15 traditional English words and phrases at risk of extinction - but you may still be saying them

We’ve got some super sayings in our English language, I’m sure everyone will agree.

And it’s evolving all the time. 

Things are ‘sick’, and it’s all good. And if you make a mistake it’s polite to admit ‘my bad’. 

But, while these new phrases and sayings are growing in popularity, others are at risk of becoming extinct - and you could be showing your age if you’re one of the people still saying them.

We’ve put together a list of words and phrases you don’t hear as often as you once did.

They may be the victims of developing technology and changing lifestyles, or just not as popular as they once were.

There are some fantastically colourful turns of phrase among them - it would be a shame if we lost them all.

Let us know of any you think we may have missed - we’re sure they won’t be a load of codswallop.

1. Put it on the other side

This used to be a common phrase uttered among families gathered around the TV set, meaning change the channel. It dates back to a time long before streaming and when there was much less choice when it came to what to watch, with the UK only getting a fourth channel in 1982. People also often refer to TV shows rather than programmes these days, too, while the British word series is facing a battle for survival against the US equivalent season.

2. A few sandwiches short of a picnic 

Here’s a humorous phrase which has been used to describe someone who is behaving strangely. They may be lacking in common sense - a bit foolish, clueless or maybe a little crazy. These days it’s used so rarely that if you say it you could be at risk of people thinking that you are ‘a few sandwiches short of a picnic’!

3. Going to the pictures

People used to talk about going to the pictures - a phrase dating back to a time when cinemas were called picture houses. But the word movie has largely replaced picture, flick and even film in common usage.

4. Don't get your knickers in a twist

This saying, meaning don't get too upset about something so trivial, is another which appears to be dying out. People today are more likely to simply tell you to 'calm down'. Either phrase invariably has the opposite effect to that of its stated aim.

5. A load of codswallop

This phrase made its first appearance in the Oxford English Edition in 1972 which recorded it as a slang word meaning ‘nonsense, drivel’. However the earliest recorded use of it is said to be from a Radio Times article in 1963. You don’t hear it so much these days though. 

6. Know your onions

We've grown used to American words and phrases killing off traditional British sayings but this is one which originated in the US in the 1920s and is now at risk of dying out. For those who weren't aware, it means being particularly knowledgeable about a particular subject. 

7. Switch on the wireless

This is another archaic word, once commonly used to refer to a radio back when the wireless technology was still a thing of wonder. Nowadays it's just a part of everyday life and you're more likely to ask someone to try turning the Wifi off and on when your internet's playing up. 

8. Plonker

The British have always had a way with insults, which is probably why we have so many of them. Plonker was Del Boy's favourite put-down for his long-suffering little brother Rodney on Only Fools and Horses but it's not one you hear very often these days. Other once popular insults which could be on their way out include pillock, dipstick and wazzock 

9. Avocado pear

Avocados are hugely popular in the UK today but that wasn't always the case. Marks & Spencer claim to have introduced them to the UK in 1968 but it took a while for us to warm to them. That was partly down to confusion, with the exotic, new foodstuff initially marketed as 'avocado pears' and one customer complaining that she'd stewed them and served them with custard, with unsurprisingly disappointing results. The term 'avocado pear' stuck around for a while but is rarely used today. Despite their similar shape, avocados are not related to pears in any way and are actually part of the berry family. 

10. Colder than a witch's tit 

Now this phrase refers to the weather being a bit chilly. It dates back to 1932 when it was used in the American mystery novel Spider House by Francis Van Wyck Mason. It has been claimed that it may have been inspired by the belief in the 17th century that itches had teats on various parts of their body.  However, it is more likely that the phrase is simply a graphic way of describing cold weather, similar to the English phrase ‘brass monkey weather’.

11. I'm going to spend a penny

We love a euphemism in the UK and there are all manner of ways to politely excuse yourself when you need the loo. Some people still say they're off to spend a penny, but it's not a phrase you hear as much as you once did. It dates back to the days when it actually did cost a penny to use a public lavatory, but inflation means it's much more costly to relieve yourself these days.

12. French stick

Sacré bleu! The use of the term 'French stick' to refer to a baguette, or usually a poor British approximation of one, dates back to the days when we were much less cosmopolitan on these isles. It wasn't until around the 1990s that more genuine baguettes, which the French wouldn't turn their noses up at, became readily available in the UK and started to be known over here by their proper name. 

13. Not enough space to swing a cat

Cats everywhere must be rejoicing at the slow death of this bizarre saying, describing a cramped room, which a 2022 survey found fewer than half of those questioned had ever used. Quite how it came about is unclear. A popular theory is that it originates from the cat o' nine tails whip used in the navy but this seems unlikely as the earliest known use of 'swing a cat' is understood to predate the first use of 'cat o' nine tails'. For the avoidance of doubt, the swinging of cats is never acceptable, however much room you might have. 

14. Storm in a tea cup

If you’re not familiar with this phrase it refers to a small event that has been exaggerated out of proportion. It was more popular in the 17th and 18th centuries that it is today - and is said to originate right back to the early 1st century BC and can be found in the writings of Roman statesman Cicero.

15. Tickety-boo

Things are not looking great for the future of this term, meaning everything's fine. A 2022 poll found that nearly three-fifths of those questioned had never uttered the saying. Cynics of a certain age might suggest that's just a sign things aren't as good as they used to be. 

16. Pip Pip

This phrase originated in Britain as an informal expression of farewell, particularly during the early 20th century. It's thought to be an imitation of the short, high-pitched sound made by a horn, like the one on a bicycle or train. While "cheerio" predates "pip pip" and is considered a less formal goodbye, Merriam-Webster says that "pip-pip" is also a British goodbye. Although you won’t hear many using it these days.