British (and Australian) slang, vol. 8

Still tuff after

fifteen years!!!

Legend includes usage from recent UK films

(AUST) Australian rhyming slang        
(S) SNATCH
(SD) SLIDING DOORS
(LS&2SB) LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS 

O

OILY RAG – Cigarette. See MELVYNN BRAGG, HARRY WRAGG
OLD BAG – hag or horrible woman
OLIVER TWIST – pissed (AUST). Can also refer to one’s fist
ON THE FLOOR – poor
ON THE TAKE – to accept bribes or take unknown money from a transaction. (LS&2SB)
ONE & T’OTHER – Brother. See MANHOLE COVER
ONKA (from Onkaparinga) – finger (AUST)
OPTIC NERVE (from perv) – a pervert; see NONCE. (From optic) can also mean to have a look; see BUTCHERS (AUST)
ORANGE PEEL – feel
ORCHESTRA (from orchestra stalls) – Balls. See JACOB’S, COBBLERS
ORSON (from horse ‘n’ cart) – Fart. See D’OYLY CARTE
OSCAR ASCHE (British actor/producer) – Cash. See ARTHUR ASHE, BANGERS & MASH, CROSBY STILLS & NASH, HARRY NASH
OXFORD SCHOLAR – dollar (AUST)
OXO (from Oxo cube) – tube (the London Underground)

P 

PANTS & VEST – chest. See BIRD’S NEST, GEORGE BEST
PAT MALONE – alone, on one’s own (AUST)
PEN (from pen and ink) – stink
PERSIAN RUGS – drugs
PICCADILY – chilly (AUST)
PIG(‘S EAR) – Beer
PIKEY – a gipsy or vagrant. This term comes from the ‘Kentish’ dialect word ‘pike’ meaning ‘toll-gate’. Later in the 19th century ‘a pike’ was ‘a road’. (S)
PIG’S EAR/POT OF GOOD CHEER – beer (AUST)
PINEAPPLE CHUNK – Bunk (bed)
PING PONG – Rhyming Slang for ’strong’. (LS&2SB)
PIPE (from pipe and drum) – bum
PIPE YOUR EYE – cry
PITCH AND TOSS – Boss. See JOE (GOSS)
PLATE (from plate of ham) – to gam (derived from the French “Gamahucher”) or perform oral sex
PLATES OF MEAT – feet
PONY (from pony and trap) – crap
POPPY (from poppy red – BREAD) – money. See BREAD.
PORKY/PORK PIES – lies (S)
POSH ‘N’ BECKS – Decks (turntables). Can also refer to sex
POT OF GLUE – Clue. See DANNY LARUE

R 

RABBIT (from rabbit and pork) – talk
RAILWAY/BUS TIMETABLE – fable or tall tale. See PORK PIES
RALEIGH BIKE – Lesbian. See MAGNUS PIKE
RASPBERRY (from raspberry tart) – fart (can also mean ‘blowing a raspberry’, doing a Bronx cheer with the tongue). See ORSON, D’OYLY CARTE. Can also refer to someone who is disabled (cripple – RASPBERRY RIPPLE)
RAZZMATAZZ – Lit. jazz, general excitement (as in “…all that jazz”)
READ ‘N’ WRITE – fight
RED HOT – pot (of beer) (AUST)
RED HOTS (from trots) – Horse-racing. Diarrhoea (AUST)
REGINALDS (from Reg Grundies) – undies, underwear (AUST)
RHODES SCHOLAR – dollar. See OXFORD SCHOLAR (AUST)
RICHARD BURTONS – Curtains
RICHARD THE THIRD – turd.  Can also mean bird (the winged animal)
RIFF RAFF – Cafe (pronounced “caff”)
RIFLE RANGE – change (AUST)
RINKY (from rink-a-dink-CHINK) – pejorative for Chinese
ROBERT’S YOUR FATHER’S BROTHER – humorous alternative to the phrase ‘Bob’s yer uncle’ (see main site for description of phrase). (LS&2SB)
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL – dole. See NAT KING COLE, EAR’OLE
ROGER – short for the Modern Rhyming Slang term ‘Roger Melly’ (the popular Viz cartoon character). (LS&2SB) 
ROLF (from Rolf Harris of “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” fame) – Arse. See KHYBER, ARIS, APRIL
ROSIE (from Rosie Lee) – tea (‘cup of rosie’)
ROYAL ALBERT (from Royal Albert Hall) – Balls, testicles. See NIAGARAS, ORCHESTRA, JACOB’S, COBBLERS
RUBBER (DUB) (from rub-a-dub-dub) – Pub/club
RUBY (from Ruby Murray, UK recording artist) – curry

CONCORDANCE:  http://www.businessballs.com/cockney.htm

Next up: S-T

Language and usage