1) "How do you do?" upon meeting someone instead of "Hello" or "Nice to meet you." It's so civilized, and begs the listener to take my hand and kiss it.
2) "He's a wanker." This statement sounds right with British or Commonwealth accents. I can't pull it off - but I'm going to try.
3) One of my favorites is "He's a chud" - a statement coined by gal-pal Heather. Think "stud" with "chump" - and you'll know the reference. Yeah - it's the guy who's standing in line at the velvet rope - begging to get into the club.
4) "Quicker than 2 shakes of a lamb's tail." I'm not really sure about this phrase's origin - but I like it because it evokes confusing imagery... of which I'm a big fan.
5) My grandmother's from the Deep South - so I've heard some ringers from her through the years. One that makes me laugh to myself is "Fiddlesticks!" when she really means the swear word starting with the letter "F." It's just funny coming from my Mamaw... who, in her 80's - is so hip she has a myspace page. Really, she does.
6) Friend Alex always says "Story of my life, right?" when she's had a not-so-great experience. I love this phrase, because as humans - we keep repeating patterns and behaviors that get us into predicaments when the only way we can sum something up is to use "Story of my life, right?"
7) That's a "Sticky Wicket." Again - from the great Brits - and I'm at a loss to its origin, though I'm thinking cricket? Anyway, I think it implies "bad situation" but I'm so not sure... and I'm just going to toss it around at will.
8) Did you "Alexis-Nexis" him? This comes from gal pal Alexis - who always used to Google/LexisNexis her prospective suitors. Hey, she found out a guy she was dating was a paid sperm donor via this method... so it got the job done of causing complete obsession/fascination with his salary and lifestyle.
9) "Sorry - My Dance Card's Full." I just like throwing this at guys on the prowl. Every time I've used it, the guy has completely shut down and scratched his head and walked away in confusion. Awesome.
10) "Need the deets" for 'details.' Yeah - it's pretty annoying, but also serves as the precursor to shortening down anything that's longer than one syllable.
11) "For-shizzle" ala Snoop Dogg. My MOTHER said this once to me in casual conversation, and coming from my Mom - a baby boomer with a professional job and demeanor - it was HILARIOUS.
12) "Yeah, right?" Total New York/Jersey saying - and I secretly sometimes want to morph into a NYC street-tough.
13) He's an "upstanding citizen." I don't really want to use this phrase but just find it redundant. After all, when you're 'standing,' aren't you also 'up'? Weird.
14) "To the Gallows!" This is so medieval - it just works.
15) "Raddle your Dags" - from NZ Sid
6 comments:
Another favorite: "tired and emotional" to mean drunk as a skunk. Thanks to Russell "go Russ go" Crowe for this one.
Then I'm perpetually "tired and emotional." Thanks Rex - will start using here!
I think "sticky wicket" must be a croquet reference. The wickets are the things you try to knock the ball through, so if it's sticky, then you're going to have a hard time gettin' in done.
Maybe a few more, and one correction.
"Two shakes of a sheeps tail" is the correct wordage of this phrase.
Some that mom threw at us, which I still use in common conversation that leaves people baffled.
"Tighter than Dick's hat band" (as in you just finished delicious pancake breakfast and now your pants are way too tight)
"Dagnabit"
Also one of my favorites when confronting a person who opposes my view point, I simply say,
"You are either uninformed or misinformed"
And of course when hungover and trying to listen to someone tell a story,
"You lost me at hello..."
Cambridge goes with "lamb" over "sheep" - so I'm sticking with that.
"Dick's Hat Band" reference is from the following: "Dick is Richard Cromwell, the son of England's 17th Century 'dictator', Oliver Cromwell. Richard succeeded his dad and wanted to be king but was quickly disposed. The hat band in the phrase refers to the crown he never got to wear."
also - a reporter used "contemplate your navel" in a report from baghdad today. It means to "spend too much time in self-analysis" which anyone with a boyfriend will understand.
i'm going to start "contemplating my navel" over fuzzy navels soon.
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