Regularly used as a greeting or term of affection.Ī military term that has seeped its way into British slang to mean casual or civilian clothes. If you have the dreaded lurgy then you are unwell with either the flu or a cold.Ī good friend or acquaintance. Don’t forget your bog roll.Ī short power nap, the English word for a snooze.Ī proper British party, full of warm beer and loud music. If you are repeatedly lucky you might be described as jammy.īritish slang for the toilet. While this sounds like a pleasant invitation to tea at the Palace, it’s best to avoid a stint at Her Majesty’s pleasure, as it means spending time in prison.Ĭonsistently being on the right side of good fortune. Usually a self-inflicted state of mind after several pints of British ale, a hard man is someone to be avoided. The British slang definition of hard is somebody who is ready to take on anyone or anything in a fight. In American English this would be known as making out. To negotiate or argue over the price of something, entering into a heated and lengthy discussion about its value and worth. If your favorite sports team has just lost then you might be gutted. In this instance ‘us’ actually means ‘me’.Ĭompletely and utterly awestruck in amazement.Ī person who has little clue or idea about what is going on around them.īeing incredibly upset about something. Strutting or striding about with a seemingly endless supply of confidence.Ĭalling somebody on the telephone. It’s possessing endless quantities of get up and go, almost to the point of annoyance. Someone who is full of energy might be described as being full of beans. Most usually used to describe someone who likes to have a small stake on a horse race, for example, Mr. It’s a lucky occurrence that doesn't often happen. If something happens purely by chance then it is a fluke. Dropping a vase of freshly cut daisies could result in a gently whispered fiddlesticks. A Brit likes nothing more than a good faff.Ī harmless curse word held in reserve solely for use by British grandmothers. It’s taking unnecessary time over something that should be straightforward. If something is not difficult then it is loudly pronounced as being easy peasy.įaffing around is a very British pleasure. If something is exceptionally good it is known as the dog’s bollocks. Slang for all types of currency.Ī strange but surprisingly popular term in British slang. The American English equivalent is shady. Used to describe something a little bit suspicious or questionable. David Beckham could be described as dishy, or in fact, a bit of a dish. Not particularly offensive, just mildly silly.Ī person, usually male, who is very good-looking. Just don’t show it outwardly, we’re British, remember?.Ī load of rubbish, something that is clearly nonsense.Ī bit stupid. A road, street, or shop full to the rafters could be described this way. In the US, thin bastardized versions of British chips might call themselves french fries.Ī place that is very busy. In the UK, chips are deep-fried strips of potato, and chunky ones at that. Many an American has come ashore and innocently ordered chips, only to be right royally cheesed off. The British population spends most of their time cheesed off with the weather. It means you are a bit barmy (see above!).Īnnoyed or displeased. If someone calls you this then they’re not being kind, it means you are bonkers (see below). Something that has not gone according to plan. British people will often find themselves bustin’ for the bog. Not a muddy marsh, unless you’ve got digestive problems, but a toilet. The tobacco that you use to roll your own fags (no, that’s not what you think it is - see below). What in American English might be called a dude. The equivalent of calling shotgun, a successful Bagsy is legally binding in an English court of law (not really).Ī man. One of the first words learned by children throughout the British Isles, shouting bagsy is a way of staking a claim on something. In the British English dictionary, this is not really a curse word, just a donkey. The undignified process of falling over, most commonly occurring when completely arseholed (drunk). Referring to what in the US would be your ass, this word can be coupled with a variety of other words to create whole new realms of British slang (see below). There could be an entire English dictionary devoted to variations of this single word. Brits will welcome friends and family members alike by grunting these two words to one another. Used most commonly as a greeting and certainly not one that requires a response. 101 Must-Know British Slang Words and Phrases
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