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Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are having a conversation with someone and they use a word or a phrase that you haven’t heard of and have no idea what it means? There are some people who like to use more colorful language and revive words that are no longer used or have changed their meaning throughout time. If you still feel lost when you hear some archaic word or phrase, you are not alone as one Reddit user, @SunRevolutionary8315, asked other people online “What is an outdated word or phrase an older family member uses that makes your brain hurt?” Soon people started sharing sayings their parents, grandparents and other older relatives use in their everyday language and trying to explain the meaning behind these words. So if you’re also looking for ways to expand your vocabulary, the post with more than 34k upvotes is a great source of knowledge.  

Do you know someone in your family who also likes to puzzle you with outdated language? Don’t forget to share it in the comments down below!

More Info: Reddit

#1

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group Anyone else get told they were “Cruisin for a bruisin” as a kid or just me?

CuteCanary , Jamie Smed Report

#2

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My late father (born in '33) used to say he'd been "d**ked by the dangling dong of destiny" when something went wrong that was out of his control.

mourninglark , Sarah Stierch Report

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spiritwolf avatar
spirit wolf
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I will be adopting this phrase, going into effect immediately. Thank you!

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#3

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group When I was a kid and we had a slow start to our day my mother would say “we’re off like a herd of turtles” still makes me smile

kurtsta , Krabiman Report

#4

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group There was an older gentleman, about 70, that I used to work with that looked at me and said “His butter done slid off his biscuit” referring to another coworker acting crazy. I’m in southern Kentucky.

Awerunner , Bill Selak Report

#5

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My grandpa likes to use the phrase "not my monkey, not my circus"

to everyone asking if he's Polish, we're Latino. He says it in both Spanish and English, "no es mi circo, no son mis monos". I didn't realize until writing it out that he flips the order in English.

Career_Much , Ben Tullis Report

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#6

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group answers the phone

“Yellow!”

fjordbastard , Erik Vanden Report

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skyrender avatar
Sky Render
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Better than the early 2000s, when the standard phone greeting was "WHAZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!?"...

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#7

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group Went into a speed shop the other day and overheard the shop owner talking to someone on the phone. Man was 60+ and said un-ironically "Catch ya on the flip side Daddio" to end the conversation he was having.

ampd1450 , Adam Report

#8

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group slight stray from question, my english professor says “heavens to betsy”

MyxHere13 , Shane Global Report

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Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your English professor isn't allowed to swear on the job

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#9

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group You can call me anything you like except late for dinner!

I use this all the time and my wife tells me that’s something only old men say

Flashy_Concern_4676 , Peter Hellberg Report

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vickyz avatar
Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hello Mr "in time for dinner" I'm Mrs "always room for dessert"

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#10

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group “If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas”

aGrlHasNoUsername , Antonio Castagna Report

#11

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My nana says “That really turns me on” about ANYTHING. Good ice cream, a movie, music, doesn’t matter.

spinkyrinky , alex yosifov Report

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#12

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group "Davenport" to mean couch. Apparently, it was a name-brand couch back in the day.

bradradio , Kara Babcock Report

#13

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My mom was not a fan of colorful language, I can't recall ever hearing an f-bomb escape her lips. But if she was mad at someone, she would say "They can just go piss up a rope!" I still don't know WTF she meant.

nachobitxh , dailyinvention Report

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BleeBloo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when i was growing up, when one of my elderly neighbors got ready to swear she would say "God......bless America"

festersixonesixonethree avatar
Fester Sixonesixonethree
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pissing up a rope is like pissing into the wind - you're guaranteed to get wet.

ladyvischuss avatar
Ladyvischuss
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still say it today along with a family favorite, "Jesus Christ on a crutch!" Blurted that one out to a cop one day. He looked at me as if I was insane, which was beside the point.

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April
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's one of my mom's favorites, along with "teaching oysters how to jump rope" if you ask what she's doing when you can already see what she's doing

blbrightonoswin_1 avatar
Brian Bennett
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was usually said to someone you didn't like -Why don't you just go piss up a rope! Try it betcha can't do it!

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#14

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My dad used to say “That’ll put lead in your pencil”.

FactoryV4 , Yusuke SAKAI Report

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Tiny Dancer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's got to be right up there with, "That'll put hair on your chest!", which always bugged me seeing as I was a chick, lol.

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#15

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My mother used to say "he's got his wobbly boots on" whenever she saw someone drunk.

kiss_my_what , boothekolt Report

#16

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group When you put something in your mouth it's really hot and react.

Que grandma "well it wasn't cooked on a f*****k sewing machine"

thatmaintenanceguy , Emma Jane Report

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Daniel Pacheco
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wonder if your grandma has latino roots? Sewing machines and to-saw, in castellano & spanish is 'máquina cosedora' / 'coser' (which is very simmilar to 'cocer' /to cook

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#17

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My father says, and I quote, "Foshizzle Manizzle."

Vesper2004 , Remy Sharp Report

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Joanna
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, this is something older millennials remember. I remember it from 9th grade and I'm 32.

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#18

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group When talking about drinking, my dad says "I got plowed the other night" rather than "I got drunk the other night"

Practical-Usual-4414 , Juan Camilo Trujillo Report

#19

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group I have a friend, about 15 years older than me, who constantly says s**t like "bump uglies".

KomedyChameleon , Charles Brewer Report

#20

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My mom is 71, she says things are cool. But she pronounces it like kewel, or kyoul.

OhAces , Jessica Merz Report

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mrkette avatar
Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She’s only five years older than I am and one of my faves is “cool beans”

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#21

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group "The devil's been beatin' his wife"- when the sun is out but it's still raining. I heard this a lot growing up but apparently some people have never heard of it?

confused_enby102 , followtheseinstructions Report

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Yugan Talovich
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a very old English proverb that goes something like, If it rains while the sun is shining, the devil is beating his wife with a leg of mutton. It's so weird I've never forgotten it.

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#22

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My grandma would say “bull feathers” instead of bulls**t

Hunk_n_Butt , hotzeplotz Report

#23

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My older relatives in Michigan (all passed away now) used to say Geez-O-Pete instead of Jesus Christ, I guess so as not to blaspheme? Who f**king knows?

motown_missile , Carlos Ebert Report

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#24

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My dad still talks about "The Japs!" Like he fought in world war 2. But he's too young and also not American.

Sparkes , Ryan Hyde Report

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Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lots of countries had to fight the Japanese in WWII. Dutch, British, Australians and then there were all the locals like Malay, Indonesian, etc.

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#25

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group I hate when old people ask “can you whack this off for me”

For $20 anything is possible tho

MarkedHondaMan , John Trainor Report

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Thorfin Wolfsbane
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"technically, sir, if I whacked it off for you, it wouldn't be called whacking off..."

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#26

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My coworker says "It's hotter than a blistered d**k in a wool sock"

CoolWalrus2085 , AnnaKika Report

#27

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group 50/50 chance my mom is gonna say “and we’re off like a dirty shirt” when leaving an establishment.

I kinda like it though

Moonflufff , woodleywonderworks Report

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Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My favorite is “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” I like it so much that I had a Swedish person tell me how to say it, so now I say (this is a transliteration since I have now idea how it it would be spelled in Swedish) the upper-case letters are said in a higher tone than the lower-case ones (apparently this matters) “Lo-TOOS spreng-A det-TA EES-glass stahnd...or, in the language of my people, Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

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#28

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group grandpa: says narcist instead of narcissist. apparently back in the day that was normal

grandma: if wishes were fishes we’d have a big fry

Embarrassed-Cream , C Watts Report

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"If wishes were Porsches, beggars would drive" ---- my mom having twisted "If wishes were horses".

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#29

29 Outdated Words And Phrases Some Older Folks Use That Puzzle Millennials And Gen Zers In This Online Group My mom says she’s “gotta go tink tink” instead of to the bathroom.

VividTangerine , Paul Report

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Jessica Rabbit
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I called it tinkle once and my husband was like, "You are an adult, not a child".

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Note: this post originally had 34 images. It’s been shortened to the top 29 images based on user votes.

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