Rhyming Slang
Rhyming Slang
Rhyming slang was devised hundreds of years ago in London by the Cockney market traders who, by using their own ‘language’, were free to openly speak to one another whilst those around them could not understand what they were saying!
The phrases are derived from taking an expression which rhymes with a word. In many cases the rhyming word is actually omitted in everyday use, thus making it harder still for those not ‘in the know’ to establish what is being said. For example, ‘skin and blister’ = sister. However, it is usual for users to simply use ‘skin ‘n’.
butchers hooklook eg ‘let’s have a butcher’s’
hampstead heathteeth
scooby doo (a cartoon dog)clue eg ‘I haven’t got a scooby’
jack jonesalone eg ‘I was on my jack jones’
brown breaddead
boracic lintskint (short of cash) eg ‘I can’t go out Saturday, I’m boracic’ |
barnet fairhair – always referred to as just ‘barnet’
adam and evebelieve eg ‘would you adam n eve it?’
squidquid (£1)
becks n poshnosh (food)
ruby murraycurry eg ‘Fancy a ruby tonight?’ |
Have some fun trying out the Quiz