a list of words that are only ever used in one phrase and one phrase only

Britches always makes me think of Washington, DC clothing retailer Britches Great Outdoors, which started out as a store that sold slacks.

I suspect this may be US-specific (i.e., the word is used more broadly elsewhere), but bow about "britches" as in what you get too big for?

I think "britches" is American? It's breeches in England and breeks in Scotland.

... breeks is much more commonly used than breeches.

breeches is often the spelling in English, especially older prose, but i still think it's pronounced "britches"

Yes, could be.

Maybe not by Genesis P-Orridge though.

https://boingboing.net/2009/04/17/genesis-p-orridges-c.html/amp

Lol I mean he could be making a play on the word without strictly thinking it's pronounced that way, but on the other hand it's one of those words that you're likely to have seen written down and never heard spoken aloud, I guess anybody who reads books much has a few of those

Peace, man: Britches (the store) has had an interesting resurgence.

https://warthog.vip/

It was a staple of my preppy-ass youth. People in my personal orbit treasure memories of it. I haven't been back (because I don't dress that way anymore) but it is there if you want it.

Dion Dublin, for the BBC today:

Brighton have played some really good stuff they never panic and always buy their time.

The dude bides

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/bide-a-wee

(Scottish for wait a while)

https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/720a095c-3ae2-41a9-8bfe-490b671980d5/IMG_5287.jpg

yeah, 'wait' as in 'stay'. i think 1 in 3 Scottish b&bs are called bide-a-wee

Could one bide on a bidet?

Yes, there are parts of Scotland where the question, "Where do you bide?" will be asked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QTu8ks9X9M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbXSXvt2tb0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t-zC0e1Tgc

So yeah mostly the one set phrase.

Joe Bidin'

hither and yon
arms akimbo

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B9_XAqUIQAANNSL.jpg

https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/yon

He, I almost linked the entry for “bide” earlier.

Heh

I have an app for students, Scots ABC. It has a random word generator, from which I just learned the word “oorie.”

Doesn’t have any of the example sentences though, for one thing.

auk (auk and style)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:42 PM (eighteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Turns out "auk and style" doesn't exist as a saying at all, I'd heard "dressed in auk and style" but maybe it was really "dressing up in style" or something. I do know of one song where I'd misheard the latter for the former, but I'm sure my hearing predates it.

Unless, y'know, you know?