grandfather used to sing to him, skinny malig malogen legs. Malogen as rhymes with ogen (the fruit).
 
My mates mom, who was Irish, used to say " If your Gran was alive now,she'd turn in her grave"
Jerry, I think you might have known him, Kerry Hannigan ? :wink:
my grandad was irish. he used to say "hows the crack"... and yer man. and "I have not seen you since the last have have i"
 
When my Mom was tired she used to say what I can only spell as I'm " fenaygin' " now. She also used it if someone was pretending to be ill so I wonder if it came from the word "feign". I've never heard anyone else say it.
When she was angry she said she was "on a line" !
From Merriam-Webster dictionary:
Finagle -
transitive verb
1: To obtain by indirect or involved means
'finagle a ride home'.
2: to obtain by trickery
'finangled his way into the concert'.
intransitive verb
to use devious or dishonest methods to achieve one's ends
First known use 1924, perhaps from fainaigue to renege
 
Is that an Irish expression, like malojan. ?
"Cat: The small animal, of course, but in slang it means something that looks, sounds or simply is absolutely awful. It’s short for cat malojan, which is probably short for the phrase, cat on a melodeon. You can imagine that a cat standing on a melodeon is likely to make an awful sound. That is probably where the idea came from. Now it’s used to describe anything people don’t like and think is terrible." [Guide to Irish Slang]
 
A drop of the creature.
A drop of the hard stuff.
Liffey Water.

A little whisky. The Irish call it "a drop of the cratur." (Brewer’s)
 
When my Mom was tired she used to say what I can only spell as I'm " fenaygin' " now. She also used it if someone was pretending to be ill so I wonder if it came from the word "feign". I've never heard anyone else say it.
When she was angry she said she was "on a line" !

lynn i still use the expression" on a line" but where did that come from

lyn
 
2. “Going to play some footy”
Meaning: Going to play soccer

3. “I’ll give you a bunch of five”
Meaning: You’re going to get a punch in the face.

4. “That was a right bodge job”
Meaning: That job went wrong
.
5. “Oh bloomin ‘eck”
Meaning: A non-curse word exclamation.

6. “That’s pants”
Meaning: It’s not great, not very good.


7. “I’m knackered”
Meaning: I’m tired, exhausted

8. “Don’t get shirty with me,” “Don’t get your knickers in a twist,” “You’re getting on my goat,” “Wind your neck in”
Meaning: Someone’s getting angry or aggravated with you or you’re getting annoyed or irritated with them
.
9. “I was gobsmacked”
Meaning: I was shocked, lost for words.

10. “She was talking nineteen to the dozen”
Meaning: She was talking at a speedy rate.

11. “It’s all gone pear-shaped”
Meaning: Something has gone wrong.

12. “She’s a picnic short of a sandwich,” “She’s a slice short of a loaf”
Meaning: She’s a little dopey, not very clever.
13. “She’s as bright as a button”
Meaning: She’s clever.


14. “He’s as mad as box of frogs,” “He’s crackers”
Meaning: He’s mad. He’s lost it.

15. “Spend a penny,” “Going for a slash”
Meaning: To visit the bathroom
.
16. “Well that’s thrown a spanner in the works”
Meaning: Plans have gone awry, a curveball has been thrown.

17. “We’re having a right old knees up,” “Heading out on the tiles,” “Out on the lash”
Meaning: To go out for the night to have a good time. To party.

18. “I’m out on the pull tonight”
Meaning: To go out looking for a lady or man with whom to enjoy a romantic liaison ’.
19. “I’m going to get off with him/her”
Meaning: I’m going to kiss/snog that person
.


19. “I’m quids in” / “I’m skint” / “Have you got any dosh?”
Meaning: You’ve come into money / You have no money / You’re asking someone if they have any money.

20. “Sweet Fanny Adams”
Meaning: Nothing, such as when being asked what you did for the day or what you’re currently doing.

21. “It’s just Sod’s law”
Meaning: Same as ‘Murphy’s Law’ — what’s going to happen, will happen
.
22. “It’s parky out” or “It’s brass monkeys out”
Meaning: It’s cold outside.

23. “She’s such a curtain twitcher” or “Stop being such a nose ointment”
Meaning: She’s a nosy neighbor, stop being so nosy
.
24. “Did you see her? She’s such a chav”
Meaning: A British stereotype for a ‘low class’ person or someone wearing ‘cheap’ clothes.


25. “That’s smashing,” “Super,” “Ace,” “Pucker”
Meaning: That’s “awesome.”

26. “Did you just fluff?” or “Did you just pop?”
Meaning: Did you just pass wind

27. “He’s the dog’s danglies,” “It’s the mutt’s nuts”
Meaning: He’s the best, it’s the best. Top notch.

28.
29. “Old Blighty”

Meaning: Britain.

30. “Oh, he’s a Bobby,” “They call him PC plod”
Meaning: He’s a policeman, he’s a cop
.
31. “I’ll ring you,” “I’ll give you a bell,” “I’ll give you a tinkle”
Meaning: I’ll call you.

32. “He’s such a plonker,” “ponce,” “pillock,” “tosser,” “ twit,” “knob,” “bellend”
Meaning: He’s not very nice / He’s an idio.


33. “Stop being such a big girl’s blouse”
Meaning: Stop being such a wimp.

34. “Toodle Pip!” or “Ta ta!”
Meaning: Goodbye.

35. “I’m just having a fag”
Meaning: I’m just having a cigarette.


36. “I’m totally cack-handed”
Meaning: I’m not coordinated.

37. “He’s such an anorak”
Meaning: He’s such a geek.


38. “Don’t be such a wind-up merchant”
Meaning: Stop teasing.

39. “Having a good old chinwag”
Meaning: Having a gossip/chat
.
40. “She’s got a face like a bag full of spanners” / “She has a face like a cat’s arse”
Meaning: She’s not very attractive / She is pulling a ‘sour’ face.

41. “Meat and two veg”
Meaning: A man’s ‘private parts’

42. “She’s so gobby”
Meaning: She’s very mouthy, rude.

43. “She/he/it’s minging”
Meaning: She/he/it’s not very nice, disgusting.

44. “That’s mint, that is”
Meaning: Mint condition, perfect.

45. “Careful, he’s on the chunder bus”
Meaning: He’s going to be sick, throw up.

46. “Oh stop whinging on”
Meaning: Stop moaning.

47. “You look smart”
Meaning: You are well dressed.

48. “That’s lush”
Meaning: That’s nice, or that tastes good.
 
.Gordon Bennett
Image result for What does the phrase Gordon Bennett mean?
MEANING: interjection: Expressing surprise, puzzlement, incredulity, annoyance, etc. ETYMOLOGY: The expression is primarily used in the UK even though Gordon Bennett was an American. ... The term Gordon Bennett alludes to his wild ways, and perhaps originated as a euphemism for gorblimey.
 
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