Phrases That Make Little or No Sense

[Front-Ranger]

We do have another saying about a bear, though. We say,

Does a bear shit in the woods?
meaning,
It's obvious.

And we also have
Is the Pope catholic?
meaning,
It's obvious.

Then there's
Is the bear catholic? and, Does the Pope shit in the woods?
 

[Jeff Wrangler]

And instead of "A guest and a fish are after three day poison," we Aussies say (blunt as usual) "Fish and house guests go off after three days."  (I believe the Romans originally gave us that one)

Passed on by Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard's Almanac: "After three days, fish and house guests begin to stink."

[CellarDweller]

Off like a bride’s nightie.
Meaning - Move very quickly
Example – “I’m off like a bride’s nightie.” (I’m leaving immediately)

 

I've heard a similar expression here in the US. 

It's become customary here when the senior prom happens, the young couples will go and have sex to end the night's festivities.

Hence the phrase:

"I'm off, like a pair of panties on prom night!"

 

Another similar one (that I've used).....lol   

Another way to same "I'm off" is "I'm out" (I'm leaving) and here in NYC we have The Village, which is a gay mecca, and the most well known street is Christopher Street.

Hence the phrase:

"I'm out, like a queer on Christopher St."

[Lynne]

"Like it or lump it."

Lump how? What?

[BayCityJohn]

"Like it or lump it."

Lump how? What?

'First of all, I'm a-going to call you Boffin, for short,' said Wegg.

'If you don't like it, it's open to you to lump it.'
 - Charles Dickens

http://dickens.thefreelibrary.com/Our-Mutual-Friend/4-3


LUMP, v. [Of symbolic sound; cf. DUMP, GLUMP, GRUMP, HUMP, MUMP.]
1. intr. To look sulky or disagreeable . . .
[Quotation:] 1577 "They stand lumping and lowring . . . for that they imagine that their evill lucke proceedeth of him."
2. trans. In antithesis with "like": To be displeased at (something that must be endured), colloq.
[Quotations:] 1833 "Let 'em lump it if they don't like it." . . . 1878 "I'll buy clothes as I see fit, and if anybody don't like it, why they may lump it, that's all."

[Front-Ranger]

I wonder if "shooting blanks" means something of the same in the U.S.?

[David In Indy]

The sun doesn't shine on the same dog's ass every day.

Meaning: Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

Example:

Chris: "I didn't get those jobs I applied for."

Jeff: "Well, the sun doesn't shine on the same dog's ass every day. Better luck next time!"


Personally, I would think the sun would shine on ANY dog's ass if he was outside and in the sunlight.

[David In Indy]

I should point out that while the above phrase has always been fairly well known here in the Midwest, it was made popular in the movie "Hoosiers".

"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass every day. But mister, you haven't seen a ray of light since you got here!"

Meaning - He has been having nothing but VERY bad luck since arriving in town.

[David In Indy]

I wonder if "shooting blanks" means something of the same in the U.S.?

Well Lee, I don't know about other places, but I sure do know what it means here in the U.S.!