The Best of British English
bagsy – dibs
batty – crazy or out of control
best of British – good luck with that (mildly sarcastic); undertone of “I hope this goes well, but I don’t expect it will”; a very British sentiment
bin – trash can
Bob’s your uncle – like saying “it’s all good” or “it’s done”; implies that when something is over, it’s over
boffin – someone who’s an expert on a specific subject
bog standard – average; nothing special; barely acceptable
bung in – lend or chip in
butty – a type of bread roll
cadge – borrow
cheek – nerve or chutzpah
chocker – full; overcrowded
chuffed – pleased
cock a snook – thumb your nose
cock-up – an error; a mistake
cuppa – cup of tea
detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure – in jail for an undetermined amount of time
do – a party or event
doddle – something that’s easy to achieve; a cinch
eejit – British variation of “idiot”
full of beans – full of energy; antsy
have kittens – have a cow; freak out
hob – stovetop burner
in for a penny, in for a pound – deciding to finish what you’ve started, even if it’s more complicated or difficult than you expected
jimjams – pajamas
jolly hockey sticks – an expression of delight; used sarcastically or sometimes mockingly in regard to the upper class
jumper – sweater
kip down – to sleep in a place that isn’t your own; to borrow a friend’s couch for the night
knees-up – party
lift – elevator
midges – looks like a gnat; bites like a mosquito; found by lakes in woodsy areas
mint/minted – rich
MOT – annual car inspection required by the Ministry of Transport
nan – grandmother
nutters – crazy
off his trolley – crazy
plait – braid
prat – jerk
pudding – dessert (any kind)
queue – line
quid – a pound in British currency
red-top – tabloid magazine (the gossipy kind)
rising damp – moisture from the ground that travels into the walls; can cause damage to mortar and wood; often appears as a visible stain
rubbish – trash
rubbish tip – garbage dump
rucksack – backpack
scheme – a plan (in the positive sense; not a plot)
scrappage – unwanted items
sixth form – equivalent of junior and senior years in U.S. high school; optional in the U.K.
snogging – making out
Square Mile – the official City of London founded by Roman invaders in the first century
stroppy – in a bad mood
taking the mickey/mick – teasing someone
takeaway – takeout or fast food
tatty – shabby or ragged
term (school) – roughly the same as an American semester
tickety-boo – totally awesome
toasties – sliced bread with fillings heated and sealed between two metal plates; a cross between a panini and a Hot Pocket
to-do/to-doing – a fuss or inconvenience
toff – wealthy person
torch – flashlight
up the pole – crazy; as in “they are driving me up the pole”
wind your neck in – “don’t stick your nose in my business”
yonks – a long time
Zebra crossing – crosswalk for pedestrians where cars are required to stop
F. E. Greene 