Just your bog-standard dorm, really.". All rights reserved. Meaning: A pair of sneakers. The phrase was first documented in the BBC's "Lenny Henry Christmas Special" in 1987. ", "You've made a dog's dinner of that paint job.". ", "I heard you got the promotion. A "botch job" can also refer to anything that's been done haphazardly, like a work assignment. If you're traveling between various regions, keep your ears open and try to notice the differences. ", "I heard you got the promotion. "Mortal" describes someone highly intoxicated or drunk in a sloppy manner. U.K. slang includes some interesting insults. English Slang. For example, "five quid" means 5. Derived from "mint condition," which refers to something pre-owned that retains its pristine condition, although something that's just "mint" doesn't have to be pre-owned. "We should've taken the other route. Talk Like a Brit With Our Favorite British Slang Words "Did you hear what happened to John's old man? Now that's a proper breakfast.". An obvious and indiscreet mistake or blunder. A "knacker" was the person that slaughtered worn-out horses in the 19th and 20th centuries for their meat, hoofs, and hide. 2. The term probably came about due to the fact that it rhymes with "knacker." "Those twoare having a proper chinwag I haven't been able to get a word in edgeways for half an hour!". f you hear a word that's not on this list, give a Cockney translator a try. To "take the Mickey" means to take liberties at the expense of others and can be used in both a lighthearted and an irritated fashion. When they were working on the factory floor, employees had to wear hard clogs to protect their feet. "The dreaded lurgy" originates from 1950s British TV show "The Goon Show," in which one character has to deal with a national epidemic of an unidentified illness. If you want to tell someone to not concern themselves with issues that don't directly affect them, you might tell them to "wind their neck in.". and Although the origins of this phrase are largely unknown, a gaff in the 18th-century was a music hall or theater, and so it's believed to derive from this. This colloquialism might be said by someone that has the situation under control. "That guy's got suchswagger he's a proper geezer. Meaning: An adjective used to describe someone who is mad or odd. Going "the full Monty" meant purchasing a full three-piece suit, a shirt, and all of the trimmings. ", Benders often last over 24 hours, and so you might say that someone is on "a weekend bender," or a "three-day bender. This phrase became mainstream in the USA in the 1920s despite its British origins,but its popularity in the Stateshas dwindled since the turn of the century. "Well, this has all gone a bit pear-shaped.". "Don't put down a leaking mug on top of the newspaper, you wally!". This phrase became mainstream in the USA in the 1920s despite its British origins,but its popularity in the Stateshas dwindled since the turn of the century. The idiom was first used to describe the thick, choking smog that settled over London, caused by lots of people burning fossil fuels in close vicinity, as early as 1200. Something untrue often made up for dramatic effect. Men from east London are also commonly referred to as "geezers.". This second theory has been disproved, however, by the slang's documentation predating the popularity of the phrase "by our lady.". "Did you hear what happened to John's old man? This phrase could be a reference to coffee beans, although these claims have been disputed. I'm cream crackered. "Look at that bird over there. ", If you get a promotion or meet someone special, you might describe yourself as "chuffed. To "pull a blinder" involves achieving something difficult faultlessly and skilfully. You must be chuffed.". ", "Par" can also be used as a verb, eg, "You just got parred.". "That's a barmy idea". Marvin played guitar in Cliff Richard's backing band in the 1960s. ", "Miffed" possibly derives from the German "muffen," meaning "to sulk. ", "I bumped into him towards the end of his four-day bender. This cheery phrase is widely believed to originate from Northern factory workers around the time of the industrial revolution. Read the original article on Business Insider UK. "I'm trying to flog my old sofa. To "flog" means to sell something usually quickly and cheaply. The meaning of this slang has been debated at length. ", An informal way of asking someone to make room where they are sitting for you to sit down, too, would be asking them to "budge up. The "wind-up merchant" will often claim to be making their comments as a light-hearted jest when the recipients start becoming irritated. ", "Give me a call" or "ring me." "Press down the clutch, put it into gear, then slowly ease off the clutch again. "Quid" is British slang for "pounds." This second theory has been disproved, however, by the slang's first documentation predating the widespread use of the phrase "by our lady.". "Butcher's hook" is Cockney rhyming slang for "look." . Bloke. The "bee's knees" referred to small or insignificant details when it was first documented in the 18th century. The term comes from the Scottish slang word "ming," meaning faeces. Luckily, the meaning today is much less shocking. If you're "winding someone up," you're making them tense or irritated in the same way you wind up a Jack-in-the-box before it pops. "Don't put down a leaking mug on top of the newspaper, you wally!". Historically, "fags" were the cheaper cigarettes made of lower grade tobacco, however, the slang has spread to encompass all cigarettes. If someone's "caught the lurgy," they're suffering from cold or flu-like symptoms. Gaff. ", Atask performed in an awkward or uncomfortable fashion, usually clumsily, would be described as "cack-handed.".
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