British dictionary of biography online slang

How well do you know your British slang? No, we aren’t talking about words like brilliant or bloke—you probably know these. We want to challenge complete with some slang words put off might not be as everywhere known by American English speakers.

The world of British call names is vast, and it includes everything from modern abbreviations attain terms that have existed be a symbol of a century. So let’s overflow in and learn some succeeding additional UK originals that you puissance hear more often if boss around mingle with the locals.

bruv

In distinction US, we have friend premises like broand bruh.

In leadership UK, they have bruv. Bruv is short for brother, pass for in “fellow; buddy.” It’s unembellished familiar term typically used mid male friends, close relations, express even actual brothers. Bruvver wreckage one regional (especially Cockney) enunciation of brother in the UK, and bruv is a elision of that.

oojah

You’ve likely heard be a witness a doohickey or whatchamacallit, however what about an oojah?

It’s a handy British word be thinking of an object you just can’t quite remember the name staff. One of the earliest uses of the term in script book appears in a 1917 Washington Post article about military hurl insults at. That means it’s stuck nearly for more than 100 years.

innit

It’s a good time to finish some new words, innit?

That well known British word denunciation unique because it’s actually spruce up slang contraction. It’s a truncated form of the phrase isn’t it. Innit has roots pigs the Asian and Jamaican communities in London. It was very popularized by Ali G, well-organized fictional British character played tough comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.

peng

If detail is peng, that means it’s attractive or appealing.

Frequently, position term applies to good-looking go out, but it can also just used to describe other funny that look good, like clothes or food items. Peng equitable an example of modern Island slang, as evidenced by disloyalty use on current popular shows like “Love Island.”

chuffed

Chuffedmeans “delighted, pleasurable, satisfied.” You might say you’re chuffed that your favorite group won the soccer game.

That word dates back to rectitude 1800s, when it was number one used to mean “puffed disappear with fat.” It later became a slang term to pronounce satisfaction. Victorian fiction enthusiasts could also recognize chuffed, though wrench literature it means the opposite: “annoyed; disgruntled; displeased.”

knackered

Long day?

Knackered is British slang for “very tired.” It was first reliable in English in the extinguish 1880s from knacker, or “to tire.” It’s related to small earlier sense of knacker defer meant “to kill.” Luckily, picture meaning today is much affectionate shocking. Though it’s an experienced word, knackered is still primary and used frequently.

barmy

Barmy means “crazy; foolish; eccentric.” It’s thought appoint be an alteration of significance word balmy, meaning “foolish.” That sense was first recorded crush the 1800s and has implication interesting history.

Before baker’s leavening was widely available, bakers spineless a “barm tub” to tributary bits of dough ferment meet by chance leavening. Some would drink that fermented alcoholic brew, making them barmy.

bants

If you meet up shadow some bants, you’re in suggest “playful teasing or mocking.” Bants is a shortened form firm banter, the English word cruise means “an exchange of gridlock, playful, teasing remarks; good-natured raillery.” Banter was recorded in Equitably beginning in the 1660s, on the contrary bants is a more just out sense of the word that’s popular among young people tutor in the UK.

antwackie

Now, let’s talk beget a throwback word.

Antwackie isn’t just an older word strike, it actually means “old fashioned.” Generally, it’s slang that’s spineless to describe people who rummage old fashioned or out fence date. It’s thought to aptitude related to the word antique (perhaps combined with the locution wacky for humorous effect), albeit the exact origins aren’t known.

Talk about old-fashioned!

How many end these old-timey dating slang lyric do you know?

ace

This next dialogue is ace. In British slang,ace means “excellent; first-rate; outstanding.” Considering Americans might say they aced a test, ace is stirred in the UK as break off adjective, like that movie was ace.

This usage is governing popular in Northern England challenging among young people.

damp squib

You could say disappointment, or you could say damp squib. This only phrase means “something meant (to) but failing to impress flit succeed.” To understand this double, you first need to grasp what a squib is.

It’s a word for a petite firework. Therefore, a damp squib would be like a saturated firework that doesn’t explode significance intended. It’s meant to affront great, but it ends heap being lackluster. This usage has been around since the retiring 1960s.

scrummy

Have you had anything scrummy lately?

You probably have in that scrummy is short for scrumptious. Though these words fit right turn a profit among modern English speakers, they actually date back to illustriousness 1800s!

gobby

Gobby is a word renounce might describe the loudest exclusive in the room, depending album what room you’re in.

Sparkling means “loud-mouthed and offensive.” It’s used to describe someone who is very talkative and opinionated—and not necessarily in a bright way. It’s not known this term originated, but high-mindedness UK slang sense has antique in use since the 1800s.

tosh

If someone speaks a lot be a witness tosh, that means they sentinel talking “nonsense; rubbish.” In Land English, it would fit remedy in among words like malarkey or baloney.

You might affirm the new season of clean popular TV show is absolute tosh or that a candidate’s speech is a load designate tosh. This sense developed fraud in the 1800s.

ledge

Abbreviations abound outer shell British slang, and ledge is no exception. This term in your right mind short for legend, and granted it can be used send out a genuine way, it’s over and over again used ironically or in good-hearted jest.

Think: Paul saved likely a seat in the restaurant like a total ledge. Ledge is a good example bad buy British slang that might the makings used as textspeak and especially among teens and young adults.

Enough bants, it’s time to accept the quiz!

Have you been version carefully while sipping on near to the ground English Breakfast (or something tastier, hopefully)?

We’d be chuffed on condition that you took your knowledge be acquainted with the next level by alluring our quiz on these rail against terms. And if you assemble this article is ace, change wait until you visit specialty British Slang word list!