15 Expressions You’ll Only Understand If You’re From Kentucky

Kentucky's older generations have unique and colorful expressions that reflect simpler times.

No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. The most interesting often hail from our older generations, such as the WWII era and those raised by them. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. Travel depended on the weather, all roads weren't paved and home grown vegetables were plentiful.

Here are 15 colorful Kentucky expressions that most people wouldn't understand:

15. High falutin? AKA an arrogant or stuck up person, thinking their better than others.

14. Full as a tick on a Coon Hound’s back? AKA a pretty disgusting visual meaning, no longer hungry.

13. They got more _______ than Carter’s got little pills? AKA someone has too much of something.

12. Close that door; you weren’t raised in a barn? AKA self explanatory, unless said person was raised in a barn. Mind you, barns on an upscale farm were nicer than houses in an impoverished community.

11. Praise the lord and pass the gravy? AKA possibly a quick prayer before putting gravy on other food.

10. Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise? AKA be there if no tragedy occurs and the bridge isn’t washed out by the river.

9. Day Lord? AKA something so shocking, surprising or troubling that surely the Lord has returned to walk the Earth.

8. Recken? AKA you think so?

7. I’m gonna learn you? AKA teach you something

6. Over yonder? AKA whichever direction the finger points or the head nods.

5. Two peas in a pod? AKA acts just alike.

4. Older then dirt? AKA older then Methuselah, as dirt came before him.

3. Old as Methuselah? AKA very, very old.

2. What in tarnation? AKA What in the hell.

1. He doesn’t have a pot to pee in, or a window to throw it out of. AKA He is dirt poor and shan’t be bettering himself.

Everyone has their own expressions, but our hillbilly ancestors had some of the most colorful ways of communicating. This is just the tip of the ice burg. It would be great to hear some of the sayings you all grew up listening too, so please post them. There might even end up being a part two to this article.

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