Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page
Search the Web

 Australian Slang Phrases

"Learn to speak Straylien" 

Now you can master the lingo like a true blue

dinki-di , ridgy didge native Aussie

Some of the phrases in this guide contain adult slang and may be inappropriate for younger family members

Although some of these phrases may have originated from or are used in countries other than Australia, they are commonly used within this country

HAVE FUN

There are more phrases to add , but no time to do it , come back soon for the chance to broaden your vocabulary

Listen to the Bushwhakers sing "Advance Australia Fair" while you're here

 

A

About as useless as tits on a bull ......... about as useless as it gets

A kangaroo short in the top paddock ...... not very bright , simple

All piss and wind ..... a show of bravado

All the go ....... popular

A lot on your Plate ........you have a lot to do

Ants in your pants ..... restless

Arse about face ....... back to front

Arse over tit ........ fall over

As mad as a cut snake ..... very angry or crazy

Av a go ya mug ! ........... 1 . an expression of annoyed encouragement often shouted during a sporting match to urge a player to improved performance ... 2 . A challenge to fight

Away with the fairies ..... day dreaming

Awning over the toy shop ....male beer belly

 B

Back of Beyond ....a long way from suburbia

Back of Burke ..... a long way away

Bald as a bandicoot ....... hairless

Banged up ..... unmarried and pregnant

Bangs like a dunny door in a cyclone .... (derogatory) very sexually active female

Bar flies ...... usually in country towns , old men who sit outside the pub (hotel) drinking from opening to closing

Bastard of a thing ...... exclaimation of frustration at an object or situation

Beating around/about the bush ........ not getting to the point on a subject

Bend the elbow ..... drink alcohol

Bend your ear ....... talk

Better then a poke in the eye with a blunt stick ...... something is okay but could be better

Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick ..... same as above

Between a rock and a hard place ........ in a difficult or seemingly no win situation

Bet your bottom dollar ...... very sure of an outcome

Beyond the Black stump ...... a long way from anything

Blown up like a poisoned pup ...... full of food

Big note yourself ............. to say you are better or more important than you are

Blue rinse set ...... elderly ( particularly ladies )

Bobby dazzler ....... it's excellent or striking

Bold as Ned Kelly .. Ned Kelly was an Australian bushranger , made famous for the metal suit of armor he made and wore during the Kelly gangs final illfated showdown with the law at Glenrowan in Victoria , November 11th 1880 . At the time of his hanging Ned was aged 25 , his last words were "Such is life "

Boots and all ...... everything , giving something all the effort you can muster

Built like a brick sh*t house .........something or someone is built very stongly

Bust your gut ...... work extra hard , try very hard to do something

Busy as a one legged bloke in a bum kicking contest ......... doing nothing

Busy body ..... someone who is overly interested in other peoples affairs

Buzz off ....... depart

 C

Can't kill it with an axe ........ something which appears indestructable

Can't kill it with a stick ........ as above

Carry on like a pork chop ........... make a big fuss

Chew the fat ....... discussion

Chief cook and bottle washer ....... In charge

Christmas on a stick ...... think highly of self

Chuck a reggie ......... have a tandrum

Chuck a wobbly ....... have a tantrum

Clap trap ........ utter nonsense

Clapped out .......no longer any good

Coat hanger , the .......... The Sydney Harbour

Bridge

Cock and bull story ...... A tale of lies from beginning to end

Cock arse about .......... Procrastinate or back to front

Cop the crow ...... get the worst end of the deal

Come a cropper ..... have an accident

Couldn't give a rats arse .. don't care , not interested in the slightest degree

Crook as a dog ...... feeling very ill

Cunning as a dunny rat ....... astute or sly

 D

Dead set ...... really

Dogs are biting .... sore feet

Done like a dogs dinner ...... bested convincingly

Down the Gurgler ............ something has failed

Down the plug hole ............failure , loss

Dragging the chain ........ moving or working slowly

Dressed to the nines ...... dressed and groomed to your best

Drinking with the flies .... drinking alone

Driving the Porcelain bus ........... vomiting

E

Eat a horse, and chase the rider ......... very hungry

Emma Chisit ........ how much is it ?

Emu parade ...... to have a clean up

Even Blind freddy could see that ! ........what someone would say to you, if you are not understanding or have missed something obvious

 F

Fair dinkum ....... seriously , genuine or Australian

Fair crack of the whip ..... requesting someone gives a fair go , an equal chance

Fair go mate ! ........ Someone is not doing or saying the right thing

Fair suck of the sav ........someone is not letting you do or say something

Fart arse around ........ not coming to the point or doing the job

Feeling butchers .... unwell

Flash as a rat with a gold tooth ........... dressed and groomed nicely

Flash in the pan ...... one off event , out of the blue

Flat out like a lizard drinking .......... doing something very fast or very busy

Fly by nighter ....... a person or business whos intention it is to trade and then disappear quickly (often involves illegal activities )

Fiddle fart around ....... not doing the job or coming to the point

Fit as a mallee bull ......... very well , very fit , very strong

Full ....... drunk

Full as a fairies phone book ....... no room left

Full as a goog ........ eaten too much

Full of it ........ speaking absolute rubbish

Full of yourself ...... placing too much emphasis of your own importance

 G

Garbage guts .... someone who eats to excess

Gave someone the razz .... stirred them up

General dogs body ....... a rousabout , lacky , a person expected to do many jobs many of them meanial

Get a grip ........... stop being overly emotional

Get a grip on yourself ...... as above

Get a wriggle on ........ hurry up

Get your arse in gear .....hurry up

Get your act together ..... be sensible

Get your rocks off ........ enjoy yourself

Give someone curry ..........give someone a piece of your mind or a hard time verbally

Give it a bash ........ try something new

Give it a burl ......... try something new

Give it a whirl ...... attempt something new

Give something the once over ,.........examining something

Glad rags ............ best clothes

God's great garden .... Australia

Go have a butchers .... go to look at something

Go butchers hook ........ be very angry

Go for broke ....... last ditched effort , bet everything

Going like a blue-tail fly ............doing something very fast

Go like the clappers....... go very fast

Gone a gutser ..... fallen over

Gone walkabout ...... wandered off somewhere or lost

Good looking sort ........ admiring a woman

Good set of snarlers ...... prominant teeth

Gutter Snipe ......... dirty child

Gutsy effort ...... tried hard

H

Hair pin bend ....... a very tight corner in the road which doubles back forming a U shape

Happy as Larry ........ very content

Happy as a pig in sh*t ........ very content

Happy as a sandboy ............very happy

Happy clapper ......... born again christian

Happy little vegimite ....... contented , pleased

Has to run around in the shower to get wet .......... a way of describing someone who is very thin

Have a coldie ......... drink a beer

Have a cold one ..... drink a beer

Have a cuppa ................have cup of tea or coffee

Have a go ya mug ....... telling someone to try harder (often yelled out at sporting events)

Have a go ya mug ........ a challenge to fight

Have a quiet one ..... to have an alcoholic drink

Have kangaroos in the top paddock ..... crazy

Haven't got a Brass Razoo....... No money

Haven't got 2 cents to rub together .... broke , no money

Have someones guts for garters ..... very angry

Hoe the boots in ...... in a fight and kicking

Hope your chooks turn into emus and kick your dunny down ..... a curse (immortalised in song ... who wrote that ? ... help please)

Hows Tricks ? ........... How are you ? How is everything ?

Howsit going ..............How are you ?

How ya goin ? ........... How are you ?

Hugging the toilet bowl ........vomiting

 I

In like Flynn ..... jumped at an opportunity ( can have sexual overtones )

In the club ..... pregnant

In the lock up ..... in gaol ( jail )

It's a Broken packet of biscuits ......... looks good on the outside, but is a mess on the inside

Its a bit tricky ....... temperamental , difficult

It would kill a brown dog ....... very potent

 J

Just down the road a bit ...... a distance from a couple of hundred metres to a couple of hundred kilometres

 K

Keen as mustard .... very eager (Keen's is a brand name for mustard and curry powder)

Knee high to a grasshopper ..... a child , small of stature

Knocked off ...... finished work for the day

Knocked it off .....stole it

Knock one back ...... have a beer

Knock shop ..... brothel

Knuckle sandwich ...... a punch in the mouth

 L

Like a fish on a hook ...... addicted to something , caught up in something (often illegal) , deeply involved , having someone exactly where you want them .

Like a fish out of water ....... awkward , uncomfortable , not fitting in

Like a rat up a drain pipe ........leave in a hurry

Like a shag on a rock ............ alone , out of place

Little Aussie battler ....... someone who works very hard , not earning a lot of money , shows integrity , honesty and compassion , would give to others even when there is little to give

Lower than a snakes belly .........despicable  

M

Make a big song and dance ...... make a fuss

Missed the bus ...... to late for something

Molly Dooked ...... left handed

More arse than class ...... lucky

More arse than Jessie's bull ..... lucky

Mr Plod ..... policeman

Mutton dressed up as lamb ....... an older person trying to look very young

N

Need to go ...... need to go to the toilet

Nit pick .......... find fault in the smallest things

No flies on you ........ you can't be fooled

Not the full quid ....... of less than average intelligence

Not worth a Brass Razoo ........ Worthless

Not worth a pinch .......... worthless

 O

Off the beaten track ..........on a road not used very much, a back road or track or in a remote part of Australia

Off like a brides nightie ............leave very quickly

Off like a bucket of prawns in the hot sun ..... leaving very quickly

Off like a shot ........ leave in a hurry

Old fart ........ someone a little older than yourself or an older person you do not like

Old geezer .... affectionate term for the elderly

One and a half axe handles across ...... precise measurement for the female buttocks

One armed bandit ............ poker machine

On ya ! ....... that's great , you've done well

Out the window ....... lost opportunity

 P

Peeved ....... annoyed

Piece of piss ......... easy

Pigs ........... that's a lie

Pigs eye ..... no way , rubbish

Pissed as a nit ...... very drunk

Pissed as a parrot .........drunk

Pissed off ............very angry or annoyed

Pissing in the wind ... wasting your time , a pointless exercise

Plant someone ....... to bury a person (funeral)

Playing pocket billiards .............. male with in hand in his pocket adjusting genitals

Podgy dodger ........ cattle rustler ( thief)

Pull up Stumps ......... move house , changing address

Pull your head in !............mind your own business !

Pull the belt in ................stop spending money

Pull your socks up................try harder

Put the bite on someone ............ ask for money

Put the squeeze on someone ...... pressure them

Put up or shut up ............. back up what you are saying or keep your opinions to yourself

Put your money where your mouth is .... back up what you are saying with a bet

 Q

Quick as a flash ......... astute or fast

 R

Rafferty's rules ........ no rules at all

Ridgey didge .......... true

Rip off .......cheat

Rip snorter ..... excellent , very funny

S

Sausage Short of the barbecue ........short of brains

See youse ( or yas)....... see you all later , Goodbye

She'll be apples ....... everything will be fine , no problem

Shoot through ..... leave

Shoot through like a Bondi tram .... leave in a hurry

Short arms long pockets ....... someone will not part with their money , a miser

Silly as a two bob watch ........crazy

Silly as a wheel ....... crazy

Skin flint ................. a miser

Slap dash ........ haphazard , performed below standard in a disinterested way

Slippery character ......... not to be trusted

Someone Kaks themselves ........ they are very frightened

Something got up your nose ..... annoyed or angry

Spit it out ........ come straightout and say it !

Smart arse ....... know it all person

Snag Short of a barbie............ not very smart

Snake in the grass ........ a sly person , a betrayer

Snow dropper ..... someone who steals clothes from a clothesline

Spitting chips ...... very angry

Squashed like a maggot ...... conquered

Stick in the mud .... a wowser , someone who is very staid

Stick it in the boot ...... place something in the boot (trunk) of a car

Sticky beak .... take a look or pry

Stir the possum ........ liven things up

Stone the crows !!.... exclaimation of frustration or disbelief

Sydney or the bush ...... All or nothing

T

Take a Leak ............. go to the toilet

Take a squizz .... have a look

Talking a mile a minute ....... talking too much or very fast

Talking on the porcelain telephone ...........vomiting into a toilet

The place is an arm pit .... it's terrible

The Pot calling the kettle black......... adverse statement made by someone in reply to a comment from a person who is in a similar or worse situation

The town bike ....... woman of loose morals

Tickled pink .......... very happy

Tough as old boot leather .......... need I say more ?

Trying one on ....... trying to get away with something

Trying to get into someones pants ............ making sexual advances

Tyre kickers ........ people who look with no intention of buying

 U

Ugly as a box of Blowflies ..... that's about as ugly as it gets

Under the weather ...........unwell , ill

Up a Gum tree ........ in all sorts of trouble

Up and down like a whores draws ...... restless or fluctuating

Up the duff ....... pregnant

Up the spout .....pregnant

 V

Vaccinated with a gramophone needle ....... someone who talks a lot

 W

Well stacked ............ large breasted woman

White ants in the billy ....... crazy

Wouldn't shout in a shark attack ...........a person who will not take their turn buying a round of drinks

 Y

Yer bloods worth Bottling! .........someone has done something good for you.

You little Bottler ............delight, something has gone the way you want

You little ripper ....... very good , excellent

 Z

Zebra crossing ..... broad black and white lines painted on a road to mark a pedestrian crossing

 Not a bad start ...

if can you think up any more send them to me please

you could very well be the first to contribute to this cultural enterprise , come on don't be shy !

jennt@eisa.net.au

 |All things Australian | Jennifer's Jibberish |