Words that are Seldom Used Today!

pine - to feel very sad because one wants (something) or because one is not with (someone).
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we use the word pine/pining lots.. especially when seeing someone sad.... most often the dogs if I leave them when I've been with them most of the day, they will pine for hours
 

The uncles and father as well used to answer the phone with "Kellys pool hall eightball speaking". Grandma didn't appreciate that much.
 
"Fantastic" has now been or is being replaced by "Wicked"!

Mike.

Only amongst the young
Wicked was a popular adjective for a few years when I was in HS, as in "Wow! What a wicked car!"

In the Boston area, but not so much elsewhere to the best of my knowledge, it remains constant use, but has morphed to an adverb: "I'm wicked hungry, how about you?"
 
This is one that I thought of today when I was doing the dishes.

monkey dish - a small dish used for restaurant sides. The two lines indicate the amount of food. The bottom line is at approx. 1/4-1/3 cup and the top rim line is approx. 1/2-2/3 cup. The lines were important for food workers to be able to judge portion sizes quickly without actually measuring.

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Some people believe that the term originated in the homes of important people that actually used live monkeys to test their food for poison.

Another theory is that it came about with the Italian American organ grinders that would ask diners/restaurants for a small portion of food for their monkey. A portion similar in size to the little tin cup that the monkey used to beg for change.
 
This is one that I thought of today when I was doing the dishes.

monkey dish - a small dish used for restaurant sides. The two lines indicate the amount of food. The bottom line is at approx. 1/4-1/3 cup and the top rim line is approx. 1/2-2/3 cup. The lines were important for food workers to be able to judge portion sizes quickly without actually measuring.

330a913bab8a0d0ad831f8eeae4e61e1.jpg


Some people believe that the term originated in the homes of important people that actually used live monkeys to test their food for poison.

Another theory is that it came about with the Italian American organ grinders that would ask diners/restaurants for a small portion of food for their monkey. A portion similar in size to the little tin cup that the monkey used to beg for change.
I never heard the term monkey dish, but have certainly seen lots of dishes with those two lines on them. It never dawned on me that they served any purpose other than decoration. Thanks for passing along that bit of trivia, @Aunt Bea.
 

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