Are you ready to sound like a true British? Learning British slang is a fun way to dive deeper into the English language. Slang words are like secret codes that unlock new levels of conversation and make chatting more exciting. This blog post is your special guide to some cool British slang words and what they really mean. Whether you’re just starting to learn English or want to spice up your vocabulary, these phrases will add some extra flavour to your conversations!
British Slang Words
Here is the list of British slang words with their meanings and daily use examples:
1) ACE
Meaning: Excellent or very good
That new restaurant is ace, I loved it!
2) AGGRO
Meaning: Aggressive or troublesome
I don’t want any aggro at the pub tonight.
3) ALL TO POT
Meaning: Everything going wrong
Ever since the manager left, the project has gone all to pot.
4) ANORAK
Meaning: A person overly interested in niche subjects
He’s such an anorak when it comes to train spotting.
5) ARGY-BARGY
Meaning: Heated argument
There was a bit of argy-bargy at the football match.
6) BACCY
Meaning: Tobacco
Can you pick up some baccy from the shop?
7) BAGSY
Meaning: Claiming something as yours
Bagsy the front seat!
8) BARMY
Meaning: Crazy or foolish
You must be barmy to swim in this cold weather!
9) BEVVY
Meaning: Alcoholic drink
Let’s go for a bevvy after work.
10) BLAG
Meaning: To persuade by deception
He managed to blag his way into the club.
11) BLIMEY
Meaning: Expression of surprise
Blimey, that was a close call!
12) BLOKE
Meaning: Man
He’s a nice bloke, very friendly.
13) BLOWER
Meaning: Telephone
Give me a ring on the blower later.
14) BOB’S YOUR UNCLE
Meaning: There you have it; it’s done
Just press the button, and bob’s your uncle.
15) BODGE
Meaning: A poor or makeshift job
I made a bit of a bodge job of the wallpapering.
16) BOG-STANDARD
Meaning: Ordinary, average
It’s just a bog-standard model, nothing fancy.
17) BOLLOCKS
Meaning: Nonsense
That’s absolute bollocks!
18) BOTCH
Meaning: To do something badly
I totally botched my attempt at baking a cake.
19) BRASSY
Meaning: Bold, strident
She’s quite brassy and confident.
20) BREKKIE
Meaning: Breakfast
I had a full English for brekkie this morning.
21) BRILL
Meaning: Brilliant, fantastic
Your idea is absolutely brill.
22) BROLLY
Meaning: Umbrella
Don’t forget your brolly, it looks like rain.
23) BUDGE UP
Meaning: Move over, make space
Can you budge up a bit so I can sit down?
24) BUGGER ALL
Meaning: Nothing at all
I’ve done bugger all today.
25) BUTCHERS
Meaning: Look (from Cockney rhyming slang: butcher hook)
Have a butcher’s at this photo.
26) CHANCER
Meaning: A risk-taker, someone who takes advantage
He’s a bit of a chancer, always looking for shortcuts.
27) CHEEKY
Meaning: Impudent or sassy
That was a cheeky remark!
28) CHUFFED
Meaning: Pleased or satisfied
I’m really chuffed with my exam results.
29) CLANGER
Meaning: A noticeable mistake
He dropped a clanger during his speech.
30) CODSWALLOP
Meaning: Nonsense, rubbish
That story you told is a complete codswallop.
31) COLLYWOBBLES
Meaning: Nervousness, anxiety
I get the collywobbles before big presentations.
32) COR
Meaning: Expression of surprise or shock
Cor, that’s a nice car!
33) CRACK ON
Meaning: To continue with or start something
Let’s crack on with the meeting.
34) CRACKING
Meaning: Excellent or awesome
She’s a cracking actress.
35) CRAP
Meaning: Rubbish, something of poor quality
I feel like crap today.
36) CRIKEY
Meaning: Expression of surprise
Crikey, that was a huge spider!
37) CUPPA
Meaning: Cup of tea
Fancy a cuppa?
38) DAFT
Meaning: Silly or foolish
Don’t be so daft!
39) DEAD
Meaning: Very, extremely
It’s dead easy, you’ll have no trouble.
40) DICKY
Meaning: Unwell or faulty
I’m feeling a bit dicky this morning.
41) DIDDLE
Meaning: Cheat or swindle
He tried to diddle me out of my change.
42) DIGS
Meaning: Accommodation, living space
I’ve found some great student digs near campus.
43) DIM
Meaning: Stupid or unwise
That was a bit of a dim thing to do.
44) DIPPY
Meaning: Silly or scatterbrained
My aunt is a bit dippy but lovely.
45) DODGY
Meaning: Suspicious or of poor quality
That looks like a dodgy deal to me.
46) DOG’S DINNER
Meaning: A mess or badly done job
He made a dog’s dinner for the whole project.
47) DONKEY’S YEARS
Meaning: A long time
I haven’t seen her in Donkey’s years.
48) DOSH
Meaning: Money
I’m a bit short of dosh this week.
49) DUFF
Meaning: Bad or useless
The movie was pretty duff.
50) DULL AS DITCHWATER
Meaning: Extremely boring
That lecture was dull as ditchwater.
51) EARWIG
Meaning: Eavesdrop
Stop trying to earwig on our conversation!
52) EASY PEASY
Meaning: Very easy
Fixing this will be easy peasy.
53) FAFF
Meaning: To make a fuss or to bother
Stop faffing around and get on with it.
54) FAG
Meaning: Cigarette
I’m going out for a fag.
55) FIT
Meaning: Attractive
He’s really fit!
56) FLUKE
Meaning: Lucky or accidental success
It was a complete fluke that I won.
57) GAFFER
Meaning: Boss
Ask the gaffer if you can leave early.
58) GAMMY
Meaning: Injured or painful
I’ve got a gammy leg after that fall.
59) GEEZER
Meaning: Man, guy
He’s a real London geezer.
60) GEN
Meaning: Information
Give me the gen on what’s happening.
61) GIDDY KIPPER
Meaning: An overly excited person
She’s acting like a giddy kipper over her new job.
62) GOB
Meaning: Mouth
Shut your gob, I’m trying to think!
63) GOBSMACKED
Meaning: Amazed, astounded
I was gobsmacked when I heard the news.
64) GROTTY
Meaning: Unpleasant or of poor quality
This hotel room is a bit grotty.
65) GUTTED
Meaning: Very disappointed
I was gutted when my team lost.
66) HALF-INCH
Meaning: Steal (Cockney rhyming slang: half-inch pinch)
Someone half-inched my bike last night.
67) HANKY-PANKY
Meaning: Mischievous or deceitful behavior
There’s some hanky-panky going on next door.
68) HARD CHEESE
Meaning: Bad luck
Well, hard cheese, you’ll just have to try again.
69) HER MAJESTY’S PLEASURE
Meaning: In prison
He’s serving time at Her Majesty’s pleasure.
70) HIGGLEDY-PIGGLEDY
Meaning: In disarray, messy
The books were stacked in a higgledy-piggledy fashion.
71) HUNKY-DORY
Meaning: Fine, going well
Everything’s hunky-dory now.
72) JAMMY
Meaning: Very lucky
You jammy devil, winning the lottery like that!
73) JIFFY
Meaning: A short time
I’ll be back in a jiffy.
74) JOLLY
Meaning: Very, extremely
It’s a jolly good show.
75) KIP
Meaning: Nap or sleep
I need a quick kip before we go out.
76) KNACKERED
Meaning: Very tired
I’m absolutely knackered after that walk.
77) KNEES UP
Meaning: A lively party or gathering
We’re having a proper knees-up for her birthday.
78) LEG IT
Meaning: Run away quickly
We had to leg it to catch the bus.
79) LURGY
Meaning: Illness, flu
I think I’ve caught the lurgy.
80) LUV
Meaning: Term of endearment
Thanks, luv.
81) MANKY
Meaning: Dirty or unpleasant
Those are some manky old trainers.
82) MARVELLOUS
Meaning: Excellent, wonderful
That’s marvellous news!
83) MATE
Meaning: Friend
How’s it going, mate?
84) MIFFED
Meaning: Annoyed or upset
She was a bit miffed at not being invited.
85) MINGE
Meaning: Vulgar term for female genitalia
That’s a rather rude word, don’t say minge.
86) MINT
Meaning: Excellent or perfect
This new phone is mint.
87) MITHER
Meaning: Bother or annoy
Don’t mither me while I’m working.
88) MOGGIE
Meaning: Cat
My moggie is the cutest cat ever.
89) MUCK IN
Meaning: To contribute to a group effort
We all need to muck in to get the job done.
90) MUCKER
Meaning: Friend, mate
Hello, mucker, long time no see!
91) MUDDY
Meaning: Confused or unclear
His explanation was rather muddy.
92) MUPPET
Meaning: Foolish or incompetent person
I felt like a muppet after making that mistake.
93) NAFF
Meaning: Lacking in style or good taste
That hat is a bit naff, isn’t it?
94) NARKED
Meaning: Annoyed or irritated
I was really narked about losing my keys.
95) NICK
Meaning: To steal or arrest
He got nicked for speeding last night.
96) NIFTY
Meaning: Good, skillful
That was a nifty piece of parking.
97) NIP
Meaning: A small amount or quick visit
I’m just going for a quick nip to the shops.
98) NOSH
Meaning: Food or meal
Fancy some nosh?
99) NUTTER
Meaning: Crazy person
He’s a complete nutter!
100) ODDS AND SODS
Meaning: Miscellaneous things or items
Just a few odds and sods left to pack.
101) OFF YOUR TROLLEY
Meaning: Crazy or mad
You must be off your trolley if you think that’s a good idea.
102) OLD BILL
Meaning: Police
The Old Bill showed up at the party.
103) ON YOUR BIKE
Meaning: Go away
Get on your bike and leave!
104) PADDY
Meaning: Tantrum or fit
He threw a paddy when he lost the game.
105) PANTS
Meaning: Rubbish, poor quality
That film was absolute pants.
106) PARKY
Meaning: Cold weather
It’s a bit parky outside, better wear a coat.
107) PEAR-SHAPED
Meaning: Going wrong or failing
The plan went a bit pear-shaped.
108) PECKISH
Meaning: Slightly hungry
I’m feeling a bit peckish, might grab a snack.
109) PIDDLING
Meaning: Insignificant or trifling
It’s only a piddling amount of rain.
110) PILLOCK
Meaning: Idiot or fool
Don’t be such a pillock.
111) PISSED
Meaning: Drunk
He was completely pissed last night.
112) PLONK
Meaning: Cheap wine
There’s some cheap plonk in the fridge.
113) PLONKER
Meaning: Fool or idiot
Rodney, you plonker!
114) POSH
Meaning: Elegant or upper-class
She speaks so posh.
115) PRAT
Meaning: Idiot or fool
Stop being a prat and help me.
116) PULL
Meaning: To successfully attract someone romantically
He’s trying to pull at the bar.
117) QUID
Meaning: Pound sterling
Can you lend me a quid?
118) RAZZ
Meaning: To party or enjoy oneself
We had a great razz around town.
119) RECKON
Meaning: Think or believe
I reckon it’s going to rain.
120) RIFF-RAFF
Meaning: Undesirable people
This club’s full of riff-raff tonight.
121) ROPEY
Meaning: Not very good, uncertain
I’m feeling a bit ropey this morning.
122) RUBBISH
Meaning: Trash or something worthless
That’s absolute rubbish!
123) RUDDY
Meaning: A mild swear word, like ‘bloody’
It’s ruddy freezing out here!
124) SARNIE
Meaning: Sandwich
I’ll have a ham sarnie, please.
125) SCALLYWAG
Meaning: Mischievous or rascally person
He’s a little scallywag.
126) SCRUMMY
Meaning: Delicious
This cake is absolutely scrummy.
127) SHIRTY
Meaning: Bad-tempered or irritable
He’s getting a bit shirty with me.
128) SKINT
Meaning: Having no money
I’m totally skint until payday.
129) SLING YOUR HOOK
Meaning: Go away
Time to sling your hook and leave.
130) SLUMMY
Meaning: Resembling a slum
That area is a bit slummy.
131) SMARMY
Meaning: Ingratiating, obsequious
He’s too smarmy for my liking.
132) SNOOKERED
Meaning: In a difficult situation
We’re completely snookered now.
133) SOD OFF
Meaning: Go away
Oh, just sod off!
134) SORTED
Meaning: Arranged or resolved
Everything’s sorted for the weekend.
135) SPEND A PENNY
Meaning: To urinate
I need to spend a penny; be right back.
136) SQUIFFY
Meaning: Slightly drunk
I’m feeling a bit squiffy after that wine.
137) STARKERS
Meaning: Naked
He ran down the street starkers!
138) STROPPY
Meaning: Bad-tempered or difficult
Don’t get stroppy with me.
139) SWOT
Meaning: Study hard
I need to swot up for my exams.
140) TA
Meaning: Thank you
Ta for the lift!
141) TAKING THE MICKEY
Meaning: Teasing or making fun of someone
Are you taking the mickey out of me?
142) TELLY
Meaning: Television
Let’s watch some telly.
143) THICK
Meaning: Stupid
He’s as thick as two short planks.
144) TICKETY-BOO
Meaning: Everything is fine
Everything’s tickety-boo, thanks.
145) TOSH
Meaning: Nonsense
He talks a lot of tosh.
146) TOSSER
Meaning: An idiot or jerk
What a complete tosser.
147) TWIG
Meaning: Understand or realize
I finally twigged what he meant.
148) UP THE DUFF
Meaning: Pregnant
She’s up the duff again.
149) WAFFLE
Meaning: To talk or write at length without saying anything important
He does tend to waffle on.
150) WANGLE
Meaning: To manipulate or manage to do something by scheming
I managed to wangle some free tickets.
Explore More: American Slang Words
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