words your grandparents used (money, quote, dictionary)

[elston]

"raw" the weather outside today would have been described as "raw" by my father....a windy, cool wet and drizzly day in early spring--the kind that fools you into going out without your coat.

[jcraig10]

"the tasty freeze" - any and every ice cream shop!

"pick-a-ninny"

"whiskers" - mustache

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by elston

"raw" the weather outside today would have been described as "raw" by my father....a windy, cool wet and drizzly day in early spring--the kind that fools you into going out without your coat.

My mother says that, and come to think of it, so do I.

[Cunucu Beach]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

My mother says that, and come to think of it, so do I.

I usually say "nasty" for bad weather but "raw" would do just as well.

My grandmother used to say it was "raining pitchforks" or "cats and dogs".

My aunt, who lived in west Texas on a farm for almost her entire life, always referred to a tornado as a "cyclone".

DH would say it was "cold enough to freeze the b**ls off a brass monkey".

[Copanut]

OK, Mods take note.

I used to work in a drugstore circa late 60's.

My favorite expression when a guy with a hot wife would purchase Trojans.

"I'd like to be in his rubbers tonight!"

You can't make that up.

[Cunucu Beach]

In the 50's we called them "rubbers" or "prophylactics" - usually "rubbers" because that was easier.


"quiver" - noun: a state of tension or being upset. We used to say, "Don't get your liver in a quiver."

"flux" - any copious flow from the body; often not normal and associated with a disease. Could also refer to normal menstrual flow and was called "bloody flux". Sometimes conditions such as severe diarrhea were described as "a flux".

"seemly" - proper, appropriate

"spring tonic" - farm wives would gather the first dandelions and other healthy wild foods, boil them down to extract all the nutrients from them, put into bottles with alcohol to preserve it and give a dose to the family every day. This was her "spring tonic". It was very healthy after a winter without many fresh fruits and vegetables.

"dropsy" - edema of the lower legs and ankles; usually caused by congestive heart failure.

"solarium" - a special room with many windows to let in as much sunlight as possible

"by and by" - an indeterminate time in the future

"horse sense" - common sense

"perforce" - thus

"bed-sport" - self-explanatory

"urchin" - a child; often without a family and not well cared for

"ninny" - a foolish person

"boudoir" - French: bedroom; usually described the bedroom of a high class lady and was a very feminine room.

"chambers" - the man's bedroom

[Ohiogirl81]

One of my mom's oft-used expressions was: "Your room looks like a cyclone went through it!"

[Cunucu Beach]

"nincompoop" - a complete azz

"The Great War" - my grandmother used to refer to WWI this way

"bodacious" - pleasing

"crone" - an old woman

[Mightyqueen801]

Busier than a one-armed paperhanger.

[the old man]

busy as a longtailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs