englandslang

media type="custom" key="22224318" align="right"slang / England Slang
related: language, england flickrgroup: [|Ecotourism Europe] worksheet: [|England slang] editing: [|England]

Translating expressions and vocabulary from British to American English

[|Beer and skittles] = Fun times Bugger's muddle = Disorderly group Chalk and cheese = Very different Chippy = Arrogant Something for the weekend = Condoms Swings and roundabouts = Gains and losses that offset each other
 * At sixes and sevens** = In a state of confusion ([|Wikipedia])
 * Bivvy** = Small tent or shelter
 * Blag** = To obtain by wheedling or lying
 * Blimey** = Darnit
 * Bloody** = Very very
 * Bob's your uncle** = There you have it or The task is easily achieved
 * Bollocks =** Nonsense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollocks
 * Brolly =** Umbrella
 * Bugbear** = Pet peeve
 * Bunk off** = To play truant
 * Chinwag** = To converse
 * Chuffed** = Pleased, to emphasize the point 'dead chuffed' and 'well chuffed'
 * Chock-a-block** = Crammed so tightly together as to prevent movement.
 * Codswallop** = Nonsense ('That is a load of codswallop.')
 * Damp squib** = Event which people think will be exciting but which is disappointing when it happens
 * Derby** = An open cost offering a prize for the winner
 * Dog's Breakfast** = Confused mess
 * Duffer** = Incompetent, harmless player
 * Elevenses** = Mid-morning tea or coffee break
 * Fair crack of the whip!** = asking for a fair chance
 * Footfall** = Number of people who go into a business during a particular time
 * Ginger group** = A group seeking to inspire the rest with its own enthusiasm and activity.
 * Gobsmacked =** Astounded, surprised ([|flickr collection])
 * Grasp the nettle** = To attempt something with boldness and courage (Nettles are plants with fine hairs on their leaves that sting you if you just brush up against them, but do not sting if you grasp them tight and boldly. So the expression means to be bold and not afraid, or to get on with something unpleasant, without hesitation.)
 * Grey** = Gray
 * Have a butcher's** = Have a look
 * Having kittens** = Nervous
 * Higgledy-piggledy** = In disarray
 * He's got the hump** = He's annoyed
 * Horses for courses** = Different things suit different people
 * Hose pipe** = Garden hose
 * I need to spend a penny** = I need to go to the toilet
 * Knees up** = A lively party
 * Let** = To rent
 * Lido** = Outdoor pool
 * Maths** = Math
 * Mug Punter** = A person that consistently gambles more than they can afford
 * Mutt's nuts (or cat's whiskers)** = Excellent. 'The Mutt's' is short for "The Mutt's nuts" which is another way of saying the "Dog's Bollocks"
 * Naff** = Uncool
 * Pavement** = Sidewalk
 * Penny dropped** = To understand
 * Pull** = To attract (sexually)
 * Put a spanner in the works** = Deliberately causing mayhem
 * Shambolic** = Chaotic
 * Shrapnel** = Loose change
 * Spiky** = Easily annoyed
 * Squeaky-bum time** = At the edge of your seat, the tense final stages of a competition
 * Stag-do** = Bachelor party
 * Swag** = Stolen goods
 * To get the wrong end of the stick** = To misunderstand
 * Tool** = Idiot (as in 'not the sharpest tool in the box')
 * Trousers** = Pants
 * Whinge** = To complain, whine ('The whinger complained that 'whine' was spelled wrong)

You pay peanuts and you get monkeys. Teach your grandmother to suck eggs Don't be telling me porky pies! - Don't tell me lies!
 * Phrases**


 * Cricket**
 * It's not cricket** - It's not fair
 * Instantly be given an out** -
 * Give it a crack** - Give it a go
 * Pulling up stumps** - Moving house, changing address
 * He had a good innings** - He had a good life

Wiki
England language slang

Wikipedia
[|Dictionary_of_Modern_English_Usage] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyming_slang

Food Bubble and squeak https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_and_squeak

Elsewhere on the Web
[|UK Slang] [|English Slang] [|The Best of British - The American’s guide to speaking British] [|Phrase Finder] http://septicscompanion.com - [] [] [|What the British say ... and what they mean] []

Essays
[|Oxford English Dictionary online, relaunched]

Quiz []