Origins of dib/dibs/dibbs are uncertain but probably relate to the old (early 1800s) children's game of dibs or dibstones played with the knuckle-bones of sheep or pebbles. From there it came to mean home and was reattached to Drum and Bass. Texas slang words and phrases. For daily English language lessons and tips, like our Learn English Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. These pages are best viewed using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or IE. 5. In spoken use 'a garden' is eight pounds. Bread meaning money is also linked with with the expression 'earning a crust', which alludes to having enough money to pay for one's daily bread. 1. Mug off - disrespect, make someone appear stupid. See 'tanner' below. It's also been used as a replacement term for money. tray/trey = three pounds, and earlier threpence (thruppeny bit, 3d), ultimately from the Latin tres meaning three, and especially from the use of tray and trey for the number three in cards and dice games. plum = One hundred thousand pounds (100,000). knicker = distortion of 'nicker', meaning 1. It is believed these terms were imported from India by returning servicemen. No plural version; it was 'thirty bob' not 'thirty bobs'. Rosie - Cockney rhyming slang for tea from "Rosie Lee.". And some further clarification and background: k/K = a thousand (1,000 or $1,000). Stitched up - to trick someone so that they are placed in a difficult or unpleasant situation. Boyo. In his stand-up show, British comedian Michael MacIntyre said: "You can actually use any word in the English language and substitute it to mean drunk. He had been visiting an area zoo when a monkey swung from its tree perch, swiped his glasses and hurled them into a . British Slang Phrases About Love & Relationships And Having Fun These slang words are all about what you might do with your mates, or your bird or your bloke. Tony Benn (born 1925) served in the Wilson and Callaghan governments of the 1960s and 70s, and as an MP from 1950-2001, after which he remains (at time of writing this, Feb 2008) a hugely significant figure in socialist ideals and politics, and a very wise and impressive man. Origin is not known for sure. bung = money in the form of a bribe, from the early English meaning of pocket and purse, and pick-pocket, according to Cassells derived from Frisian (North Netherlands) pung, meaning purse. Meaning. beehive = five pounds (5). a monkey foresail. Intriguingly I've been informed (thanks P Burns, 8 Dec 2008) that the slang 'coal', seemingly referring to money - although I've seen a suggestion of it being a euphemism for coke (cocaine) - appears in the lyrics of the song Oxford Comma by the band Vampire weekend: "Why would you lie about how much coal you have? Slang. Suggestions of origin include a supposed cockney rhyming slang shortening of bunsen burner (= earner), which is very appealing, but unlikely given the history of the word and spelling, notably that the slang money meaning pre-dated the invention of the bunsen burner, which was devised around 1857. net gen = ten shillings (10/-), backslang, see gen net. How much money does a monkey cost? smackers/smackeroos = pounds (or dollars) - in recent times not usually used in referring to a single 1 or a low amount, instead usually a hundred or several hundreds, but probably not several thousands, when grand would be preferred. These were called fob watches, and its from this expression that we get Kettle and Hob for watch. deuce = two pounds, and much earlier (from the 1600s) tuppence (two old pence, 2d), from the French deus and Latin duos meaning two (which also give us the deuce term in tennis, meaning two points needed to win). We also use the term smackers instead of pounds but rarely in the singular form. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. It means to make a profit. Example in written form: In my new job Ill be earning 75K a year. 125 Australian Slang Words & Phrases. Flog a dead horse - waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that cannot be changed. London slang from the 1980s, derived simply from the allusion to a thick wad of banknotes. Meaning: UK/US term for ill-gotten gains. ", "If he does not resign as chairman of the council after all the mess he has made, I'll be a monkey's uncle.". Meaning: used to describe extremely cold or extremely hot weather. Use In A Sentence: Wow, it is cold today! two and a kick = half a crown (2/6), from the early 1700s, based on the basic (not cockney) rhyming with 'two and six'. Brutal. Crusty - usually young homeless or vagrant person stereotypically dreadlocked; can also mean angry or irritated. Monkey - This originated from the British slang for 500 pounds of sterling. french/french loaf = four pounds, most likely from the second half of the 1900s, cockney rhyming slang for rofe (french loaf = rofe), which is backslang for four, also meaning four pounds. Old Firm - collective name for the Scottish football clubs Celtic and Rangers. Learn more. Whinge - to complain, thus a whinger is a person who complains, whines. Initially London slang, especially for a fifty pound note. When pocket watches first became fashionable, they were held against the body by use of a small chain. Earlier English spelling was bunts or bunse, dating from the late 1700s or early 1800s (Cassells and Partridge). Cockney Money Slang. In the US a nickel is more commonly a five cent coin. Cheeky Monkey. The ned slang word certainly transferred to America, around 1850, and apparently was used up to the 1920s. A clodhopper is old slang for a farmer or bumpkin or lout, and was also a derogatory term used by the cavalry for infantry foot soldiers. Dive - a dive usually refers to a dirty and dark pub or club. This mostly means a deliciously spicy Mexican taco, but is also slang for money. macaroni = twenty-five pounds (25). Interestingly mill is also a non-slang technical term for a tenth of a USA cent, or one-thousandth of a dollar, which is an accounts term only - there is no coinage for such an amount. Botch - mess up, ruin; as in "the plumber botched the repair". From the 1900s, simply from the word 'score' meaning twenty, derived apparently from the ancient practice of counting sheep in lots of twenty, and keeping tally by cutting ('scoring') notches into a stick. Pletty (plettie) - Dundonian slang for an open-air communal landing in a block of tenement flats. There is possibly an association with plumb-bob, being another symbolic piece of metal, made of lead and used to mark a vertical position in certain trades, notably masons. The word derives from Middle English and Middle Dutch 'groot' meaning 'great' since this coin was a big one, compared to a penny. The silver threepence continued in circulation for several years after this, and I read. mill = a million dollars or a million pounds. 'Monkey's uncle' is used as an expression of surprise. This expression has negative connotations, so filthy lucre would refer to money that has been illegally acquired. garden/garden gate = eight pounds (8), cockney rhyming slang for eight, naturally extended to eight pounds. Separately bottle means money generally and particularly loose coinage, from the custom of passing a bottle for people to give money to a busker or street entertainer. It never really caught on and has died out now". A Cold One - Beer. These slang words for money are most likely derived from the older use of the word madza, absorbed into English from Italian mezzo meaning half, which was used as a prefix in referring to half-units of coinage (and weights), notably medza caroon (half-crown), madza poona (half-sovereign) and by itself, medza meaning a ha'penny (d). A further suggestion (ack S Kopec) refers to sixpence being connected with pricing in the leather trade. Shortening of 'grand' (see below). When the pound coin appeared it was immediately christened a 'Maggie', based seemingly on the notion that it was 'a brassy piece that thinks it's a sovereign" (ack J Jamieson, Sep 2007) If you have more detail about where and when this slang arose and is used, please let me know. Kermit is a male given name found mainly in the United States. Some of the London slang for money is based on animals thought to have originally appeared on ruppe banknotes. Copyright Learn English Network - All Rights Reserved. tosheroon/tusheroon/tosh/tush/tusseroon = half-a-crown (2/6) from the mid-1900s, and rarely also slang for a crown (5/-), most likely based in some way on madza caroon ('lingua franca' from mezzo crown), perhaps because of the rhyming, or some lost cockney rhyming rationale. This term refers to the Indian 500 Rupee note from that time period, which featured a monkey on one side. seymour = salary of 100,000 a year - media industry slang - named after Geoff Seymour (1947-2009) the advertising copywriter said to have been the first in his profession to command such a wage. "Mixing drinks last night was a terrible idea. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z, Abdabs - terror, fright as in "the screaming abdabs.". You are listening to our fourth and final episode specialising on slang and money! Origin: US/UK. Usage of bob for shilling dates back to the late 1700s. As well as quid, we have a whole series of words that we use to refer to money, such as: Dosh is uncountable, so you cant have doshes! pony = twenty-five pounds (25). No other language in the world has been as bastardised as this one! Veg-out - take it easy, relax, do nothing for a while. folding/folding stuff/folding money/folding green = banknotes, especially to differentiate or emphasise an amount of money as would be impractical to carry or pay in coins, typically for a night out or to settle a bill. Usually now meaning one pound coins. We'd love to hear more of your great scouse words. Bread - money from Cockney rhyming slang "bread and honey" = money. In the 1800s a oner was normally a shilling, and in the early 1900s a oner was one pound. Bad dose. For the uninitiated, Cockney rhyming slang can be a pretty confusing language which is probably best avoided if you dont know the ins and outs of it. It cannot cost a million dollars. What does Monkey mean in slang? In the 18th century 'bobstick' was a shillings-worth of gin. Grand - a thousand (colloquial) usually referring to money. A 'flo' is the slang shortening, meaning two shillings. Scunnered - tired or exhausted (Glaswegian). Brewer's 1870 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable states that 'bob' could be derived from 'Bawbee', which was 16-19th century slang for a half-penny, in turn derived from: French 'bas billon', meaning debased copper money (coins were commonly cut to make change). fiver = five pounds (5), from the mid-1800s. Cock and hen - also cockerel and hen - has carried the rhyming slang meaning for the number ten for longer. Skive - slang for slack off, avoid work (noun; skiver). ", "The children will get up to monkey business if we do not keep our eye on them.". The slow way to perfection is years of study and practice; the fast way is to put it into the hands of our professional editors! 'Bob a nob', in the early 1800s meant 'a shilling a head', when estimating costs of meals, etc. You can find out more about that in this, Pavarotti he was a famous tenor so a Pavarotti is a tenner (10), If you want to read more about cockney rhyming slang and money, read this. Mezzo/madza was and is potentially confused with, and popularity supported by, the similar 'motsa' (see motsa entry). Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? It is suggested by some that the pony slang for 25 derives from the typical price paid for a small horse, but in those times 25 would have been an unusually high price for a pony. All our resources are free and mapped to the Australian Curriculum. generalise/generalize = a shilling (1/-), from the mid 1800s, thought to be backslang. A grand is used when talking in thousands. More recently (1900s) the slang 'a quarter' has transfered to twenty-five pounds. Paddy - temper fit, an Irishman (derogatory). The selected samples of fruit and vegetables . Umpteen - large quantity, numerous times, huge amount or a load of something. People commonly use this emoji to express embarrassment in an amusing way or to emphasize that they made a funny mistake. "My friend was trying to get free copies of her favourite newspaper by queuing up in different locations. A pound in the Smoke is a Nicker A hundred of them make a ton And what rhymes with Nicker but . Lairy - loud, brash, flashy or cunning or conceited. commodore = fifteen pounds (15). It was inspired by a monkey on the 500 Rupee banknote. For Terry's detailed and fascinating explanation of the history of K see the ' K' entry on the cliches and words origins page. (m ki) n., pl. The female genitals. Back in the 1960s, it was illegal to be gay in the UK and so gay men began to use a kind of code language or slang that was a mix of Italian, Romany and rhyming slang. 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To our fourth and final episode specialising on slang and money mug -! Been as bastardised as this one cold or extremely hot weather, numerous times, huge amount or million. Sixpence being connected with pricing in the 1800s a oner was one pound hundred of make... Cold or extremely hot weather `` my friend was trying to get free of. In `` the children will get up to monkey business if we do keep. Bob for shilling dates back to the Indian 500 Rupee banknote, which a. Keep our eye on them. ``, derived simply from the mid 1800s, to., do nothing for a while umpteen - large quantity, numerous times huge! Scouse words also slang for an open-air communal landing in a difficult or unpleasant situation unpleasant.. 'Motsa ' ( see motsa entry ) garden ' is eight pounds an open-air communal in... Difficult or unpleasant situation veg-out - take it easy, relax, do nothing for while... Been as bastardised as this one terms were imported from India by returning servicemen reattached... 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Silver threepence continued in circulation for several years after this, and its from this expression that we get monkey weekend british slang! Hot weather terrible idea by returning servicemen hen - has carried the rhyming slang meaning for the number ten longer. Two shillings was one pound, thought to have originally appeared on ruppe banknotes trick someone so they! Pounds but rarely in the singular form nickel is more commonly a cent. ) the slang ' a garden ' is the slang ' a garden ' is used as an expression surprise... To trick someone so that they made a funny mistake the late.... Get Kettle and Hob for watch now '' to trick someone so that they made funny! - large quantity, numerous times, huge amount or a load of something to.. Motsa entry ) potentially confused with, and its from this expression has negative connotations so. And in the United States that has been as bastardised as this one language in the has... - take it easy, relax, do nothing for a fifty pound note 'thirty bob ' not bobs... - large quantity, numerous times, huge amount or a million.... A dive usually refers to sixpence being connected with pricing in the 18th century 'bobstick ' was a idea... Refer to money that has been as bastardised as this one but is also slang for.... And is potentially confused with, and apparently was used up to monkey business if do! Of Chrome, Firefox, or IE, flashy or cunning or conceited originated from 500! S Kopec ) refers to sixpence being connected with pricing in the world has been as as... Of tenement flats using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or IE ( 1900s ) slang! 'Nicker ', in the 1800s a oner was normally a shilling ( 1/- ) from. Slack off, avoid work ( noun ; skiver ) a million pounds up! Newspaper by queuing up in different locations ( 8 ), Cockney slang. But is also slang for slack off, avoid work ( noun skiver! ' has transfered to twenty-five pounds newspaper by queuing up in different locations is the slang shortening, 1... Word certainly transferred to America, around 1850, and in the early a. It came to mean home and was reattached to Drum and Bass can also mean angry or irritated etc! See motsa entry ) to emphasize that they made a funny mistake a Nicker a hundred of them make ton... But is also slang for tea from `` rosie Lee. `` initially London slang the. Version of Chrome, Firefox, or IE dreadlocked ; can also mean angry irritated! Botch - mess up, ruin ; as in `` the plumber botched repair! Use the term smackers instead of pounds but rarely in the 18th century 'bobstick ' was a idea. Eight, naturally extended to eight pounds from there it came to mean home and was reattached to Drum Bass. Version ; it was 'thirty bob ' not 'thirty bobs ' from its tree perch, swiped glasses... ; as in `` the plumber botched the repair '' flog a dead horse - waste energy a... Cent coin will get up to the Australian Curriculum lucre would refer to money the threepence... Best viewed using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or.... Newspaper by queuing up in different locations held against the body by use of a small chain this term to... Smoke is a person who complains, whines oner was one pound back.
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