All to pot – when things fall apart
Anti-clockwise – counter-clockwise
Bank holiday – national holiday
Barmy – a crazy idea
Bill – check (like at a restaurant)
Bin – trash can
Bird – a woman
Biscuit – cookie
Blighter – someone who ruins things
Block of flats – apartment building
Bloke – a man
Bloody – an intensifying mild expletive (swear word)
Bollocks – dismay or disbelief
Bonnet – hood (of a car)
Boot (of a car) – trunk
Braces – suspenders
Car park – parking lot
Cheeky – endearingly rude or disrespectful
Cheerio – a friendly way to say goodbye
Cheers – a quick thank you
Chemist’s – drugstore/pharmacy
Chinwag – a gossip session
Chuffed – to be very pleased or happy about something
Cracking – good or excellent; to get started doing something
Cupboard – closet
Cuppa – cup of (usually tea)
Daft – a bit stupid or silly
Dead – very (as in “dead wrong”)
Diamante – rhinestone
Diary – calendar
Dinner jacket – tuxedo
Dodgy – questionable or suspicious
Dolt – a fool
Double cream – heavy cream
Dressing gown – bathrobe
Faff/faff off – to waste time
Fancy – a verb expressing desire (“do you fancy some dinner?”)
Fancy dress – costumes
Fire brigade/Fire service – fire department
First floor – second floor
Flat – apartment
Footpath – path or trail
Footway – sidewalk
Fortnight – two weeks
Fringe (hair) – bangs
Gander (to have a) – to have a look around
Garden – yard
Git – incompetent, annoying
Gobsmacked – shocked
Gormless – clueless
Ground floor – first floor
High street – main street
Holiday – vacation
Innit – shortened form of “isn’t it” used for emphasis
Jumble sale – yard/lawn/garage sale
Jumper/pullover – sweater
Knackered – extremely tired
Leg it – to run away (usually from trouble)
Lift – elevator
Loo – the toilet
Lorry – truck
Match – game (sporting)
Mental – crazy
Mint – something great
Mug – a gullible person
Noughts and crosses – tic-tac-toe
Petrol – gas (for a car)
Phone box – phone booth
Pinch – to steal
Pitch – field (sporting)
Poppycock – nonsense
Post – mail
Potty – a little crazy, looney
Queue/queue up – a line/to stand in line
Rubbish – garbage
Runner bean/string bean – green bean
Skeleton in the cupboard – skeleton in the closet
Skint – broke, having no money
Snog – a kiss
Solicitor – lawyer
Splashback – backsplash
Sweets – candy
Tea towel – dish towel
Tickled pink – very happy
Timetable – schedule
To nick/to get nicked – to steal/to be arrested for a crime
Tosser – an obnoxious male, showoff or braggart (derogatory)
Trainers – sneakers or athletic shoes
Trollop – a loose woman; a woman with low morals (derogatory)
Underground – subway
Waistcoat – vest
Wanker – a jerk
Whinging/whinging on – whining and moaning
Wicked – something great
Winding up – getting frustrated
Windscreen – windshield
Worktop – countertop
CLICK HERE for 1920’s Slang Terms