|
Aussie term |
Definition |
|
aerial ping pong |
Australian football |
|
ant's pants |
Someone or something
considered the ultimate
in style, novelty or
cleverness.
|
|
apples, as in she'll
be apples |
In Australian slang,
she'll be apples simply
means everything will be
okay. |
|
apples and pears |
Rhyming slang for
stairs. To shoot down
the apples and pears is
to go down the stairs.
Sometimes shortened to
just apples |
|
arvo |
Afternoon. Another
Australian slang
contraction. |
|
aussie |
Australian |
|
aussie salute |
Moving the hand around
to flick off or drive
away flies, particularly
from the face.
|
|
avagoodweegend |
Have a good weekend. |
|
avagoyamug |
Term used to pick a
fight as in "Have a
go, you mug!" |
|
back o' beyond. |
Somewhere out there in
the Outback in a remote
and fairly deserted
place. Also back o'
Bourke and beyond
the black stump.
|
|
bangers |
Sausages |
|
barney |
Argument, strife |
|
battlers |
Honest, hardworking
folk. |
|
bee's knees |
Someone or something
considered the ultimate
in style, novelty or
cleverness. |
|
beaut |
Beautiful, lovely,
great. Also used as a
noun meaning something
beautiful, lovely,
great. |
|
bewdy |
Beaut, beauty. Usually
used as an interjection |
|
bickie |
Biscuit (cookie) |
|
big bickies |
A lot of money |
|
biggie |
Anything big or bigger
than usual. This comes
about as a result of a
penchant to add -ie or
-y to certain words in
colloquial speech.
Hence, footie or
footy for
football.
|
|
big smoke |
The city |
|
billabong |
A waterhole.
|
|
billy |
Container for boiling
tea |
|
bit o' all right |
Bit o' understatement
here, matey. The phrase
actually means something
or someone which, or
who, is more than all
right: lovely, eliciting
admiration, beautiful
even. |
|
bizzo |
Business |
|
bloke |
Man |
|
bludger |
Lazy person, usually
applied to one who lives
on the dole and who
doesn't try finding
work. |
|
blue |
A row, quarrel, fight,
as in We had a blue |
|
Bluey |
Redhead. |
|
bluey |
Also blue heeler, a
breed of dog |
|
bob's your uncle |
Surprisingly this
statement can have one
of two diffferent,
almost opposite,
meanings: in expressing
agreement, meaning
right you are, or in
response to a statement
proving nothing as an
expression of doubt.
|
|
bonzer |
Excellent, attractive,
really great. |
|
bottlo, bottle shop |
Liquor store |
|
bunny rug |
Baby's blanket |
|
bush |
Country, as in the
bush (the country)
and go bush
(leave the city).
|
|
bush telegraph |
The local gossip network |
|
bushed |
Extremely tired |
|
butt |
Buttocks, bottom, also
cigarette |
|
Captain Cook |
Debated discoverer of
Australia in 1770. Also
rhyming slang for
look.
|
|
chinwag |
A chat, conversation.
|
|
chook |
Chicken |
|
chuffed |
Pleased, delighted,
stoked |
|
cobber |
Mate, friend |
|
codger |
Bloke, man, especially
elderly and a little
odd, as in silly
codger |
|
corker |
Something striking or
astonishing, or
something very good of
its kind. |
|
corroboree |
Aboriginal assembly or
gathering of festive,
sacred or warlike
character |
|
crook |
Sick, ill, as in He's
crook. Also angry,
as in Don't go crook
on him. Also swindler or
thief. |
|
dag |
An Australian
slang term. A
dag is
technically the
matted wool on a
sheeps tail.
Used throughout
Australia, it
refers to people
who don't have a
neat, tidy or
cultured
appearance. It
is not
necessarily a
derogatory term
in modern usage.
I'm a bit of a
dag today, I'm
wearing my
trackie-daks
|
|
digger |
Australian soldier,
especially one who
served in World War I.
|
|
ding |
A damaged section of a
car, bike, surfboard,
etc. There are other
meanings |
|
dingbat |
Someone odd, crazy. |
|
dinki-di |
True blue, fair dinkum,
genuine |
|
dinkum |
True blue, real,
genuine. Quite often
used in the phrase
fair dinkum.
|
|
do one's lolly |
Lose one's temper.
|
|
doona |
A quilted eiderdown with
a down filling, a
comforter |
|
drongo |
Slow-witted or stupid
person |
|
drover |
One who drives cattle,
sheep and like animals
over long distances,
usually to market.
|
|
dummy |
As in spit the dummy.
To spit the dummy is to
baulk at, get angry
about, or simply,
obstinately refuse to
do, something. A dummy
is what some Americans
call a pacifier, and
when a baby spits the
dummy it just can't be
pacified |
|
dunny |
An outside toilet,
sanitary can |
|
ear basher |
Someone who talks too
much; hence, ear
bashing, talking too
much. |
|
end up a gum tree |
Stymied, stranded.
|
|
fair dinkum |
Genuine; also really |
|
fang it |
This has a few slang
meanings, but usually
means either (1) to
exert force so someone
will lend or give you
something, (2) to
appropriate what's not
yours, or (3) to go
extremely fast |
|
footy |
Football |
|
fossick |
Search (usually for
small items or for
mineral deposits).
|
|
furphy |
Rumor, false story |
|
g'day, gidday |
Fairly common daytime
(sometimes even
nighttime) greeting, as
in G'day mate. |
|
go |
Chance or turn, as in
Give me a go, or
Give the bloke a fair
go, matey. Also way,
as This is the go |
|
gone troppo |
Moved north to tropical
Australia or became
crazy because of the
heat and maybe a drink
or two or 20 |
|
goodie |
Something nice, as in
a bag of goodies |
|
greenie |
An environmentalist.
Sometimes used
deprecatingly |
|
grog |
Alcohol. beer, spirits |
|
grouse |
Very good, as in
grouse shiela |
|
gum |
Eucalypt |
|
half your luck |
Would you believe it? --
this means
"congratulations" or
"best wishes". I think
it evolved from the
saying "I wish I had
half your luck" or "I'd
be happy if I had half
your luck."
|
|
halfwit |
Stupid person |
|
hankie |
Handkerchief |
|
happy as Larry |
Extremely happy, without
a care in the world.
|
|
hard yacker |
Also hard yakka. Hard
work. |
|
hassles |
n. Problems,
complications,
aggravations, as in I
got into a lot of
hassles, or Spare
me the hassles.
|
|
homestead |
Main residence on a
sheep or cattle station
(ranch or farm).
|
|
hooroo |
Goodbye, see you later
|
|
iffy |
Doubtful, depending on
circumstances |
|
jack of |
Sick of, fed up with |
|
jumbuck |
Sheep |
|
king brown |
Mulga snake. Sometimes
applied to a larger
(usually brown in color)
bottle of beer |
|
Kiwi |
A New Zealander.
|
|
knackered |
Completely exhausted.
|
|
knickers in a knot |
To get one's knickers in
a knot is to become
agitated, flustered,
bothered (about
something).
|
|
lair |
One of brash or vulgar
behavior, usually
flashily dressed as
well. |
|
larrikin |
A mischievous young chap |
|
larry |
A hoe with a hole in the
centre for mixing cement
|
|
Lazza |
nickname for Larry,
which could already be a
nickname for Laurence.
We don't leave words
alone, do we? Also Wazza
or Wozza for Warren.
|
|
lingo |
Aussie abbrev. for
Australian terminology |
|
lollies |
Candy |
|
loo |
Toilet |
|
mate |
Anyone's a mate,
especially when you're
trying to strike some
kind of rapport, as in
the greeting G'day
mate.
|
|
matey |
Must be better than a
mate, or adding -y just
for the sake of it.
|
|
middy |
A middle-sized (285ml)
glass, usually of beer.
Also see schooner.
|
|
mozzie |
Mosquito |
|
mug |
A fool, one easily duped |
|
nick off |
Scram - Piss Off |
|
nong |
Fool, Idiot |
|
no worries |
No hassles, problems. Of
no concern. |
|
ocker |
Distinctively
Australian; also:
archetypal uncultivated
Australian workingman;
boorish, uncouth.
|
|
ol' cheese |
Mother |
|
ol' man |
Father |
|
open slather |
Free-for-all, anything
goes. |
|
Oz |
Australia or Australian |
|
pash |
Be passionate about or
with, as in Pash me.
Kiss |
|
pissed |
Drunk |
|
pissed off. |
Disgruntled, fed up.
|
|
plonk |
Any alcoholic liquor,
especially cheap wine |
|
pollie, polly |
Politician |
|
Pommie, Pom |
Englishman |
|
preggers |
Pregnant |
|
pressies |
Presents, gifts |
|
pub |
A hotel, short for
public house. Usually
taken to mean the bar or
drinking area in a
hotel. |
|
quid as in not the
full quid |
Anyone who's not the
full quid is mentally
deficient.
|
|
rack off |
Go away, get lost |
|
ratbag |
Rascal, rogue. Also
someone of eccentric or
nonconforming ideas or
behavior, or someone
whose preoccupation with
a particular theory or
belief is considered
obsessive.
|
|
reckon |
Very commonly used for
think. By itself
in reply to a question,
it means I suppose so.
|
|
ripper |
Great, terrific;
something terrific |
|
rock up |
Show up, turn up or walk
up, approach |
|
roo |
Also 'roo. Kangaroo |
|
sanger |
Sandwich |
|
schooner |
A large-sized (425ml)
glass of beer (in New
South Wales), unless
you're talking of
sailing ships.
|
|
seppo |
Rhyming slang for
American. As in
Septic Tank |
|
sheila |
Girl, woman |
|
she'll be apples,
also she's apples |
All's well |
|
shout |
v. Buy or pay
for, as in Shout me a
beer, mate. n.
Turn to pay, as in
It's your shout, mate. |
|
Simmo |
Nickname for Simpson.
Taken from the surname
Simpson. Also Thommo for
Thompson.
|
|
slab |
A carton of 24 beer cans |
|
smoko |
A break from work to
indulge in chit-chat and
a cigarette. Here a
final -o comes into
play. |
|
snog |
To kiss and cuddle. When
used as a noun, the act
of kissing and cuddling |
|
sook |
Shy, timid person. Also
a bit of a cry-baby. The
adjective is sooky |
|
sparrow's fart |
Dawn, very early in the
morning |
|
spit the dummy |
Baulk at, get angry
about, or simply,
obstinately refuse to
do, something. A dummy
is what some Americans
call a pacifier, and
when a baby spits the
dummy it just can't be
pacified |
|
sport |
A bit like mate, but
with an undertone of
belligerence, as in
Whaddaya mean, sport?
|
|
squiz |
A quick look |
|
station |
Farm or ranch, as in
sheep station or
cattle station |
|
stickybeak |
To pry or meddle; one
who pries or meddles |
|
stoked |
Drugged or drunk. Also
thrilled, delighted |
|
Strine |
Spoken Australian lingo
or dialect (and its
written equivalent). If
you pronounce Australian
in a certain way, what
you get is Strine.
Sometimes used for
uneducated, unrefined
language.
|
|
struth |
Also streuth, strewth,
'struth. An exclamation
expressing surprise or
verification. Derived
from God's truth |
|
stubby |
Small bottle, as of beer |
|
sundowner |
A swagman who arrives at
a homestead at nightfall
too late for work but
gets shelter for the
night. |
|
sunnies |
Sunglasses |
|
suss |
Suspicious, of doubtful
nature, not quite right.
When used as a verb, it
means to probe, or prove
the veracity (or
falsity) of something or
the bona fides of
someone; or, more
simply, to check out. |
|
swag |
Bundle or roll carried
across the shoulders,
usually by itinerant
workers |
|
Swagman |
One who travels doing
odd jobs, etc.
|
|
Sydneysider |
A Sydney resident.
|
|
ta |
Thanks |
|
takeaway |
In some other countries
this is called
takeout or food
to go |
|
tart |
Sheila. Once meaning
sweetheart, but the
term can now be used
derogatorily |
|
ta-ta |
Good-bye |
|
thingy |
A thing, of course, as
in Hand me that
thingy |
|
thongs |
Sandals held loosely on
the feet by straps
passing between the
first and second toes
and over either side of
the feet.
|
|
tinnie |
Can of beer |
|
true blue |
Genuine |
|
tucker |
Food |
|
U-ee |
U-turn, as in He did
a U-ee |
|
underdaks |
Underpants, jocks |
|
up the duff |
Pregnant |
|
ute |
Small truck, short for
utility truck.
|
|
VB |
Victoria Bitter, a beer |
|
vegies |
Vegetables |
|
walkabout |
A period of wandering,
usually in reference to
Aborigines; also someone
who does so.
|
|
walloper |
One who thrashes
someone. Also, a
policeman.
|
|
wanker |
Someone who makes
something more of what
may be an
inconsequential thing.
There are other
meanings. Strictly
speaking, but still a
colloquial term, one who
plays with themselves
|
|
westie, also westy |
Someone from Sydney's
western suburbs, often
used derogatorily to
mean uneducated and/or
uncultured. Also someone
who acts like a westie |
|
willy-willy |
Spiraling wind,
collecting such things
as dust and refuse. |
|
wog |
Originally a derogatory
appellation for
Mediterranean or Middle
European migrants, or
persons of like
complexion or
appearance. Now often
used for any foreigner,
but still in a usually
derogatory sense. We are
reminded that another
common meaning for wog
is illness (or virus,
such as the flu virus)
in sentences like
He's off work with a wog.
|
|
wowser |
Prude, puritan, killjoy |
|
X out |
Cross out, cancel |
|
XXXX |
(Pronounced FOUR'ex.)
A Queensland beer. XXXX
is the actual name on
the label. I understand
XXXX is no longer
Australian-owned |
|
yack |
Chat, gossip, as in
having a yack |
|
yahoo |
A loutish male person |
|
yobbo |
Loutish, surly youth |
|
yonks |
Ages, a long time, as in
I knew him for yonks |
|
youse |
Colloquially, the plural
form of you. Often used
humorously |
|
zed |
How Aussies pronouce Z
Thus, A-N-zed Bank for
ANZ Bank. |
|
zilch |
Nothing, as in all he
got was zilch.
|
|
zonked |
Out of it, totally
exhausted. |