Tuesday 9 June 2015

BLIMEY O'RILEY: A JUGGINS' EDWARDIAN SLANG



While writing my latest novel I've been researching some Edwardian slang terms - to try and get a sense of the language used in everyday situations. Here are some of my favourites ...

Ague - Fever
A gay dog – A devil with the girls.
Balmy - Insane
Balmy on the Crumpet - Another term for being insane
Blimey O’Riley – A term of surprise
Don’t get in a wax! – Don’t get upset!
Blotto Blottesque - Drunk
Blue devils - To feel sad or depressed
Brew - Tea
Brick - Good sort, or good sport
Brolly - Umberella
Broomsquire - broom maker
Buck - Handsome man, or dandy
Buffer - Old man
Bunk - Go away
Bun strangler - Non drinker
Char - Tea
Cheeking - Taunting
Cheese it - Stop and look out
Chit - Frail woman
Clobber - Clothes
College - Prison. "I've been to college."
Crack up - Talk up
Crikey – A term of surprise
Croaker - Dying person
Come a cropper – Fall down, physically or in social terms
Cushy - Easy
Daisy roots - Boots
Dead-and-alive - Quite place dull, sleepy
Decko - Take a look
Deevie - Divine
Doggo - To hide
Doomsayer - Complainer
Doss - Bed or sleep, see also a doss house
Down - To be critical
Expie - Expensive
Fast - Extravagant or wild
Fittums - A perfect fit
Fizz - Champagne
Flash - Showy and vulgar
Footle - Nonsense
Fuddled - drunk
Frou-frou - Swishy gown
Gas - Nonsense talk, or boasting
Gloaming - Twilight, or dusk
Graft - Work
Goolie - Testicle
Got the chuck - Fired
Got the hump - Annoyed
Grippe - Influenza
Hook it - Escape
Hop the way - Play truant from school
Juggins - Simpleton
Jumping Jesus - A fanatic
Keep your hair on – Don’t lose your temper
Kip - Sleep
Linctus – Medicine, syrup
Loot - Plunder
Moithered - Worried
Mumchance - dumstruck
Munge - To chew or chop
Nasty Jar - Unpleasant situation
Nebuchadnezzar phase - Drunken episode
Nuclear Spot - Central location
Off his chump - Mad
Off his onion - Mad
On the doss – Being a tramp, or vagabond
On the Peg - Under arrest
Padding the hoof - Walking
Peg - Soup kitchen
Pipe off - Lose interest, especially in a loved one
Pother - Bother, worry
Pukka - Genuine, the real thing
Punk - Inferior
Pusher - Girlfriend
Rag - Rowdy event
Ragger - Noisy or boisterous person
Razzle-Dazzle - Out on a spree, or womanising
Repining - Yearning
Reach me down - clothing, hand me down
Roly-poly - Jam pudding
Satinette - Gin
Scorching - Speeding in a car
Screwed - Drunk
Semi classical - Semi nude
Shandy-gaff - Ale and ginger beer
Shambles - Slaughter house or butchers
Shandy Gaff - Ale and ginger beer
Slavey - Maid of all work
Slinging my hook - Running away
Skof - Food
Sluice - Wash or bathe
Snuggery - Cosy room
Spasammy - Off hand, or cavalier
Stashing it up - Causing a commotion
Taken the knock - To be jilted
Tosh - Rubbish, as in nonsense
Two bad ...Three bad! - Simply a pun on Too bad
What Priced Head Have You? - How bad is your hangover?
White Satin - Gin
Wizard - Excellent
Wrangler - debater


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