Different Meanings for Words

[katycoo]

Well I am a woman who is over 50 and often say I am going potty.  Of course I mean I am going round the twist, not rushing off to the ladies room.

My SIL is using it to say she is going to the ladies room.

I am familiar with the idea of going potty meaning round the twist - or mad. I wonder where that comes from.

And you've hit another one: mad.  US mad = angry.  UK mad = insane.

I hear mad used in the U.S. for insane. It's kind of an archaic or "literary" usage, but it lives on in terms such as "madly in love" and "mad about you." I actually had a (fellow American) friend who disliked the use of "mad" to mean angry. I'd ask him, "Are you mad at me?" and he'd respond, "Why would I be angry with you?"

Aussie mad = either depending on context.

[Irishkitty]

Well I am a woman who is over 50 and often say I am going potty.  Of course I mean I am going round the twist, not rushing off to the ladies room.

"Round the twist"? Please translate. I did a quick Google and I'm guessing it means crazy, but can't be sure. "Go potty" for "go crazy" would definitely get you a lot of strange looks here in the states.

It does mean the same thing (ie Crazy)

[Irishkitty]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

[bigozzy]

Well I am a woman who is over 50 and often say I am going potty.  Of course I mean I am going round the twist, not rushing off to the ladies room.

My SIL is using it to say she is going to the ladies room.

I am familiar with the idea of going potty meaning round the twist - or mad. I wonder where that comes from.

And you've hit another one: mad.  US mad = angry.  UK mad = insane.

I hear mad used in the U.S. for insane. It's kind of an archaic or "literary" usage, but it lives on in terms such as "madly in love" and "mad about you." I actually had a (fellow American) friend who disliked the use of "mad" to mean angry. I'd ask him, "Are you mad at me?" and he'd respond, "Why would I be angry with you?"

Aussie mad = either depending on context.

I was as mad as a cut snake the other day.

[Slartibartfast]

Well I am a woman who is over 50 and often say I am going potty.  Of course I mean I am going round the twist, not rushing off to the ladies room.

My SIL is using it to say she is going to the ladies room.

I am familiar with the idea of going potty meaning round the twist - or mad. I wonder where that comes from.

And you've hit another one: mad.  US mad = angry.  UK mad = insane.

I hear mad used in the U.S. for insane. It's kind of an archaic or "literary" usage, but it lives on in terms such as "madly in love" and "mad about you." I actually had a (fellow American) friend who disliked the use of "mad" to mean angry. I'd ask him, "Are you mad at me?" and he'd respond, "Why would I be angry with you?"

We do say "mad" for insane in the US, but usually only as a kind of quote ("He's gone mad!  Hahahaha!" in a Dr. Frankenstein voice) or when we're intentionally trying to sound British.  Most Americans would know what you meant if you said someone had gone mad, or someone had a mad scheme, but I doubt many Americans would mention "crazy" if you asked them to define "mad."

[BabylonSister]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

If an Irish kid gets bold, will his mother be cross?


"cross" meaning "angry" is something I've only ever heard in Ireland.

[bigozzy]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

If an Irish kid gets bold, will his mother be cross?


"cross" meaning "angry" is something I've only ever heard in Ireland.

My kids (in Scotland) are threatened with a skelping if they get a bit nippy or have a face like a soor plum.

They have never had a skelping though!

[RingTailedLemur]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

If an Irish kid gets bold, will his mother be cross?


"cross" meaning "angry" is something I've only ever heard in Ireland.

I thought that was the common use of the word.... hmmm, interesting!

[Irishkitty]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

If an Irish kid gets bold, will his mother be cross?


"cross" meaning "angry" is something I've only ever heard in Ireland.

LOL. If an Irish child is bold, his mother will be cross alright!

[BabylonSister]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

If an Irish kid gets bold, will his mother be cross?


"cross" meaning "angry" is something I've only ever heard in Ireland.

I thought that was the common use of the word.... hmmm, interesting!

Oh, it might be used in the UK. I've just never heard a Brit say it. I'm fairly sure it's not used at all in the US, or, if it, it would be very local.

[camlan]

Bold.

I'm thinking that it's almost an exclusively Irish thing to use this to mean naughty, but perhaps that's no longer true?

EG: if a child does something naughty we would said "s/he's so bold!".

I believe most other English speaking countries would use this to mean brave EG: "to boldly go where no man has gone before"

(Maybe this should be in the topic of things that sound dirty but are not )

If an Irish kid gets bold, will his mother be cross?


"cross" meaning "angry" is something I've only ever heard in Ireland.

I thought that was the common use of the word.... hmmm, interesting!

Oh, it might be used in the UK. I've just never heard a Brit say it. I'm fairly sure it's not used at all in the US, or, if it, it would be very local.

I'm from New England. Cross can be used to mean "mildly angry" or "upset." If you were really angry, you'd be "mad." A parent could be cross at a child for constantly interrupting a conversation, but might get mad if said child disobeyed the house rules and snuck out of the house after he'd been put to bed.

[2littlemonkeys]

I've also heard "cross" to describe someone who's in a general bad mood.  "Joe's cross today."

[Irishkitty]

^^ It can mean that also.

[Larrabee]

NW UK, I'd understood cross as mildly annoyed but not too angry.  For context, a teacher might get 'cross' with a misbehaving child, but they shouldn't really get angry.

Its not very commonly used by people my age though (2os, 30s.)

[baglady]

How about "fresh"? I was always told "Don't be fresh!" when I talked back. I've also heard it used for men making untoward advances ("He got fresh with her.")