While some slang words and phrases are used throughout Britain (e.g. knackered, meaning "exhausted"), others are restricted to smaller regions, even to small geographical areas. The nations of the United Kingdom, which are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all have their own slang words, as does London. Cockney slang has many varieties, the best known of which is rhyming slang.
British slang has been the subject of many books, including a seven volume dictionary published in 1889. Lexicographer Eric Partridge published several works about British slang, most notably A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, revised and edited by Paul Beale.
Many of the words and phrases listed in this article are no longer in current use.
Definitions of slang Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's dialect or language. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo (see euphemism). It is often used to identify with one's peers and, although it may be common among young people, it is used by people of all ages and social groups.
Collins English Dictionary (3rd edition) defines slang as "Vocabulary, idiom etc that is not appropriate to the standard form of a language or to formal contexts, may be restricted as to social status or distribution, and is characteristically more metaphorical and transitory than standard language".CED 1991, p. 1451.
The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar (1994) defines it as "Words, phrases, and uses that are regarded as informal and are often restricted to special contexts or are peculiar to specific profession, classes etc".
Jonathon Green, in his 1999 book The Cassell Dictionary of Slang, defines slang as "A counter language, the language of the rebel, the outlaw, the despised and the marginal". Recognising that there are many definitions, he goes on to say, "Among the many descriptions of slang, one thing is common, it is a long way from mainstream English".Green 1999, p. v (intro).
History and dating of British slang The dating of slang words and phrases is difficult due to the nature of slang. Slang, more than any other language, remains spoken and resists being recorded on paper (or for that matter any other medium). By the time slang has been written down, it has been in use some time and has, in some cases, become almost mainstream.Green 1999, p. vi (intro).
The first recorded uses of slang in Britain occurred in the 16th century in the plays of Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton and William Shakespeare.Green 1999, p. vii (intro). The first books containing slang also appeared around that time: Robert Copland's The hye way to the Spytlell hous was a dialogue in verse between Copland and the porter of St Bartholomew's Hospital, which included thieves' cant; and in 1566, Thomas Harman's A Caveat or Warning for Common Cursitors, vulgarly called vagabonds was published. The Caveat contained stories of vagabond life, a description of their society and techniques, a taxonomy of rogues, and a short canting dictionary which was later reproduced in other works.
In 1698 the New Dictionary of the Canting Crew by B. E. Gent was published, which additionally included some 'civilian' slang terms. It remained the predominant work of its kind for much of the 18th century, until the arrival in 1785 of The Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Captain Francis Grose, which ran to more than five expanded editions. Grose's book was eventually superseded by John Camden Hotten's Slang Dictionary in 1859. In 1889 two multi-volumed slang dictionaries went on sale: A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon and Cant by Albert Barrere and Charles Leland, and Slang and its Analogues by John Farmer and W. E. Henley; the latter being published in seven volumes. It was later abridged to a single volume and released in 1905 as A Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English. This book provided the major part of Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (1937). It was not until the 1950s that slang began to make regular appearances in books and in the relatively new media of motion pictures and television.
Varieties and purpose of slang There are a number of different varieties of British slang, arguably the best known of which is rhyming slang. Chiefly associated with cockney speech spoken in the East End of London, words are replaced with a phrase which rhymes. For example: plates of meat for "feet", or twist and twirl for "girl". Often only the first word is used, so plates and twist by themselves become the colloquialisms for "feet" and "girl".
Thieves' cant or Rogues' cant was a secret language (a cant or cryptolect) which was formerly used by thieves, beggars and hustlers of various kinds in Great Britain and to a lesser extent in other English-speaking countries. It is commonly believed that cant was developed from Romany but the Winchester Confessions, a pamphlet published in 1616, clearly distinguishes between Gypsy and Cant words.Bakker (2002) An early vocabulary of British Romany (1616): A linguistic analysis. Romani studies, 5. vol 12.at accessed 23 March 2008 Now mostly obsolete, it is largely relegated to the realm of literature.
Some slang was developed because of a need for secrecy, such as prison slang, derived from thieves cant and Polari, a variety used by homosexuals in Britain and the United Kingdom. Homosexuality was a crime until 1967 and Polari has a history going back at least a century. Sometimes the purpose of slang is to cause offence, insults such as wanker or gobshite (Irish slang) for example; and sometimes the purpose is to prevent it by substituting a slang word for the offensive one, berk (rhyming slang for cunt) 'berkshire hunt' for example.Green 1999, p. viii (intro). Sometimes a Spoonerism, is employed to make taboo speech more acceptable. For example: Cupid stunt and Betty Swallocks.Green 1999, p. 83.
Slang is also used to create an identity or sense of belonging and a number of occupations have their own slang; most notably the armed forces, referred to as Forces or Service slang; and the construction industry.Quinion 2009, p. 9. A dictionary of service slang by J. L. Hunt and A. G. Pringle was published in 1943.Hunt and Pringle 2008, p. 5. It was reprinted in 2008. The introduction acknowledges that slang is an ever-changing language with new slang terms emerging all the time. It also recognises that some service slang has made its way into civilian use.Hunt and Pringle 2008, pp. 7–8.Brevereton 2010, p. 6.Quinion 2009, p. 315. Examples of this include the old naval terms, "Talking bilge" (nonsense) and "A loose cannon" (an unorthodox person with the potential to cause harm).Breverton 2010, pp. 9 & 17.
Phrases
A all to cock (Or fall a-cock) Unsatisfactory, mixed up.Green 1999, pp. 13 & 18 all mouth and (no) trousers All talk and no action, a braggart, sexual bravado.Green 1999, p. 15. (The inclusion or otherwise of "no" in the expression is disputed.) all piss and wind All talk and no action. Originally the phrase was, "all wind and piss" (19th century).Green 1999, pp. 17 & 18. all tits and teeth a derogatory description for a woman who succeeds by using her physical attributes rather than her brain; an attractive but shallow, cynically manipulative, or even stupid woman. anchors motor car brakes; "slam on the anchors" to brake really hard.Green 1999, p. 20. argy-bargy An argument or confrontation.Green 1999, p. 27. arse 1. The buttocks. 2. Someone who acts in a manner which is incompetent or otherwise disapproved of. arse about face Back to front. arse around Mess around or waste time (17th century). arsehole General derogatory term. arse bandit homosexual (offensive, derogatory).Green 1999, p. 29. arse over tit Head over heels, to fall over or take a tumble.Green 1999, p. 30.
B ball bag Scrotum.Green 1999, p. 50. balls up A bungled or messed up situation. (WWI Service slang). bang to rights Caught in the act.CED 1991, p. 120. bang up 1. To lock up in prison (prison slang).CED 1991, p. 121. 2. To inject an illegal drug. barking mad (also just barking) completely crazy; insane. barmy crazy or foolish. barney a noisy quarrel or fight. Sometimes claimed to be rhyming slang (Barney Rubble, trouble) but actually dates back to 19th century.CED 1991, p. 125. bender 1. a drinking binge.CED 1991, p. 144. 2. A homosexual (derogatory) bent 1. dishonest or corrupt, 2. homosexual (mildly derogatory).CED 1991, p. 145. bent as a nine bob note Extremely dishonest or corrupt. No nine shilling ("bob") note was ever issued, so it would have to be counterfeit.Green 1999, p. 81 berk (also spelt burk) idiot, stupid person (from Berkeley Hunt, Cockney rhyming slang for cunt)CED 1991, pp. 147&215. bezzie, bezzie mate best friend Billy 1. Amphetamines (from Billy Whizz, a British comic strip character.)Green 1999, p. 90. 2. Friendless (Billy No-Mates) billyo (also spelt billyoh) an intensifier. Going like billyo (travelling quickly).CED 1991, p. 155. bird 1. Girl, woman. 2. Prison sentence (From the rhyming slang: Bird lime)CED 1991, p. 158. Birmingham screwdriver A hammer.Green 1999, p. 92. bizzie Policeman (Scouse). blag As a noun, a robbery or as a verb, to rob or scrounge. Not to be confused with blague, talking nonsense.CED 1991, p. 164. blah (or blah blah) worthless, boring or silly talk. Blighty (or Old Blighty) Britain, home. Used especially by British troops serving abroad or expatriates. A relic of British India, probably from the Hindi billayati, meaning a foreign land.Quinion 2009, p. 21. blim A very small piece of Hashish. Also used as slang with the word bus (Blimbus) for the shortest British coach bodies of the 1960s to 1980s. or sometimes 'cor blimey' (archaic). An abbreviation of 'God blind me' used as an interjection to express shock or surprise. Sometimes used to comic effect, in a deliberate reference to it being archaic usage.CED 1991, p. 167. bloke any man or sometimes a man in authority such as the boss.CED 1991, p. 169.Quinion 2009, p. 22. blooming, blummin' euphemism for bloody. Used as an intensifier e.g. 'blooming marvelous'.CED 1991, p. 170. blow off To fart.CED 1991, p. 171. blue 1. Policeman. 2. a Tory. bobby Policeman. After Robert Peel (Home Secretary in 1828).CED 1991, p. 174. bod A male person. Short for body.CED 1991, p. 175. bodge (also botch) To make a mess of or to fix poorly. bog ToiletCED 1991, p. 176 bog off Go away (originally RAF slang)Green 1999, p. 123 bog roll Toilet paper. Bogtrotter Derogatory term for an Irishman, particularly an Irish peasant. bollocking A severe telling off.CED 1991, p. 178. bollocks (or ballocks) Vulgar term used for testicles. Used to describe something as useless, nonsense or having poor quality, as in "That's a load of bollocks". Is often said as a cry of frustration or annoyance. Also see "dog's bollocks". bomb A large sum of money as in 'to make a bomb'. Also 'to go like a bomb' meaning to travel at high speed. bonce Head, crown of the head. Also a large playing marble.CED 1991, p. 179. booze As a noun, an alcoholic drink; as a verb, to drink alcohol, particularly to excess.CED 1991, p. 182. boozer 1. a pub or bar. 2. Someone who drinks alcohol to excess. Bo-Peep Sleep (rhyming slang). boracic/brassic without money. From rhyming slang boracic lint = skint (skinned).Green 1999, p. 134. bottle 1. nerve, courage. 2. Money collected by buskers or street vendors. 3. As a verb, to attack someone with a broken bottle.CED 1991, p. 186. bounce 1. To con someone into believing or doing something. 2. To forcibly eject someone. 3. Swagger, impudence or cockiness. 4. Of a cheque, to be refused by the bank due to lack of funds.CED 1991, p. 187 bouncer Someone employed to eject troublemakers or drunks. bovver boy A youth who deliberately causes or seeks out trouble (bother).CED 1991, p. 188