COCKNEY
RHYMING SLANG
Phrases
for specific words
I would imagine
most people have come across rhyming slang at some time or other, even if
only in the movies - and may not even have realised it. It is sort of
texting in reverse - whereas texting abbreviates the actual words, rhyming
slang is a longer version.
A lot of the phrases
themselves have become shortened over the years e.g. Joanna (Piano), Tit for
Tat (Hat) is shortened to "Titfer" and "I'm Boracic"
means "I have no money".
The following lists some
of the good old originals, whereas others have been added more recently.
As Ken
Dryden points out "A lot of rhyming slang seems to be very localised and a lot of it very ephemeral (coming in and going out of use very quickly).
For example, back in the 1970's a pint of Gary Glitter was a pint of bitter but I doubt that's been used for over 30 years now. Likewise I was asked at cricket the other week if I fancied going for a Pascal Chimbonda! Now, the said Mr Chimbonda is a current Premiership footballer and I was actually being asked if I wanted to go for a stroll (WANDER) round the boundary with some of the other players. I suspect that particular phrase will have a very, very short lifespan!
|
WORD |
PHRASE |
| Alone |
Todd Sloane |
| Arm |
Chalk Farm |
| Arse
(backside/bottom) |
Khyber Pass |
| Balls |
Cobbler's Awls |
| Balti |
Basil Fawlty |
| Believe |
Adam and Eve |
| Boots |
Daisy Roots |
| Boozer |
Battlecruiser |
| Bottle |
Aristotle |
| Braces |
Ascot Races |
| Cab |
Sherbert Dab |
| Car |
Jam Jar |
| Cell |
Flowery Dell |
| Cheque |
Gregory Peck |
| Coat |
Weasel and Stoat |
| Cousin |
Baker's Dozen |
| Crap (sort of
manure!) |
Pony and Trap |
| Curry |
Ruby Murray |
| Dance |
Kick and Prance |
| Daughter |
Bricks and Mortar |
| Dead |
Brown Bread |
| Deaf |
Mutt and Jeff |
| Draught |
George Raft |
|
Drunk |
Elephant's Trunk
Ken Dryden |
| Eyes |
Mince Pies |
| Face |
Boat Race |
| Facts |
Brass Tacks |
| Fag (cigarette) |
Oily Rag |
| Feet |
Plates of Meat |
| Fiver (Five
pounds) |
Lady Godiva |
| Flares (I.e.
trousers) |
Lionel Blairs |
| Flying Squad |
Sweeney Todd |
| Fork |
Roast Pork |
| Gin |
Vera Lynn |
| Goal |
Sausage Roll |
| Greek |
Bubble and Squeakl |
| Hair |
Barnet Fair |
| Hat |
Tit for Tat (Titfer) |
| Head |
Loaf of Bread |
| Jewellery |
Tom Foolery |
| Judge |
Barnaby Rudge |
| Kid |
Dustbin Lid |
| Knickers |
Alan Whickers |
| Laugh |
Bubble bath (Robert
Davis) |
| Lies |
Porky Pies |
| Lodger |
Artful Dodger |
| Look |
Butcher's Hook |
| Mate |
China Plate |
| Missus (wife) |
Cows and Kisses Ken
Dryden |
| Moan |
Darby and Joan |
| Money |
Bread and Honey |
| Mouth |
North and South |
| Nose |
Fireman's hose
(possibly rubber
hose)
John Cole |
| Phone |
Dog and Bone |
| Piano |
Aunt Joanna |
| Piddle/Widdle
(urinate) |
Jimmy Riddle |
| Piles |
Chalfont St. Giles |
| Piss (urinate) |
Gypsy's Kiss |
| Piss (urinate) |
Mickey Bliss |
| Pissed (drunk) |
Brahms and List |
| Pocket |
Sky Rocket |
| Prick |
Hampton Wick |
| Pub (Public
House/Bar) |
Rub-a-Dub |
| Queen |
Baked Bean |
| Rent |
Duke of Kent |
| Road |
Frog and Toad |
| Shirt |
Dicky Dirt |
| Shit (sorry) |
Thrupney Bit*
Robert
Davis
Tom Tit
John Cole
|
|
A "thrupney bit"
was a 3 pence piece before decimalisation in the UK |
| Shoes |
Dinky Doos |
| Sick |
Pat and Mick |
| Sick |
Tom and Dick |
| Sister |
Skin and Blister |
| Skint (no money) |
Boracic Lint |
| Skive |
Duck and Dive |
| Sneeze |
Bread and Cheese |
| Snout
(tobacco/cigarette) |
Salmon and Trout |
| Soap |
Bob Hope |
| Socks |
Almond Rocks |
| Stairs |
Apples and Pears |
| Starving |
Hank Marvin |
| Stink (smell) |
Pen and Ink |
| Suit |
Whistle and Flute |
| Sun |
Currant Bun |
| Tea |
Rosie Lee |
| Ten |
Cock and Hen |
| Thief |
Tea Leaf |
| Tie |
Peckham Rye |
|
Tight |
Isle of Wight
Ken Dryden |
| Titty |
Bristol City |
| Trousers |
Round the Houses |
|
Trouble |
Barney Rubble
Jayme Gibbs |
| Walk |
Ball and Chalk |
| Wife |
Trouble and Strife |
| Wig |
Syrup of Figs |
| Window |
Tommy Trinder |
| Windy |
Mork and Mindy |
| Word |
Dicky bird |
There are two others pages on this subject
one listing phrases and the words they represent
and the second providing examples of sentences using
some cockney phrases.
These pages refer to "Cockney"
rhyming slang, I have, however, received the following suggestion from Joe
Erfurt which emanates from elsewhere in the world. STUFFING
- Jimmy Ruffin
When I queried the source of
this item Joe responded as follows:-
"The source for
"Jimmy Ruffin" began back in 1981 in an Indian restaurant in
Johannesburg. At that time a group of us were trying to describe to
others how rhyming slang is used to describe a myriad of things that occur
within our daily lives. This was the last time I saw a certain
individual until two weeks ago when he travelled from California and dropped
by to say hello.
We spoke of that meal back in 1981
during dinner at our house and inspiration just blurted out "would you like
some Jimmy Ruffin with your chicken" I call it divine intervention rather
than a traceable source.
Yes it is fictitious but the
fact that four of us now know of its existence would suggest its compounded
usage from hereonwards and thus we can catalogue its derivation."
How could I resist and
remember, you heard it here first!
Copyright © 2000-2020
Hints and Things
All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this site may be reproduced or redistributed without prior written
permission from Hints and Things. All trademarks & copyrights throughout
Hints and Things remain the property of their respective owners.
Hints and Things cannot be held
responsible for any information given on this site nor do they necessarily agree
with, or endorse, the views given by third parties. |
