British Slang

adjective meaning slightly crazy or foolish

• The decision to proceed with the project despite the risks seemed barmy to the board members.
• I can't believe you're going out in this weather without a coat, you're barmy!
• She's always been a bit barmy, but we love her anyway.
• The idea of quitting my job and traveling the world sounded barmy at first, but now it's starting to seem more and more appealing.

noun a derogatory term for a person, especially one who is considered troublesome or annoying

• The blighter was caught red-handed stealing from the company.
• That blighter always manages to get away with mischief.
• I can't believe that blighter had the nerve to cheat on the test.
• The blighter of procrastination always seems to creep up on me when I least expect it.

adjective used to express anger, annoyance, or emphasis

• The bloody conflict in the region has been going on for years.
• I can't believe you forgot your bloody wallet again!
• Stop being such a bloody drama queen about it.
• The artist's use of color created a bloody sunset in the painting.

noun a nickname or informal term for a police officer or constable

• Bobby is a diligent employee who always completes his tasks on time.
• I heard Bobby is throwing a party next weekend, are you going?
• Bobby is a cool dude, we should hang out with him more often.
• Bobby's words were like a soothing balm to her troubled soul.

noun nonsense or foolish talk

interjection used to express disbelief or rejection

• The scientist dismissed the claims as pure bosh, lacking any scientific evidence.
• Don't listen to him, he's just talking a load of bosh.
• She's always full of bosh, never telling the truth.
• His promises turned out to be nothing but bosh, leading to disappointment.

noun a clumsy or awkward movement or action

verb to move or act in an awkward or confused manner

• The bumble bee is an important pollinator in our ecosystem.
• I saw a cute bumble bee buzzing around the flowers.
• I accidentally bumbled my way through the presentation.
• She tends to bumble through life without a clear plan.

noun a person who tries to get something from someone else without paying for it

• The cadger approached the market vendors asking for leftover produce.
• That cadger is always trying to get free food from people.
• I can't stand that cadger always begging for handouts.
• He was a cadger of compliments, always fishing for praise.

noun a slang term for a carpenter or someone who works with wood

adjective having a rough or irritable attitude

• The chippy on the corner is known for their freshly battered fish and hand-cut chips.
• Let's grab some fish and chips from the chippy down the road.
• I'm craving some chippy tea tonight, fancy joining me?
• His quick wit and sharp comebacks make him the chippy of the group.

noun a place to sleep, typically a cheap or makeshift bed

verb to sleep or spend the night in a cheap or makeshift bed

• The employee kept a detailed doss on all the project deadlines.
• I heard she's got a doss on everyone in the office.
• I found a doss of old concert tickets in my drawer.
• The detective had to sift through the suspect's doss of alibis.

verb past tense of the verb 'fag', meaning to make someone feel exhausted or tired

adjective exhausted or tired

• After a long day of work, he was completely fagged and ready to rest.
• I'm so fagged after that workout, I can barely move.
• I was fagged out after pulling an all-nighter studying for the exam.
• The constant demands of the job left her feeling mentally fagged.

noun a small bottle or container holding half a pint

• The waiter brought me a half pint of beer to enjoy with my meal.
• I'll just have a half pint of lager, thanks.
• Let's grab a quick half pint at the pub before heading home.
• He only gave a half pint effort in completing the project.

adjective cheerful and happy in appearance or nature

• The jolly man greeted everyone with a warm smile at the office party.
• We had a jolly good time at the beach yesterday.
• He's always so jolly, it's contagious!
• The jolly atmosphere of the carnival lifted everyone's spirits.

noun a boy or young man

• The young lad demonstrated exceptional skills in mathematics.
• Hey lad, wanna grab some lunch together?
• That lad is always up for some mischief.
• He's the lad who always brings a smile to everyone's face.

noun a British term for a bathroom or toilet

• Please remember to flush the toilet after using the loo.
• I'll be right back, just need to use the loo quickly.
• I was dying to go to the loo after holding it in for so long.
• The overflowing inbox felt like a never-ending loo of emails.

noun a foolish or clumsy person

• The looby was tasked with organizing the conference room for the meeting.
• I saw the looby setting up chairs for the event in the hall.
• The looby always knows where to find the best snacks in the office.
• She felt like a looby standing in the corner at the party, unsure of what to do.

noun a foolish or stupid person

• The professor referred to the student as a muttonhead for not following the instructions.
• My brother can be such a muttonhead sometimes, always forgetting where he puts his keys.
• Don't listen to him, he's just a muttonhead who doesn't know what he's talking about.
• She felt like a muttonhead after realizing she had been tricked into buying a fake designer bag.

noun a small cut or notch

verb to make a small cut or notch in something

• Nick is a common nickname for the name Nicholas.
• I heard Nick is throwing a party this weekend.
• Hey, Nick is a cool dude, let's hang out with him.
• The nickname 'Nick' stuck with him since high school.

noun a foolish or stupid person

• The CEO was shocked to discover that one of his top executives was a nincompoop.
• Don't be such a nincompoop and double-check your work before submitting it.
• I can't believe that nincompoop forgot to bring the snacks to the party.
• Her mind was like a nincompoop, unable to grasp even the simplest concepts.

adjective stylish or elegant in a showy or flashy way

• The nobby gentleman arrived at the event in a tailored suit.
• I saw a nobby guy at the party last night.
• That nobby dude is always dressed to impress.
• Her writing style is quite nobby, with intricate details and elegant prose.

noun trivial or nonsensical talk or ideas

• The professor dismissed the student's argument as mere piffle.
• Don't listen to him, he's just talking piffle.
• Stop spouting that piffle, it's annoying.
• Her excuses were nothing but piffle in the face of the evidence.

noun a foolish or stupid person

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• The teacher reprimanded the student for being a prat during class.
• Don't be such a prat, just do your homework.
• He's such a prat, always causing trouble.
• His stubbornness made him a prat in the eyes of his colleagues.

noun a foolish or stupid person

• The professor was frustrated with the puddinghead student who never paid attention in class.
• Don't be such a puddinghead and forget to bring your homework tomorrow.
• My brother is such a puddinghead when it comes to fixing things around the house.
• Her mind was a puddinghead after staying up all night studying for the exam.

noun a kick in which the ball is dropped and then kicked before it touches the ground

verb to kick the ball before it touches the ground, typically in football or rugby

• The football team decided to punt on fourth down to avoid turning the ball over.
• I heard the coach is going to punt instead of going for it on fourth down.
• Let's just punt on this project and move on to something else.
• She decided to punt on the idea of starting her own business and pursue a different career instead.

noun a slang term for the British pound sterling

• Could you please clarify the quid pro quo arrangement between our two companies?
• Do you know what's the quid for helping out with this project?
• I'm not doing it unless there's some quid in it for me.
• His reputation is his quid in this industry.

noun A challenging or tricky problem

• The team found themselves in a sticky wicket when their star player got injured right before the championship game.
• I'm in a bit of a sticky wicket with this project deadline approaching fast.
• I didn't realize I was getting into such a sticky wicket when I agreed to help with the event planning.
• Dealing with the difficult client was like being on a sticky wicket, trying to navigate their ever-changing demands.

noun a small horse

• The ornithologist studied the anatomy of the tit bird.
• I saw a cute little tit hopping around in the garden.
• She's got some nice t*ts, doesn't she?
• His new car is the tit of the neighborhood.

noun a former British coin worth two pennies

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• She found a tuppence in the pocket of her coat.
• I wouldn't give you tuppence for that old car.
• He doesn't have tuppence to his name.
• His opinion is not worth tuppence in this matter.

adjective showing characteristics of being foolish or idiotic

• His behavior at the meeting was incredibly twattish and unprofessional.
• I can't believe how twattish he was acting last night at the party.
• She's always acting so twattish, it's really annoying.
• The way he treated his employees was nothing short of twattish.

noun a colloquial term for rubbish or junk

verb to do decorative needlework or create decorative patterns

• The intricate design of the traditional tat on her arm was a symbol of her cultural heritage.
• I heard she got a new tat on her back, it looks pretty cool.
• Check out his sick tat, it's so badass.
• His words were like a tat on her heart, leaving a lasting impression.

noun a colloquial term for a young child or baby

• The term 'sprog' is often used as a colloquialism for a young child.
• Hey, have you seen my sprog running around here somewhere?
• I can't believe that sprog just pulled off that trick on his skateboard!
• The new project is still in its sprog phase, but it shows a lot of potential.

adjective relating to or characteristic of a fashionable and wealthy young person, typically associated with the Sloane Square area of London

• The Sloaney style is characterized by its preppy and sophisticated look.
• She always dresses in a Sloaney way with her pastel colors and pearls.
• Those Sloaneys always seem to have the latest designer handbags and shoes.
• Being friends with the Sloaneys opens up a whole new world of social connections.

noun a commotion or fuss

verb to cause a commotion or fuss

• The political scandal caused quite a stooshie in the government.
• There was a big stooshie at the party last night when the cake got ruined.
• I can't believe you caused such a stooshie over a small misunderstanding.
• Her unexpected resignation created a stooshie among the staff members.

noun a slang term for food or a meal

• The caterers will be providing a selection of scrumptious scrans for the event.
• Let's grab some scran from the food truck before heading home.
• I'm starving, let's go get some scran at that new burger joint.
• His words were like a feast for the mind, a delicious scran for the intellect.

verb to pester or irritate someone with persistent complaints or criticisms

• The constant mithering from the employees about the new policy was becoming tiresome.
• Stop mithering me about doing the dishes, I'll get to it eventually.
• Quit mithering me, I'll do it when I feel like it.
• The doubts kept mithering at the back of his mind, making it hard to focus.

noun a slang term used in British English to describe someone who is foolish or incompetent

• The term 'pranny' is considered to be a derogatory slang term in some regions.
• I heard someone use the word 'pranny' to describe that person.
• She's always calling people 'prannies' when she's angry.
• His ego is so big, he thinks he's the king of all the prannies.

noun a mixture or hodgepodge of various things

• The artist carefully mixed different colors to create a perfect podge for the painting.
• I just threw all the ingredients into the pot and hoped for the best podge.
• I can't believe you wore that podge to the party.
• The podge of emotions swirling inside her made it hard to focus on anything else.

noun a type of strong tea typically drunk by construction workers in the UK

• The construction workers took a break and enjoyed a cup of builder’s tea.
• I always start my day with a strong cup of builder’s tea.
• Hey mate, fancy a brew of builder’s tea?
• After a long day, a hot mug of builder’s tea can feel like a reward.

noun a contemptible or foolish person

• The speaker was taken aback by the inappropriate language used by the gobshite during the conference.
• I can't believe that gobshite had the nerve to talk to me like that.
• He's such a bloody gobshite, always talking rubbish.
• Her words were like a slap in the face, cutting through the room like a gobshite.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun, and in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope

• I do not have a Scooby about the company's financial projections.
• I don't have a Scooby where we're supposed to meet for lunch.
• I ain't got a Scooby what she's talking about.
• He does not have a Scooby about how to fix the problem.

noun a quick look or glance, especially a brief inspection or examination

• Before making a decision, it is important to have a dekko at all the available options.
• Hey, come take a dekko at this new gadget I just bought!
• Let's sneak a dekko at the answers before the exam starts.
• She took a dekko at her past mistakes before moving forward with her life.

noun a slang term used in British English to describe something or someone as attractive or appealing

• The new project manager demonstrated strong leadership skills and was praised for her peng presentation.
• Wow, that outfit is so peng! Where did you get it?
• That party last night was so peng, everyone was having a great time.
• Her voice was like peng, soothing and calming to everyone who listened.

noun a slang term for a state of extreme anxiety or panic

• The patient experienced a sudden onset of abdabs, causing them to feel anxious and agitated.
• I always get the abdabs before a big presentation, it's like butterflies in my stomach.
• She totally had the abdabs when she saw her ex with someone new at the party.
• The thought of public speaking gives me the abdabs, I just can't handle it.

noun A distorted facial expression.

verb To distort one's face in a grimace or expression of pain or disgust.

• The patient began to gurn as the anesthesia wore off after surgery.
• I couldn't help but gurn when I tasted the sour candy.
• She was gurning so hard at the music festival, it was hilarious.
• His exaggerated facial expressions made him look like he was gurning in disbelief.

noun a hard solid nonmetallic mineral matter of which rock is made

verb to throw stones at someone or something

pronoun me (used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to the speaker or writer)

article the (used to point forward to a following qualifying or defining clause or phrase)

• I cannot believe that he would actually stone me with rocks.
• Stone me, I can't believe he did that!
• Stone the crows, that's unbelievable!
• When she told me the news, I felt like she might as well have stoned me with shock.

noun a slang term used to describe something as being very clean, neat, or well-organized

adjective describing something as being very clean, neat, or well-organized

• The office was organized and clean, everything was bang tidy.
• I cleaned my room and now it's looking bang tidy.
• He's got a bang tidy car that he's always showing off.
• The project presentation was bang tidy, with all the details neatly organized.

adjective A slang term meaning excellent, great, or pleasing.

adverb Used to describe something as being done in an excellent or pleasing manner.

• The business deal was considered quite cushdy by all parties involved.
• I heard that party last night was cushdy, everyone had a great time.
• That new job offer is totally cushdy, you should definitely take it.
• The idea of taking a spontaneous road trip sounded absolutely cushdy to them.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

article a word that specifies a noun as definite or indefinite

• She couldn't help but laugh like a drain at the professor's witty joke during the lecture.
• When Sarah told the funny story, we all laughed like drains at her hilarious antics.
• The comedy show was so ridiculous, we were all laughing like drains the whole time.
• Even in the face of adversity, he always manages to laugh like a drain and keep a positive attitude.

noun a foolish or obnoxious person

• The professor was taken aback by the student's use of the word 'clotpole' during the academic debate.
• I can't believe he called his boss a clotpole in the meeting!
• She always acts like such a clotpole when she's had too much to drink.
• His stubbornness made him seem like a clotpole unwilling to listen to reason.

noun a British slang term for underwear or underpants

• The students were reminded to wear their chuddies for physical education class.
• I always forget to pack an extra pair of chuddies when I go to the gym.
• Hey, did you see that guy wearing his chuddies to the pool party?
• She kicked off her chuddies and dove into the water, ready for a swim.

verb to be extremely intoxicated or drunk

• The suspect was found mullered in the alleyway, prompting a full investigation by the police.
• After drinking all night, he was absolutely mullered and couldn't even walk straight.
• I got completely mullered at the party last night, I don't even remember how I got home.
• His hopes of winning the championship were mullered after his main competitor set a new record.

noun A British slang term used to describe a foolish or stupid person

• The lecturer referred to the disruptive student as a wazzock during the seminar.
• Stop being such a wazzock and just do your work.
• He's such a wazzock, always causing trouble wherever he goes.
• His stubbornness made him a wazzock in the eyes of his peers.

noun a slang term for penis

• The doctor used the term 'todger' to refer to the male reproductive organ during the anatomy lesson.
• He jokingly referred to his friend's 'todger' while they were hanging out at the bar.
• The group of boys giggled when one of them accidentally showed his 'todger' while changing into his swimming trunks.
• The politician's speech was full of lies and deceit, it was clear he was trying to pull a fast one with his 'todger'.

noun a colloquial term for the sea or ocean

• The sailors navigated the vast oggin with precision and skill.
• Let's go for a swim in the oggin, it's a beautiful day!
• I can't believe he jumped into the oggin without checking the water temperature first.
• She felt like she was drowning in the oggin of responsibilities piled on her.

noun a bag made of fabric or other material used for carrying or storing items

verb to dismiss or get rid of something or someone

preposition used to indicate removal or separation

• It is unprofessional to sack off work without a valid reason.
• Let's just sack off this meeting and go grab some lunch instead.
• I'm going to sack off studying and binge-watch Netflix tonight.
• Sometimes you need to sack off negative thoughts and focus on the positive instead.

noun a word that functions as the name of a specific object, person, place, or concept

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The new employee's performance has been quite impressive, I must say. He's definitely a bit of all right.
• I tried out that new restaurant down the street and the food was a bit of all right.
• Have you seen the new action movie? It's a bit of all right, if you're into that kind of thing.
• Despite the setbacks, the project is coming along a bit of all right.

noun crumpet - a type of bread or cake made from flour and yeast, often eaten toasted with butter

• I must say, the tea party was quite delightful with a bit of crumpet.
• I could really go for a bit of crumpet right now, fancy joining me?
• Let's pop over to the bakery and grab a bit of crumpet, shall we?
• She's always on the lookout for a bit of crumpet, if you know what I mean.

noun informal term for British currency (pounds)

• He was able to save up a few bob by cutting back on unnecessary expenses.
• I can lend you a few bob if you're short on cash.
• I found a great deal on this jacket, only cost me a few bob.
• Investing in that property turned out to be a wise decision, as it made him a few bob in the long run.