| Words and phrases (Looking) askance - Looking suspiciously or doubtfully at someone Barmy - Mad or crazy. Affectionate term. Bandy - To bandy something about is to carelessly spread it around, like a piece of information or gossip, without thinking about or caring what the consequences might be. Bang - a) Bang on course - right on course, but with more emphasis; b) "bang him on the counter" put him on the counter Banging on - Talking incessantly Berk - An idiot Blighter - a) someone or something that is considered an annoyance, b) someone who is an annoyance because they're envied (e.g. lucky blighter), c) someone who is sympathised with (e.g. poor little blighter) Blowed - E.g. "I'll be blowed if I know" means that you don't know. Bung - E.g. "Bung him in some owl treats" means to carelessly throw them in. Cert - Short for certain. E.g. the twins thinking Harry was a cert to be made prefect. Cheeked/cheeky - If you're being cheeky then you're being insolently or playfully rude or disrespectful, or you're being funny but improper or ill-mannered. Chivvy - To chivvy someone along, for example, means to hurry them along. Chuffed - Proud Chunter - Mutter Clapped eyes on - See for the first time Codswallop - An old fashioned word for rubbish. You'd get at least a raised eyebrow for using it these days unless you were using it jokingly. Collywobbles - To have the collywobbles is to have the shivers. Like codswallop, using it these days would get you at least a raised eyebrow, if not an outright laugh. Conk - Nose Corking - Wonderful (old-fashioned, posh word) Cotton on - Figure out Crikey - An exclamation of surprise, more popular in Australia Dicky bird - 'Not a dicky bird' means nothing. E.g "Have you found anything?" "Not a dicky bird." Do your nut - Panic Doddery - The literal meaning is to walk unsteadily, especially from old age. Dotty - An affectionate term for someone who's slightly mad, often with old age Dozy - Slow at understanding something or just plain silly. Often used affectionately. Dragged up - Brought up badly Dressing gown - British version of bath robe Duffer - Somebody who is slow to learn or incompetant at something. Commonly used in reference to older people. Old-fashioned word. Dust bin - British version of trash can Fidley - Difficult to handle or use because it usually involves something small that you can't get a proper grip on with your fingers. Something could be metaphorically fidley as well. Flap - To be in a flap is to be worried or panicy. Flay - Physically beat Flumoxed - Confused, can't figure something out A flutter - A bet or wager Fringe - The hair that grows over your forehead, the American version is bangs. Funny turn - To have a funny turn is to be taken suddenly and temporarily ill. Get into your stride - Get the hang of something or get going with something. Get my eye in - Warm up or get the hang of something. Git - An informal, often affectionate term for someone who is annoying, troublesome, unpleasant or thoughtless. Gave us a turn - Scared or worried us Gob - Informal, slightly unpleasant term for a mouth. Also means saliva. Gormless - Stupid (intelligence-wise) Great shakes - If you're not great shakes at something then you're not very good at it Hard put - E.g. hard put to find someone better means you'd have a hard time at it Haring - Rushing Haversack - A rucksack or backpack like the kind hitchhikers wear. Jot - E.g. I don't care one jot. I.e. not one bit. Jumped up - Undeservedly self-important. Having been promoted from a lower position and therefore not entitled to show arrogance or self-importance. Keruffle - Commotion Kip - Nap Lark - A lark means a laugh, e.g. "It was such a lark!" Lift - Steal Loggerheads - To be at loggerheads with someone is to be involved in a conflict, feud or quarrel with them (e.g. Gryffindor and Slytherin are often at loggerheads) Loo - Toilet. Middle-class word. Lounge - Sitting room Machintosh - A rainproof coat made of rubberised plastic. Mark my words - Remember to what I'm saying Take the mickey/mick - Make fun of Nick/nicked - Steal or be arrested Nip - To pinch briefly (e.g. nip your fingers with a pair of pliers) or to go somewhere quickly (e.g. nip to the shops). Not on - Not right (morally) Nutter - Someone who acts strangely or is a bit mad. Often used affectionately. Out of order - Not right (morally) Peckish - Slightly hungry Petrol - British version of gas for vehicles Pig's ear - To make a pig's ear of something is to completely mess it up. Pluck up the courage - Find the courage Plus-fours - Trousers that golfers wear which come to about four inches below the knee. Not generally worn by non-golfers nowadays. Popinjay - An arrogant person Prat - A fool Pratfall - Something foolish that you've done Put out - Inconvenienced or annoyed (Done a) runner - Run away Round the twist - Gone mad Salvers - A tray, especially a silver one, used to serve food or drinks or present things such as letters or visitng cards. Used among the higher classes. To seed - To go to seed is to diminish in size and ability due to age or declining health. Shifty - If someone's looking shifty then they're looking suspiciously nervous or uncomfortable Shirty - Annoyed or bad tempered Get shot of - be rid of Skiving off - playing truant Skulk - Hanging around someone or somewhere, often in a brooding or suspicious way. (Going) spare - Going mad with frustration or worry. Spiffing - Wonderful (old-fashioned, posh word) Smarm - To smarm up to someone is to suck up to them. Snog - Kiss with tongue Soppy - Overly romantic or emotional Starkers - Naked Stringy - Unattractively thin Swot/swotty - Overly brainy (and often flaunting it) Ta - Thank you Tenterhooks - To be on tenterhooks is to be anxious or in suspense. Tetchy - Oversensitive and easily upset or annoyed. Tipped - A rumoured or reported expectation, e.g. the horse was tipped to be the winner. Titchy - Short in stature Trainers - Running shoes Trice - A short period of time Toerag - Old-fashioned word for a scoundral Tosh - Nonsense Tot up - Add up (like the prices of items or revenue) Tweedy - Someone belonging to or showing a liking for the attitudes and outdoor lifestyle traditionally associated with the upper classes (like hunting or polo etc). Probably a reference to the material tweed, which is a popular material for coats among upper class country men. On the verge - On the edge, physically or metaphorically. E.g. On the verge of the field; on the verge of crying. Waffle - To talk incessantly with no real focus Warming pans - A long-handled metal pan that was filled with hot coals and placed in a bed to warm it. Old-fashioned object. Waspish - Spiteful Weedy-looking - Thin and weak Went down a storm - Was very popular very quickly Winding me up - Teasing with a deliberate aim to annoy Wooly - Confused, vague or lacking focus Wotcher - A greeting, short for 'what cheer' Wrench - It's a wrench means it's difficult Foods Spotted Dick - A steamed suet pudding usually containing currents and commonly served with custard, eaten for dessert. (Pic) Pudding - Another word for dessert Cornish Pasties - Pronounced pas-tee. A pastry case, traditionally filled with diced meat, sliced potatoe and onion, which is then baked. Other fillings can be used. (Pic) Yorkshire Pudding - Batter oven-cooked in baking tins and used as an accompanyment to a traditional roast dinner. It can also be baked with sausages in the middle. The resulting dish is called toad in the hole. (Pic) Trifle - A dessert made with layers of sponge, jam, jelly (or jello if you're American), fruit (most commonly strawberries), custard and whipped cream. (Pic) Chipolatas - A small kind of sausage made from course-ground pork and seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs such as sage, thyme, pimento and nutmeg. Very popular at Christmas. (Pic) Christmas Pudding - A steamed pudding usually made with suit, containing fruit and nuts, black treacle and brandy. (Pic) Treacle tart - A tart made with shortcrust pastry and golden syrup. Normally served hot with clotted cream, ordinary cream, custard or yoghurt. Can also be served cold. (Pic) Meringues - A dessert made from whipped egg whites and caster sugar, often flavoured with vanilla and almond or coconut extract. (Pic) Porridge - A breakfast food made from boiling oats or another cereal in water, milk or both, often with added salt, sugar, milk, cream or honey. Very popular in Scotland and Northern England and great for cold mornings. (Pic) Steak and Kidney Pudding - Diced steak and beef, lambs or pigs kidneys in gravy enclosed in a suet pudding. (Pic) Shepherd's Pie - Minced lamb, usually with carrots, onion and bits of tomato, with a thick layer of mashed potato on top, which is then baked in the oven. Melted cheese is often added to the top of the mashed potato. If it is made with beef it's called Cottage Pie. (Pic) Haggis - A traditional Scottish dish. Sheep's heart, liver and lungs, minced with onions, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach. (Pic) Nosh - An informal word for food Fry-up - Informal term for a full English/Scottish breakfast. Always includes bacon and eggs, and can also include toast or fried bread, sausages, black pudding, white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, fries, baked beans, bubble and squeak, hash browns, and brown sauce or ketchup. The ingredients used is up to the individual. (Pic) Tripe - An edible offal from the stomach of various animals, usually cows, sheep, goats and pigs. (Pic) Knickerpocker glory - An icecream sundae served in a tall glass. Layers of ice cream, jelly (jello), fruit and cream are alternated and topped with syrup, nuts, whipped cream and often a cherry. Alcohol may be added if desired. (Pic) Black pudding - Sausage made by cooking blood with a filler until it's thick enough to congeal when cooled, sometimes called Blood Pudding. (Pic) Crisps - The same as chips in the US (pic) Crumpet - A savoury/sweet bread snack made from flour and yeast, usually eaten hot with butter. (Pic) Biscuit - The same as cookie in the US (pic) Sausages and Mash - Sausages and mashed potato. The traditional presentation is to have a mound of mash with the sausages sticking out of it, and to have all this inside a dish made of yorkshire pudding. (Pic) Rhubarb Crumble - A dessert. Stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of fat, flour and sugar, which is then baked in an oven until crisp on top. Popular fruits used are apple, blackberry, peach, rhubarb, gooseberry and plum. (Pic) Bubble and Squeak - A dish made with the shallow-fried leftover vegetables from a roast dinner. Usually made with potato and cabbage, but peas, carrots, brussel sprouts and other vegetables too. Traditonally served with cold meat and pickles. The meat can be added to the bubble and squeak itself. (Pic) Sunday Roast dinner - A carved, roasted joint of meat, usually beef, lamb, pork, chicken or duck, served with seasonal vegetables, yorkshire pudding and gravy, as well as apple or mint sauce depending on the meat used. Traditionally eaten on Sundays. (Pic)
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