Colloquial expressions, idioms, and slang once common, now archaic…

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Fyrefox

Well-known Member
Your use of slang and similar expressions once popular but now obscure can date you pretty quickly. Most of us can remember “cool,” “far out!,” and “groovy, baby!” from the 1960’s, but how many remember the expression, “Now you’re cooking with gas!” This meant that you were on to something, or doing the latest, greatest thing…

What are some expressions from your past that you don’t hear people using much anymore, or it dates you if you do? Please translate their meaning if they’re likely to be obscure in today’s world… 🤔
 

Thanks for mentioning "COOL" as many I know still say it! They are between 60 and 90 years old.

I remember when "What's the story" was slang for 'what's up with you 'and "give me the skinny" I used the word "skinny "many times" when I did live radio shows for veterans and gave them the skinny, as I explained some new Court of Veteran Appeals decisions, or new Title 38 regulations.

My parents used to say a neighbor down the street was "Two sheets to the Wind"., meaning he had two many beers at the local bar and was staggering home. (1940s_

Only once in a while do I hear someone say 'so and so' is in CAHOOTS" with someone else.

And I sure remember the "Beat Generation" of the 60's and Beatniks!

I don't hear De ja vu much
or even

"It's deja vu all over again" (Yogi Berra)​

 
I dated myself once with a young cashier.

I told her that I didn't have enough 'scratch' to pay for the item. She said, "What does scratch mean?" I told her it meant 'money'.
 

Widow of Vietnam Vet said:
Thanks for mentioning "COOL" as many I know still say it! They are between 60 and 90 years old.
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In my region, "sweet" seems to have replace cool for at least the last 10 years. A bit before that came "awesome", applied to just about everything..

But I also remember the use of "waay cool" among teenagers who would now be in their 40s.
 
Back in the fifties, "with it," meant current fashion. We also expressed approval with the term: "swinging!" When you were leaving somewhere that was popular you, "split the scene." "See you, or see you later," is a revised expression from 1956 when Bill Haley had everyone saying: "See you later, alligator."
 
Used to be if you were called a "Drip", you were being called a loser.
Recently in a game I play I was called a "Drip" and I took great offense.
Telling a young friend about it, they explained a "Drip" means you are in fashion now.
 
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Put the pedal to the metal.

You use the phrase ‘Pedal to the Metal’ to indicate that something is being pushed forward as fast as possible.

“I put the pedal to the metal and finished my essay two days early.”

This expression originated during the 1950s, when cars’ floorboards were made of metal and racers would put the accelerator all the way down to make their autos go as fast as possible.
 
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (1967-1973) spawned a lot of trendy 60’s hip expressions lost on most younger people today. They included:
- - “Sock it to me!” (Hit me with it, tell me right now!)
- - “You bet your sweet bippy!” (You bet your sweet a**)
- - ‘Here comes the judge!” (A Sammy Davis classic)
- - “Verry interesting!” (Artie Johnson as a WWII German soldier)

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