DIALECT AND WORD MEANINGS

[Tripps]

Punce was in common use in Oldham in my childhood. Means 'kick'.

Usually in the context of Rugby League or Soccer, but also used to describe the quaint tradition of 'Shin kicking' which was popular in Oldham. Shin kicking


Clog fighting was also known as “parring” or “puncing”.

[Stanley]

I've never come across 'punce' but have heard of it.
I never could understand the attraction of shin-kicking. At Whatcote in Warwickshire where I first went farming they had an old tradition that on a certain day each year all the lads went onto the green outside the pub armed with a stick and started clouting each other's shins. The last man standing was the winner. Beats me Guv....

[Tripps]

I heard Gillian Keegan, the Minister for something or other, say this morning on the radio the word 'operationalize'

I've used a 'z' as it must surely be an American word. She was so fond of the word, that she used it five times in a fairly short interview. I've just been back and counted.

How sad. . . .on my part of course.

[Whyperion]

OED now seems to accept the use of Z and S as being interchangable and both acceptable in English.

[Stanley]

I heard her as well David and noted her evident enjoyment of the word. I suppose they think it makes them sound professional and efficient. All it signal to me is lack of command of basic English!

[Cathy]

Seen on The Chase
What does the phrase “I’ve cleaned your clock” mean?
It means “I’ve defeated you”.
(having been beaten in a battle or other contest)

I like that one

[Stanley]

Never heard that one Cathy....

[plaques]

Wasn't the dandelion seed head called a clock. Blowing the head and counting the number of blows was supposed to give you the time. When you had removed all the seeds you had cleared the clock.?

[Tripps]

What does the phrase “I’ve cleaned your clock” mean?

Must admit I've never heard it. There is great scope for explanations especially since The Chase actually does have a clock as the main feature of the game. I love the connection with dandelion clock - brings back childhood memories.

Immediate thought was the other daytime TV phrase "it's wiped its face" - meaning you've got your money back but made no profit - beloved of Mr Dickinson.

[Stanley]

I used 'snaffled' this morning... I looked it up.
Apparently from Dutch snavel, from Middle Dutch snavel, snabel (“snout”), diminutive of Middle Dutch snabbe, snebbe (“bird's bill, neb”). Akin to Old Frisian snavel (“mouth”), Middle Low German snabbe (“neb, beak”), Old English nebb (“beak, bill, nose, face”). More at neb.
Looks as though snaffle in the sense of seizing comes from the old words for beak. I confess I had forgotten snaffle as a type of bit.

[Tizer]

I heard someone on Radio 4 use the word `nibble' yesterday. A very familiar word but I hadn't heard it for ages. Same for `grimace'.

[Tripps]

I confess I had forgotten snaffle as a type of bit.

Those who watch racing on ITV and know of the Presenter Matt Chapman, will be familiar with on the snaff

[Stanley]

Nibble looks like the same root Peter.
Grimace. From French grimace, from Middle French grimace, from Old French grimace, grimuche, from grime (“mask”) (with the pejorative suffix -ace, from Latin -āceus), from Frankish *grīma, *grīmō (“mask”), from Proto-Germanic *grīmô (“mask, helmet”). Cognate with Old English grīma (“mask, visor, helmet, spectre, apparition”).
David, I am not an aficionado of horse terminology and all I knew was that it was a type of bit....

[Stanley]

I've just heard Craig Oliver who served as news manager for David Cameron responding to questioning about Jack Doyle, Johnson's news manager. He confused conflagration with conflation.

[Whyperion]

What does the phrase “I’ve cleaned your clock” mean?

Must admit I've never heard it. There is great scope for explanations especially since The Chase actually does have a clock as the main feature of the game. I love the connection with dandelion clock - brings back childhood memories.

Immediate thought was the other daytime TV phrase "it's wiped its face" - meaning you've got your money back but made no profit - beloved of Mr Dickinson.

I think its Countdown that has the clock.
There is ' I Clocked Him' - To recognise someone (whom may be disguised or hiding). ' I Clocked Him One' - punched his face (poss to Knock Out), after said person had displeased the other for some reason. There is also the use of Dial for face - Go and Clean Your Dial = Wash Your Face.

[MickBrett]

Last night I opened a bottle of wine, removed the cork from the corkscrew and put the cork in the cutlery drawer.
I was then making moves to throw the corkscrew in the rubbish bin when I realised my mistake.

My wife, who sat watching me, said "Mick, yer don't mend wi aging, d' yer...

A nice one her late dad used to come out with was "It'll either rain or go dark afore morning"

[Stanley]

In our case, usually rain.....

[MickBrett]

I misquoted her. It was...

Mick, yer don't mend wi keeping, d' yer...

[MickBrett]

As a kid, if I misbehaved (which was often) my mum used to say:

"Stop that or you'll be up them dancers with a flea in yer lug"

Lervly

[Stanley]

"You're worse than dirt down"! From my mother.

My dad being an Aussie used to say worse than the flies.

[Cathy]

I’ll flick yer lug ‘ole

[Cathy]

A new word for me - maybe for Tripps too.
Pandiculation.
It means “The act of stretching and yawning, especially on waking.”

[Stanley]

New one on me Cathy....

[Whyperion]

The Australian Prosecutor
" skerrick of evidence "

Apparently the web tells me Skerrick means a small portion or amount.

[Tizer]

I've seen and heard the word pulchritude before but never knew what it meant and hadn't been motivated to look it up - until yesterday. Collins tells me it means `beauty'. So why not use the word beauty, why use an ugly word to mean beauty?