Regional sayings

[jmarvellous]

I think of "out of pocket" in the alternate sense as serious "business speak."

It's not something I hear people say unless they come from a pretty corporate career background, or spend lots of time around those types. I'm sure there's some trickle-down, but it's primarily one of those complicated ways to say something that businesspeople seem to adore.

[hobish]

When we can hear a baby has woken up from a nap or their night's sleep, we say "Another country heard from!"  I always heard my grandmother say it, and DH heard his gmother say it too.   For older people who are up from sleeping it's "Trouble's coming!" or "It's alive!"

When we're having someone over I say we're "Having company."

I got confused once when my Midwestern friend said she was going to be "out of pocket" as I always took it to mean "I'm paying for something out of my own pocket" (as opposed to using company funds or something like that) but she meant it as "I'm going out of town."  Now I've kinda picked up on it.

I'm in MD and I use out of pocket quite a bit.  Typically it is used when someone is going to be out of reach for a while.  So if I'm hiking, I'll say that I'll be "out of pocket" for most of the day since I'll be in the middle of nowhere with no/intermittent cell signal.  Or if I need to focus on my job and will not be checking emails or answering non-work phone calls, I'll be "out of pocket" for so many days until I get caught up.

Similary (maybe?) we will use "in my pocket" for being in contact, sort of. Say you need something done by the title department, and you have a contact there. You might say "I have a title agent in my pocket," or somene might ask, "How did you get that so quickly? Do you have an underwriter in your pocket?" Oddly enough, though, you wouldn't say it the other way around. My friend Brian might say about me that he has an underwriter in his pocket because whenever he needs something quick i am his go-to person. I would never say that i am in Brian's pocket, though; that just sounds weird and wrong.

[Jones]

See, and if someone told me he had someone in his pocket, I would assume that meant he was bribing the someone.

[hobish]

See, and if someone told me he had someone in his pocket, I would assume that meant he was bribing the someone.

You know what? I have heard it used that way, too. I wonder if that is where it came from.  I also wonder if i should start demanding bribes.

[Nibsey]

Growing up in the Boston area I called that four-wheeled thing you push around at the grocery store a carriage. Now it's a cart. Same for those two-wheeled things that people who walk to the store carry their groceries home in. Formerly "two-wheeled carriage," now cart. A friend calls them "blue-haired lady carts," because she associates them with older women.

To me "out of pocket" refers to money. As in, stuff you pay for out of whatever money (cash or plastic) you're carrying as opposed to what is already covered (e.g., for a vacation you pay in advance for your hotel and rental car, but you still have to pay out of pocket for meals, souvenirs, park admissions, etc.). I've never heard it used to mean out of the area or not reachable.

My mom says "mind your own beeswax" as a slangy alternative to "mind your own business." She's Boston-born and raised.

This is a really common phrase in Ireland so I'm not surprised with the Boston connection.  Even though I'm pretty sure it's used in the UK as well.

[Slartibartfast]

See, and if someone told me he had someone in his pocket, I would assume that meant he was bribing the someone.

You know what? I have heard it used that way, too. I wonder if that is where it came from.  I also wonder if i should start demanding bribes.

I'd associate "having someone in your pocket" meaning they'll do whatever you want them to without question - which may mean bribes, but also may mean having other influence over them.  Usually you hear about a politician being in someone's pocket, typically someone who has a lot of money - so maybe not out-and-out bribes, but more like lots of campaign contributions --> the politician owes them a favor.  Although usually "having someone in your pocket" means more than just a favor, it's more like ongoing favors of any magnitude.

ETA: "Pulling some strings" is similar - if you need something bureaucratic done, you might "pull some strings" and get it done faster because you know people on the inside.

[katycoo]

See, and if someone told me he had someone in his pocket, I would assume that meant he was bribing the someone.

You know what? I have heard it used that way, too. I wonder if that is where it came from.  I also wonder if i should start demanding bribes.

I'd associate "having someone in your pocket" meaning they'll do whatever you want them to without question - which may mean bribes, but also may mean having other influence over them.  Usually you hear about a politician being in someone's pocket, typically someone who has a lot of money - so maybe not out-and-out bribes, but more like lots of campaign contributions --> the politician owes them a favor.  Although usually "having someone in your pocket" means more than just a favor, it's more like ongoing favors of any magnitude.

ETA: "Pulling some strings" is similar - if you need something bureaucratic done, you might "pull some strings" and get it done faster because you know people on the inside.

This, but "pull seom strings" I associate solely with favour, and never with bribery.

[PastryGoddess]

I think of "out of pocket" in the alternate sense as serious "business speak."

It's not something I hear people say unless they come from a pretty corporate career background, or spend lots of time around those types. I'm sure there's some trickle-down, but it's primarily one of those complicated ways to say something that businesspeople seem to adore.

I actually agree with this.  Before I was PastryGoddess.  I was MeetingGoddess and I picked it up from my various jobs.  FTR I live in DC where almost everyone is from somewhere else.

[mrs_deb]

When something is askew or lopsided, we say it's "whompy jawed".  I met a woman once who called it "caddy wumpus".

[Thipu1]

The talk about 'out of pocket' reminded me of an old NYC saying that I haven't heard in years.  That's probably because it's not PC.  It also doesn't make a bit of sense. 

In a situation in which success is assured, doubters are told, 'Don't worry.  We've got a Rabbi in the closet'.

[camlan]

Growing up in the Boston area I called that four-wheeled thing you push around at the grocery store a carriage. Now it's a cart. Same for those two-wheeled things that people who walk to the store carry their groceries home in. Formerly "two-wheeled carriage," now cart. A friend calls them "blue-haired lady carts," because she associates them with older women.

To me "out of pocket" refers to money. As in, stuff you pay for out of whatever money (cash or plastic) you're carrying as opposed to what is already covered (e.g., for a vacation you pay in advance for your hotel and rental car, but you still have to pay out of pocket for meals, souvenirs, park admissions, etc.). I've never heard it used to mean out of the area or not reachable.

My mom says "mind your own beeswax" as a slangy alternative to "mind your own business." She's Boston-born and raised.

Pod to all of this. My parents were from Boston, as well.

[Redneck Gravy]

I am familiar with catty whompus and whomperjawed (same words, different spellings) as off center also.

A phrase I have been saying a lot lately is about everyone having their hand in my pocket...which means everytime I turn around someone's got their hand out for money. 

I work for a home builder and EVERYONE is in your pocket in that industry...architect, city hall for permits, inspectors, subcontractors, realtors, appraisers, mortgage company, insurance company, bank and surveyors (geez, I'm sure I missed someone in there).

 

[GeauxTigers]

Oh, I've got a good one.

Louisiana has parishes as opposed to counties. (Louisiana law is based on old French common law).

The local governing body of a Louisiana parish is called the police jury.

It's neither the police or a jury. It will encompass the sheriff's department, non-city water districts, schools, the local court system,(other than city or federal) the parish jail, mosquito control, non-city taxes, voter registration, etc.

[Danika]

I grew up in the Rocky Mountain region of the US and had never heard this till I moved to the Northeast. When someone makes a mistake, they say "my bad." And I had a friend from Michigan who said that where she lived, they didn't say "my bad" but they said "my bag" instead, when they were correcting themselves.

[Mental Magpie]

I grew up in the Rocky Mountain region of the US and had never heard this till I moved to the Northeast. When someone makes a mistake, they say "my bad." And I had a friend from Michigan who said that where she lived, they didn't say "my bad" but they said "my bag" instead, when they were correcting themselves.

Having grown up in the northeast and then moving to the Rocky Mountain region, I never noticed that one...but now I'm going to see if people don't say it here (because I'm oh so far from you ). I grew up saying it so I never paid attention for people not saying it...challenge accepted!