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  1. Oct 6, 2020 · Learn the old slang terms that were popular in different decades of the 20th century, from the tough-guy 1950s to the totally rad 1990s. Find out the meanings and examples of expressions like "germsville," "beat feet," "made in the shade," and more.

    • like how "a wet sock" means a limp handshake.
    • "Happy cabbage" is a sizeable amount of money to be spent on self-satisfying things. You know, like cabbage. This was the old days.
    • "Pang-Wangle" is to live or go along cheerfully in spite of minor misfortunes, like Mickey Mouse who goes along cheerfully despite having a dog who's a friend and also a dog who's a dog and also, come to think of it, Thor, who goes on despite having Loki as a brother, and Yoda, who goes on despite Luke Skywalker's incessant whining.
    • "In the ketchup" means in the red or operating at a deficit.
    • “At the Drop of a Hat” Means: To do something without delay. Real meaning: In the 19 century, a hat was used to indicate the start of a race or a fight. A hat would be dropped or swept in a downward arc and participants would begin.
    • “As Mad as a Hatter” Means: To be crazy or insane. Real meaning: In the 17 and 18 centuries, hatters made felt hats with mercury, which lead to all kinds of side effects, including insanity.
    • “Barking up the Wrong Tree” Means: Take the wrong approach or waste your efforts. Real meaning: This is an old saying that originates in America and refers to hunting dogs in the early 19 century.
    • “Basket Case” Means: Stressed out, unable to cope. Real meaning: In WW1, tragically many soldiers lost limbs and had to be carried. They were put in a makeshift basket and referred to as ‘basket cases’.
    • Contributor
    • Mooncalf. > When this word was first in use: 17th century. A mooncalf is a foolish or absentminded person. While no one uses this word anymore, it has made a reappearance in popular culture.
    • Yclept. > When this word was first in use: Old English. Yclept, or “by the name of,” is an Old English word meaning it’s really, really old. It’s also one of the small number of English words that have ‘y’ as a vowel at the beginning.
    • Egad. > When this word was first in use: 17th century. Egad was once used to express surprise or anger. It is believed to derive from Oh God. Some of the words on our list are minced oaths — euphemistic versions of profane or blasphemous terms.
    • Scaramouche. > When this word was first in use: 17th century. The scaramouche — a boastful but cowardly person — was a stock character in Italian comedy three centuries ago.
  2. 5 days ago · 11. 'Don't have a cow'. Another old-fashioned phrase that we should bring back today is the phrase "Don't have a cow." "Having a cow" means getting upset or agitated about something, so telling ...

  3. Sep 29, 2022 · A list of old words and slang terms that are no longer in common use, with definitions and examples. Some of them are funny, some are obscure, and some are still used in some regions or contexts.

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  5. Learn the origins and meanings of outdated expressions like "rolling" down a window, "footage" and "hit the hay". See how these phrases have changed over time and why they are no longer accurate.