THIS IS GREAT! Thank you! Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary Ann Kaylor" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 11:20 AM Subject: Re: [ILMACOUP] OLD SAYINGS >I must be getting old..know almost all of those sayings. > > At 12:40 PM 11/15/2006, you wrote: >>This came to me from a friend and I thought the list might like to see it. >>Some of these I had never heard before and some I can hear my mother and >>grandmother saying. Enjoy. >>Pat in IN >> >> >>A Lick And A Promise >> "I'll just give this a lick and a promise," my mother said as she >> quickly >>mopped up a spill on the floor without moving any of the furniture. >> "What is that supposed to mean," I asked as in my young mind I >> envisioned >>someone licking the floor with his or her tongue. >> >> "It means that I'm in a hurry and I'm busy canning tomatoes so I am >> going >>to just give it a lick with the mop and promise to come back and do the >>job >>right later. >> "A lick and a promise" was just one of the many old phrases that I >>remember my mother, grandmother, and others using that they probably heard >>from the generations before them. With the passing of time, many old >>phrases >>become obsolete or even disappear.This is unfortunate because some of them >>are very appropriate and humorous. Here is a list that I came up with that >>I >>remember my parents and grandparents using that we don't hear much >>anymore. >>Perhaps you have some memorable old phrases of your own that you could add >>to the list: >> >>A Bone to Pick (someone who wants to discuss a disagreement) >>An Axe to Grind (Someone who has a hidden motive.This phrase is said to >>have >>originated from Benjamin Franklin who told a story about a devious man who >>asked how a grinding wheel worked. He ended up walking away with his axe >>sharpened free of charge) >>A bad apple spoils the whole barrel (one corrupt person can cause all the >>others to go bad if you don't remove the bad one) >>At sea (lost or not understanding something) >>Bad Egg (Someone who was not a good person) >>Barking at a knot (meaning that your efforts were as useless as a dog >>barking at a knot.) >>Bee in your bonnet (To have an idea that won't let loose) >>Been through the mill (had a rough time of it) >>Between hay and grass (Not a child or an adult) >>Blinky (Between sweet and sour as in milk) >>Calaboose (a jail) >>Cattywampus (Something that sits crooked such as a piece of furniture >>sitting at an angle) >>Dicker (To barter or trade) >>Feather In Your Cap (to accomplish a goal. This came from years ago in >>wartime when warriors might receive a feather they would put in their cap >>for defeating an enemy) >>Hold your horses (Be patient!) >>I reckon (I suppose) >>Jawing (Talking or arguing) >>Kit and caboodle (The whole thing) >>Madder than an old wet hen (really angry) >>Needs taken down a notch or two (like notches in a belt usually a young >>person who thinks too highly of himself and needs a lesson) >>No Spring Chicken (Not young anymore) >>Persnickety (overly particular or snobbish) >>Pert-near (short for pretty near) >>Pretty is as pretty does (your actions are more important than your looks) >>Scalawag (a rascal or unprincipled person) >>Scarce as hen's teeth (something difficult to obtain) >>Skedaddle (Get out of here quickly) >>Sparking (courting) >>Straight >From the Horse's Mouth (privileged information from the one >>concerned) >>Stringing around, gallivanting around, or piddling (Not doing anything of >>value) >>Sunday go to meetin' dress (The best dress you had) >>We wash up real fine (is another goodie....) >>Tie the Knot (to get married) >>Too many irons in the fire (to be involved in too many things) >>Tuckered out (tired and all worn out) >>Under the weather (not feeling well this term came from going below deck >>on >>ships due to sea sickness thus you go below or under the weather) >>Wearing your "best bib and tucker" (Being all dressed up) >>You ain't the only duck in the pond (It's not all about you) >> >>Well, if you hold your horses, I reckon I'll get this whole kit and >>caboodle >>done and sent off to you. Please don't be too persnickety and get a bee in >>your bonnet because I've been pretty tuckered out and at sea lately >>because >>I'm no spring chicken. I haven't been just stringin' around and I know I'm >>not the only duck in the pond, but I do have too many irons in the fire. I >>might just be barking at a knot, but I have tried to give this article >>more >>than just a lick and a promise. >> >>------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>[email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >