Cockney Rhyming Slang

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Welcome to our new blog feature on slang words!

The English language is constantly evolving in creative ways, and this has always been the case. In these articles we will look at slang words and share their plain English meanings.

Cockney rhyming slang originates from the East End of London – the traditional definition of a Cockney is someone who is born within hearing distance of Bow Bells.

In this dialect, words are replaced with rhyming phrases. However, the rhyming word from the phrase is often omitted when spoken.

For example:

‘Barnet’ is short for ‘hair’ from the phrase ‘Barnet fair’.
He needs to get that barnet cut.
‘Butcher’s’ is short for ‘look’ from the phrase ‘butcher’s hook’.
I’ll just have a butchers.
'Loaf' is short for 'bread' from the phrase 'loaf of bread'.
Use your loaf.
'Rabbit’ is short for ‘talk’ from the phrase ‘rabbit and pork’.
I wish he’d stop rabbiting on.

Here are thirty examples of Cockney Rhyming Slang:

Adam and Eve – believe
apples and pears – stairs
April showers – flowers
army and navy – gravy
bangers and mash – cash
Barnet fair – hair
butcher’s hook – look
bees and honey – money
borrow and beg – egg
box of toys – noise
cut and carried – married
cuts and scratches – matches
day’s a-dawning – morning
dog and bone – phone
duck and dive – hide
dustbin lids – kids
fisherman’s daughter – water
give and take – cake
helter-skelter – air raid shelter
in and out – snout
loaf of bread - head
lump of ice – advice
merry-go-round – pound
on the floor – poor
pleasure and pain – rain
porkies – likes (from ‘pork pies’)
rabbit and pork – talk
rats and mice – dice
tumble down the sink – drink
weep and wail – a tale

How many more can you think of?

14 Jul 2020
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Cockney Rhyming Slang

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