"He's lower than a duck's arse"

"I'll knock you up in the morning"

"I'll ring you in the afternoon"

Some phrases have really interesting origins. "gone pear shaped" is one where there's discussion... on is from the 2nd world war when a parachute that didn't open properly took the shape of a pear.

Some are archaic here... my gran from Yorkshire used to say...

"Put wood in th'ole!" (put wood into the hole) eg Shut the door!

I have a couple of British friend that use the term "chuffed" when they are happy about something. It always makes me giggle.

These posts really warmed the cockles of my heart! They reminded me of a time when my youngest sister (now deceased) was in high school. She'd been reading a lot of British novels. She'd pat the horse on the neck and say, "There's a dear," and she kept referring to salesclerks as "shop girls" and any other British expressions she could come up with.

These posts bring back lovely memories of her.

Oops! Forgot to say that we were horseback riding.

Thanks for explaining what gone pear shaped meant.

Going to the "supey" (supermarket)

Rat faced (drunk)

Brilliant!

Rough as a badger's arse.

Oh, bloody 'ell...S.

ma23peas; maybe you should quit using 'bugger off' in a 'friendly sort of way to mean leave me alone...' .... look up buggery in a dictionary; it's rude!
Two faves
I'm completely barking
Up the apples and pears (at bedtime)

done a spazzer/ thrown a wobbly (one) -gotten hysterically angry


mullered - drunk
rat-arsed - drunk
sloshed - drunk
laggered - drunk
lashed - drunk
legless - drunk
munted- drunk
monkeyfaced- drunk
sh*tfaced - drunk

alright sh*tface? - hello
(believe it or not this is friendly, used only between friends)

nice, if you're a duck - its raining

moo juice - milk

beer goggles - the phenomenon of finding unattractive people as attractive under the influence of copious amounts of alcohol

a Glasgow kiss - headbutt

arse over tit - upside down, eg: he went arse over tit (he fell down)

fuggler/ munter / moose/ minger - unnatractive person

and theres currently a trend in slightly stupid derogatory and exclamatory terms eg.
you tit!

big pants!

that is a pile of toss! (toss is a retro schoolyard word for masturbate, and not particularly defamotory)

My GF referred to a 'third-wheel' single going out on the town with a couple as the "gooseberry". I don't know where that meaning originated.

From the mouth of my Brit boss:

It's been donkey's.

Are you daft?

Please, Sharon, your serviette is showing.

The Sweeny's on the prowl.

The son wants a birdpuller for his birthday.

There are more, but I would be banned if I printed them.

Christine

We tell children that babies are found under gooseberry bushes. You work it out!!

AAAAGH!!! I retract my previous statement for b****** off! Why must they use terms like that on Mystery! on PBS??? Don't they know the Americans find the English charming and they're saying cool? EEK! not any more of that for my language...I feel awful that now I have 3 little children that may blurt that out because their mother has said it when they're needling me with incessant questioning.....oh dear.

Tara

I'm partial to "Bloody Hell!"

"Bob's your uncle' is my favorite. "Right you are" comes in a close second.

Where's your boss from handmaiden?? I don't understand most of those!

Mind I was right chuffed with the rest of the thread - brings back memories of living up north.

(and the mind boggles as to what a 'birdpuller' could be if we're discussing English slang)

My favorite was a girl sitting near us in a cafe. Her friend asked how her lunch was, and she called the soup "gorgeous".

Most of all the above plus some others

Over the way
Take the piss out of
At the bottom of the garden
Bits and bobs
not half (sort of meaning very, very)
Bloody minded
Sorry (for pardon me or excuse me)

and like everyone else -- Mind the Gap . . . .