But many of those brilliantly colourful and inventive expressions are ones you rarely hear uttered today, with some at risk of dying out completely.
In some cases that’s because parenting methods have changed, in others it’s because language has evolved.
You may not have enjoyed hearing these sayings as a child, but you probably appreciate why your parents were occasionally driven to say such things.
And even if you don’t use these euphemisms yourself, it’s fair to say the English language would be poorer without them.
How many of these sayings do you remember your parents or grandparents using when you were growing up, and are there any you use today? Let us know in the comments section.
1. Were you born in a barn?
If you ever left the door open, your mum or dad would be sure to ask whether you'd been born in a barn, probably because they were worried about the cost of heating the house. You don't hear this so much anymore, perhaps due to the popularity of open-plan living. | Photo by Gene Samit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/open-barn-with-a-sliding-gate-17226074/ Photo: Photo by Gene Samit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/open-barn-with-a-sliding-gate-17226074/
2. If you had a brain you'd be dangerous
This was a gentle insult parents loved spitting out every time you did something a little daft. They saved the sharper barbs for when you did something really stupid. | Getty Images Photo: Topical Press Agency
3. Bread and pullit
As a parent, what's for dinner is a question you'll get used to being asked - so much so that most mums and dads have a stock answer to buy themselves a moment's peace. One of the most common responses people recall hearing as children was 'bread and pullit'. When they asked what that was, they'd be told 'you get some bread and you pull a bit off'. A variation on the theme was 'bread and iffit', as in 'if it's in the larder you can have it'. | Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/focus-photography-of-sprinkled-bread-209194/ Photo: Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/focus-photography-of-sprinkled-bread-209194/
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4. Who's she? The cat's mother?
This was a rebuke many of us grew up hearing, if we referred to someone as 'he' or 'she' in front of that person as it was considered rude. Some people still use the phrase, it seems, but it's much less common. | Getty Images Photo: Richard Chowen/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive