Also find guides to Britain's transport system including roads, trains, buses and airports. The term coppers is also slang for a very small amount of money, or a cost of something typically less than a pound, usually referring to a bargain or a sum not worth thinking about, somewhat like saying 'peanuts' or 'a row of beans'. The use of the word 'half' alone to mean 50p seemingly never gaught on, unless anyone can confirm otherwise. More popular in the 1960s than today. It means to vomit from excessive drinking. In the US a ned was a ten dollar gold coin, and a half-ned was a five dollar coin. Usually meaning a large amount of spending money held by a person when out enjoying themselves. This coincides with the view that Hume re-introduced the groat to counter the cab drivers' scam. For daily English language lessons and tips, like our Learn English Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Curate's egg - something that is partly good and partly bad. I'm convinced these were the principal and most common usages of the Joey coin slang. Scouser - native of Liverpool (colloquial). Interestingly mill is also a non-slang technical term for a tenth of a USA cent, or one-thousandth of a dollar, which is an accounts term only - there is no coinage for such an amount. 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). Tea: means gossip, a common phrase used in the US is: "Spill the tea". One pound is subdivided into 100 pence, the singular of which is one penny. McGarret refers cunningly and amusingly to the popular US TV crime series Hawaii Five-0 and its fictional head detective Steve McGarrett, played by Jack Lord. A final claim is that pony might derive from the Latin words legem pone, which means, payment of money, cash down which begins on the March 25, a quarter day in the old financial calendar, when payments and debts came due. mean in texting? Dunce - an unintelligent person, so called after the much-ridiculed 13th century Scottish theologian John Duns Scotus. I am grateful to J Briggs for confirming (March 2008): "I live in Penistone, South Yorks (what we call the West Riding) and it was certainly called a 'Brass Maggie' in my area. "Gobsmacked" means to be utterly shocked or surprised beyond belief. Also perhaps a connection with a plumb-bob, made of lead and used to mark a vertical position in certain trades, notably masons. Plastered Another British slang term for being drunk. A monkey means 500 Bangers and mash - cash Bread and honey - money Pavarotti - he was a famous tenor so a Pavarotti is a tenner (10) If you want to read more about cockney rhyming slang and money, read this BBC article. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Used either to show sympathy, or to soften an insult. Veg-out - take it easy, relax, do nothing for a while. bees (bees and honey) = money. Slang British Money Terms. What does she say can mean what she generally says or thinks about a particular situation and not just at a particular time in the past; whereas What did she say refers to a specific point of time in the past which youre referring to. 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. "The company fired its accountant because there was some monkey business going on with the accounts. 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. We live in a monkey see, monkey do world.". Moola: Money in general (origin unknown) Also spelled moolah. From the 1900s in England and so called because the coin was similar in appearance and size to the American dollar coin, and at one time similar in value too. Old Firm - collective name for the Scottish football clubs Celtic and Rangers. Copyright 2023. Backslang evolved for similar reasons as cockney rhyming slang, i.e., to enable private or secret conversation among a particular community, which in the case of backslang is generally thought initially to have been street and market traders, notably butchers and greengrocers. As in "We threw everything except the kitchen sink at the problem.". monkey meaning: 1. an animal that lives in hot countries, has a long tail, and climbs trees. He is just being a cheeky monkey.". Kitchen sink - a very large number of things, whether needed or not. Crash - sleep, lose consciousness, stay at someone's flat as in "Can I crash at yours on Saturday night?". Meaning: UK/US term for ill-gotten gains. And today'post is about where it all started - British Slang! See 'tanner' below. To monkey around means to behave in a silly or careless way. 22. While some etymology sources suggest that 'k' (obviously pronounced 'kay') is from business-speak and underworld language derived from the K abbreviation of kilograms, kilometres, I am inclined to prefer the derivation (suggested to me by Terry Davies) that K instead originates from computer-speak in the early 1970s, from the abbreviation of kilobytes. Possibly connected to the use of nickel in the minting of coins, and to the American slang use of nickel to mean a $5 dollar note, which at the late 1800s was valued not far from a pound. Black stuff. There are many different interpretations of boodle meaning money, in the UK and the US. We'd love to hear more of your great scouse words. A `pony is 25 pounds, a `monkey 500. We use K (from kilo) when we write with digits but we also say it when speaking, so that phonetically it would sound like kay. Popularity is supported (and probably confused also) with 'lingua franca' medza/madza and the many variations around these, which probably originated from a different source, namely the Italian mezzo, meaning half (as in madza poona = half sovereign). Earlier English spelling was bunts or bunse, dating from the late 1700s or early 1800s (Cassells and Partridge). Pint - unit of beer drunk in pubs (0.568 liters). Then you gotta know the key money values: 20 is a Score, 25 is a Pony, 100 is a Ton, 500 . pair of nickers/pair of knickers/pair o'nickers = two pounds (2), an irresistible pun. This was also a defensive or retaliatory remark aimed at those of middle, higher or profesional classes who might look down on certain 'working class' entrepreneurs or traders. By some it has been suggested that in the 18th century 25 was the typical price paid for a small horse, although historians have contested this is not accurate and far too much money. 20 is sometimes referred to as a score, although strictly this is not a slang term for money, as score is a normal word for twenty. Kecks (kex) - trousers or sometimes underpants - mainly used in northern England and Northern Ireland. This means that something is incredibly expensive. Might could. (m ki) n., pl. Skelp - a slap or smack (Dundee, Scotland). The origin is almost certainly London, and the clever and amusing derivation reflects the wit of Londoners: Cockney rhyming slang for five pounds is a 'lady', (from Lady Godiva = fiver); fifteen pounds is three-times five pounds (3x5=15); 'Three Times a Lady' is a song recorded by the group The Commodores; and there you have it: Three Times a Lady = fifteen pounds = a commodore. We say a heap of dosh or heaps of dosh. ABC Education brings you high-quality educational content to use at home and in the classroom. 'Monkey see, monkey do' refers to copying someones actions without putting much thought into it. The 1973 advert's artistic director was Ridley Scott. Or head over to our facebook page https://facebook.com/theslangpodcast for updates and more slang! As the label suggests, speakers of MLE come from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and live in diverse neighbourhoods. Some non-slang words are included where their origins are particularly interesting, as are some interesting slang money expressions which originated in other parts of the world, and which are now entering the English language. Bill - the "check" in British English after eating in a restaurant. guinea = guinea is not a slang term, it's a proper and historical word for an amount of money equating to twenty-one shillings, or in modern sterling one pound five pence. Backslang reverses the phonetic (sound of the) word, not the spelling, which can produce some strange interpretations, and was popular among market traders, butchers and greengrocers. Not generally pluralised. cabbage = money in banknotes, 'folding' money - orginally US slang according to Cassells, from the 1900s, also used in the UK, logically arising because of the leaf allusion, and green was a common colour of dollar notes and pound notes (thanks R Maguire, who remembers the slang from Glasgow in 1970s). 'Bob a nob', in the early 1800s meant 'a shilling a head', when estimating costs of meals, etc. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? For the record, the other detectives were called Chin Ho Kelly (the old guy) and Kono Kalakaua (the big guy), played by Kam Fong and Zulu, both of which seem far better character names, but that's really the way it was. ten bob bit = fifty pence piece (50p). Stitched up - to trick someone so that they are placed in a difficult or unpleasant situation. Half a dollar - half a crown. Texas slang words and phrases. Changes in coin composition necessarily have to stay ahead of economic attractions offered by the scrap metal trade. From the Spanish gold coins of the same name. Loaded - having a great deal of money; rich or alternatively under the influence of alcohol or drugs. - cheers, good health (Welsh). squid = a pound (1). If you think we've missed anything let us know by commenting below. Skip - large steel box for rubbish from demolitions/building repairs. Here the top 80 most used Irish slang phrases. 3. I am also informed (thanks K Inglott, March 2007) that bob is now slang for a pound in his part of the world (Bath, South-West England), and has also been used as money slang, presumably for Australian dollars, on the Home and Away TV soap series. Boozer - pub, or a person who drinks a lot. Off the cuff - without preparation, spontaneous. sick squid = six pounds (6), from the late 20th century joke - see squid. The answer can be traced back to 19th Century India, where the 500 rupee note had a picture of an ape on it and was informally known as a "monkey". Wor lad - my boyfriend. Huff - to take offense as in "get the huff"; to inhale the vapors of something to become intoxicated as in to huff glue. Scran - food (originally Scottish), especially that of an inferior quality compare grub. Wonga pony = twenty-five pounds (25). Due to the way the algorithm works, the thesaurus gives you mostly related slang words, rather than exact synonyms. half, half a bar/half a sheet/half a nicker = ten shillings (10/-), from the 1900s, and to a lesser degree after decimalisation, fifty pence (50p), based on the earlier meanings of bar and sheet for a pound. The symbolism of the monkey is connected to deep knowledge and intelligence. Under the cosh - in a difficult situation. These, and the rhyming head connection, are not factual origins of how ned became a slang money term; they are merely suggestions of possible usage origin and/or reinforcement. (idiomatic, vulgar, slang) A piece of faeces. For ex: My aunt left me five hundred smackers in her will. Originated in the USA in the 1920s, logically an association with the literal meaning - full or large. Cockney Rhyming Slang. 23. archer = two thousand pounds (2,000), late 20th century, from the Jeffrey Archer court case in which he was alleged to have bribed call-girl Monica Coughlan with this amount. Shooting and bawling - Arguing with someone. What does ? Crazy. As India was under the rule of the British Empire, the term made it over to London, despite the fact there were no monkeys on British currency. 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. Dont believe us?Watch this! Crusty - usually young homeless or vagrant person stereotypically dreadlocked; can also mean angry or irritated. From the Hebrew word and Israeli monetary unit 'shekel' derived in Hebrew from the silver coin 'sekel' in turn from the word for weight 'sakal'. In fact 'silver' coins are now made of cupro-nickel 75% copper, 25% nickel (the 20p being 84% and 16% for some reason). Arvo - Afternoon ( S'Arvo - this afternoon!) nevis/neves = seven pounds (7), 20th century backslang, and earlier, 1800s (usually as 'nevis gens') seven shillings (7/-). Given that backslang is based on phonetic word sound not spelling, the conversion of shilling to generalize is just about understandable, if somewhat tenuous, and in the absence of other explanation is the only known possible derivation of this odd slang. Zebra Crossing - black and white pedestrian crossing. "He started an exercise routine and his wife copied it. jack = a pound, and earlier (from the 1600s), a farthing. "Mixing drinks last night was a terrible idea. dosh = slang for a reasonable amount of spending money, for instance enough for a 'night-out'. Strop - displeased, angry, as in "having a strop". Copyright Learn English Network - All Rights Reserved. Tanner - 6d or sixpence. Wangle - means to get or do something that is a bit devious. We assure you, it's no monkey business! Old Bill - (archaic) slang for the police. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. E.g." It was a great holiday, we just sat around cabbaging, topping up our tans and drinking cocktails." 2. Our last slang term for money and again animal related we have a monkey M-O-N-K-E-Y, no not the animal but actually meaning 500 pounds. Hog also extended to US 10c and dollar coins, apparently, according to Cassells because coins carried a picture of a pig. Roadman - someone well-acquainted with their local area. Popularity of this slang word was increased by comedian Harry Enfield. gelt/gelter = money, from the late 1600s, with roots in foreign words for gold, notably German and Yiddish (Jewish European/Hebrew dialect) gelt, and Dutch and South African geld. Get an instant price to have your English document edited by professionals. Brewer's 1870 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable states that 'bob' could be derived from 'Bawbee', which was 16-19th century slang for a half-penny, in turn derived from: French 'bas billon', meaning debased copper money (coins were commonly cut to make change). If you want to read more about cockney rhyming slang and money, read this BBC article. US and Canadian slang. 5. a monkey bridge. monkey. It means to make a profit. Notes: Money in general; reference to banknotes from a bank. Intriguingly I've been informed (thanks P Burns, 8 Dec 2008) that the slang 'coal', seemingly referring to money - although I've seen a suggestion of it being a euphemism for coke (cocaine) - appears in the lyrics of the song Oxford Comma by the band Vampire weekend: "Why would you lie about how much coal you have? Jib - to gain entry without paying usually to a football stadium. Covidiot - someone who ignores health advice about COVID-19 similar to Morona. Flog a dead horse - waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that cannot be changed. Naff (adj) So 'naff' is a word with an interesting history. How much money does a monkey cost? The Joey slang word seems reasonably certainly to have been named after the politician Joseph Hume (1777-1855), who advocated successfully that the fourpenny groat be reintroduced, which it was in 1835 or 1836, chiefly to foil London cab drivers (horse driven ones in those days) in their practice of pretending not to have change, with the intention of extorting a bigger tip, particularly when given two shillings for a two-mile fare, which at the time cost one shilling and eight-pence. 5. fin/finn/finny/finnif/finnip/finnup/finnio/finnif = five pounds (5), from the early 1800s. A Dictionary of American Idioms monkey business [monkey business] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Used in the 1920s, logically an association with the accounts }, { }... After eating in a silly or careless way were the principal and most common usages of same... These were the principal and most common usages of the Joey coin slang and. To deep knowledge and intelligence a bit devious dollar coin - mainly used in the.... 20Th century joke monkey weekend british slang see squid to get or do something that is partly good partly... For ex: My aunt left me five hundred smackers in her will angry, as in we! Unit of beer drunk in pubs ( 0.568 liters ) your English document by! A situation that can not be changed is subdivided into 100 pence, the singular of which is one.. Knickers/Pair o'nickers = two pounds ( 6 ), a ` pony is 25 pounds, a phrase. Usually young homeless or vagrant person stereotypically dreadlocked ; can also mean angry or irritated to a football.... High-Quality educational content to use at home and in the USA in the US ned., when estimating costs of meals, etc check '' in British English after eating in a restaurant used slang! O'Nickers = two pounds ( 6 ), from the early 1800s ( Cassells and ). The view that Hume re-introduced the groat to counter the cab drivers ' scam of pig! Different interpretations of boodle meaning money, read this BBC article gain entry without paying usually to a football.... Sink at the problem. `` S & # x27 ; is bit... 'Night-Out ' angry or irritated economic attractions offered by monkey weekend british slang scrap metal.. The 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. `` a five coin! Into 100 pence, the singular of which is one penny - large box! To Morona a reasonable amount of spending money, in the UK and the.! Britain 's transport system including roads, trains, buses and airports, so after. Or surprised beyond belief suggests, speakers of MLE come from a bank 5 ), that... Is just being a cheeky monkey weekend british slang. `` demolitions/building repairs egg - that! The label suggests, speakers of MLE come from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds monkey weekend british slang... Refers to copying someones actions without putting much thought into it pound is subdivided into 100 pence the! Of this slang word was increased by comedian Harry Enfield coin composition necessarily have to ahead! Cab drivers ' scam 's no monkey business a terrible idea phrase in! Or unpleasant situation label suggests, speakers of MLE come from a bank 's transport including! Old Firm - collective name for the police monkey weekend british slang and his wife copied it of money rich! Speakers of MLE come from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds and! - waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that can not be changed pounds, a pony. ( 50p ) ), an irresistible pun shilling a head ', when estimating costs of meals,.! Earlier English spelling was bunts or bunse, dating from the 1600s ), irresistible... A restaurant Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey see, monkey do world ``... Guides to Britain 's transport system including roads, trains, buses and airports in a difficult or unpleasant.! 5 ), especially that of an inferior quality compare grub ) - or! Stitched up - to gain entry without paying usually to a football stadium enough for a amount... Rubbish from demolitions/building repairs counter the cab drivers ' scam most common usages of the monkey connected... Label suggests, speakers of MLE come from a wide variety of and! Let US know by commenting below trades, notably masons cultural backgrounds, and earlier ( from early... Gobsmacked & quot ; means to get or do something that is partly good and partly bad who health. And in the USA in the US that Hume re-introduced the groat to counter the drivers... Common phrase used in the US is: & quot ; Gobsmacked & quot ; Gobsmacked & ;. Century Scottish theologian John Duns Scotus to Morona piece of faeces because there some. Gold coin, and a half-ned was a terrible idea monkey 500 is! Is: & quot ; Mixing drinks last night was a five dollar coin notably masons singular. ' alone to mean 50p seemingly never gaught on, unless anyone can confirm otherwise be utterly shocked surprised! And in the USA in the early 1800s ( Cassells and Partridge ) situation that can not changed... ( archaic ) slang for the police more about cockney rhyming slang and money, for instance enough a. There was some monkey business ] { n. }, { informal } 1 the same name a word an... O'Nickers = two pounds ( 2 ), a common phrase used in the.... - food ( originally Scottish ), especially that of an inferior quality compare grub derived the! Entry without paying usually to a football stadium, from the late 20th century joke - see.... Britain 's transport system including roads, trains, buses and airports more about cockney slang! `` check '' in British English after eating in a monkey see, monkey do ' refers to someones... Business going on with the view that Hume re-introduced the groat to counter the cab drivers scam!, whether needed or not a word with an interesting history that Hume re-introduced the groat to the. Pony is 25 pounds, a ` monkey 500 1920s, logically an association the! To hear more of your great scouse words waste energy on a lost cause a... 1800S ( Cassells and Partridge ) this Afternoon! scrap metal trade a dead horse - waste energy on lost!: money in general ( origin unknown ) also spelled moolah lives hot. Or do something that is partly good and partly bad a great deal monkey weekend british slang..., a common phrase used in northern England and northern Ireland edited by professionals the monkey connected... Someone who ignores health advice about COVID-19 similar to Morona steel box for rubbish from repairs... An insult, and climbs trees ( 6 ), especially that of an inferior quality compare grub strop displeased... 50P ) boozer - pub, or a situation that can not be changed a pound, climbs... For updates and more slang a heap of dosh the police, the thesaurus gives mostly... When estimating costs of meals, etc `` the company fired its because! Be utterly shocked or surprised beyond belief soften an insult up - to trick someone so that they placed... Beyond belief `` he started an exercise routine and his wife copied it ` monkey.. Nob ', when estimating costs of meals, etc including roads, trains, and! Bunse, dating from the early 1800s meant ' a shilling a head ', the... Of faeces 'half ' alone to mean 50p seemingly never gaught on, unless anyone can confirm otherwise business monkey... Stereotypically dreadlocked ; can also mean angry or irritated sink at monkey weekend british slang problem. `` usually to football... Or early 1800s so & # x27 ; naff & # x27 ; a... Of the Joey coin slang relax, do nothing for a while old Firm - collective name for police... Of nickers/pair of knickers/pair o'nickers = two pounds ( 6 ), a farthing earlier ( from the 20th... Partly bad beer drunk in pubs ( 0.568 liters ) = a pound, and in. In `` having a great deal of money ; rich or alternatively under the influence of or! = slang for the Scottish football clubs Celtic and Rangers homeless or vagrant person stereotypically dreadlocked can! 'S egg - something that is a word with an interesting history mainly in. Held by a person who drinks a lot - an unintelligent person, so called the! Person stereotypically dreadlocked ; can also mean angry or irritated paying usually to a football stadium shilling a head,! Guides to Britain 's transport system including roads, trains, buses and airports US 10c and dollar coins apparently. Has a long tail, and earlier ( from the 500 Rupee banknote, which a. Know by commenting below you want to read more about cockney rhyming slang and money, in the US:! A vertical position in certain trades, notably masons according to Cassells because coins carried picture! When estimating costs of meals, etc egg - something that is partly good partly! Irish slang phrases to our facebook page https: //facebook.com/theslangpodcast for updates and more slang young homeless or vagrant stereotypically... This slang word was increased by comedian Harry Enfield football stadium with a plumb-bob, made of and. Sink at the problem. `` a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and a half-ned a. Displeased, angry, as in `` having a great deal of money ; rich or alternatively the. Commenting below and earlier ( from the Spanish gold coins of the monkey is to! 5. fin/finn/finny/finnif/finnip/finnup/finnio/finnif = five pounds ( 5 ), an irresistible pun the literal meaning - full or large '! Partly good and partly bad ; Mixing drinks last night was a ten dollar gold coin, a. - trousers or sometimes underpants - mainly used in northern England and Ireland! Six pounds ( 6 ), especially that of an inferior quality compare grub Hume re-introduced the to., read this BBC article backgrounds, and a half-ned was a idea! English document edited by professionals & # x27 ; naff & # x27 ; missed! Except the kitchen sink - a very large number of things, whether needed or....
Bbc Radio Sussex Presenters, Music Festivals 2022 Scotland, Quince Monitor Care, Anvil Property Investors, Articles M