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Discussions: :

Britishisms

172 replies

MiracleMan said on October 15, 2005 07:03:

Been listening to BBC Radio on the computer at work a lot last week and I need something explained to me:

Pants=God awful? Example: That movie was pants.

I’ve heard several people using it and it’s rather amusing. If that indeed is what it means, then why?

And why is ‘bollocks’ bad, but ‘the dog’s bollocks’ the best thing to be?

realsuga said on :

not sure about the pants one but the reason why the ’dog’s bollocks’ is a good thing, is cause a dog can lick his balls! Seriously.....apparently that’s a good thing, lol

rox-kuryliw said on :

pants me is crap lol ie ’ that movie stinks’ ’thats movies pants’ same thing.
I have a friend over from canada, and its been so funny , i had not idea what the hell an egg plant was lol or a zukeny , and me trying to explain what a fag was, was funny lol.

Vixzter said on :

pants = crap ;) use it all the time

and

dogs danglies ;)

tevensso (moderator) said on :

You Brits are weeeerd. ;)

TinyBubbles said on :

Thanks for all this MM and Vix. Will try and use all above phrases in my next conversation. (once the garlic wears off)

plectrum said on :

wow TB... that garlic must have been the (dogs danglies) lol

zaine said on :

i LOVE the word pants.
use it way too much :P

coyboyusa said on :

and they say americans have perverted the american language lol

Vixzter said on :

i use knobber alot ;) means idiot or stupid or whatever ;) tis possibly a vixzterism but me and my mates use it alot.

aswell as pants theres also arse (spelt correctly!!) ;)

MiracleMan said on :

HA! Knobber? As in dumb as a doorknob? Here in the US knob is a euphamism for the penis. (Had a completely dofferent connotation when I first saw that) Thought it might have been a synonym of wanker.

Next question: (apologies to Zaine who explained this to me once, but I can’t remember. . .)

Git. I hear it on shows or in movies every now and again, and they used it on Red Dwarf rather frequently.

Also what is a prat exactly? Is it short for somethig?

tevensso (moderator) said on :

Nope, a prat is an ass (as in rear end), loser, dork, idiot etc... It can also mean the woman’s sex. I don’t know BE, but I checked a dictionary. :)

Vixzter said on :

yup prat = idiot, also pillock is another term for idiot ;-)

git = arsehole etc

the word git comes from old iron works, when they used to make things in molds if there were any bits left hanging off they were called gits, they’d be cut off cos they were useless (hope that makes sense cos it don’t to me)

hence the term useless git ;-)

@MM: you watch Red Drawf??? excellent! ;-)

LittleSpooky said on :

Rox: Zucchini is how you spell that one (yeah, figure that one out).

Fag = Slang primarily for homosexual male. Very RARELY have I heard it applied to homosexual women.

Eggplant = Giant purple looking thing that can’t make up it’s mind as to whether or not it’s an egg, or a plant.

Coyboy: There’s a difference betweeen “Queen’s English” and “American English”. And we HAVE perverted “Queen’s English” because American’s have stolen from ALL languages and used them inappropriately.

kachina008 said on :

oh this is so useful for me

*makes copiuos notes*

steven said on :

One of my favourite words/sayings is: Cwtch.

It’s a Welsh word that has recently been incorporated into the Oxford English Dictionary.

It has too meanings:

1. a cuddle or hug.
2. a cupboard or cubbyhole.

Example: Give me a cwtch OR Would you like a cwtch etc.

To pronounch it: it rymes with “butch”.

klair said on :

Minger and mingin’ are fabulous words!!

minger = ugly person
mingin = something ugly/disgusting

How come we have far more slang words to describe something bad and so few to describe something good?? :)

felicity-brown said on :

Because we’re a pessimistic, miserable bunch?! :P

Oi, Thomas ...watch it! ;)

felicity-brown said on :

@ Klair: Maybe because some idiot decided that the word ’bad’ actually meant good *confused* ;)

Vixzter said on :

wicked = brilliant work that out ;-)

ally77 said on :

The most “TOP” topic on TDR at the moment, there is no way this is “PANTS”

LittleSpooky said on :

lol

Vixzter said on :

its well safe! ;-)

steven said on :

Sorted!

harriej said on :

Somebody called me wicked once...
Is that a compliment? I thought it was....

ally77 said on :

I think I want to be a chav, I quite like me burberry... get a top range on market, it ain’t pants like some of that crap I see....

xarrrr said on :

aaaaaaah i say wicked all the time.... it means like really cool or something. like if i said that film was wicked it means i really liked it :P

TinyBubbles said on :

Just wait till the aussiess bring their slang to this thread!

Vixzter said on :

gawd struth mate! ;-) grab some tinnies and we’ll have a barbie

steven said on :

Ya Flaming Galoot!

plectrum said on :

@ ally....lol,chavs are us eh?wi mi burberry cap,mi strides tucked in mi socks & mi bling from argos round mi neck ...innit

rox-kuryliw said on :

ally77 you dont wanna be a chav, i think there foul have to say, when they tuck there joggers in the tracksuit bottoms thats the worst,

MiracleMan said on :

Vixy: They used to show Red Dwarf on a Public Television Staion out of St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday nights. Cracked me up. I think I’ve seen the first two or three series. I’ve seen photos etc. from the later series and I have no clue what happened.

So. . . next on my list for undersanding:

WHIN(e)ING. Not sure of the spelling. (Annoying, whiney?)

And I’ll throw in TWEE just for the fun of it. (Too Precious & stuffy?)

DaminehGessle said on :

Ya I was amazed how a friend of mine didn’t know what neither zuccini nor eggplant meant! Amazing!

When I was down in the US, I’d say “awesome” and the first question they’d ask would be: Are you Canadian? haha. Or even back East as soon as you say Awesome they’d ask the same thing.

We use wicked quite alot actually.

MiracleMan said on :

Ya do, ay?

Anarem said on :

Ahem.

It’s “eh”. :-)

ally77 said on :

I was joking about being a chav..... someone did once buy me a cheap burberry umbrella.... it’s still in the house somewhere, in the wrapping paper!

Anarem said on :

I used to love this British show called “At Home With The Braithwaites”. They used the word “pillock” a lot, which is a hoot. I also like the word “tart”, which is sometimes used in Canadian English, but in a more humourous, ironic way.

rox-kuryliw said on :

My family are full of pillocks ;-)

Vixzter said on :

pillock....another classic! love that one ;-)

Vixzter said on :

here’s another one.....

anyone had the lurgee lately?? ;-)

rox-kuryliw said on :

ow my LOL yuk

klair said on :

lurgee - omg hahah! I haven’t heard that in sooo long!

Anarem said on :

Another one:

A co-worker of mine went down to Mexico on holiday, and she met a group of wacky Englishpeople in a hot tub. One of the women had scolded a man she was with, telling him: “Oh, you big girl’s blouse!”

LOL! I love the British. Sigh.

ally77 said on :

God Vix that is old!

plectrum said on :

i always tell my kids to stop faffing about

Vixzter said on :

going back to the dogs bollocks.......mutts nuts is another way of putting it ;-)

LittleSpooky said on :

Vix: Do I wanna know why you’re obsessing with animal genitalia? ;o)

tevensso (moderator) said on :

Another one: “you silly sausage”... :S

Vixzter said on :

spooks: i didnt start it!

rox-kuryliw said on :

lol i like the word fanny , cos its a bag isnt it in US

LittleSpooky said on :

Fanny = your butt.

ie “I got whacked on the fanny for my birthday, 22 times.”

plectrum said on :

lol @ spooks, i’ll try not to embarrass you but f*nny over in the uk means something els which i will not mention

Vixzter said on :

you can also describe someone as being a complete/right/total tit ;-) means prat idiot stupid etc

rox-kuryliw said on :

im always calling my dad a tit lol

ally77 said on :

meat and 2 veg....

Kazza said on :

“gawd struth mate! ;-) grab some tinnies and we’ll have a barbie”
@Vix: The correct spelling is “strewth”.
I have never used the word “tinnie” nor “strewth” in my life. Nor do I say G’day mate! I also personally prefer the word “barbeque”.
But that’s probably just me....

Btw, I know eggplant is aubergine, but what do you call zucchinis elsewhere in the world?

ally77 said on :

Zucchinis, Corgette (sp?) in the the UK!

Vixzter said on :

spark off or sparked = to start a fight ;-)

on_a_mission said on :

’square go’ = fist fight. That might just be scottish though...

Neil? Help us out here.

LittleSpooky said on :

2 BB’s and a Tic Tac

steven said on :

One “Britishisms” that really get’s “on my wick” (Oh there’s another one! :)

“I ain’t done nothing”

If you “ain’t done nothing” then you have done “something”.

Aaaagghhhhh!

You see a lot of this on the BBC’s “Eastenders”.

Vixzter said on :

lots of things ’get on my wick’ ;-)

ally77 said on :

Yeah Steven my mum says that!

klair said on :

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/

pick a letter and knock yourself out!!

Vixzter said on :

oh how many of them words do i use everyday LOL ;-)

ally77 said on :

Nice link Klair

ally77 said on :

Yep I’ve been put off my tea now....

sausage sandwich

ermmmmmmmmm okay!

Debora said on :

I’m learning English at the moment and the final test, probably next year, includes lots of idioms... I think I won’t take it...
I can’t understand a word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

ally77 said on :

Debora your English is very good!

plectrum said on :

LOL @ALLY AGAIN,BLOODY HELL IT’S RAINING CATS & DOGS

DaminehGessle said on :

I grew up learning British English so when I moved to Canada, I threw in all these comments noone understood or did, but they were quite uncommon. One was ” it’s raining cats and dogs”. Man I was picked on a few times for that.

Oh and “eh” makes life easy. I’ve noticed Americans use “huh” instead of “eh”. You guys always make fun of us for that.

ally77 said on :

The chavs are running the street again!

Queen_Marie said on :

That really is a great link, klair! I love the Cockney rhyming slang.
And I had a good laugh reading the Australian Slang link. Some of those words, I haven’t heard in years.

LittleSpooky said on :

I’ve used “eh” more times than I care to count and I live in Utah... hell and gone from the Canadian border :o)

Denstandigaresan said on :

Hehe, great thread! Missed this. Hmm.
Fliss, did you put down the one i’ve heard you mention on more than one occasion.. MISOG! Hehe!
Miserable old git innit?

I use Accidently on purpose A LOT. I also use a lot 99% of the words listed on here.

I say Amazin’ a lot too. NO idea why, think i’ve picked it up somewhere.

One I have used a lot since watching a documentry type programme here called, ’Life of Grime’, “Stick it up your chuffer”... an old geezer on there used it loads, I liked it so knicked it. ;)

I still occasionally say one my friend always says, i’ve picked it up from him... “Up your chocolate starfish”... in other words, stick it up your arse. ;)

sfchemist said on :

I had a tough time explaining “on the pull” to some non-British friends and the many ways that can be used.

rough translation: “i’m out on the pull tonight” = “i’m going out with the intention of meeting someone”

ally77 said on :

the one word I use a lot is CHEERS!

Vixzter said on :

everything is chipper or pukka = everything is fine/alright

good grief/blimey/crickey = unbelieveable or words to that effect ;)

kachina008 said on :

lol “pukka” is acutally a hindi word. didnt realize it was brit slang till I heard Jamie oliver use it :D

Queen_Marie said on :

Does it (pukka) mean the same thing in Hindi?

kachina008 said on :

pukka actually means perfect.

like “woh eek pukka gadha hain” means he is a perfect ass :P

I think it means the same thing in brit slang tho :)

TinyBubbles said on :

Jamie Oliver uses ’pukka’ all the time :) I loveee Jamie *kiss kiss* I think he is pukka!!

felicity-brown said on :

Funny site hehe ...amazing how many of these words one uses ...oops! :D

Yup, Mands, I use “misog” (miserable old git) quite a lot ...erm, is it just me on here? I’ve heard peeps around me using it n’all.

Vixzter said on :

poppycock = rubbish, crap etc
(saw it on the front of a paper today)

also you could describe something as a load of ’old cobblers’ which also means rubbish, crap etc

ally77 said on :

Keep um coming!

steven said on :

Poppycock!

LOL

Fantastic!

I haven’t heard that in years!

I’m gonna use that in the office tomorrow.

plectrum said on :

cack = rubbish,crap,garbage etc etc etc
going for a gargle/slurp = going to the pub
dropping a log = having a sh*t
laying on the nest = slap & tickle/sex
bottyburp = fart

RobS said on :

LoL you british folk crack me up :-)

TinyBubbles said on :

What a load of poppycock!! I just loveeeee saying that!!

ally77 said on :

bottyburp = fart

lol I like that one!

Vixzter said on :

guff = fart

belch = burp

;-)

plectrum said on :

scran = food

me old mucka = mate

bin lid = kid

kachina008 said on :

So there is this german guy at work who lived in England for a bit and picked up british things to say...he says them all in a VERY german accent, it is horrifying (I think he is an a**hole) but anyway, here is something he apparently says “Thanks gaff (sp??)”....any idea what that means? i figured it was maybe “gov” but I don’t know. any ideas?

His gf is also picking up the expressions from him, and she says them in a wonderful polish accent. YIKES!@#

LittleSpooky said on :

Probably is because in German the V sounds like F and the W sounds like V.

So, technically, a Volkswagen is Folksvagen....

kachina008 said on :

yeah ok but i still dunno what it means :P

ally77 said on :

I keep trying to think of more.... but I can’t come up with them...

pan of scouse... a kind a stew...

LittleSpooky said on :

“Thanks guv” Kind of like “Thanks mate”

Vixzter said on :

nutter, nut case, nut job, looney, fruit loop = mad person ;-)

noggin = head
peepers = eyes
knockers, bristol citys (ryhmes with titties) = boobs

;-)

Vixzter said on :

fed up = annoyed, unhappy etc

Vixzter said on :

codswallop = rubbish

ie: its a load of old codswallop

ally77 said on :

Vix keep em coming!

plectrum said on :

chuffin hell = ?

button it = shut up

slaphead = bald person

Vixzter said on :

dickhead = idiot

load of tosh = load of rubbish

LittleSpooky said on :

I got into an argument with my Rice Krispies the other day. I distinctly heard: “Snap, crackle, f*** him.” — George Carlin

(just for a laugh)

Vixzter said on :

don’t blame me my rice krispies told me to do it

LittleSpooky said on :

“Jesus, Lord, Protector of all that is Holy.... Protect me from fat people in short pants.” — George Carlin, Life is Worth Losing

Vixzter said on :

the whole kit and kaboodle ;-)

plectrum said on :

hey vix your not having a go at me are you?

plectrum said on :

just wondered with the dickhead part thats all,don’t worry,sometimes i seam to get a bit emotional from time to time thats all

MiracleMan said on :

the whole kit and kaboodle—We use that over here. Not quite up to date slang. . .

LittleSpooky said on :

o_O

Queen_Marie said on :

Balls=BS

Vixzter said on :

@plectrum: erm....nope, just when i saw you put slaphead i thought of dickhead ;-)

balls also = bollox, as in load of bollox but same meaning as BS ;-)

ally77 said on :

I flippin freezing... is one I hear a lot this time of the year... not exactly british!

ally77 said on :

Claptrap = Crap

plectrum said on :

c’mon ally you can do better than that surely lol

how about ......sod this for a lark i’m off for a gargle (a pint)

Vixzter said on :

also....

sod this for a game of soilders

and

tatical chunder

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

All these “Britishism” make us sound really strange!! lol

LittleSpooky said on :

Vix: That last one wouldn’t happen to be related to a complete fuster cluck?

Vixzter said on :

@spooks: no idea ;-)

anyways.....i’m a bit pissed so you never know what the hell i’ll come up with in the next couple of hours ;-)

...............................................

Vixzter said on :

grin and bear it

;-)

theres another one ;-P i swear ist only brits readintthis topic and larfin at themselves ROFLOL

LittleSpooky said on :

Pissed pissed? Or pissed annoyed?

Vixzter said on :

pissed as in smashed as in sozzled as in sh*t faced as in tippsy as in trashed as in.......

well that was last week....

and now......

i’m....

TROLLYIED ( not spelt right but a plural of Trolly.....thing u push at a supermarket)

but anyway it has the same meaning as........

drunk

harriej said on :

@Vixzter (theres another one ;-P i swear ist only brits readintthis topic and larfin at themselves ROFLOL)

Nope, I am dutch, but I like this topic very much!

Learning some nice English, which I otherwise would never have known ;)

ally77 said on :

Banging your head against a brick wall....

ally77 said on :

Break a leg.... did we have that already?

harriej said on :

break a leg....nice thing to say to people who go on wintersport!

plectrum said on :

have to laugh at vix pmsl.....nowt like getting trolleyed isn’t there?

Vixzter said on :

kop it/ kopped it = to die or died

Vixzter said on :

keeping schtum = keeping quiet about something

Vixzter said on :

flamin’ ’eck
bloody nora

ally77 said on :

I think we should revive this!

plectrum said on :

bloomin nora

Vixzter said on :

i did revive it ;-)

cos it cracks me up ;-)

TinyBubbles said on :

What a load of poppycock! *runs away*

ally77 said on :

ruddy hell....

Vixzter said on :

bugger me!

denny said on :

LOL, I just read this thread. I’m using pretty much Serbian/English :P And I have so many different influences but I mostly use American (movies, series and music of course). Recently I began working with Australians and I was quite surprised that I can understand them very well :)

All those slang words are funny but there are two that annoy me soooo much and I don’t know why.... “Mate” and “No worries”... argh.... Hate when my boss tells me No worries....lol

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

We have a lot of little Guernsey sayings here. No doubt the people going to the meet will hear some next week.

We say “Isit” a lot when we ask questions. And sometimes at the end of a sentence we add an “a”. I haven’t got a clue why, but everyone does it here. It’s quite strange!

Vixzter said on :

what a load of old cobblers

ally77 said on :

Yeah Paul I use Isit a lot as well! :)

Vixzter said on :

shut your bark = shut up

pulling your leg = i’m joking (sort of thing)

ally77 said on :

This made me laugh...

Can only be in Britain?

One of the British national daily newspapers is asking readers “What it means to be British?” Some of the emails are hilarious but this is
one from a chap in Switzerland...

Being British is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. And the most
British thing of all? Suspicion of anything foreign. Oh and!!!!!

Only in Britain.. can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance. Only in Britain do supermarkets make sick people walk all the way to the back of the shop to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

Only in Britain do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a DIET coke.

Only in Britain.. do banks leave both doors open and chain the pens to the counters.

Only in Britain.. do we leave cars worth thousands of pounds on the drive and lock our junk and cheap lawn mower in the garage.

Only in Britain.. do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place. NOT TO MENTION...

3 Brits die each year testing if a 9v battery works on their tongue.

142 Brits were injured in 1999 by not removing all pins from new shirts.

58 Brits are injured each year by using sharp knives instead of screwdrivers.

31 Brits have died since 1996 by watering their Christmas tree while the fairy lights were plugged in.

19 Brits have died in the last 3 years believing that Christmas decorations were chocolate.

British Hospitals reported 4 broken arms last year after cracker pulling accidents.

101 people since 1999 have had broken parts of plastic toys pulled out of the soles of their feet.

18 Brits had serious burns in 2000 trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth.

A massive 543 Brits were admitted to A&E in the last two years after opening bottles of beer with their teeth.

5 Brits were injured last year in accidents involving out of Control Scalextric cars.

And finally......... In 2000 eight Brits cracked their skull whilst throwing up into the toilet.

Vixzter said on :

can i just put any rumours to rest before they even start....... i have never been admitted to hospital injuring myself by opening a bottle of beer with my teeth ;-)

TinyBubbles said on :

What is wrong with “no worries” ?? :(

:P

zaine said on :

i say “no worries” a lot, even to customers at work... :P

zaine said on :

I also say groovy a lot
things are always groovy in my life

ally77 said on :

My words is cheers...

LittleSpooky said on :

That’s ironic... that post about “Only In Britian” has been circulated here with “Only In America”

denny said on :

@TinyBubbles Nothing’s wrong with ’no worries’ lol, it just annoys me for no reason at all :P

ally77 said on :

I like that!

MiracleMan said on :

Are you winding me up? You’re all barking.

ally77 said on :

Woof!

ally77 said on :

This is a funny topic...

ally77 said on :

Not quite all British but I thought they where funny!

A few clowns short of a circus!

A few fries short of a Happy Meal!

An experiment in Artificial Stupidity

Dumber than a box of hair!

A few peas short of a casserole!

Doesn’t have all his cornflakes in one box!

The wheel’s spinning, but the hamster’s dead!

One Fruit Loop shy of a full bowl!

One taco short of a combination plate!

A few feathers short of a whole duck!

The cheese slid off his cracker!

Body by Fisher, brains by Mattel!

Has an IQ of 2, but it takes 3 to grunt!

Warning: Objects in mirror are dumber than they appear!

Couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel!

He fell out of the Stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down!

An intellect rivaled only by garden tools!

As smart as bait!

Chimney’s clogged!

Doesn’t have all his dogs on one leash!

Doesn’t know much but leads the league in nostril hair!

Elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor!

Forgot to pay his brain bill!

Her sewing machine’s out of thread!

His antenna doesn’t pick up all the channels!

His belt doesn’t go through all the loops!

If he had another brain, it would be lonely!

Missing a few buttons on his remote control!

No grain in the silo!

Receiver is off the hook!

Several nuts short of a full pouch!

Skylight leaks a little!

Slinky’s kinked!

Surfing in Nebraska!

A few sandwiches short of a picnic!

Vixzter said on :

1 card short of a full deck

ally77 said on :

I knew Vix would find her way back to this topic!

MiracleMan said on :

My own: A few syllables short of a haiku

My mother would yell at us: “You couldn’t pour pee out of boot with the instructions on the heel.” I miss that.

Anarem said on :

I like your Mom’s moxie, Miracleman!

Another Britishism I discovered recently was “chav”. Whoa!

Vixzter said on :

Chav lol yea thats Brit.

Also..

’Going off on one’

ie: He/she went off on one = lost their temper etc

MiracleMan said on :

My mother once—in a moment of exasperation—turned to my father and said, “We should have drowned them when we had the chance.”

She also used to say in repsonse to an “I want“ statement: “People in Hell want icewater.” I like to use that at work.

God, I miss that woman.

Vixie: there’s a lot of going off over here too—She went off on me.

Anarem said on :

Who would we be without our mothers? :-)

My mom used to say, “Geez, I wish I could set the whole house on fire so I wouldn’t have to clean it.” I think it sounds better in her mother tongue, there is always something lost in translation. :-)

Other Britishisms I discovered while watching Little Britain (I love that show!):

minger
chuffed

whateveriam said on :

New one which I only just remembered to include.

Chrimbo.

Nate asked me what it meant, so I explained that it is slang for Christmas.

Another one-I’ve only ever heard Brits call themselves this-Whovians (Doctior Who fans)

Another-dingbat/divot (pronounced div-ott with a HARD t)- slang term for general idiocy or idiots. As in -you divot!

Oh, and finally ’muppetry’. This is another term for stupidity

Enjoy!

ally77 said on :

or Kicking Off...

that’s one I have used a lot recently....

Vixzter said on :

this one s abit rude...

knob jockey

means idiot or such like.

you could also call someone a knob or a my fav lately....knobber ;-) also means the same as a above.

whateveriam said on :

Argy-bargy! Any form of argument...

ally77 said on :

Don’t know why... but the word WANKER keeps popping up a lot these days!

plectrum said on :

If i fell into a barrel of t!ts i’d still come out sucking my thumb.

The lights on but the batteries dead.

The lights on but no-one is in.

davidc4 said on :

what about Doin me head in

plectrum said on :

how about ......am i bovvered ;o)

ally77 said on :

The lights on but no-one is in....

That’s my dad.... bless him!

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