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I never knew that. Like a square deal. When I was growing up it meant old fashioned and backwards--a bad thing. Our parents were hopelessly square. Meanings certainly do change!
They surely do. I remember when "gay" meant carefree and happy. And while I don't personally remember it, I have an uncle who remembers calling a cigarette a "f a g".
They surely do. I remember when "gay" meant carefree and happy. And while I don't personally remember it, I have an uncle who remembers calling a cigarette a "f a g".
They still do that in the UK and Australia. In the UK a homosexual is called a "poof".
"three squares" - three good meals a day; a "square"meal was a hearty meal.
"silly goose" or "ninny" - someone who does silly things
"streaked" or "frosted" - hair that has been highlighted--locks of it lightened
"pin curls" - tightly wound, flat, spirals of hair that were held in place by bobby pins. This was one way that women used to "set their hair"--shampoo it and wind it into pin curls and let it dry. Then brush out the pincurls and they would have fluffy, curly hair.
"finger wave" - no, it's not what you're thinking Finger waves were small, tight waves that were close to the scalp and shaped by manipulating the hair with the fingers and then using metal clamps to hold them into place unto the hair was dry. Then the clamps were removed and the hair brushed slightly and you had a wavy hairdo.
My grandmother also used some Biblical words that are not common in general conversation today--like "lie with". Occasionally, she would even spit out "fornicate".
Last edited by Cunucu Beach; 03-17-2011 at 07:05 AM..
My grandfather used the word "ought" for zero. When he would help me with my arithemetic he would use "ought" and I thought it was so funny. How much I would love to hear him use that word again.
My grandfather used the word "ought" for zero. When he would help me with my arithemetic he would use "ought" and I thought it was so funny. How much I would love to hear him use that word again.
I thought it was Naught, as in Jethro was a Double-Naught spy.
There was a cottage industry around laundry up until about the 1940's as many women did not have their own washing machines. If you wanted someone to do your laundry for you, you left it with the "washer woman" and she would wash and iron your clothes for a fee. (Many women supported themselves this way.) More commonly, women without their own "washers" carted their laundry to someone in the neighborhood who ran a "wash house", where you could do your own laundry (for a fee) and then take it home and hang it on your own clothesline.
The "wash house" was usually a small, free-standing building where the laundry was done. It had a cement floor--often with a trough-drain built into the floor for draining away the water--a hot water heater and anywhere from 3-6 "wringer washers" with three large tubs placed around them for rinsing. The women often brought their own (usually) homemade "lye soap" that was shaved and used that for their laundry soap. Otherwise, they used the "store-bought" brands like Oxydol and Rinso.
The neighborhood "wash house" was a place for female camaraderie and this is where all the women visited with each other and engaged in neighborhood gossip.
During the early part of the 20th century, not only did some people run a "wash house" from their homes but it was common to rent out rooms in the larger homes. Such a renter was called a "roomer". A "roomer" always had "bathroom privileges" and frequently "kitchen privileges" as well. The "roomer" was expected to wash their own dishes and clean up after themselves, especially in the bathroom. If meals were part of the rental agreement, it was "room and board" and the one who rented the room was called a "boarder". A house with many rooms to rent out that also included meals was called a "boarding house".
During those years many women also supported themselves by making clothes for people. "Ready made" or "store bought" clothing was expensive and fabric was cheap so mothers commonly made the clothing for their families usually sewing it on a "treadle machine". If she made clothing for other people she was a "seamstress".
Many of the words and terms above have not fallen completely by the wayside but, for the most part, what they were associated with has.
My grandmother would ask me if I need to "go to the toilet" instead of the bathroom . . . and she would say "we will eat at half-passed six." She also used ought instead of zero.
coney, in regards to a rabbit
the dickens
fantastic, as in unbelievable or other-wordly
gal Friday
locks, tresses
macadam
master, as a courtesy title for a young boy
mimeograph
mustn't, shan't
nosegay
Papist
quick, meaning alive (also, quickening of the womb, when the baby kicked for the first time)
sarsparilla, sassafras tea (root beer)
thee, thine, thou, thy (although some Amish still say them)
Before there were Power Point presentations, before there were slide shows, there were magic lantern shows.
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In the UK a homosexual is called a "poof". 
Finger waves were small, tight waves that were close to the scalp and shaped by manipulating the hair with the fingers and then using metal clamps to hold them into place unto the hair was dry. Then the clamps were removed and the hair brushed slightly and you had a wavy hairdo. 
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