cockney slang

What is Cockney rhyming slang?

Cockney rhyming slang is not a language but a collection of phrases used by Cockneys and other Londoners.

What's a Cockney?

St Mary Le Bow church in Cheapside, London

A true Cockney is someone born within the sound of Bow Bells. (St Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London).

However the term Cockney is now loosely applied to many born outside this area as long as they have a "Cockney" accent or a Cockney heritage.

The Cockney accent is heard less often in Central London these days but is widely heard in the outer London boroughs, the London suburbs and all across South East England. It is common in Bedfordshire towns like Luton and Leighton Buzzard, and Essex towns such as Romford.

What's Rhyming Slang?

Rhyming Slang phrases are derived from taking an expression which rhymes with a word and then using that expression instead of the word. For example the word "look" rhymes with "butcher's hook". In many cases the rhyming word is omitted - so you won't find too many Londoners having a "butcher’s hook" at this site, but you might find a few having a "butcher's". 

The rhyming word is not always omitted so Cockney expressions can vary in their construction, and it is simply a matter of convention which version is used.

Some Cockney rhyming slang for parts of the body

In this list of example Cockney slang for parts of the body, you'll notice that some expressions omit the rhyming word but others do not.

English	Rhymes with	Cockney
Feet	Plates of meat	Plates
Teeth	Hampstead Heath	Hampsteads
Legs	Scotch eggs	Scotches
Eyes	Mince pies	Minces
Arms	Chalk Farms	Chalk Farms
Hair	Barnet Fair	Barnet
Head	Loaf of bread	Loaf
Face	Boat race	Boat race
Mouth	North and south	North and south

Who uses Cockney Rhyming Slang?

Cockney Rhyming Slang originated in the East End of London. Some slang expressions have escaped from London and are in popular use throughout the rest of Britain. For example "use your loaf" is an everyday phrase for the British, but not too many people realise it is Cockney Rhyming Slang ("loaf of bread: head"). There are many more examples of this unwitting use of Cockney Rhyming Slang.

Television has raised awareness of Cockney Rhyming Slang to far greater heights. Classic TV shows such as "Steptoe and Son", "Minder", "Porridge" and "Only Fools and Horses" have done much to spread the slang throughout Britain and to the rest of the world.

Is Cockney Rhyming Slang dead?

Not on your Nelly! Cockney Rhyming Slang may have had its highs and lows but today it is in use as never before.

In the last few years hundreds of brand new slang expressions have been invented - many betraying their modern roots, eg "Emma Freuds: haemorrhoids"; (Emma Freud is a TV and radio broadcaster) and "Ayrton Senna": tenner (10 pound note).

How is Cockney slang developing?

Modern Cockney slang that is being developed today tends to only rhyme words with the names of celebrities or famous people. There are very few new Cockney slang expressions that do not follow this trend. The only one that has gained much ground recently that bucks this trend is "Wind and Kite" meaning "Web site".

Cockney expressions are being exported from London all over the world. Here at cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk we get loads of enquiries from folks as far afield as the USA, Canada and Japan, all wanting to know the meaning of Cockney expressions.

	A dialect found mostly in East London, where people obviously have more time to say what they want to say, and are more paranoid about being overheard. The principle is to decide what it is you want to say, and then find words which bear no real relation to what you're going to say, but which rhyme loosely with your phrase. Sometimes the connection is totally obscure. For example, 'Bottle and Glass' (Arse) was obviously a bit racy, so it is put at one remove with 'Aristotle' = Bottle. This is then contracted again so that you say 'Aris', which is almost exactly what you started out trying not to say. Some secret language... Cockney rhyming slang used to be a form of Pidgin English designed so that the working Eastenders could have a right good chin wag without the toffs knowing that they were talking about them. These days people just make it up for a laugh, so young streetwise Londoners say things like 'Ah mate, 'ad a right mare I did, got chucked out me pad, blew me lump, and now fings wiv the trouble and strife have gone all pete tong!' Here's our horribly incomplete list of popular Cockney rhyming slang. If you know any others, why not post them to the forum below? Cockney Meaning Example Adam and Eve I don't bloody Adam and Eve it! Alan Whickers Okay, okay, keep yer Alans on! Apple Fritter Bitter (beer) They've got some new Apple at the Battle. Apples and Pears Stairs Get yer Bacons up the Apples and Pears. Army and Navy Gravy Pass the Army, son. Artful Dodger I've got an Artful to help pay the rent. Ayrton Senna Tenner (ten pound note) You owe me an Ayrton. Bacon and Eggs She's got a lovely set of Bacons. Bang Allan Border He's bang Allan (used when someone does something nasty to someone else). Barn Owl (Barney) Row (argument) 'Ad a Barney with me Artful 'cos 'e refused to give me my Ayrton's. Barnet Fair Hair She's just got her Barnet chopped. Boat Race Face Smashed 'im in the Boat. Battle Cruiser Boozer (off license) I'm off to the Battle to get some Apple. Bottle and Glass Arse He fell on his Bottle. Brass bands Hands I shook him by the Brass. Bread and Honey He's got loads of Bread. Britney Spears Give us a couple of Britney's will ya? Brown Bread He's Brown Bread. Bubble Bath You're 'avin' a Bubble. Butcher's Hook Look Take a Butcher's at that! Chevy Chase Face He fell on 'is Chevy. China Plate How are you, me old China? Christian Slater Later See ya Slater. Cream Crackered I'm Cream Crackered! Currant Bun Sun The Currant Bun's hot today. Daisy Roots 'Ere, put on yer Daisies. Danny Marr Car I'll give you a lift in the Danny. David Gower Shower Give us half an hour mate I've gotta go for a David. Dicky Bird He hasn't said a Dicky in hours. Dog and Bone Phone She's always on the Dog. Donkey's Ears Years Ain't seen you in Donkeys. Drum'n'Bass Look me in the Drum. Dudley (Dudley Moore) A score, or 20 pounds Loan me a Dudley? Elephant's Ears Beers Get the Elephants in, mate! Frog & Toad Road I was walking down the Frog... Ham'n'cheesy Ham'n'cheesy does it. Hank Marvin Starving (hungry) I'm Hank Marvin. Jam Jar Car Me Jam Jar's Cream Crackered. Jimmy Riddle Piddle (urinate) I really need to go for a Jimmy. Joanna Piano He's great on the Joanna. Khyber Pass Arse He kicked him up the Khyber. Lady Godiva Fiver (five pound note) Lend us a Lady, mate. Lee Marvin I'm bloody Lee Marvin mate. Lemon Squeezy It was Lemon, mate. Lionel Blairs Flares Look at the Lionels on 'im. Loaf of Bread Head That's using the old Loaf. Mince Pies You've got lovely Mince Pies my dear. Mork and Mindy It's a little bit Mork and Mindy today, innit? Mother Hubbard Cupboard There's no grub in the Mother. Nanny Goat Coat How much for the Nanny? Nelson Mandela Mine's a pint of Nelson! Nuclear Sub Pub Fancy a quick one down the Nuclear? Oily Rag Fag (cigarette) Gis' an Oily, mate. Pen and Ink Stink Eurgh! That Pen and Ink's! Pete Tong Everything?s gone Pete Tong. Pinch (steal) Someone's half-inched me Ayrton. Plate of Meat Street I was walking down the Plate... Plates of Meat I've been on me Plates all day. Pony £25 Lend me a Pony? Pony and Trap Crap This game's a bit Pony. Pork Pies (Porkie Pies) Lies He's always telling Porkies. Queen Mum Get off your Queen Mum. Rabbit & Pork She Rabbits on a bit. Raspberry Tart That Raspberry bloody Pen and Inks. Richard the Third That bloke's a complete Richard. Rosie Lee If you're brewing a pot, I'll have a Rosie. Round The Houses Take a Butcher's at those Rounds! Ruby Murray Curry I'm going for a Ruby. Saucepan Lid Kid He's only gone and had a Saucepan. Sky Rocket Me Skies are empty. Stoke-on-Trent He's totally Stoke. Syrup of Figs Check out the Syrup on 'is head. Tea Leaf Watch it, he's a bloody Tea Leaf. Tit for tat Has anyone seen my Titfer? Tom and Dick He's feeling a bit Tom. Tom Foolery I gave me Trouble some Tom Foolery for Christmas. Trouble and Strife Just had a Barney with me Trouble. Uncle Dick He's just been Uncle Dick over me new Whistle. Vera Lynns Skins (tobacco paper) Pass the Veras, mate, and I'll roll up. Whistle and Flute I just got a new Whistle.

Suit

Jewellery

Bang out of order

Windy

Wife

Sick

Hat

Wig

Bum

Half Inch

Stella (Artois)

Eyes

Trousers

Feet

Thief

Tea

Pocket

Believe

Talk

Turd

Wrong

Money

Knickers

Lodger

Dead

Laugh

Mate

Fart

Easy

Face

Beers

Boots

Easy

Sick

Starving

Knackered

Legs

Word

Bent (criminal)