In another thread, I mentioned how I love the following phrase:

That really dusts my doilies!

It means that it really is irritating. I don't remember where I first heard it nor do I really know what it means. Somebody once commented that it is quite difficult to "dust doilies" (I wouldn't know!)--and that may be its derivation.

At any rate, I love saying it because people really think it's a funny saying. What are your favorite expressions of irritation or joy or whatever????

My favorite expression of apology: "A thousands pardons, my forehead scrapes the floor."

I'm completely at a loss to explain where that comes from. A pre-1960's British movie set in India, possibly? Any help out there on this? It has bugged me for years.

That one is good, CJ. However, I am still laughing over your post in another thread, Oh Holy Sweet Jesus on a Moped! I have a hunch that you have a wide collection of hilarious phrases!

This might be a bit off the point but one of my very favorite phrases, delivered in an aggravated tone and accompanied by a scowl, is "Do I look like Fred Astaire?!" as in:

A friend: "What date does Thanksgiving fall on this year?"
Me: "Do I look like Fred Astaire?!"

or

Another friend: "What is the capital of Denmark?"
Me: "Do I look like Fred Astaire?!"

When done properly, the friend assumes that I've made a blisteringly funny comment and that he or she just doesn't get it. Other nearby friends who happen to be in on the gag invariably laugh which just goes to bolster the first person's confusion.

And, no, you're correct, I don't have a huge number of friends...

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Oh Holy Sweet Jesus on a Moped!

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A similarly colourful expression that my father used quite often was "Christ on a crutch!"

My ex-husband had an annoying saying...of course, the man was annoying anyway! "Whatever blows your dress up!"

Well, CJ, you'd be my friend because I'd be in stitches all the time!

The following is another favorite of mine, and it has some good history, too:
Go suck an egg!

Yes, Arnie, my mom used to say "Christ on a crutch", too. Also, there is "Jesus H. Christ!" Does anyone know what "H" stands for?

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Also, there is "Jesus H. Christ!" Does anyone know what "H" stands for?

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Kalleh! My dad says this all the time. Has driven me nuts for years with it, and I never had the nerve to ask him what the "H" stood for! PLEASE tell me someone, anyone, knows what it means?

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
Also, there is "Jesus H. Christ!" Does anyone know what "H" stands for?

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Henry.

Tinman

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Originally posted by Morgan:

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Also, there is "Jesus H. Christ!" Does anyone know what "H" stands for?

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The short answer is "no".
I've seen this discussed before (I'll post the links when I find them) but there seem to be as many theories about the "H" as there are people to invent them.

My favourite (which I think I invented) is that it's the same as the H in the name of the actor Harry H. Corbett - it doesn't stand for anything, it was added to avoid confusion with an artist of a similar name.

Quid quid latine dictum sit, altum viditur

Read all about my travels around the world here.

Haploid

Regarding the H in "Jesus H. Christ," the short answer may be "no" but the correct answer is "Harold" as in:

"Our Father, who art in heaven, Harold be thy name."

(snicker...)

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Not my original...

Regarding the H in "Jesus H. Christ," the short answer may be "no" but the correct answer is "Harold" as in:

"Our Father, who art in heaven, Harold be thy name."

(snicker...)

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I thought his name was Andy!

Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me....

Quinion says:

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JESUS H CHRIST: There have been various theories, but the one that seems most plausible is that it comes from the Greek monogram for Jesus, IHS or IHC. This is formed from the first two letters plus the last letter of His name in Greek (the letters iota, eta, and sigma; in the second instance, the C is a Byzantine Greek form of sigma). The H is actually the capital letter form of eta, but churchgoers who were unfamiliar with Greek took it to be a Latin H.

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Oh, there really does seem to be an answer!
Tinman, I'm curious; you seemed so confident when you just said, "Henry". Were you just pulling our legs?

To get back to the original question posted on this thread, for a while, when I wanted to express aproval for someone, I would say "He's worth his weight in wart remover." My own coinage, thank you very much. It made no sense, of course, but I liked the way it sounded. Feel free to use it.

I've got another far more recent coinage, inspired by this board, that I haven't even had the opportunity use yet. The next time someone gives me grief unnecessarily, I'm going to tell them, "Well, if you don't like it, you can just go polish my syntax!"

Should be worth a laugh and/or a pop in the snoot!

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"Well, if you don't like it, you can just go polish my syntax!"

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May I borrow that one?

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
Tinman, I'm curious; you seemed so confident when you just said, "Henry". Were you just pulling our legs?

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Yes, and what nice legs they are! I assumed the "H" was added for emphasis, much like your Mother, when you were a child, would use your first and middle names when she was upset with you. If she called, "Kalleh", you knew she wasn't mad. If she yelled (not called), "Kalleh Jean" (or whatever your middle name is), you knew she was serious and a bit perturbed with you. If she then used your full name - "Kalleh Jean Morganstern" (remember Rhoda Morganstern from The Mary Tyler Moore Show?) - you knew she was really mad!

I think the difference between JC (Jesus Christ) and JHC is the same as the difference between BD (big deal) and BFD.

Tinman

Since this phrase is almost always said in anger, I assumed it meant "Hell".