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. caser/case = five shillings (5/-), a crown coin. cock and hen = ten pounds (thanks N Shipperley). Probably related to 'motsa' below. When pocket watches first became fashionable, they were held against the body by use of a small chain. Historically bob was slang for a British shilling (Twelve old pence, pre-decimalisation - and twenty shillings to a pound). 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. Wor lass - my girlfriend. We use this expression a lot. spondulicks/spondoolicks = money. It's what is known as dehumanizing language, "language that deprives a person of human qualities or attributes.". fin/finn/finny/finnif/finnip/finnup/finnio/finnif = five pounds (5), from the early 1800s. ayrton senna/ayrton = tenner (ten pounds, 10) - cockney rhyming slang created in the 1980s or early 90s, from the name of the peerless Brazilian world champion Formula One racing driver, Ayrton Senna (1960-94), who won world titles in 1988, 90 and 91, before his tragic death at San Marino in 1994. bag/bag of sand = grand = one thousand pounds (1,000), seemingly recent cockney rhyming slang, in use from around the mid-1990s in Greater London; perhaps more widely too. Slang money words, meanings and origins, ' K' entry on the cliches and words origins page, 'dip dip sky blue who's it not you' (the word 'you' meant elimination for the corresponding child), 'ibble-obble black bobble ibble obble out' ('out' meant elimination). Bairn - child (Scottish, northern English). Thats the end of our money series so remember to tune in for our next episode to see what new slang we have in store for you! Were mad about English. First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we Usually now meaning one pound coins. Brass originated as slang for money by association to the colour of gold coins, and the value of brass as a scrap metal. To illustrate these glorious slang expressions, we teamed up with Art Money to create visuals using ACTUAL money, with each image created using the currency of the country of the term's origin. Apparently we imported the word grand, which means a thousand, from the States. Incidentally garden gate is also rhyming slang for magistrate, and the plural garden gates is rhyming slang for rates. 5. 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). 'Monkey's uncle' is used as an expression of surprise. clod = a penny (1d). Earful - a prolonged and angry reprimand. Very occasionally older people, students of English or History, etc., refer to loose change of a small amount of coin money as groats. Logically, it follows that you'd have 240 pence to a pound. The British population most definitely has an island mentality and this was never more apparent than when the euro was introduced on January 1st 1999. 1 shilling = 12 pence. Kettle and Hob is Cockney slang for Watch. Usage of bob for shilling dates back to the late 1700s. Copyright English TrackersDesigned by Niels Loomans. "The company fired its accountant because there was some monkey business going on with the accounts. 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. handful = five pounds (5), 20th century, derived simply by association to the five digits on a hand. 05. While this London centric slang is entirely British, it actually stems from 19th century India. joey = much debate about this: According to my . medza/medzer/medzes/medzies/metzes/midzers = money. Not actually slang, more an informal and extremely common pre-decimalisation term used as readily as 'two-and-six' in referring to that amount. Iechyd da! The Brief: The speak no evil monkey ? Probably London slang from the early 1800s. Bob - one shilling. nicker = a pound (1). Hog also extended to US 10c and dollar coins, apparently, according to Cassells because coins carried a picture of a pig. See yennep. In the old days, you had to pay one penny to use the public toilet and the expression to spend a penny has lived on to this day. Bash A "bash" is a party. Pint - unit of beer drunk in pubs (0.568 liters). 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. In their natural habitat, monkeys are incredibly compassionate and carrying. 04. Queen mum- Cockney rhyming slang for bum. If you want to read more about cockney rhyming slang and money, read this BBC article. Dosh (general term for money). Also find guides to Britain's transport system including roads, trains, buses and airports. Covidiot - someone who ignores health advice about COVID-19 similar to Morona. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. 11. Lolly - a lollipop or ice candy; money (slang). Gasper - cigarette (see fag) - now rather archaic. madza caroon = half-a-crown (2/6) from the mid 1800s. . ten bob bit = fifty pence piece (50p). Thus, "Use your loaf" means "Use your head" (think!). In addition, Britain-specific words are included. 21. The most commonly used slang term for a pound is a quid and it doesnt have a plural. Nugget: Referencing gold, but a general term for money of any kind. Toodle pip - archaic, posh form for "goodbye". The Covid-19 pandemic has been a recent source of new expressions as is popular music such as grime. Shagged out - (or just shagged) tired, exhausted. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Modern London slang. (Thanks to R Maguire for raising this one.). It is conceivable that the use also later transferred for a while to a soverign and a pound, being similar currency units, although I'm not aware of specific evidence of this. Zebra Crossing - black and white pedestrian crossing. nicker = a pound (1). Dogging - slang for engaging in sexual acts in a public or semi-public place or watching others doing so. 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. The most widely recognised Cockney rhyming slang terms for money include 'pony' which is 25, a 'ton' is 100 and a 'monkey', which equals 500. Then, build your vocabulary even more by mastering some Irish . Accadacca - How Aussies refer to Australian band ACDC. Moola - Also spelled moolah, the origin of this word is unknown. Old Bill - (archaic) slang for the police. The word can actually be traced back to Roman times, when a 'Denarius Grossus' was a 'thick penny' (equivalent). All our resources are free and mapped to the Australian Curriculum. Give us a bell - call me on the telephone. A penny-pincher is someone who is unwilling to spend money. Toad in the Hole - traditional English dish of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter. Bees knees - a highly admired person or thing. Bice could also occur in conjunction with other shilling slang, where the word bice assumes the meaning 'two', as in 'a bice of deaners', pronounced 'bicerdeaners', and with other money slang, for example bice of tenners, pronounced 'bicertenners', meaning twenty pounds. ", "Why do you want to make a monkey out of me? Spelt the same P-O-N-Y pony actually means 25 pounds. Yack - to vomit, usually because of intoxication. Brass Monkey Weather. Wacky - funny or amusing in a slightly odd or peculiar way. Locktail - a cocktail invented or enjoyed during Covid-19 lockdown. Possibly rhyming slang linking lollipop to copper. There is scads of Cockney slang for money. Proper - done well; cf. silver = silver coloured coins, typically a handful or piggy-bankful of different ones - i.e., a mixture of 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p. British slang and dialect is rich and diverse. Danno (Detective Danny Williams, played by James MacArthur) was McGarrett's unfailingly loyal junior partner. Hear, understand the origins and meanings of new slang and use it immediately! Monkeys are primates. We also list many of Britain's museums, churches, castles and other points of interest. Bagsy - it's mine; succeed in securing (something) for oneself. Brewer also references the Laird of Sillabawby, a 16th century mintmaster, as a possible origin. Let us know in the comments below. Brewer's dictionary of 1870 says that the American dollar is '..in English money a little more than four shillings..'. Up until the late 20th Century, rhyming slang was also common in Australian slang, probably due to the . Flog a dead horse - waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that cannot be changed. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. The first things you gotta learn are that five pounds is a fiver, and ten pounds is a tenner. They are more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Shambolic - disorganized, all over the place. They are meant for comprehension rather than reproduction. Possibilities include a connection with the church or bell-ringing since 'bob' meant a set of changes rung on the bells. Do A "do" is also a slang word for "party" in British English. From cockney rhyming slang, bread and honey = money, and which gave rise to the secondary rhyming slang 'poppy', from poppy red = bread. 5. Bender: derogatory term for homosexual, like "poof." (Note: You probably shouldn't use it or you'll get slapped, but it's worthy of note for giving Futurama a very different meaning.) Doghouse - as in the phrase "to be in the doghouse" - to be in trouble or when someone is upset or angry with you for whatever reason. Even if you never actually get anywhere near the sound of Bow bells, it is handy pub quiz knowledge to have in your locker. Backslang also contributes several slang money words. (Thanks R Bambridge). brass = money. Yorkshire Pudding - side dish with roast beef made with eggs, flour, salt, milk and beef dripping cooked in the oven. am gan to the toon - i'm going to Newcastle city centre. What it actually means: As its name suggests, this monkey is covering its eyes to see no evil, as as in the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil proverb. Copyright 2023. Example in spoken form: In my new job Ill be earning 75 kay a year. hog = confusingly a shilling (1/-) or a sixpence (6d) or a half-crown (2/6), dating back to the 1600s in relation to shilling. 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. "Gobsmacked" means to be utterly shocked or surprised beyond belief. In this post we share the official and unofficial ways Brits refer to money. french/french loaf = four pounds, most likely from the second half of the 1900s, cockney rhyming slang for rofe (french loaf = rofe), which is backslang for four, also meaning four pounds. MONKEY. Get an instant price to have your English document edited by professionals. Sassenach - non-Highlander (usually referring to the English). What does Monkey mean in slang? In the US a ned was a ten dollar gold coin, and a half-ned was a five dollar coin. Blicky - a handgun (word is US in origin). Bless your heart. For Terry's detailed and fascinating explanation of the history of K see the ' K' entry on the cliches and words origins page. If someone has the cheddar, it means they must be making bank. quid = one pound (1) or a number of pounds sterling. It is therefore unlikely that anyone today will use or recall this particular slang, but if the question arises you'll know the answer. Our 10-click quote form is specifically designed so that even the busiest client can upload a document in their 3-minute coffee break. 2. (Thanks P Jones, June 2008). dibs/dibbs = money. Might could. For example 'Lend us twenty sovs..' Sov is not generally used in the singular for one pound. Monkeys are famously playful and mischievous, and because of this, monkey is a common diminutive (or fond nickname) for impish kids, and monkey business is foolishness or deceitful behavior. "Some silver will do." Dodgy - suspicious, of questionable quality (slang). The 'tanner' slang was later reinforced (Ack L Bamford) via jocular reference to a biblical extract about St Peter lodging with Simon, a tanner (of hides). Example in written form: In my new job Ill be earning 75K a year. Equivalent to 12p in decimal money. If you think we've missed anything let us know by commenting below. Meaning. oner = (pronounced 'wunner'), commonly now meaning one hundred pounds; sometimes one thousand pounds, depending on context. Slang British Money Terms. Ned was seemingly not pluralised when referring to a number of guineas, eg., 'It'll cost you ten ned..' A half-ned was half a guinea. shilling = a silver or silver coloured coin worth twelve pre-decimalisation pennies (12d). When the pound coin appeared it was immediately christened a 'Maggie', based seemingly on the notion that it was 'a brassy piece that thinks it's a sovereign" (ack J Jamieson, Sep 2007) If you have more detail about where and when this slang arose and is used, please let me know. And 59 per cent don't understand what . They used the term monkey for 500 rupees and on returning to England the saying was converted for sterling to mean 500. These pages are best viewed using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or IE. Off the cuff - without preparation, spontaneous. Alcohol and words relating to pubs and being drunk feature prominently in British slang. Originally (16th-19thC) the slang word flag was used for an English fourpenny groat coin, derived possibly from Middle Low German word 'Vleger' meaning a coin worth 'more than a Bremer groat' (Cassells). And this is only the tip of the iceberg! 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. ned = a guinea. Crash - sleep, lose consciousness, stay at someone's flat as in "Can I crash at yours on Saturday night?". Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. Cock and hen - also cockerel and hen - has carried the rhyming slang meaning for the number ten for longer. poppy = money. The slang ned appears in at least one of Bruce Alexander's Blind Justice series of books (thanks P Bostock for raising this) set in London's Covent Garden area and a period of George III's reign from around 1760 onwards. brown = a half-penny or ha'penny. Monkey: British slang for 500 pounds sterling; originates from soldiers returning from India, where the 500 rupee note had a picture of a monkey on it. "Gob" is a British expression for "mouth". If you have any problems, please let us know. "He thought he could make a monkey out of his friend but he was not prepared for what was coming. Double click on any word for its definition. score = twenty pounds (20). Decimal 1p and 2p coins were also 97% copper (technically bronze - 97% copper, 2.5% zinc, 0.5% tin ) until replaced by copper-plated steel in 1992, which amusingly made them magnetic. EXPLANATION: While this London-centric slang is entirely British, it actually stems from 19th Century India. 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. That's about 20p. Bread meaning money is also linked with with the expression 'earning a crust', which alludes to having enough money to pay for one's daily bread. Copyright Learn English Network - All Rights Reserved. Rows - Medieval galleried, timber walkways above a lower level of shops inChester. Spanish is spoken natively in over 20 countries and even has more first language speakers than English, making it an incredibly diverse language with many different slang words and phrases. . Incidentally the Hovis bakery was founded in 1886 and the Hovis name derives from Latin, Hominis Vis, meaning 'strength of man'. One pound is subdivided into 100 pence, the singular of which is one penny. Your response is private Was this worth your time? Chippy (Chippie) - slang for a fish and chip shop. lady/Lady Godiva = fiver (five pounds, 5) cockney rhyming slang, and like many others in this listing is popular in London and the South East of England, especially East London. Chip was also slang for an Indian rupee. bees (bees and honey) = money. Slang words or phrases develop over time. Bags (to make a bags of something) Bang on. Ape and monkey are considered offensive terms when they're used to describe a person of color. Improve your writing by downloading our English Editing Tips. Cockney rhyming slang from the late 1800s. This mostly means a deliciously spicy Mexican taco, but is also slang for money. rat arsed. groat = an old silver four-penny coin from around 1300 and in use in similar form until c.1662, although Brewer states in his late 1800s revised edition of his 1870 dictionary of slang that 'the modern groat was introduced in 1835, and withdrawn in 1887', which is somewhat confusing. "He really cocked up his job interview when he mentioned that he'd shagged the boss's daughter." Collywobbles: Nervousness; butterflies in the stomach. He was referring to the fact that the groat's production ceased from 1662 and then restarted in 1835, (or 1836 according to other sources). You can find out more about that in this wiki post. squid = a pound (1). sir isaac = one pound (1) - used in Hampshire (Southern England) apparently originating from the time when the one pound note carried a picture of Sir Isaac Newton. From the late 18th century according to most sources, London slang, but the precise origin is not known. Anyone would think the Brits like a drink. Umpteen - large quantity, numerous times, huge amount or a load of something. A combination of medza, a corruption of Italian mezzo meaning half, and a mispronunciation or interpretation of crown. shrapnel = loose change, especially a heavy and inconvenient pocketful, as when someone repays a small loan in lots of coins. This coincides with the view that Hume re-introduced the groat to counter the cab drivers' scam. Tarmac - material used for surfacing roads or other outdoor areas, named after its Scottish inventor John Louden McAdam. There has been speculation among etymologists that 'simon' meaning sixpence derives from an old play on words which represented biblical text that St Peter "lodged with Simon a tanner.." as a description of a banking transaction, although Partridge's esteemed dictionary refutes this, at the same time conceding that the slang 'tanner' for sixpence might have developed or been reinforced by the old joke. Barmy. Pete Tong - wrong, messed up - referring to the BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong. A person who is easily deceived or victimized: butt, dupe, fool, gull, lamb, pushover, victim. 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. Heres how to spot the absolute worst people on Instagram, according to science, Do not sell or share my personal information. Litty again - exciting or wild once more. For example, you might say a chair has a wonky leg. What does ? Strop - displeased, angry, as in "having a strop". Any unethical, illegitimate, or objectionable activity that is furtive or deceitful, e.g., undercover sexual advances, cheating, misuse of public funds, etc. The term monkey came from soldiers returning from India, where the 500 rupee note had a picture of a monkey on it. And some further clarification and background: k/K = a thousand (1,000 or $1,000). 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. `Ton in this sense may come from the name for a measurement of 100 cubic feet. a monkey foresail. Also used regularly is a 'score' which is 20, a 'bullseye' is 50, a 'grand' is 1,000 and a 'deep sea diver' which is 5 (a fiver). 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. Chav - derogatory term for member of the "lower classes". macaroni = twenty-five pounds (25). Traditional IPA: mki Try English Trackers' professional editing and rewriting service. Plural uses singular form, eg., 'Fifteen quid is all I want for it..', or 'I won five hundred quid on the horses yesterday..'. And today'post is about where it all started - British Slang! It is about money in general terms. Stiver was used in English slang from the mid 1700s through to the 1900s, and was derived from the Dutch Stiver coin issued by the East India Company in the Cape (of South Africa), which was the lowest East India Co monetary unit. Chucking it down: If you didn't know, UK weather includes (lots of) rain with a side of rain and this expression is used often. For ex: Ill be back in a minute, Im just off to spend a penny! dosh = slang for a reasonable amount of spending money, for instance enough for a 'night-out'. Yonks - in a long time as in "I haven't seen you in yonks.". Similar words for coins and meanings are found all over Europe. Tom Mix initially meant the number six (and also fix, as in difficult situation or state of affairs), and extended later in the 1900s to mean six pounds. Also used regularly is a 'score' which is 20, a 'bullseye' is 50, a 'grand' is 1,000 and a 'deep sea diver' which is 5 (a fiver). For ex: If I can sell all this stuff second hand then Ill be quids in. You'll notice a lot of abbreviations here, which is all part of the fun of learning how to speak Texas slang. Alternatively beer vouchers, which commonly meant pound notes, prior to their withdrawal. lolly = money. Separately bottle means money generally and particularly loose coinage, from the custom of passing a bottle for people to give money to a busker or street entertainer. Mezzo/madza was and is potentially confused with, and popularity supported by, the similar 'motsa' (see motsa entry). Chuffed: Pleased, delighted. kibosh/kybosh = eighteen pence (i.e., one and six, 1/6, one shilling and sixpence), related to and perhaps derived from the mid-1900s meaning of kibosh for an eighteen month prison sentence. three ha'pence/three haypence = 1d (one and a half old pennies) - this lovely expression (thanks Dean) did not survive decimalisation, despite there being new decimal half-pence coins. 11. These were called fob watches, and its from this expression that we get Kettle and Hob for watch. Narrowboat - canal boat of long, narrow design, steered with a tiller. "Mixing drinks last night was a terrible idea. Cream-crackered - = knackered, thus extremely tired, exhausted. Gucci - Good or going well. Bollocks - testicles or something that is nonsense. Berties - term for Man City fans used by Man Utd supporters; the reverse is "rags". Watering hole - this is one of the many British slang words for a pub. BOODLE. Cheddar. Some slang can be quite specific to an area or even an individual who has conjured up their own word for something, but there are a few that are widely used and are worth remembering. The connection with coinage is that the Counts of Schlick in the late 1400s mined silver from 'Joachim's Thal' (Joachim's Valley), from which was minted the silver ounce coins called Joachim's Thalers, which became standard coinage in that region of what would now be Germany. It would seem that the 'biscuit' slang term is still evolving and might mean different things (100 or 1,000) to different people. Commonly used in speech as 'some silver' or 'any silver', for example: "Have you got any silver for the car-park?" 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. It means to make a profit. 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. ? 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. Pissed - drunk (slang) in British English; "angry" in American English. 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). Jiffy - a very short time, a moment as in "Back in a jiffy.". Brutal. P*ssed "P*ssed" usually means "angry" in the US. Brown bread - dead from Cockney rhyming slang. 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. South African tickey and variations - also meaning 'small' - are first recorded in the 19th century from uncertain roots (according to Partridge and Cassells) - take your pick: African distorted interpretation of 'ticket' or 'threepenny'; from Romany tikeno and tikno (meaning small); from Dutch stukje (meaning a little bit); from Hindustani taka (a stamped silver coin); and/or from early Portuguese 'pataca' and French 'patac' (meaning what?.. 'Bruce bailed' = Bruce isn't going to turn up. All very vague and confusing. Ned - non-educated delinquent (Scottish backronym). (source Cassells). Let's get serious about the project." "They have been monkeying around so they did not get anything done." To make a monkey out of someone 'To make a monkey out of someone' means to make someone look silly. 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. jack = a pound, and earlier (from the 1600s), a farthing. British people like to enjoy themselves. I am also informed (ack Sue Batch, Nov 2007) that spruce also referred to lemonade, which is perhaps another source of the bottle rhyming slang: " around Northants, particularly the Rushden area, Spruce is in fact lemonade it has died out nowadays - I was brought up in the 50s and 60s and it was an everyday word around my area back then. Cheers - very common alternative for "thank you" or drinking toast. readies = money, usually banknotes. Tom Mix was a famous cowboy film star from 1910-1940. Spruce probably mainly refers to spruce beer, made from the shoots of spruce fir trees which is made in alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. Other intriguing possible origins/influences include a suggested connection with the highly secretive Quidhampton banknote paper-mill, and the term quid as applied (ack D Murray) to chewing tobacco, which are explained in more detail under quid in the cliches, words and slang page. Monkey business means doing something mischievous. Sic/Sick - Next Level Cool. For ex: Wheres my share of the filthy lucre then? As in "We threw everything except the kitchen sink at the problem.". Brummie - native of Birmingham (colloquial). 'K' has now mainly replaced 'G' in common speech and especially among middle and professional classes. 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.

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