“Croesus”. An Ancient Greek king
Hmm, the version I have heard is “More money than Crassus,” referring to Marcus Licinius Crassus, apparently the richest man in Roman history, and part of the first triumvirate with Julius Caesar and Pompey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Licinius_Crassus
Will read, @QuantMech. Thanks for that.
EDIT: Okay, there is much on each of the names given to me. It seems that the legend of Croesus is the source of the expression regarding riches, though Crassus was beyond wealthy, and part of the first triumvirate in the Roman Empire.
Great reading. Thanks, all.
I have heard “more money than God” my whole life.
I have only read “richer than Croesus” and never heard it in conversation that I can recall.
My social circle includes classicists and historians. If one of them said, 'richer than Crassus" I’d have imagined they were making a joke or word play on Croesus. I have to pay real close attention to get their jokes and still miss a whole lot of them.
Googling around I see Horace used the expression: “richer than Crassus” and Herodotus used “richer than Croesus”
Does anyone know if Horace is alluding to the Herodotus quote? Or maybe “richer than” is just one of those things people tend to say…
The common idiom in modern times (say 19th century to present) is “richer than (or as rich as) Croesus.” I’ve only seen it in print; never heard anyone actually say it. Maybe “richer than Crassus” is also a saying (I don’t know), but, if it is, it certainly is not as common as the “Croesus” version.
It is so nice to hang out on a message board where others also consider 19th c" modern times."
As an aside, I’m reading Helen Ellis, American Housewife, a collection of stories one of which is called “Southern Lady Code” and it’s pretty funny.
@alh I believe that I will be opening quite a few of my future posts with “Hmmm”
@alh: “It is so nice to hang out on a message board where others also consider 19th c ‘modern times.’”
I told my college kid this morning that College Confidential was my Reddit. He was happy for me.
I would way rather someone politely say “I’m not crazy about it” than say it was butt ugly and looks like it caught fire and was put out with a bag of nails.
My Southern Lady Grandmother used to say “I’m not devoted to it.” We got the message.
Very interesting about Croesus/Crassus. My spouse is of the “richer than Croesus” clan. I did not know that before we were married. 
I hasten to add: I mean he uses that expression! Not that my spouse is rich, nor his clan!
Also, I am from the North, so I use Hmm contemplatively, and not as an indication of disapproval.
I have heard the expression “richer than creases” which makes no sense until you realize it’s an eggcorn for “Croesus.” I picture a lower-class Dickens character saying “richer 'un creases.”
I grew up in NYC and one expression I remember hearing a lot that I never hear on the West Coast is “fight your corner” as in “If that’s what you really want you’ll need to fight your corner” or “He’s an easy going guy but if pushed he can fight his corner”. I used it at work once and got blank stares and a “Huh? What does that mean…?” I thought it was pretty obvious but I guess if you’ve never heard it before…
As an expression of disapproval, my father—a taciturn Midwesterner of Nordic origins—would simply say, “Well, that’s different.” So, for example, if my mom cooked a new dish that my dad absolutely detested, he’d end the meal with a soft-spoken, “Well, that’s different,” and it spoke volumes: everyone knew he meant “I don’t ever want to see this dish again.”
But if he liked it, he’d simply say, “Not too bad.” That was high praise.
On the rare occasions when DH recognizes/admits he’s wrong and I’m right, he says, “That’s right too.” I always think, “no, that’s right period.” But we both know who was wrong.
@QuantMech : Double ‘Like’.
Besides agreeing that it’s obvious enough, my question would be whether you think they ever used it. Later.
I think I’ve eventually, one time or another, used almost all of the one’s I’ve heard. The point being that the spreading of them maybe is the point.
That they’re not recollectable on demand, but only bubble up when you’re searching for a slang phrase to describe what needs it…
‘Hosepipe’, which most everyone else calls a faucet or hose bib.