In last week’s post, Snake Doctors and All Things Southern, I shared some of my family’s most colorful Southern sayings.  It’s just part of the Southern way of communicating, and each is full of meaning.  Today I want to continue with other sayings that were heard often in the Sims household. My sister, Donna, and I were sharing a ride to the town of our birth, and had so much fun reaching back into time and pulling these sayings out of our memory banks.  Some of them were common to many people around us, but a few were only spoken in our family circle.  Enjoy.

“Skin a cat.”  I use this one with my grandchildren all the time.  [It was term used while removing a pullover shirt or sweater from a small child.  meaning– “raise up your hands straight and high above your heard so I can get this sweater off]  Example:  “Alright Dalton, it’s time to get a bath.  Skin a cat.” 

“He was already three sheets to the wind.”  [The “three sheets” imagery probably indicates “out there for all to see.”  meaning– Quite drunk and getting drunker]  Example:  “He got up to speak, already three sheets to the wind, said a few words and almost passed out.”

“As fine as Fizzle Dust.”  [Fizzle dust is a soft, nearly silent fart.   meaning–  the ability to escape without embarrassment.]  Example:  “That guy slipped on the ice and fell on his butt, but then jumped right up and kept on walking, fine as fizzle dust.”

“As flat as a flitter.”  [A flitter is a very thin and flat cornbread fritter. meaning– Very flat]   Example: “That tire’s not low, it’s flat as a flitter!”

“(anything) My hind leg!”  [A sign of great irritation in a parent toward their child.   meaning–  serious disbelief in what was stated.]  Example: “But Mom, I forgot!”  “Forgot, my hind leg!  You deliberately disobeyed me!”

“Now, hold your britches.”  [It probably comes from a child quickly exiting an outhouse without buckling his pants properly. (akin to “hold your horses”)  meaning– to not get in such a hurry; wait a minute; slow down]  Example:  “Hold your britches, young man, you’re not leaving ’till I say so!”

“Shake your britches.” [duh.  simple meaning– Did someone just soil their britches?  (poop in their pants).]  Example: “Whoa, somebody shake your britches, what IS that I smell?” or “That scared me so bad, I had to shake my britches!”

“God luv ‘it”  [Almost every Southern mama says it often.  meaning– “poor, unfortunate person,” (akin to “Bless your heart”)  It can also be a term of endearment for a little child]  Example:  “My heart broke when I saw that child’s little face after he found out what happened to his daddy, God luv ‘it.”

“He doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.”  [My grandmother would be very embarrassed to know that I heard her say it more than once, but I did.  meaning– extremely clueless]  Example:  “The governor talks big, but he doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground!”

“Mean as a snake.”  [This one probably goes back to Adam and Eve in the garden.  meaning– like the Devil, wicked and nasty in every way]  Example: “His cousin married a man from Georgia, mean as a snake!”

“Put on the dog.”  [This is a common Southernism, made popular in the movie “Sweet Home Alabama.”  meaning– Making something as fancy and pretentious as possible; to overdo it on purpose.]  Example: “When Mom invited the revival preachers over for lunch, she always made sure to put on the dog.”

“Dead as a door nail.”  [It’s not celebrating a death, it’s just declaring it as a fact.  meaning– dead and cold]  Example: “She was cooking, clutched her heart, and fell over dead as a door nail.”

Let me know if you’re familiar with any of them.   I’m interested to know!

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver
is a word fitly spoken.
Proverbs 25:11