", "Joe's children are so cheeky -- they tied my shoelaces together last week!". Although no one is completely sure of the word's origins, it could derive from the words "cod" and "wallop," which historically meant "imitation" and "beer" respectively -- implying that "codswallop" is the kind of rubbish you make up when drunk. The idea is when someone popped, or cocked, their clogs, the toes of the clogs pointed up in the air as they lay down dead. 50 Must-Know British Slang Words and Phrases. On a rainy day in London, you would definitely want a brolly on hand. Its reported creator, British rapper Lethal Bizzle, elusively told the Guardian that the word "means anything you want. Yes! The phrase goes back to Victorian public toilets, which required users to insert a single penny in order to operate the lock. Someone that's "on the pull" has gone out, usually on a night out, with the intention of attracting a sexual partner. If you've "wangled" something, you've accomplished or attained something through cunning means. Marvin played guitar in Cliff Richard's backing band in the 1960s. A "good old chinwag" is a good chat,catch up, or gossip with someone. ", "Don't trust him he's a smarmy geezer.". He was a wreck.". It must have been Chinese Whispers.". ", Men from east London are also commonly referred to as "geezers," where the term is more interchangeable with "lad.". "Hank Marvin" is Cockney rhyming slang for "starving. This phrase is used to confirm or agree with something that another person has just said. Bloke. 8. "Our Christmas dinner had everything from sprouts to Yorkshire puddings. "Lurgy" is probably based on a mispronunciation of the word "allergy. ", A nosey neighbour, often caught peering out on their street's activities from a curtained window, might be referred to as a "curtain twitcher. "Press down the clutch, put it into gear, then slowly ease off the clutch again. ", How much the best paid workers in 20 professions earn Seven outdated mens style rules that you can now ignore 16 skills that are hard to learn but will pay off forever. . In the 17th century, to "waff" went to yelp, and quickly evolved to mean to talk foolishly or indecisively. This road is chocka! ", Something full to the brim, or rammed, could be described as "chockalock. However, other people believe that "shirty" has connotations of being dishevelled. "How was the hostel?" However, there is no proof for this theory. ", A task performed in an awkward or uncomfortable fashion, usually clumsily, would be described as "cack-handed.". "Would you take a butchers at this broken bike for me? This road is chocka! Before going deeper into your exploration of British slang words, take the time to discover some slang phrases commonly used in the U.K. Fortunately, in a British slang dictionary, there are quite a few informal phrases commonly used as slang. The phrase describes the mayhem caused when something is recklessly thrown into the intricate gears and workings of a machine. "Flogging" also refers to whipping a racehorse in order to make it move faster, so there is some speculation into whether you flog goods in order to make them shift faster, too. 100 Brilliantly British Slang Words and Phrases - Content-Writing That's minging.". Something that is "bog-standard" is completely ordinary with no frills, embellishments, or add-ons. The term comes from the Scottish slang word "ming," meaning faeces. "A bacon sandwich and a builder's tea. This classic phrase is another way of telling someone that their opinion is not appreciated in the given scenario. "Is it just me or is that painting a bit skew-whiff?". Bollocks - One of the more well-known British terms, it actually has a multitude of meanings. He pulled a blinder there.". "Would you take a butchers at this broken bike for me?". This classic British idiom may seem stereotypically twee, however, some sources believe that "tickety-boo" in fact derives from the Hindu phrase "hk hai, bb," meaning "it's alright, sir. The origins of the phrase are largely debated online, however, it's believed that "to nick" as in to steal influenced the slang term for prison, as being imprisoned is similar to being "stolen" away. Bender. Something that is "long" is probably also annoying or aggravating. After a quick review, you'll be able to confidently go out there and build connections with new friends! To run away. "Pop" has evolved from "cock," and when someone "cocked" their clogs, the toes of their clogs pointed up in the air as they lay down dead. "The full Monty" historically refers to an old tailor called Sir Montague Burton. ", Examples include "trollied," "smashed," and "gazeboed. Phrases that might confuse anyone who isn't British, The Government's Brexit negotiations seem to be going just swimmingly, SkyCam saved the day as the Patriots beat Atlanta in Foxborough, Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter films, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, The 30 most misused phrases in the English language, The one phrase you should never have on your dating app bio, 'Your call is valued' voted most irritating phone phrase, 88 British phrases that will confuse anybody who didn't grow up in UK, How much the best paid workers in 20 professions earn, Seven outdated mens style rules that you can now ignore, 16 skills that are hard to learn but will pay off forever, 20% or more off in the AO fridge freezers sale + Next day delivery, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, At least 10% less than RRP across all departments at TK Maxx, 20% off all orders over 100 with this Soak & Sleep discount code, 20% off full-price orders with this Cox and Cox discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK April 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this April, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. This is commonly used as a greeting that doesn't always need a response. ", This quintessentially British idiom derives from the Dutch "pap" and "kak," which translate as "soft" and "dung.". The phrase describes the mayhem caused when something is recklesslythrown into the intricate gears and workings of a machine. A "fag end" is also the ratty bits towards the ends of a reel of fabric, which are the worst and the cheapest bits of the reel. ", "He skived off school so we could all go to Thorpe Park on a weekday.". Something untrue -- often made up for dramatic effect. ", "Sod's law" is often used to explain bad luck or freakish acts of misfortune. Although it sounds crude, the phrase is actually considered a polite way of announcing that you are going to visit the bathroom. The "wind-up merchant" will often claim to be making their comments as a light-hearted jest when the recipients start becoming irritated. It can be used in both a lighthearted and an irritated fashion. "Butcher's hook" is Cockney rhyming slang for "look." ", "I could just about deal with the dog barking at 5:30 a.m., but the lawnmower at 3 a.m. really takes the biscuit.". A bender can last a significant amount of time, and involves large amounts of alcohol or drugs. A popular pastime in the United Kingdom is attending or having your own "car boot sale," in which people usually sell knick-knacks and old personal items out of the back of their cars. The word could be a variation of "toddle" like a young child's first steps. The phrase originates from the game "Chinese Whispers" commonly played at children's parties. "Mug" likely originated in London with Cockney slang. All The Threes. The "bee's knees" referred to small or insignificant details when it was first documented in the 18th century. This classic British idiom may seem stereotypically twee, however, some sources believe that "tickety-boo" in fact derives from theHindu phrase "hk hai, bb," meaning "it's alright, sir. Knackered is British slang for "very tired.". As a result, "pinch punch, first of the month" was a way of warding off witches and bad luck for the near future. "Press down the clutch, put it into gear, then slowly ease off the clutch again. ", "Par" can also be used as a verb, eg, "You just got parred.". Bird. "I was going to go out tonight but when I finished work I was absolutely zonked. The "bee's knees" referred to small or insignificant details when it was first documented in the 18th century. ", "I was going to go out tonight but when I finished work I was absolutely zonked.". ", Someone that makes comments just to spark controversy or argument might be labelled a "wind-up merchant.". It was first recorded in English in the late 1880s from knacker, or "to tire.". "Innit" is an abbreviation of "isn't it" most commonly used amongst teenagers and young people. ", "Of course my toast had to land on the floor butter-side-down. ", It's similar to "scoot over" or "move over. According to the Metro, the playground ritual originates from the medieval times, when a "pinch" of salt was believing to make witches weak, and the "punch" resembled banishing the witches entirely. It is also sometimes referred to as a "dog's breakfast. "What are you up to this weekend? Don't be alarmed if a Londoner tells you to go up the apples and pears - they haven't lost their mind or grasp of the English language, they're just talking about going up stairs. It works. Rob is the only one on the team who does not faff around in the office. "And did you see thatequalising goal in the last minute of injury time?