Cockney rhyming slang, born in the streets of London’s East End, is one of the most fascinating and creative forms of English wordplay. Originally developed by market traders and criminals as a way to conduct conversations without others understanding them, it has become an integral part of British culture. This comprehensive guide will walk you through 100 essential Cockney rhyming slang terms, their meanings, and how to use them authentically.
How Cockney Rhyming Slang Works
Before diving into the terms, it’s important to understand the basic principle: Cockney rhyming slang replaces a common word with a phrase that rhymes with it. Often, the rhyming part is then dropped, making it even more confusing for outsiders. For example, “stairs” becomes “apples and pairs” (which rhymes with stairs), and is often shortened to just “apples.”
Essential Cockney Rhyming Slang
- Adam and Eve – Believe
“Would you Adam and Eve it? He won the lottery!”
Modern usage: Often shortened to “Would you Adam?” - Apples and Pears – Stairs
“I’m going up the apples to bed.”
Origin: One of the oldest and most famous examples - Barnet Fair – Hair
“Need to get me Barnet cut.”
Modern usage: Usually shortened to “Barnet” - Boat Race – Face
“Look at the boat on that one!”
Context: Often used in describing appearances - Bread and Honey – Money
“Lend us some bread till payday?”
Usage: “Bread” is now common across English dialects - Brown Bread – Dead
“That business is brown bread now.”
Origin: Dark humor typical of Cockney culture - Bubble Bath – Laugh
“Having a bubble at his joke.”
Modern usage: Often shortened to “bubble” - Butcher’s Hook – Look
“Let’s have a butcher’s at that.”
Usage: Almost always shortened to “butcher’s” - China Plate – Mate
“Alright, me old China?”
Modern usage: Usually just “China” - Dog and Bone – Phone
“My dog’s been ringing all day.”
Context: Still widely used in East London - Plates of Meat – Feet
“Me plates are killing me after walking all day.”
Origin: Reflects the physical nature of market work - Ruby Murray – Curry
“Fancy a Ruby tonight?”
Context: Named after a popular 1950s singer - Tea Leaf – Thief
“Watch your wallet, he’s a tea leaf.”
Usage: Still commonly used in London - Tom and Dick – Sick
“I’m feeling a bit Tom this morning.”
Origin: From “Tom and Dick” = sick - Trouble and Strife – Wife
“The trouble’s given me grief about being late.”
Context: Reflects traditional East End humor - Bees and Honey – Money
“I’m a bit short of bees this month.”
Note: Alternative to “bread and honey” - Scotch Mist – Pissed (drunk)
“He was Scotch last night.”
Usage: Common in pub culture - Raspberry Tart – Heart
“My raspberry’s beating fast.”
Context: Often used in emotional situations - Loaf of Bread – Head
“Use your loaf, mate!”
Modern usage: Very common, often just “loaf” - Mince Pies – Eyes
“Keep your minces peeled.”
Usage: Still widely understood - Elephant’s Trunk – Drunk
“He’s completely Elephant after the pub.”
Origin: Still commonly used in East End pubs - Bacon and Eggs – Legs
“Me bacon’s tired from all this walking.”
Usage: Often shortened to just “bacon” - Baked Bean – Queen
“God save the Baked!”
Context: Shows Cockney humor towards royalty - Ball of Chalk – Walk
“Let’s have a ball down the market.”
Origin: Traditional market trader phrase - Barnaby Rudge – Judge
“Up before the Barnaby tomorrow.”
Origin: From Charles Dickens character - Basin of Gravy – Baby
“Look at that lovely basin!”
Usage: Less common in modern speech - Battle Cruiser – Boozer (pub)
“Meet you down the battle later?”
Context: Naval reference common in dock areas - Bottle and Glass – Class (style)
“She’s got proper bottle, that one.”
Modern usage: Often just “bottle” - Brass Tacks – Facts
“Let’s get down to brass.”
Origin: Now used widely beyond Cockney speech - Bread and Cheese – Freeze
“I’m proper bread out here!”
Context: Weather-related expression - Bristol Cities – Titties
“Get a load of them Bristols!”
Usage: Considered somewhat dated now - Burton-on-Trent – Rent
“The Burton’s due tomorrow.”
Origin: Named after the brewing town - Cat and Mouse – House
“Nice cat you’ve got there!”
Context: Often used in property discussion - Cock and Hen – Ten (£10)
“Lend us a cock till Friday?”
Usage: Pre-decimal currency term still used - Corn Beef – Deaf
“He’s gone a bit corn in his old age.”
Origin: Shows Cockney humor about ailments - Didgeridoo – True
“Is that didgeri, mate?”
Context: Modern addition showing evolution - Duck and Dive – Survive
“Just duck and diving, mate.”
Usage: Describes getting by in life - Duke of Kent – Rent
“Duke’s due on Friday.”
Alternative to Burton-on-Trent - Famous Five – Skive (skip work)
“He’s having a famous today.”
Origin: Reference to Enid Blyton books - Frog and Toad – Road
“Let’s get out on the frog.”
Context: Travel-related term - Garden Gate – Magistrate
“Up before the garden tomorrow.”
Usage: Legal system reference - Glasgow Ranger – Stranger
“Don’t talk to Glasgow’s.”
Origin: Football team reference - Hand and Speed – Feed
“Time for a hand, I’m starving!”
Context: Meal-related term - Hickory Stick – Pick (choose)
“Have a hickory which one you want.”
Usage: Shopping-related term - Irish Jig – Wig
“Is that an Irish he’s wearing?”
Context: Fashion-related term - Jack Jones – Alone
“I was proper Jack last night.”
Usage: Common in modern speech - Jimmy Riddle – Piddle (urinate)
“Need a quick Jimmy.”
Context: Bathroom euphemism - King and Queen – Screen
“Watch it on the King later?”
Modern usage: TV reference - Lady Godiva – Fiver (£5)
“Lend us a Lady till Monday?”
Origin: Pre-decimal currency term - Lime Fruit – Suit
“Nice lime you’re wearing!”
Context: Fashion-related term - Loop the Loop – Soup
“Fancy some loop for lunch?”
Usage: Food-related term - Merry-go-Round – Pound (£)
“Got a merry to spare?”
Context: Money-related term - Mother’s Ruin – Gin
“Fancy a mother’s tonight?”
Origin: Historical reference to gin’s effects - Near and Far – Bar
“Meet you in the near.”
Usage: Pub-related term - North and South – Mouth
“Shut your North!”
Context: Common command - Oily Rag – Fag (cigarette)
“Got an oily to spare?”
Usage: Smoking-related term - Orchestra Stalls – Balls
“Gave him a kick in the orchestra!”
Context: Anatomical reference - Pen and Ink – Stink
“What’s that pen?”
Usage: Common complaint - Pig’s Ear – Beer
“Fancy a pig’s down the pub?”
Context: Very common pub term - Plates of Meat – Feet
“Me plates are killing me!”
Usage: Body-related term - Pony and Trap – Crap
“That’s a load of pony!”
Context: Expression of disbelief - Port and Starboard – Cardinal (religious)
“Saw the port walking down the street.”
Origin: Naval terminology - Rabbit and Pork – Talk
“Stop rabbiting on!”
Usage: Very common, usually shortened - Red Rag – Tongue
“Keep your red still!”
Context: Body part reference - Rhythm and Blues – News
“What’s the rhythm?”
Usage: Information request - Rosy Lee – Tea
“Fancy a cup of Rosy?”
Context: Essential beverage reference - Salmon and Trout – Snout (nose)
“Got a right salmon on him!”
Usage: Facial feature reference - Sherbert Dab – Cab (taxi)
“Let’s get a sherbert home.”
Context: Transport reference - Sky Rocket – Pocket
“Nothing in me sky today.”
Usage: Money-related term - Tin Lid – Kid
“How’s your tin doing?”
Context: Family reference
Modern Cockney Additions
- Britney Spears – Beers
“Fancy some Britneys tonight?”
Origin: Modern celebrity reference - Dad’s Army – Barmy (crazy)
“He’s gone proper Dad’s.”
Context: TV show reference - Disney Land – Hand
“Give us a Disney with this.”
Usage: Modern helping reference - East and West – Breast
“Got a pain in me East.”
Context: Medical reference - Facebook Friend – End (finish)
“That’s the Facebook of that.”
Origin: Social media influence - Google and Bing – Ring (call)
“Give us a Google later.”
Usage: Technology reference - Harry Kane – Pain
“Got a right Harry in me back.”
Origin: Football player reference - iPhone and iPad – Bad
“That’s proper iPhone, that is.”
Context: Tech-influenced slang - Justin Bieber – Fever
“Coming down with the Justin.”
Usage: Modern celebrity reference - Kate Moss – Boss
“The Kate wants to see you.”
Context: Modern workplace term
Multicultural London English (MLE) Influenced
- Chicken and Rice – Nice
“That’s proper chicken!”
Origin: Food culture fusion - Jerk and Curry – Hurry
“No need to jerk, mate.”
Context: Caribbean influence - Nando’s Wrap – Trap (home)
“Back to the Nando’s.”
Usage: Modern food reference - Pepper Sauce – Course (of course)
“Pepper I’ll help!”
Origin: Food-influenced - Plantain and Yam – Fam (family)
“What’s good, plantain?”
Context: Caribbean influence
Traditional But Still Used
- Rub-a-Dub – Pub
“Meet you in the rub.”
Usage: Very common still - Sauce Bottle – Throttle
“Give it some sauce!”
Context: Driving term - Tea Leaf – Thief
“Watch him, he’s a tea.”
Usage: Crime reference - Uncle Ned – Bed
“Time for Uncle.”
Context: Sleep reference - Vera Lynn – Gin
“Fancy a Vera?”
Origin: Singer reference
East End Specific
- Boris Becker – Necker (neck)
“Pain in me Boris.”
Usage: Body part reference - Channel Tunnel – Bundle (fight)
“It all went Channel.”
Context: Modern infrastructure reference - Danny La Rue – Blue
“Feeling proper Danny today.”
Origin: Entertainer reference - Emma Freuds – Hemorrhoids
“Got the Emma’s.”
Context: Medical condition - Factory Process – Boss
“The factory wants to see you.”
Usage: Work reference
Modern London Technology Terms
- WhatsApp Chat – Hat
“Nice WhatsApp you’re wearing!”
Origin: Social media influence - Twitter Feed – Speed
“He’s going at proper Twitter.”
Context: Social media reference - YouTube Views – News
“What’s the YouTube?”
Usage: Internet-age term - Snapchat Post – Ghost
“Went proper Snapchat on me.”
Context: Modern disappearance reference - Instagram Pic – Sick
“Feeling a bit Instagram today.”
Usage: Modern illness reference
Regional Variations
Different parts of London have developed their own variations of Cockney rhyming slang. The guide above focuses on the most widely recognized versions, but you might hear slight variations depending on which part of London you’re in.
Modern Evolution
While traditional Cockney rhyming slang originated in the East End, modern London has added its own twist to this linguistic tradition. Some newer terms reflect contemporary culture, while others have been influenced by multicultural London English (MLE).
Tips for Using Cockney Rhyming Slang
- Don’t overdo it – native speakers typically use it sparingly
- Learn the shortened versions – they’re more commonly used
- Understand the context – some terms may be considered dated
- Remember that usage varies by area and generation
Conclusion
Cockney rhyming slang represents more than just a quirky way of speaking – it’s a vital part of London’s cultural heritage. While some terms have fallen out of use, others have become part of everyday British English, showing how this creative form of language continues to evolve and influence modern speech.
Whether you’re planning a visit to London’s East End or just want to understand British TV shows better, knowing these terms will give you a deeper appreciation of London’s rich linguistic tradition.
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