From our linguistic research, we've confirmed that above all, British people are sarcastic, unsympathetic, and often rather drunk. The phrase is sometimes shortened to "give me a tinkle.". Pick 'n' mix .
Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. 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. The code for attribution links is required. (As You Like It). ", Although the adjective's origins remain largely unknown, early documented uses seem to use the word as synonymous with "smear," further suggesting that someone who is "smarmy" is also "slick" or "slippery. It's common courtesy to offer a labourer or builder working on your house a builder's tea while they're working -- especially if they're working out in the cold. "If it all works out as planned, he'll be quids in.". NYM. He pulled a blinder there.". To "spend a penny" is a polite euphemism for going to the toilet. "Don't you worry, Alan, I'm on it like a car bonnet.". "Tinkle" refers to a phone's ring, while "blower" is slang or telephone and refers to the device that predated phones on Naval ships.
This could be due to the lengths that the person will have to go to in order to complete the task. "That's when all of the lights came on, and so we legged it.". Something that takes a lot of effort and probably isn't going to be worth all of the effort, either, could be described as "long." A "good old chinwag" is a good chat, catch up, or gossip with someone.
It works. If you've "pulled," you've kissed someone. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. "Lurgy" is probably based on a mispronunciation of the word "allergy. So, if you're "ready for the knacker's yard," you're exhausted beyond relief. While Americans are more likely to say "seven thirty" or "five fifty," Brits will more often than not refer to times in "minutes past" the hour. The phrase goes back to Victorian public toilets, which required users to insert a single penny in order to operate the lock. ", A situation which has quickly evolved into an accident waiting to happen might be described as "gone pear-shaped.". This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. "By getting pregnant, Mary threw a spanner in the works.". Someone that's a little bit geeky, with strong interests or expertise in a niche area, might be referred to as an "anorak." A. Is that ham and tuna? The phrase is most commonly used when the individual has been lucky and the person saying it is in disbelief that the first person has managed to pull it off. "Innit" is an abbreviation of "isn't it" most commonly used amongst teenagers and young people.
Are you going on the pull?". For example, the way in which lawyers speak is so specific to their profession that it is often known as “legalese.” Other professions that rely on exchanging complex information also use jargon, such as scientists, doctors, and businesspeople. Although its origins are largely debated, the term's meaning has evolved over the last 50 years alone. Copy the code below and paste it where you want the visualization of this word to be shown on your page: Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, List of cities that are their own country, List of Classified and Authorised Explosives, List of Code of Federal Regulations Sections Affected, List of common phrases that contain all letters of the alphabet, List of companies based in Lucknow, India, List of computing terms that end in "ware", List of countries and outlying territories by total area, List of countries exempt from rabies quarantines. ", Someone short-tempered or irritated might be described as "shirty.". ", "I was going to go out tonight but when I finished work I was absolutely zonked. A good example is the word “bloody” which is a simple adjective in American English, but is a curse word in British English. Unrelatedly, "Clangers" was also a children's TV show from the 1970s about pink mouse-like creatures that lived on the moon. To "gallivant" means to roam, or to set off on an expedition, with the sole intention of having some light-hearted fun. ", "He's obsessed with anything that happens on this street.
You might buy a "round" of drinks for your friends at the pub, in the understanding that they will each buy you a drink as part of their "rounds" later on. 1. "How was the hostel?" Used to describe someone physically attractive, usually referring to their physique. "Wow -- you've really splashed out on this party! Some believe it's derived from the Dutch word "blute," meaning "bare." "Pinch punch, first of the month. "Take the Mickey" is an abbreviation of "taking the Mickey Bliss," which is Cockney rhyming slang for "take the p***.". Calling "bagsy" is the equivalent of calling "shotgun" or "dibs" when something, like the front seat of the car, is offered up to a group. The blows hit hame mair. "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. That's minging.". ", "Joe's children are so cheeky -- they tied my shoelaces together last week!". He was mortal.". The "wind-up merchant" will often claim to be making their comments as a light-hearted jest when the recipients start becoming irritated. Marvin played guitar in Cliff Richard's backing band in the 1960s. B. However, there is no proof for this theory. Pie - as easy as . For non-speakers of the Scottish dialect, it can take a bit of time before the logic of the book’s language starts to make sense. Colloquialism can be confused with slang and jargon, since these are two other ways of conversing in informal ways. or "Et voila!". ", "Sod's law" is often used to explain bad luck or freakish acts of misfortune. Each term is partnered with a description and example. Men from east London are also commonly referred to as "geezers.". Piece of the action. "What's in that sandwich? ", 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. Authors will frequently use colloquialisms to make dialogue sound more authentic. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. A repair job that's been completed in a hurry and will probably fall apart reasonably soon is considered a "botch job. C. Informal language that is a part of a regional dialect. ", "We should've taken the other route. "Butcher's hook" is Cockney rhyming slang for "look." Nowadays, it's mostly a way for kids to pull pranks on their friends. C. All the world’s a stage. If you can’t understand idioms you will not be able to understand the context. This cheery phrase is widely believed to originate from Northern factory workers around the time of the industrial revolution.
To "splash out" means spending significant amounts of money on a particular item or event. This slang term could be a British abbreviation of the French "faux pas," meaning an embarrassing or tactless remark in a social situation. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. ", Something unpleasant, unappetising, or highly unattractive might be described as "minging.". Although it's more often used as a synonym for raincoat, an anorak is something slightly different in playground slang. This is still used in English in the phrase "egging someone on" to do something. Native speakers of a language understand and use colloquialisms without realizing it, while non-native speakers may find colloquial expressions hard to translate. Historically, only women would announce they were going to "spend a penny," as only women's public toilets required a penny to lock. This intensifier can be added to practically any sentence in order to demonstrate incredulity or anger. As stated above, there are three different types of colloquialisms that we can distinguish: words, phrases, and aphorisms. To "flog" means to sell something -- usually quickly and cheaply. Although this sounds like an analogy about the chemistry of baking, or putting too many eggs in a cake batter, "egg" actually comes from the Anglo Saxon "eggian," meaning to "excite." Which of these statements is true? Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? "Goodness, you're full of beans this morning!". All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Prev Article Next Article . The phrase was first documented in the BBC's "Lenny Henry Christmas Special" in 1987. "And did you see that equalising goal in the last minute of injury time? Colloquialisms may use slang within them, but this is not always the case. He's turned into such a swot! Not to be confused with literally being disembowelled, someone that says they're "gutted" is devastated or extremely upset.