Cockney Rhyming Slang From A to Z: What Does It All Mean?

 

Back in Time: Busy East London Market

The Origins of Cockney Rhyming Slang

Cockney rhyming slang is a traditional and fun extension of the British English language. It originated in the East End of London to conceal what people were saying - and is still used today by many East End residents, young and old. These residents are known as Cockneys.

A 'Cockney' refers to the working-class Londoner, particularly those living in the East End. A true Cockney is born within earshot of the Bow Bells, the name of the bells of "St. Mary Le Bow" church in Cheapside in London, England.

Other parts of London and the UK adopted this language, which soon caught on internationally. One place you might recognize the cockney accent is in My Fair Lady where Audrey Hepburn plays Eliza Doolittle.

Over the years, hundreds of unique slang words have been created and continue to be utilised in communication to add an element of covertness or to hide the true meaning of a conversation.

The popularity of Cockney slang has been on a slow decline in recent years, as its traditional users from the East End have relocated from the area, and new immigrants have settled there. Cockney rhyming slang has experienced a resurgence in popularity in several British television productions.

Pearly Kings and Queens: Cockney Culture

The Pearly Kings and Queens, also known as 'pearlies,' are a tradition of working-class culture in East London, England, first associated with Henry Croft. In the late 1870s, Croft began wearing clothing decorated with buttons to draw attention to himself and raise funds for charity.

They are symbolic of Cockney Culture.

It was customary for each community in each London borough to elect a leader. These leaders would assist in organising and maintaining peace and advocating for their community's rights with authorities. Titles were traditionally passed down within families from generation to generation and continue to do so today.

How Does Rhyming Slang Work?

It can be hard to understand what Cockney speakers are saying at times. Even watching a British gangster film, TV soap, or series can make following the story challenging. However, with this handy guide, you'll soon have a 'Scooby' (Scooby-Doo = clue) of what they mean.

A Note on Rhyming: The rhyming word is often, but not always, omitted by the speaker, so you might hear "I'm just going up the apples" instead of "I'm just going up the apples and pears" (pears = stairs.)

It's important to note that 'Cockney slang' and 'Cockney rhyming slang' represent two different linguistic forms. Some examples of Cockney slang words are further down the page.

Any Cockney rhyming slang words or phrases not listed here may not be original Cockney rhyming slang (Mockney).

Have a "butchers" (butchers hook = look) below and see if you or a friend can guess what they mean.

Bow Bells;: St Mary-le-Bow. Cheapside, City of London.

A–Z List of Original Cockney Slang

When reading this list, the first word after the bolded Cockney word is the definition of the term. What follows is an example of how to use it.

A–B

• Adam and Eve = Believe. I don't Adam and Eve it.
• Alan Wickers = Knickers. Don't get your Alan wickers in a twist.
• Albert Hall = Ball. (testicles) He kicked him right in the Alberts (Albert Halls).
• Almond Rocks = Socks. You never wear almonds with sandals.
• Apples and Pears = Stairs. She's up the Apple's.
• April Showers = Flowers. I gave her a bunch of Aprils.
• Army and Navy = Gravy. Where's the Army & Navy?
• Aris (Aristotle) = Bottle 'Bottle and Glass' = Arse. I'll kick him right up the Aris.
• (Aristotle) = Bottle. You've lost your Aristotle, mate—nerves to Chicken out.
• Artful Dodger = Lodger. Don't let the artful dodger know about that.
• Ascot Races = Braces. She's wearing Ascots.
• Aunt Joanna = Piano. She plays a nice tune on the Joanna.
• Ayrton Senna = Tenner. I'll give you an Ayrton Senna. 10 pounds.
• Bacardi Breezer = Geezer (bloke/Male): He's a good Bacardy.
• Bag of Sand = Grand. (£1,000) I'm picking up three bags of sand.
• Bakers Dozen = Cousin. I'm going to see my baker's dozen.
• Bangers and Mash = Cash. I'm out of Bangers and Mash.
• Barnet Fair = Hair. Check out his Barnet.
• Barney Owl = Row. We had a right Barney last night.
• Barney Rubble = Trouble. I'm in a right Barney Rubble.
• Basin of Gravy = Baby. It's not my basin of gravy.
• Battle Cruiser = Boozer (pub). Meet me in the battlecruiser.
• Bees and Honey. Money. I ain't got no bees and honey today.
• Behind with the rent = Bent (not straight; gay). He's behind with the rent.
• Berkshire Hunt = cu*t. He's a right berk. (Swear word)
• Bird-Lime = Time. (prison time) He's doing bird.
• Birds Nest = Chest. He's got problems with his bird's nest.
• Boat Race = Face. Nice legs, shame about her boat.
• Bob Hope = Dope / Marijuana. I'm trying to get hold of Bob Hope.
• Bob Marley = Charlie (Cocaine). Bob Marley's really good if you need it.
• Bottle and Glass = @ss. He's always sitting on his bottle.
• Bottle Stopper = Copper. I had to leave when I saw the bottle stopper.
• Box of Toys = Noise. Why missus is always making box of toys.
• Brown Bread = Dead. He's Brown Bread when I get my hands on him.
• Brahms and Liszt = Pissed. I'm totally Brahms. Pissed means drunk/angry.
• Brass Nail = Tail" shortened to "brass". A term for a sex worker (prostitute).
• Boracic (brassic) Lint = Skint. I am brassic. Skint. Broke. Penniless.
• Brass Tacks = Facts. Those are the Brass tacks.
• Bread and Honey = Money. He owes me a lot of bread.
• Bristol City = Tit##y = Breasts. Check out the Bristol's on her.
• Bricks and Mortar = Daughter. She's my bricks n mortar.
• Bromley by Bows = Toes. He had it on his Bromley's.
• Bunny Rabbit - Rabbit and Pork = Talk. He likes to rabbit. Or, that's enough bunny.
• Bubble and Squeak = Greek. He's a Bubble.
• Bubble Bath = Laugh. You're having a Giraffe. You're having a Turkish, Turkish bath. You're having a bubble (bubble bath).
• Butchers Hook = Look. Let's have a butchers.

C–F

• Callard and bowsers = Trousers. I need a new pair of Callard's.
• Cat and Mouse = House. Meet me at my Mickey.
• Chalk Farm = Arm. I'll break your chalk farm if you don't stop messing around.
• Chevy Chase = Face. She's got a beautiful chevy.
• Chicken Oriental = Mental. Something or someone good, mad or crazy. You're/it's chicken oriental.
• China plate = Mate. Hello me old China.
• Cockle & Hen = Ten. He owes me a cockle.
• Collar and Cuff = Puff. (cigs) Have you got any collar and cuff.
• Cream Crackered = Knackered. I'm cream-crazed. Very tired and exhausted.
• Current Bun = Sun. I'm gonna chill out in the current bun.
• Custard & Jelly. Telly. (television) Do you want to buy a cheap custard?
• Cut and Carried = Married. No point in getting cut and carried.
• Daisy Roots = Boots. She's got some nice daisies on.
• Derry Toms = Bombs. Those derry toms almost hit my house (Mickey Mouse)
• Dicky Bird = Word. I want a little dicky with you.
• Dicky Dirt = Shirt. Nice dicky.
• Didgeridoo = Clue. I ain't got a didgeridoo, what he's saying.
• Dog and Bone = Phone. One minute, I'm on the dog 'n' bone.
• Donkey's Ears = Years. I have not seen her in Donkey's.
• Drum and Base = Place/home. I'll meet you at my drum.
• Duck and Dive = Hide. You need to duck and dive, mate.
• Duck and Dive = Skive. I'm skiving off work. Not going. Lazy.
• Duke of Kent = Rent. He's behind on his Duke n rent.
• Dustbin Lids = Kids. She has two dustbin lids.
• Eartha Kitt = sh!t. I'm dying for an Eartha.
• Elephant's Trunk = Drunk. She's Elephant's Trunk.
• Eyelash = Slash. (to urinate). I need an eyelash.
• Farmer Giles = Piles. My farmers are playing up today.
• Fawlty Tower = Shower. You need a faulty tower.
• Finger and Thumb = Mum. Don't mess with my finger and thumb.
• Frog and Toad = Road. She'll meet you down the frog.

G–J

• Ginger Beer = Queer. (Gay man) He's a right ginger.
• Goosy Gander = Gander means to look. Have a goosy gander at that.
• Grasshopper = copper. Someone who will grass/snitch on you to a copper/policeman.
• Gregory Peck = Neck. Quick, get that drink down your Gregory.
• Haddock and Bloater = Motor. I'll give you a lift in my bloater.
• Half-inch = Pinch (to steal). She's going to have to half-inch it
• Hampstead Heath = Teeth. I'll knock out his Hampstead Heath, if he carries on.
• Hampton Wick = Pri8k. What a Hampton wick. (pric#).
• Harry Monk = Skunk. (Cannabis). Where can I get some Harry Monk?
• Harry Monk = #punk. (Sp+rm) you've got no Harry, mate. No guts.
• Helter Skelter = Air-raid shelter. All get to the helter-skelter.
• Horse and Tram = Pram. That's a nice horse and tram.
• Huckleberry Finn = Pin. I've lost my Huckleberry Finn. Bank pin.
• Ice Cream Freezer = Geezer (A male). Did you hear that ice cream freezer making a right racket in the 'Battle Cruiser' (boozer/pub) last night?
• Jack and Danny = F#nny. What a load of Jack and Danny.
• Jack Jones = Own. I'm on my Jack Jones. I'm alone.
• Jackson Pollocks = Bo!!ocks. He got kicked right in the Jacksons.
• Jacobs Crackers = Knackers. (testicles) Mess with me and I'll cut your Jacobs off.
• James Blunt = Cun#. What a James Blunt.
• Jimmy Boyle - Foil. Tin foil used for smoking heroin.
• Jimmy Flint = Skint. I'm Jimmy Flint. Skint means to have no money.
• Jimmy Cliff = Spliff (marijuana joint). I need to see Jimmy.
• Jimmy Riddle = Piddle (pee) I'm going for a Jimmy. To urinate.
• Joe Daki = P@ki. A derogatory term to describe Asians. P@ki = Pakistani.

Bow Bells Pub. Bow Rd, East London.

K–M

• Kane and Able = Table. Let's sit at that Kane and Able.
• Kettle and Hob = Fob (fob is a chain attached to a watch) Nice kettle mate.
• Kyber Pass = @ss. I'll give you a good kick up the Kyber.
• Laurel and Hardy = Bacardi. Don't forget to bring the Laurel.
• Lemon Tart = Smart. Don't get lemon with me.
• Lemon Barley = Charlie (Coke). He's been on the lemon barley all night.
• Lemon and Lime = Time. What's the Lemon?
• Lemon Squeezer = Geezer. Geezer is slang for a guy/bloke.
• Linen draper = Paper. I read it in the Linen Draper.
• Loaf of Bread = Head. Use your loaf.
• Light and Dark = Park. Meet me at the light and dark.
• Lionel Blair's = Flairs. Look at the size of the Lionel's on him.
• Lump of Ice = Advice. I gave him some lump of ice.
• Mars Bar = Scar. Where did you get that Mars Bar?
• Merchant Banker = W@nker. He's a right merchant banker.
• Mickey Bliss = Piss. He's taking the Mickey (piss) out of me.
• Mince Pies = Eyes. (Mince / Mincers) Get your mincers off my bird. Bird/Girlfriend.
• Moby Dick = Sick. He's feeling well Moby Dick today.
• Mork and Mindy = Windy. It's well Mork and Mindy today.
• Mutt n Jeff. Mutton n Jeff = Deaf. Are you mutton?

N–P

• Nelson Eddy's = Readies. (money) Have you got any readies?
• New Dheli - Belly. I've got a pain in my New Dheli.
• Nigel Ben = Ten. He owes me a Nigel. Ten pounds.
• North and South = Mouth. He's gotta big north n south.
• Nuremberg Trials = Piles (hemorrhoidsis). My Nuremberg's well painful.
• Oily Rag = Fag. Have you got any oily's? Fag = cigarette. Fag = gay.
• On the Floor = Poor. I'm on the floor, mate.
• One's and Two's = Shoes. I like your ones and two's.
• Pat Malone - Alone. He's on his Pat Malone.
• Peckham Rye = Tie. I like your new Peckham & Rye.
• Peelers (after Sir Robert Peel: Founder of the first English police force). The local Peelers have been searching for you.
• Pen and Ink = Stink. You pen and ink mate. Stink. To have a bad smell.
• Pete Tong = Wrong. It's all going Pete Tong.
• Pie and Mash = Cash. Have you got any pie and mash on you?
• Pigs Ear = Beer. I'm dying for a Pig's Ear.
• Pimple and Bloch = Scotch. I've got a case of pimple and botch.
• Pin Pegs = Legs. She's got lovely pins.

• Plaster of Paris = Arris. I'll give you a right kick up your Arris.
• Plates of Meat = Feet. Look how big her plates of meat are.
• Pony and Trap = Crap. You're talking a lot of Pony mate. Crap means shi# / Poo.
• Pork Pies = Lies. Stop telling porkies.
• Pot and Pan - Old Man (father or husband). My pot and pan will sort it out.

R–Z

• Rabbit and Pork = talk. He doesn't half Rabbit on means he talks too much.
• Radio Rental = Mental. That geezer (bloke/man) is radio rental.
• Raspberry Ripple = Nipple. Did you see her raspberry ripples?
• Raspberry Ripple = Cripple. I'll beat him so bad, he'll end up a raspberry.
• Rattle and Clank = Bank. Have you checked out the location of the rattle and tank.
• Rats and Mice = Dice (gambling) He always wins at rats and mice
• Richard the 3rd = Turd. He smells like Richard the 3rd. Turd means Sh!t.
• Roger Moore = Door. Who left the Roger open.
• Rosy Lee = Tea. Would you like a Rosy Lee?. Tea is a hot drink/beverage.
• Rub And Dub = Pub. I'll meet you at the rub-a-dub.
• Ruby Murry = Curry. Fancy a Ruby tonight?
• Salmon and trout = Snout. (Cigarettes). Have you got any salmon?
• Salt = a good-looking female. She's a salt. Not slang, cockney.
• Sausage and Mash = Cash. Have you got any sausage and mash on you?
• Septic Tank = Yank. He's a septic Tank / American.
• Scooby-Doo = Clue. I don't have a Scooby-Doo. (Clue/Idea).
• Scotch Eggs = Lega. My scotch eggs are killing me after all that walking.
• Scotch Mist = Pissed (drunk). He's scotch and mist!
• Sherbet Dab = Cab. (taxi) I'm taking a sherbet.
• Skin and Blister = Sister. I'm going to see my skin n blister.
• Skyrocket = Pocket. Look in your sky rocket.
• Stand to Attention = Pension. No work, no chance of standing to attention.
• Sweeney Todd = The Flying Squad.(Police) The Sweeney Todd are looking for me.
• Syrup of Figs = Wig. Look at that guy, you can tell he's wearing a syrup.
• Tit For Tat = Hat. Where's my titfer? Titfer is a name for a hat.
• Tea Leaf = Thief. He's a right tea-leaf.
• Threepenny Bits = Tits (female breasts). What lovely threepenny bits.
• Toby Jugs = Lug holes/Ears. Don't forget to clean behind your lugs.
• Treacle Tart = Sweetheart. Alright, treacle?
• Trouble and Strife = Wife. I'll be at my trouble and strife's.
• Tom Tit = Shi#. I'm dying for a Tom tit. Shi#.
• Tom Foolery = Jewellery. You got some nice Tom on, mate.
• Tommy Tank = Wan@. Go and have a Tommy Tank. Wan# is to masturbate.
• Turtle and Doves = Gloves. He asked me to get him some new turtles, because he left them on a job!
• Two and Eight = State. He's in a right 2 n 8 means he's in a bad way/state.
• West Ham Reserves = Nerves. You're getting on my West Hams.
• Whistle and Flute = Suit. Nice whistle mate.
• Zig and Zag = Shag (To have sex). We had no zig zag last night.

The video below is a traditional Cockney song "Maybe It's Because I'm a Londoner."

Celebrity Cockney Names: Old and New

• Austin Powers = Showers.
  
• Barry McGuigan = Big-un. (Big person).
• Billy Piper's = Windscreen wipers.
• Britney Spears = Beers.
• Catherine Zeta-Jones = Moans.
• Captain Kirk = Work.
• Claire Rayner's = Trainers.
• Dame Edna Everage = Beverage.
• Damen Duff = Rough.
• Dolly Parton = Carton.
• Ewan McGregor = Beggar.
• Fatboy Slim = Gym.
• Gary Glitter = Shi##er (anus).
• George Michael = Menstrual Cycle.
• Gloria Gaynor's = Trainers.
• Hank Marvin = Starving.
• Judi Dench = Stench.
• Lee Marvin = Starving.
• Miley Cyrus = Coronavirus.
• Myleene Class = @ss.
• Ricky Gervais = Face.
• Ron Weasley = Easily.
• Simon Cowell = Towel.
• Tom Hanks = Thanks.
• Veera Lynn = Gin.
• Vera Lynns = Skins/Rizla's (ciggarette rolling papers).

Cockney Slang Words

• Bird = Good looking female or girlfriend, or she's a nice looking bird.
• Cushtie = to feel very good /sweet. I'm feeling cushtie.
• I'm Hammered = being very drunk / wasted.
• Knuckle Sandwich is a closed fist and what you'd give to someone via a punch to the face.
• Lovely Jubilee is an expression of something you like or approve of.
• Off Your Trolley means 'you must be crazy' or, you're very drunk/wasted.
• On Your Bike = Get the hell out of here / Go fuc# yourself / No way.
• Plank means someone who's an idiot. He's a right plank.

Cockney Slang Words for Money

• Shrapnel Is small change - either 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 25p 50p or pound coin.
• 50p. An edge.
• 1 pound coin. A nicker. A nugget.
• 5 pounds note. Bluey. Lady Godiva. Jacks.
• 10-pound note. Brownie. Speckled Hen. Cockle and Hen. Nigel Ben. Ayrton Senna (tenner). Pavarotti (Tenor).
• 20-pounds. Apple Core. Score
• 25 pounds. A Pony.
• 30 pounds. Dirty Birtie.
• 50-pound note. Red. Hawaii five 0. A Bullseye. Nifty.
• 100 pounds. A Ton. A one-er. A long-en.
• 500 pounds. A Monkey.
• 1000 pounds. A Grand. 1K. 1 bag.

So next time someone asks if you fancy a 'Ruby', you’ll know it’s more 'curry' than precious gemstone. Right, that’s enough rabbiting on from me. Cheers for reading👍

Cheers for reading – apples and pears to bed for me! 👍