{"id":140,"date":"2010-09-29T07:24:00","date_gmt":"2010-09-29T07:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/?p=140"},"modified":"2026-03-18T17:31:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T17:31:10","slug":"cockney-rhyming-slang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/cockney-rhyming-slang\/","title":{"rendered":"The Definitive Guide to Cockney Rhyming Slang"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Dog<\/a>Cockney Rhyming Slang is a part of the English language that many English learners may not be familiar with.\u00a0 In English, a slang word is a word that isn\u2019t really considered to be standard English but is something that many people continue to use nonetheless.<\/p>\n

Cockney rhyming slang first started to appear on the streets of the East End of London during the 19th<\/sup> century and was primarily used as a secret language through which criminals could communicate with one another without being understood by the police.\u00a0 However, despite its origins, it has remained popular with all people in that area of the country and is still very much in use today. \u00a0People who use these slang expressions generally substitute one word with two or more words that rhyme with the original word to speak in some type of code.\u00a0 Only people who are familiar with Cockney Rhyming Slang would be able to truly understand what the person is actually talking about.<\/p>\n

Confused?\u00a0 Let\u2019s have a bit of fun.<\/p>\n

One very popular Cockney rhyming slang expression is apples and pears<\/em>.\u00a0 Given that, when someone is talking in Cockney rhyming slang, the literal translation never applies, we know that they are not referring to a bowl of fruit.\u00a0 What rhymes with pears?\u00a0 It could be a whole host of words.\u00a0 Let\u2019s look at the phrase in action:<\/p>\n

My mother is in a wheelchair so there\u2019s no chance she can get up the apple and pears.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Apples and pears= stairs!\u00a0 Of course it does!<\/p>\n

Cockney Rhyming Slang Examples<\/h2>\n

Here are some examples of the most popular Cockney rhyming slang expressions in use on the streets of London today.<\/p>\n

Slang:\u00a0 Adam and Eve
\nMeaning: believe<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Would you Adam and Eve<\/span> that she\u2019s going on a date with him?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Would<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Slang: boat race
\nMeaning: face<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Look at the boat race<\/span> on that.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: brass tacks
\n<\/strong>Meaning: facts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get down to the brass tacks<\/span> of this issue.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: bread and honey<\/strong>
\nMeaning: money<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m staying in tonight, I have no bread and honey<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In more recent years people have shortened this and say bread.\u00a0 \u201cLend us some bread mate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Slang: brown bread
\nMeaning: dead<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

He\u2019s passed away mate; he’s brown bread<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: butchers hook<\/strong>.\u00a0 Most commonly shortened to “butchers.”
\nMeaning: look<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Have a butchers<\/span> at that.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: chewy toffee<\/strong>
\nMeaning: coffee<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m dying for a chewy toffee<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: C<\/strong>hina plate<\/strong>
\nMost commonly shortened to “China.”\u00a0 Meaning: Mate <\/strong><\/p>\n

How are ya, me old china<\/span>?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: daisy roots<\/strong>
\nMeaning: boots<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out my new pair of daisy roots<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: ding dong<\/strong>
\nMeaning: Originally song,<\/strong> but now it is used to refer to a fight or argument.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re having a right ding dong<\/span> over there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: dog and bone<\/strong>
\nMeaning: phone<\/strong><\/p>\n

Can someone answer the dog and bone<\/span>?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Slang: dustbin lids<\/strong>
\nMeaning: kids (children)<\/strong><\/p>\n

What are those dustbin lids<\/span> up to now?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: elephants (elephants trunk)<\/strong>
\nMeaning: drunk<\/strong><\/p>\n

He’s looking slightly elephants<\/span> to me<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: frog and toad
\nMeaning: road<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

His driving is terrible. \u00a0He shouldn’t be allowed on the frog and toad<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: half inch<\/strong>
\nMeaning: pinch (steal)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don’t leave your bike unlocked, someone will half inch<\/span> it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: jam jar<\/strong>
\nMeaning: car<\/strong><\/p>\n

He’s having no luck, just crashed the old jam jar<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: minces (mince pies)<\/strong>
\nMeaning: eyes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Look at those gorgeous mince pies.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: north and south<\/strong>
\nMeaning: mouth<\/strong><\/p>\n

You’d better watch what you’re saying mate, or you’ll get a punch in the north and south<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: old bag<\/strong>
\nMeaning: hag<\/strong> (horrible woman\/ugly woman)<\/p>\n

She’s a right old bag<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: on the floor<\/strong>
\nMeaning: poor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Help me out please mate, I’m really on the floor<\/u><\/p>\n

.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: Oxo<\/strong> (Oxo cube)
\nMeaning: Tube<\/strong> (the London Underground)<\/p>\n

I’m going to leave the car behind and get on the Oxo<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: pen<\/strong> (pen and ink)
\nMeaning: stink<\/strong><\/p>\n

He has let off a right pen and ink<\/span>!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: plates of meat<\/strong>
\nMeaning: feet<\/strong><\/p>\n

Won’t be long until he’s back on his plates of meat<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Cockney<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Slang: porky <\/strong>(pork pie)
\nMeaning: lie<\/strong> (fib)<\/p>\n

I think she’s telling porkies<\/span>. \u00a0She wasn’t with me last night.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: rabbit<\/strong> (rabbit and pork)
\nMeaning: talk<\/strong><\/p>\n

She doesn’t half rabbit<\/span> on. (She talks too much).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: skin and blister<\/strong>
\nMeaning: sister<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you met my skin and blister<\/span>?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: sky rocket<\/strong>
\nMeaning: pocket<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don’t lose the money. \u00a0Keep it in your sky rocket<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: tea leaf<\/strong>
\nMeaning: thief<\/strong><\/p>\n

He’s back in prison again,\u00a0tea leaf<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: Tom and Dick<\/strong>
\nMeaning: sick<\/strong><\/p>\n

I won’t be in work today, I’m feeling really Tom and Dick<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: trouble<\/strong> (trouble and strife)
\nMeaning: wife<\/strong><\/p>\n

I can’t make it to the football game because I have to go shopping with the old trouble and strife<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: Turkish bath<\/strong>
\nMeaning: laugh<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you think I am washing your car for you, you’re having a turkish bath<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: two and eight<\/strong>
\nMeaning: state (mess)<\/strong><\/p>\n

His wife has left him. \u00a0He’s in a right two and eight<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Slang: weasel<\/strong> (weasel and stoat)
\nMeaning: coat<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’m coming, just let me get my weasel and stoat.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

For an overview of some of the best idioms see:\u00a0idiomatic phrases in English<\/a><\/p>\n

Those of you who are familiar with Cockney rhyming slang will recognize that some very well known phrases have been omitted from our list. \u00a0That is because they contain swearing or crude words and we’re far too angelic to include them here! \u00a0If you’re interested though, you will find them in most books about Cockney rhyming slang.<\/p>\n

For those of you who use English as a second language, don’t forget to take a look at our\u00a0proofreading services while you are here! \u00a0We offer very low prices that are great for when you have an important English document that needs to be just perfect.<\/p>\n

Free instant quote<\/strong><\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cockney Rhyming Slang is a part of the English language that many English learners may not be familiar with.\u00a0 In English, a slang word is a word that isn\u2019t really considered to be standard English but is something that many people continue to use nonetheless. Cockney rhyming slang first started to appear on the streets … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fun-and-fails"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9587,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140\/revisions\/9587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vappingo.com\/word-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}