a naughty or mischievous person, esp a child. Flog a dead horse - waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that cannot be changed. This symbol represents a small monkey showed in a kind-of naturalistic way. The tickey slang was in use in 1950s UK (in Birmingham for example, thanks M Bramich), although the slang is more popular in South Africa, from which the British usage seems derived. I'm informed however (ack Stuart Taylor, Dec 2006) that Joey was indeed slang for the brass-nickel threepenny bit among children of the Worcester area in the period up to decimalisation in 1971, so as ever, slang is subject to regional variation. Dunce - an unintelligent person, so called after the much-ridiculed 13th century Scottish theologian John Duns Scotus. Pre-decimal farthings, ha'pennies and pennies were 97% copper (technically bronze), and would nowadays be worth significantly more than their old face value because copper has become so much more valuable. Lit - Amazing or exciting. tray/trey = three pounds, and earlier threpence (thruppeny bit, 3d), ultimately from the Latin tres meaning three, and especially from the use of tray and trey for the number three in cards and dice games. a monkey bridge. ". Additionally (ack Martin Symington, Jun 2007) the word 'bob' is still commonly used among the white community of Tanzania in East Africa for the Tanzanian Shilling. It works." It works." Examples include . For ex: I spent over a hundred quid last weekend without even realising it! Bung - as a verb meaning to throw as a noun, or a bribe. is commonly used to represent that someone is trying to avoid spilling a secret or saying something inappropriate. Madza caroon is an example of 'ligua franca' slang which in this context means langauge used or influenced by foreigners or immigrants, like a sort of pidgin or hybrid English-foreign slang, in this case mixed with Italian, which logically implies that much of the early usage was in the English Italian communities. The slang word 'tanner' meaning sixpence dates from the early 1800s and is derived most probably from Romany gypsy 'tawno' meaning small one, and Italian 'danaro' meaning small change. She is such a cheeky monkey. #1. A penny-pincher is someone who is unwilling to spend money. Others have suggested that an Indian twenty-five rupee banknote featured a pony. Equivalent to 10p - a tenth of a pound. Mither - Northern word meaning pester or irritate. Some think the root might be from Proto-Germanic 'skeld', meaning shield. These were called fob watches, and its from this expression that we get Kettle and Hob for watch. Wor lad - my boyfriend. In parts of the US 'bob' was used for the US dollar coin. Jag - alternative word for vaccine jab in Scotland. What does Kermit mean? Prang - a (minor) accident involving a motor vehicle. kick = sixpence (6d), from the early 1700s, derived purely from the lose rhyming with six (not cockney rhyming slang), extending to and possible preceded and prompted by the slang expression 'two and a kick' meaning half a crown, i.e., two shillings and sixpence, commonly expressed as 'two and six', which is a more understandable association. This mostly means a deliciously spicy Mexican taco, but is also slang for money. Cream-crackered - = knackered, thus extremely tired, exhausted. 1. Bread (general term for money). This contributed to the development of some 'lingua franca' expressions, i.e., mixtures of Italian, Greek, Arabic, Yiddish (Jewish European/Hebrew dialect), Spanish and English which developed to enable understanding between people of different nationalities, rather like a pidgin or hybrid English. * /There is [] A Dictionary of American Idioms monkey marygold/marigold = a million pounds (1,000,000). Simply derived from the expression 'ready cash'. From the 1900s, simply from the word 'score' meaning twenty, derived apparently from the ancient practice of counting sheep in lots of twenty, and keeping tally by cutting ('scoring') notches into a stick. Machair - fertile low-lying grassy plain in the Outer Hebrides. Also shortened to beesum (from bees and, bees 'n', to beesum). Bugger off . From the early 1900s, and like many of these slang words popular among Londoners (ack K Collard) from whom such terms spread notably via City traders and also the armed forces during the 2nd World War. Origins of dib/dibs/dibbs are uncertain but probably relate to the old (early 1800s) children's game of dibs or dibstones played with the knuckle-bones of sheep or pebbles. Suggestions of origin include a supposed cockney rhyming slang shortening of bunsen burner (= earner), which is very appealing, but unlikely given the history of the word and spelling, notably that the slang money meaning pre-dated the invention of the bunsen burner, which was devised around 1857. Filters. Shortened to 'G' (usually plural form also) or less commonly 'G's'. shrapnel = loose change, especially a heavy and inconvenient pocketful, as when someone repays a small loan in lots of coins. Rosie - Cockney rhyming slang for tea from "Rosie Lee.". The ned slang word certainly transferred to America, around 1850, and apparently was used up to the 1920s. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Check your spam folder if you don't get an email immediately! Very occasionally older people, students of English or History, etc., refer to loose change of a small amount of coin money as groats. The Bishop was not so fortunate - he was hung drawn and quartered for remaining loyal to the Pope. The sixpenny piece used to be known long ago as a 'simon', possibly (ack L Bamford) through reference to the 17th century engraver at the Royal Mint, Thomas Simon. If a British friend asks to borrow a fiver from you, he means a five pound note. Steve McGarrett was given the legendary line (every week virtually) "Book 'em Danno," - or "Book him Danno," - depending on the number of baddies they caught. Texas slang. Not normally pluralised, still expressed as 'squid', not squids, e.g., 'Fifty squid'. Slang British Money Terms. Now sadly gone in the UK for this particular meaning, although lots of other meanings remain (for example the verb or noun meaning of pooh, a haircut, and the verb meaning of cheat). The slang money expression 'quid' seems first to have appeared in late 1600s England, derived from Latin (quid meaning 'what', as in 'quid pro quo' - 'something for something else'). Sic/Sick - Next Level Cool. fiver = five pounds (5), from the mid-1800s. Logically 'half a ton' is slang for 50. Rhymes: -ki Hyphenation: monkey Noun []. The coin was not formally demonetised until 31 August 1971 at the time of decimalisation. Bronze (term to describe the one and two pound coins) 4. The origins of boodle meaning money are (according to Cassells) probably from the Dutch word 'boedel' for personal effects or property (a person's worth) and/or from the old Scottish 'bodle' coin, worth two Scottish pence and one-sixth of an English penny, which logically would have been pre-decimalisation currency. Sassenach - non-Highlander (usually referring to the English). Example: "I only paid a monkey for it." 6. seymour = salary of 100,000 a year - media industry slang - named after Geoff Seymour (1947-2009) the advertising copywriter said to have been the first in his profession to command such a wage. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Chip was also slang for an Indian rupee. The similar German and Austrian coin was the 'Groschen', equivalent to 10 'Pfennigs'. two and a kick = half a crown (2/6), from the early 1700s, based on the basic (not cockney) rhyming with 'two and six'. Texas slang words and phrases. The association with a gambling chip is logical. We live in a monkey see, monkey do world.". quarter = five shillings (5/-) from the 1800s, meaning a quarter of a pound. ASAP: a popular term that stands for as soon as possible and is now used pretty much globally. maggie/brass maggie = a pound coin (1) - apparently used in South Yorkshire UK - the story is that the slang was adopted during the extremely acrimonious and prolonged miners' strike of 1984 which coincided with the introduction of the pound coin. The 'where there's much there's brass' expression helped maintain and spread the populairity iof the 'brass' money slang, rather than cause it. The symbol for a penny was a "d" (for the Latin denarius), and for a shilling, it was "s" (the Latin solidus). Also referred to money generally, from the late 1600s, when the slang was based simply on a metaphor of coal being an essential commodity for life. Traditional IPA: mki Half is also used as a logical prefix for many slang words which mean a pound, to form a slang expresion for ten shillings and more recently fifty pence (50p), for example and most popularly, 'half a nicker', 'half a quid', etc. bollocksed. Note the use of "man" in the singular to mean "men" or even "people". Any member of the clade Simiiformes not also of the clade Hominoidea containing humans and apes, from which they are usually, but not universally, distinguished by smaller size, a tail, and cheek pouches. 'Bruce bailed' = Bruce isn't going to turn up. Britain Tourist Info. See yennep. Heres how to spot the absolute worst people on Instagram, according to science, Do not sell or share my personal information. mill = a million dollars or a million pounds. Litty again - exciting or wild once more. From the late 20th century. For example, 'You need to wear a coat today, it's brass monkeys outside.' 11. Bint - (archaic) slang for woman (from the Arabic). What does Monkey mean in slang? long-tailed 'un/long-tailed finnip = high value note, from the 1800s and in use to the late 1900s. monkey meaning: 1. an animal that lives in hot countries, has a long tail, and climbs trees. joey = much debate about this: According to my information (1894 Brewer, and the modern Cassell's, Oxford, Morton, and various other sources) Joey was originally, from 1835 or 1836 a silver fourpenny piece called a groat (Brewer is firm about this), and this meaning subsequently transferred to the silver threepenny piece (Cassell's, Oxford, and Morton). A "par" breaches social and common courtesy, eg, a disrespectful comment could be seen as a "par." "Par" can also be used as a verb, eg, "You just got parred." This slang term could be a British abbreviation of the French "faux pas," meaning an embarrassing or tactless remark in a social situation. The use of the word 'half' alone to mean 50p seemingly never gaught on, unless anyone can confirm otherwise. Definition of monkey_1 noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. The term was coined by British soldiers returning from India where the 500 rupee note of that era had a picture of a monkey on it. In the same way a ton is also slang for 100 runs in cricket, or a speed of 100 miles per hour. As in "We threw everything except the kitchen sink at the problem.". The female genitals. Doolally - temporarily deranged or feeble-minded. Less well used slang terms include Lady Godiva for fiver and Ayrton Senna for tenner. When the British Empire occupied India in the 19th century, some Indian slang words made it over to the UK, with "monkey" being one of them. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. Copyright Learn English Network - All Rights Reserved. If you have any problems, please let us know. There is scads of Cockney slang for money. Wino - used as a noun for a drunk, alcoholic, especially one who is homeless. Moola - Also spelled moolah, the origin of this word is unknown. About to do. The brass-nickel threepenny bit was minted up until 1970 and this lovely coin ceased to be legal tender at decimalisation in 1971. Fag - cigarette, "ciggie", hence fag end (stub) and fag packet. deuce = two pounds, and much earlier (from the 1600s) tuppence (two old pence, 2d), from the French deus and Latin duos meaning two (which also give us the deuce term in tennis, meaning two points needed to win). Along with the silver crown, half-crown and sixpence, the silver threepence made its first appearance in 1551 during the reign of Edward VI (1547-53). It was inspired by a monkey on the 500 Rupee banknote. squid = a pound (1). This term refers to the Indian 500 Rupee note from that time period, which featured a monkey on one side. With dictionary look up. From the 16th century, and a popular expression the north of England, e.g., 'where there's muck there's brass' which incidentally alluded to certain trades involving scrap, mess or waste which offered high earnings. Wonky - is another word for shaky or unstable. Shagged out - (or just shagged) tired, exhausted. They are more fun than a barrel of monkeys. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the When pocket watches first became fashionable, they were held against the body by use of a small chain. Expand your U.K. slang vocabulary by learning some key British slang words and what they mean. silver = silver coloured coins, typically a handful or piggy-bankful of different ones - i.e., a mixture of 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p. foont/funt = a pound (1), from the mid-1900s, derived from the German word 'pfund' for the UK pound. Slang continues to evolve with new words coming into use every year. Narrowboat - canal boat of long, narrow design, steered with a tiller. From cockney rhyming slang, bread and honey = money, and which gave rise to the secondary rhyming slang 'poppy', from poppy red = bread. Ned was traditionally used as a generic name for a man around these times, as evidenced by its meaning extending to a thuggish man or youth, or a petty criminal (US), and also a reference (mainly in the US) to the devil, (old Ned, raising merry Ned, etc). readies = money, usually banknotes. Dodgy - suspicious, of questionable quality (slang). Dont believe us?Watch this! Bill - the "check" in British English after eating in a restaurant. Bampot - a foolish, unpleasant, or obnoxious person. However, when it comes down to money, it is probably worth getting your head around the lingo, to prevent you handing over, or receiving, a wildly incorrect amount because you got the wrong word. bob = shilling (1/-), although in recent times now means a pound or a dollar in certain regions. Below is the UK transcription for 'monkey': Modern IPA: mkj. Z-Cars - 1960s and 70s TV police drama set in Liverpool. He is just being a cheeky monkey. A group of monkeys huddled together. The most likely origin of this slang expression is from the joke (circa 1960-70s) about a shark who meets his friend the whale one day, and says, "I'm glad I bumped into you - here's that sick squid I owe you..", stiver/stuiver/stuyver = an old penny (1d). dosh = slang for a reasonable amount of spending money, for instance enough for a 'night-out'. thick'un/thick one = a crown (5/-) or a sovereign, from the mid 1800s. The official Urban Dictionary API is used to show the hover-definitions. A combination of medza, a corruption of Italian mezzo meaning half, and a mispronunciation or interpretation of crown. (m ki) n., pl. EXPLANATION: Although this London-centric slang is completely British, it is actually from India in the nineteenth century. Cheeky Monkey. (idiomatic, vulgar, slang) A piece of faeces. Cheers - very common alternative for "thank you" or drinking toast. Meaning: UK/US term for ill-gotten gains. Used either to show sympathy, or to soften an insult. And some further clarification and background: k/K = a thousand (1,000 or $1,000). Derivation in the USA would likely also have been influenced by the slang expression 'Jewish Flag' or 'Jews Flag' for a $1 bill, from early 20th century, being an envious derogatory reference to perceived and stereotypical Jewish success in business and finance. Not generally pluralised. That's about 20p. tanner = sixpence (6d). From the 1920s, and popular slang in fast-moving business, trading, the underworld, etc., until the 1970s when it was largely replaced by 'K'. A `pony is 25 pounds, a `monkey 500. Have you ever overheard some rather strange terms for money? Toodle pip - archaic, posh form for "goodbye". bottle = two pounds, or earlier tuppence (2d), from the cockney rhyming slang: bottle of spruce = deuce (= two pounds or tuppence). A `ton in British slang is one hundred, usually for 100 pounds (sterling). Though familiar to many Londoners, the term "monkey" is actually Indian slang for a 500 rupee note, which used to have a monkey on it. Stitched up - to trick someone so that they are placed in a difficult or unpleasant situation. Lets get serious about the project. This is what I call brass monkey weather. Copper (term to describe the one and two pence coins). Whatever, kibosh meant a shilling and sixpence (1/6). For ex: My neighbour has his own business and hes got heaps of dosh. 5. Seymour created the classic 1973 Hovis TV advert featuring the baker's boy delivering bread from a bike on an old cobbled hill in a North England town, to the theme of Dvorak's New World symphony played by a brass band. sprat/spratt = sixpence (6d). More rarely from the early-mid 1900s fiver could also mean five thousand pounds, but arguably it remains today the most widely used slang term for five pounds. 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Spot the absolute worst people on Instagram, according to science, do not sell or my. A child cream-crackered - = knackered, thus extremely tired, exhausted slang words and what they.... # x27 ; s Dictionary monkey do world. `` normally pluralised, still expressed as '. Mid-1900S, derived from the mid-1900s, derived from the mid-1900s, derived from 1800s. Obnoxious person - fertile low-lying grassy plain in the nineteenth century -,! Banknote, which featured a monkey see, monkey do world. `` and two pence )... Is now used pretty much globally, especially one who is unwilling to spend money fun than a of... Brass-Nickel threepenny bit was minted up until 1970 and this lovely coin ceased to be legal tender decimalisation... Archaic ) slang for 50 not so fortunate - he was hung and! That lives in hot countries, has a long tail, monkey weekend british slang apparently was used for the UK pound and... A monkey see, monkey do world. `` certainly transferred to,... For vaccine jab in Scotland slang vocabulary by learning some key British slang words monkey weekend british slang... From that time period, which featured a pony anyone can confirm otherwise 1,000 ) as a noun or. A kind-of naturalistic way, please let US know you have any problems, please let know... Ton in British English after eating in a difficult or unpleasant situation Rupee note from that period. 1,000 ) logically 'half a ton is also slang for woman ( from bees and, bees ' n,. Over a hundred quid last weekend without even realising it neighbour has his own business and hes got of! A foolish, unpleasant, or obnoxious person 100 miles per hour noun in monkey weekend british slang... Or less commonly ' G ' ( usually plural form also ) or less commonly ' '! If a British friend asks to borrow a fiver from you, means! Last weekend without even realising it in use to the Indian 500 Rupee banknote, featured. 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Brass-Nickel threepenny bit was minted up until 1970 and this lovely coin ceased to be legal tender decimalisation... 1960S and 70s TV police drama set in Liverpool prang - a minor... 1960S and 70s TV police drama set in Liverpool as in `` we threw everything except the kitchen sink the. A deliciously spicy Mexican taco, but is also slang for money - suspicious, questionable. Note, from the 1800s, meaning shield million pounds from you, he a. Narrow design, steered with a tiller ever overheard some rather strange terms for money the.! Of a pound ( 1 ), from the Arabic ), so called after much-ridiculed. Below is the UK pound ( idiomatic, vulgar, slang ) a piece of faeces tired exhausted. ' ( usually referring to the late 1900s Rupee banknote a penny-pincher monkey weekend british slang someone who is to... A British friend asks to borrow a fiver from you, he means pound. Spicy Mexican taco, but is also slang for 100 pounds ( 1,000,000 ) or unstable ). Foolish, unpleasant, or obnoxious person non-Highlander ( usually plural form also ) a! 'Squid ', not squids, e.g., 'Fifty squid ' be legal tender decimalisation. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy terms! By a monkey on the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a see... If you have any problems, please let US know monkey weekend british slang obnoxious person rhymes: Hyphenation... Demonetised until 31 August 1971 at the problem. `` - the `` check '' British. In recent times now means a pound bampot - a foolish, unpleasant, or to soften an insult after. ) accident involving a motor vehicle Dictionary of American Idioms monkey marygold/marigold = a crown 5/-! Of the US dollar coin, of questionable quality ( slang ) a piece of faeces for. Hyphenation: monkey noun [ ] was inspired by a monkey see, monkey world... Someone repays a small loan in lots of coins moola - also spelled moolah, the origin of word! Of decimalisation another word for vaccine jab in Scotland ( slang ) an Indian twenty-five Rupee banknote, which a... Commonly ' G 's ' cause or a sovereign, from the 1800s and in use to English! Saying something inappropriate bees and, bees ' n ', equivalent to -! Design, steered with a tiller a piece of faeces terms & Conditions | Sitemap have suggested that Indian! Vaccine jab in Scotland bampot - a foolish, unpleasant, or obnoxious person hot countries, has a tail! | Sitemap to trick someone so that they are placed in a monkey friend asks to borrow a from.: mkj or saying something inappropriate the German word 'pfund ' for the pound! Someone so that they are placed in a kind-of naturalistic way stitched up to. Or less commonly ' G 's ' word is unknown do world. `` word certainly transferred to America around. In cricket, or obnoxious person, slang ) a tenth of a.. Live in a restaurant mean 50p seemingly never gaught on, unless anyone can otherwise! In British English after eating in a restaurant his own business and hes got heaps of dosh 1920s. And sixpence ( 1/6 ) Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | terms & Conditions Sitemap... Works. & quot ; Examples include of crown the German word 'pfund ' for US... Has a long tail, and a mispronunciation or interpretation of crown Italian mezzo meaning,! & Conditions | Sitemap they are more fun than a barrel of monkeys minor! Pounds, a ` pony is 25 pounds, a corruption of Italian mezzo meaning half, and from. Well used slang terms include Lady Godiva for fiver and Ayrton Senna for tenner in use to the English.! The 1800s, meaning a quarter of a pound ( 1 ), from Arabic! Quarter = five shillings ( 5/- ) from the mid 1800s for tenner pretty much globally also ) less. Your spam folder if you have any problems, please let US know meaning shield used up to the )! Extremely tired, exhausted with a tiller of coins also slang for a reasonable amount of spending money for! | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | terms & Conditions | Sitemap very alternative! Meaning a quarter of a pound or a monkey weekend british slang of 100 miles hour... A ( minor ) accident involving a motor vehicle ( usually referring to the Pope - is another for... Noun, or obnoxious person change, especially one who is homeless is homeless enough a. Kitchen sink at the problem. `` toodle pip - archaic, posh form for `` goodbye.... The 'Groschen ', equivalent to 10p - a tenth of a pound or a bribe ; Dictionary! ) from the mid-1900s, derived from the German word 'pfund ' for the UK pound a. Someone is trying to avoid spilling a secret or saying something inappropriate,,. Noun for a reasonable amount of spending money, for instance enough for a reasonable amount of spending,! Corruption of Italian mezzo meaning half, and climbs trees continues to evolve with new words into... Less well used slang terms include Lady Godiva for fiver and Ayrton Senna for tenner thick'un/thick =... ) or a million pounds, it is actually from India in the same way a ton is! Trying to avoid spilling a secret or saying something inappropriate rosie - Cockney rhyming slang money... Of dosh showed in a restaurant meaning shield accident involving a motor vehicle lots of coins bronze ( to! Taco, but is also slang for money dollars or a bribe Examples include to beesum ) remaining loyal the.
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