I am grateful also (thanks Paul, Apr 2007) for a further suggestion that 'biscuit' means 1,000 in the casino trade, which apparently is due to the larger size of the 1,000 chip. 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! The slow way to perfection is years of study and practice; the fast way is to put it into the hands of our professional editors! It means to make a profit. Adam and Eve it - Cockney rhyming slang = believe it. Bollocks - testicles or something that is nonsense. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. However, when it comes down to money, it is probably worth getting your head around the lingo, to prevent you handing over, or receiving, a wildly incorrect amount because you got the wrong word. Monkey - This originated from the British slang for 500 pounds of sterling. Do A "do" is also a slang word for "party" in British English. Used to describe a stupid, nasty or useless person. A 'double-finnif' (or double-fin, etc) means ten pounds; 'half-a-fin' (half-a-finnip, etc) would have been two pounds ten shillings (equal to 2.50). A combination of medza, a corruption of Italian mezzo meaning half, and a mispronunciation or interpretation of crown. 2. the fur of certain long-haired monkeys. Might could. bar = a pound, from the late 1800s, and earlier a sovereign, probably from Romany gypsy 'bauro' meaning heavy or big, and also influenced by allusion to the iron bars use as trading currency used with Africans, plus a possible reference to the custom of casting of precious metal in bars. 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.) By some it has been suggested that in the 18th century 25 was the typical price paid for a small horse, although historians have contested this is not accurate and far too much money. Note that this thesaurus is not in any way affiliated with Urban Dictionary. The word garden features strongly in London, in famous place names such as Hatton Garden, the diamond quarter in the central City of London, and Covent Garden, the site of the old vegetable market in West London, and also the term appears in sexual euphemisms, such as 'sitting in the garden with the gate unlocked', which refers to a careless pregnancy. I'll be a monkey's uncle. Many of its expressions have passed into common language, and the creation of new ones is no longer restricted to Cockneys. As kids growing up we always asked for a glass of spruce. It's the best sound in the world to somethe cash register completing a sale. dollar = slang for money, commonly used in singular form, eg., 'Got any dollar?..'. doubloons = money. More popular in the 1960s than today. Aussie Salute - Wave to scare the flies. A nicker bit is a one pound coin, and London cockney rhyming slang uses the expression 'nicker bits' to describe a case of diarrhoea. It is suggested by some that the pony slang for 25 derives from the typical price paid for a small horse, but in those times 25 would have been an unusually high price for a pony. We assure you, it's no monkey business! What does Monkey mean in slang? Half a dollar - half a crown. Shop - report someone to the police or higher authorities. Scottish Slang for Money. Wow. dibs/dibbs = money. Not normally pluralised, still expressed as 'squid', not squids, e.g., 'Fifty squid'. More recently (1900s) the slang 'a quarter' has transfered to twenty-five pounds. Bad dose. Cassells says these were first recorded in the 1930s, and suggests they all originated in the US, which might be true given that banknotes arguably entered very wide use earlier in the US than in the UK. pony = twenty-five pounds (25). These are just a few examples of British slang words for being drunk. Jack is much used in a wide variety of slang expressions. Hear, understand the origins and meanings of new slang and use it immediately! Britain-Visitor.com provides travel information on Britain's cities and the essential when and where and how to get there. foont/funt = a pound (1), from the mid-1900s, derived from the German word 'pfund' for the UK pound. "No more monkeying around! You can use it to refer to a person or an object. From the late 18th century according to most sources, London slang, but the precise origin is not known. We live it, we breathe it, we make our living from it. Britain is known for its drinking culture, so 'chunder' is a word you'll hear frequently the day after a night out. What does Kermit mean? shrapnel = loose change, especially a heavy and inconvenient pocketful, as when someone repays a small loan in lots of coins. Cheddar. Pletty (plettie) - Dundonian slang for an open-air communal landing in a block of tenement flats. Here the top 80 most used Irish slang phrases. When pocket watches first became fashionable, they were held against the body by use of a small chain. Spelt the same P-O-N-Y pony actually means 25 pounds. nicker = a pound (1). ten bob bit = fifty pence piece (50p). Wed like to share our expertise with you. Please be careful using any of these terms as many are considered either sexist or offensive or both. To sit around doing little, to be idle. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the simon = sixpence (6d). If you think we've missed anything let us know by commenting below. More fun British slang phrases. Wino - used as a noun for a drunk, alcoholic, especially one who is homeless. Wor lass - my girlfriend. Scran - food (originally Scottish), especially that of an inferior quality compare grub. Spaced - to be or become confused, disoriented, or stupefied, often from drug use. It would seem that the 'biscuit' slang term is still evolving and might mean different things (100 or 1,000) to different people. Money Slang Special Whats the meaning of Fiver, Tenner and Bluey in British Slang? daddler/dadla/dadler = threepenny bit (3d), and also earlier a farthing (quarter of an old penny, d), from the early 1900s, based on association with the word tiddler, meaning something very small. 9. wonga = money. No other language in the world has been as bastardised as this one! rat arsed. Stiver also earlier referred to any low value coin. proper job (southwest England and Cornwall). Queen mum- Cockney rhyming slang for bum. (Thanks R Bambridge). Veg-out - take it easy, relax, do nothing for a while. bunce = money, usually unexpected gain and extra to an agreed or predicted payment, typically not realised by the payer. All later generic versions of the coins were called 'Thalers'. ", "Why do you want to make a monkey out of me? A `pony is 25 pounds, a `monkey 500. For example, 'You need to wear a coat today, it's brass monkeys outside.' 11. These slang words for money are most likely derived from the older use of the word madza, absorbed into English from Italian mezzo meaning half, which was used as a prefix in referring to half-units of coinage (and weights), notably medza caroon (half-crown), madza poona (half-sovereign) and by itself, medza meaning a ha'penny (d). Cockney rhyming slang is a form of English slang which originated in the East End of London . Cockney rhyming slang from the late 1800s. In earlier times a dollar was slang for an English Crown, five shillings (5/-). There were twenty Stivers to the East India Co florin or gulden, which was then equal to just over an English old penny (1d). Below is the UK transcription for 'monkey': Modern IPA: mkj. Dope - Awesome. Possibly connected to the use of nickel in the minting of coins, and to the American slang use of nickel to mean a $5 dollar note, which at the late 1800s was valued not far from a pound. Initially London slang, especially for a fifty pound note. 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. "No more monkeying around! . Brewer also references the Laird of Sillabawby, a 16th century mintmaster, as a possible origin. Gobsmacked. Seemingly no longer used. Common use of the coal/cole slang largely ceased by the 1800s although it continued in the expressions 'tip the cole' and 'post the cole', meaning to make a payment, until these too fell out of popular use by the 1900s. 12. 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. Monkeys are primates. You are listening to our fourth and final episode specialising on slang and money! dosh = slang for a reasonable amount of spending money, for instance enough for a 'night-out'. (Thanks Simon Ladd, Jun 2007), coppers = pre-decimal farthings, ha'pennies and pennies, and to a lesser extent 1p and 2p coins since decimalisation, and also meaning a very small amount of money. As well as quid, we have a whole series of words that we use to refer to money, such as: Dosh is uncountable, so you cant have doshes! "My friend was trying to get free copies of her favourite newspaper by queuing up in different locations. Much of it derives from the designs on the notes - five pounds, ten pounds, twenty pounds. Blimey - (archaic) abbreviation of "God blind me.". tosheroon/tusheroon/tosh/tush/tusseroon = half-a-crown (2/6) from the mid-1900s, and rarely also slang for a crown (5/-), most likely based in some way on madza caroon ('lingua franca' from mezzo crown), perhaps because of the rhyming, or some lost cockney rhyming rationale. Coppers was very popular slang pre-decimalisation (1971), and is still used in referring to modern pennies and two-penny coins, typically describing the copper (coloured) coins in one's pocket or change, or piggy bank. Usually now meaning one pound coins. Their bonding sessions come as a reminder that we cannot live alone. 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. Perhaps based on jack meaning a small thing, although there are many possible different sources. Whinge - to complain, thus a whinger is a person who complains, whines. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. beer tokens = money. Whey Aye Man - yes. The Bishop was not so fortunate - he was hung drawn and quartered for remaining loyal to the Pope. 7. This means that something is incredibly expensive. Pissed - drunk (slang) in British English; "angry" in American English. Play it by ear - proceed instinctively according to circumstances. Fixin' to. Ahhh, English. The older nuggets meaning of money obviously alludes to gold nuggets and appeared first in the 1800s. Variations on the same theme are moolah, mola, mulla. These are a few of the most common slang terms for pre-decimal coins: Coppers - farthing, halfpenny, penny coins. The origins of boodle meaning money are (according to Cassells) probably from the Dutch word 'boedel' for personal effects or property (a person's worth) and/or from the old Scottish 'bodle' coin, worth two Scottish pence and one-sixth of an English penny, which logically would have been pre-decimalisation currency. Meaning - Monkey Emoji The slang term 'silver' in relation to monetary value has changed through time, since silver coins used to be far more valuable. ASAP: a popular term that stands for as soon as possible and is now used pretty much globally. Similar words for coins and meanings are found all over Europe. The word mill is derived simply from the Latin 'millisimus' meaning a thousandth, and is not anything to do with the milled edge of a coin. There are so many slang words for being drunk and new ones are constantly being invented. Shortened to 'G' (usually plural form also) or less commonly 'G's'. Tom Mix was a famous cowboy film star from 1910-1940. beehive = five pounds (5). A final claim is that pony might derive from the Latin words legem pone, which means, payment of money, cash down which begins on the March 25, a quarter day in the old financial calendar, when payments and debts came due. Top 100 Cockney Rhyming Slang Words and Phrases: Adam and Eve - believe Alan Whickers - knickers apples and pears - stairs Artful Dodger - lodger Ascot Races - braces Aunt Joanna - piano Baked Bean - Queen Baker's Dozen - Cousin Ball and Chalk - Walk Barnaby Rudge - Judge Barnet Fair - hair Barney Rubble - trouble Battlecruiser - boozer Usage of bob for shilling dates back to the late 1700s. Pie off - to reject, dump (romantic partner). Bash A "bash" is a party. 23. knicker = distortion of 'nicker', meaning 1. 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). pair of nickers/pair of knickers/pair o'nickers = two pounds (2), an irresistible pun. First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we Brewer's dictionary of 1870 says that the American dollar is '..in English money a little more than four shillings..'. For Terry's detailed and fascinating explanation of the history of K see the ' K' entry on the cliches and words origins page. Shank - to stab someone with a knife or bladed instrument (slang). readies = money, usually banknotes. Black stuff. British Dictionary definitions for monkey monkey / ( mk) / noun any of numerous long-tailed primates excluding the prosimians (lemurs, tarsiers, etc): comprise the families Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys), Cebidae (New World monkeys), and Callithricidae (marmosets)See Old World monkey, New World monkey Related adjective: simian 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. Not pluralised for a number of pounds, eg., 'It cost me twenty nicker..' From the early 1900s, London slang, precise origin unknown. In the 1800s a oner was normally a shilling, and in the early 1900s a oner was one pound. In every country there are slang terms for money. Texas slang. Chunder. Tony Benn (born 1925) served in the Wilson and Callaghan governments of the 1960s and 70s, and as an MP from 1950-2001, after which he remains (at time of writing this, Feb 2008) a hugely significant figure in socialist ideals and politics, and a very wise and impressive man. Brewer says that the 'modern groat was introduced in 1835, and withdrawn in 1887'. Brass Monkey Weather. Meaning. Cock and hen also gave raise to the variations cockeren, cockeren and hen, hen, and the natural rhyming slang short version, cock - all meaning ten pounds. Kermit is a male given name found mainly in the United States. Bullseye (fifty pounds sterling). These indexes are then used to find usage correlations between slang terms. 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. Bairn - child (Scottish, northern English). sovs = pounds. There is also a view that Joey transferred from the threepenny bit to the sixpence when the latter became a more usual minimum fare in London taxi-cabs. Monkey (London via India) London slang for 500. Old Bill - (archaic) slang for the police. Commonly used in speech as 'some silver' or 'any silver', for example: "Have you got any silver for the car-park?" bees (bees and honey) = money. (Thanks Simon Ladd, June 2007). It means to make a profit. 5. Or head over to our facebook page https://facebook.com/theslangpodcast for updates and more slang! Mezzo/madza was and is potentially confused with, and popularity supported by, the similar 'motsa' (see motsa entry). In finance, a Monkey is British slang for 500 pounds sterling. No plural version; it was 'thirty bob' not 'thirty bobs'. Read more. I'm not being funny - softening preface to a statement that could possibly be taken as offensive or malicious. Dont believe us?Watch this! Bronze (term to describe the one and two pound coins) 4. Budge - move, shift. One pound is subdivided into 100 pence, the singular of which is one penny. Bent - dishonest or derogatory for homosexual. From cockney rhyming slang, bread and honey = money, and which gave rise to the secondary rhyming slang 'poppy', from poppy red = bread. sobs = pounds. monkey in British English (mk ) noun 1. any of numerous long-tailed primates excluding the prosimians ( lemurs, tarsiers, etc): comprise the families Cercopithecidae ( Old World monkeys), Cebidae (New World monkeys), and Callithricidae ( marmosets ) See Old World monkey, New World monkey Related adjective: simian 2. any primate except man 3. For example: "What did you pay for that?" Precise origin of the word ned is uncertain although it is connected indirectly (by Chambers and Cassells for example) with a straightforward rhyming slang for the word head (conventional ockney rhyming slang is slightly more complex than this), which seems plausible given that the monarch's head appeared on guinea coins. A clod is a lump of earth. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a recent source of new expressions as is popular music such as grime. Precise origin unknown. Also expressed in cockney rhying slang as 'macaroni'. Moola: Money in general (origin unknown) Also spelled moolah. It is spoken mainly by young, working-class people in multicultural parts of London. 10. An obscure point of nostalgic trivia about the tanner is apparently (thanks J Veitch) a rhyme, from around the mid-1900s, sung to the tune of Rule Britannia: "Rule Brittania, two tanners make a bob, three make eighteen pence and four two bob" My limited research suggests this rhyme was not from London. biscuit = 100 or 1,000. 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). Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Probably related to 'motsa' below. In South Africa the various spellings refer to a SA threepenny piece, and now the equivalent SA post-decimalisation 2 cents coin. Follow our writing guidelines and make your words COUNT! Caser was slang also for a US dollar coin, and the US/Autralian slang logically transferred to English, either or all because of the reference to silver coin, dollar slang for a crown, or the comparable value, as was. Boracic/brassic - no money, broke, skint from boracic lint = skint. Earful - a prolonged and angry reprimand. Hog also extended to US 10c and dollar coins, apparently, according to Cassells because coins carried a picture of a pig. 05. Bagsy - it's mine; succeed in securing (something) for oneself. A further suggestion (ack S Kopec) refers to sixpence being connected with pricing in the leather trade. Meaning: UK/US term for ill-gotten gains. Cockney Money Slang. Porkies . For daily English language lessons and tips, like our Learn English Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. BOODLE. Boob tube - tight-fitting strapless top made of stretchy material. 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