AUSTRALIAN IDIOM AND SLANG
The Australian idiom has developed from four main sources: the aboriginal dialects, our historical ties to England, the influx of migrants, and a slang which is traceable only to the individuality of the Australian.
Many of the words included in the list are slang, but it would be unrealistic to exclude them, since many of these words are in common use and are therefore properly part of the Australian idiom. Many are rarely heard in metropolitan Australia, but still can be heard in the "bush". I suspect that in another generation or so, many will disappear.
I have tried not to list any derogatory terms or slang that may offend.
| A AIF The 1st. or 2nd. Australian Imperial Forces alec n. slang. A simple minded person, a dupe Alice, The n. Alice Springs, Central Australia alley n. Forte. ('It's right up my alley') Anzac n. Coll. A member of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. (See Digger) artist n. Habitue', fanatical supporter. ('bullshit artist') Ashes The, A prize gained in an international series of cricket with England. Australian Rules. Football played between 18-a-side teams according to these rules, also 'Aussie Rules'. a wake up adj. not deluded, alert B back of adj. Beyond, behind, further inland ('Back of Bourke' - even further than Bourke - a far inland town.) back, on one's adj. persistent nagging. ('He's always on my back', 'Get off my back!') back blocks n. Remote inland settlements, or more recently, the cheaper blocks of land in the suburbs. bag n. slang 1. Any female, not necessarily homely 2. 'In the bag' (adj. phr.) As good as done, won, or successfully achieved. 3. 'Bag-boy' n. A licensed bookmaker. Bananaland, Bananabender Queensland, native of Queensland bag of fruit a man's suit of cloths banker, a n. a river in full flood. ('To run a banker') barrack v. To cheer, support, a tea, take sides in an argument or controversy. bash v. 1. To over-indulge in (eg. "bash the beer') 2. a party ('go to a bash') battler n. A hard trier. beaut adj. Excellent, fine, desirable ('You beaut' - exclamation of acclaim). bible-basher n. Slang A person of extreme religious enthusiasm. bike, to get off one's, To lose one's temper billabong n. A riverside lagoon; part of a stream no longer flowing. billy n. A tin used as to brew tea over an open fire; billy can bite, to ('To put the bite on someone'. To demand a loan; beg Block, The Part of Collins Street Melbourne, or George Street Sydney. Hence "to do the block'- to parade this area for pleasure. block n. slang. The head, self control. ('to do one's block', 'I lost my block!' - to lose your temper. bloke n. a man bloody adj. Adjective of universal emphasis, usually without malice or offence (eg. 'Bloody good!', 'You bloody beaut!') blow to, to leave abruptly ('to blow through') bludge v. To loath on one's work - bludger n. blue n. argument of any kind ('to have a blue') bluey n. 1. A roll of blankets carried by a swagman, q.v. ('To hump the bluey' - to take to the open road on foot) 2. A red headed man. bob n. slang A shilling (today's 10 cent piece) bodgy 1. adj. a worthless or faulty product ('That watch is a bit bodgy!'). 2. a young punk - widgy, a bodgy's girlfriend bonza adj. slang. Very good, choice, likeable bookie n. slang A bookmaker boomerang n. An article lent with the stipulation that it must be returned ('It's a boomerang') bottle-oh n, slang A bottle collector (occupation) bouncer n. A non-uniform security guard on the door of night clubs etc. brick n. slang A five pound note brumby n. A wild, unbroken horse bull, bullshit, bulldust n. slang Nonsense, vapid exaggeration. bull-roarer n. a aboriginal ceremonial instrument, that hums when swung in a circle above the head bumper n. slang A part smoked cigarette, butt. bundle n. slang 1. Worldly possessions. ('To drop your bundle' - to surrender, give up without trying.) 2. A swag bunyip n. A mythical aboriginal animal that lives in swamps and billabongs. bush n. Any rural area outside of major or Capital cities. bush baptist n. or adj. Slang Person of indeterminate religious persuasion bushed 1. adj. Lost. 2. tired, worn-out bush lawyer n. One who uses rules and regulations to bedevil authority bushranger n. A criminal outlaw, a highwayman bush telegraph n. Means whereby rumours are circulated in outback areas bushwacker n. See bush ranger bush, to go v. To go into hiding Buster, Southerly n. A seasonal windstorm that occurs along the East coast of Australia C Captain Cook n. slang A look ('Give me a Captain Cook') - 'Let me view the problem' etc. Centre, The n. The area generally around Alice Springs, Central Australia Chute, up the adj. phr. slang Ineffective, bad, unpopular cobber n. A male friend, a mate, pal cockatoo n. slang A look-out posted at an illegal gathering, (in particular when gambling, esp. two-up) to warn of the approach of police cocky n. slang A farmer (eg. bush cocky, cow cocky, wheat cocky etc.) commo adj. slang A person known or suspected of being a communist cooee A cry of greeting, or search used in the bush (Within cooee - within measurable distance or reach) Cook's Tour Getting somewhere in a round about way cop it! To expect inevitable punishment. To accept something, or punishment ('Your going to cop it!'), 'Cop it sweet! - to accept punishment without complaint crawler n. A sycophant, fawner crook adj. slang Sick, ill, seedy cuppa n. A cup of tea D dag n. slang A likeable, humorous fellow dazzler n. slang That which is excellent (Usu. 'bobby-dazzler') dead-cert n. A sure winner deenah n. slang A shilling (today's 10 cent piece) dice, to v. slang To discard, abandon ('To dice out') digger n. slang An Australian soldier (Esp. WW1 soldier who fought in Turkey.) dill See dag dingbat, made as a Completely irresponsible dinkum adj. Real, genuine, first-class, true (esp. 'fair dinkum!') dirty Angry, annoyed ('I'm a bit dirty about that!') do over v. phr, slang To attack and injure dong v. slang To hit (esp. the head), punch drongo n. slang An inept person, awkward or embarrassing person drum n. slang Sound advice ('I'll give you the drum') drum up v. To organise, gather together E ear-bash v. slang To bore, nag Enzedder n. slang A New Zealander (See Kiwi) F fair adj. slang Used as intensive prefix to many words and phrases. eg. 'Fair dinkum' - exclamation emphasising the truth of an earlier statement. 'Fair crack' or 'fair go' - an appeal for justice fang carpenter n. slang A dentist First Fleet n. obs. The convoy of ships which established the original white settlement at Sydney in 1788. fossick v. To prospect for gold. Also to search idly among rubbish etc. front, to v. slang To face, confront full adj. slang Intoxicated, drunk furphy n. Rumour G galah n. slang An irresponsible, erratic, or moronic male game n. slang Pursuit, intention, task ('to give the game away' - to give up trying) gibber n. Extensive plains of rock and pebble in Central Australia go n. slang 1. Fight ('Have a go at him') 2. Attempt ('Give it a go!') 3. Chance ('Fair go') goog n. slang An egg grouse adj. slang Excellent, desirable, esp. of a young female grog n. beer, cheap wine ('on the grog', 'grog-shop') gum-tree, up a adj. phr. slang Completely puzzled, misled, deluded gunyah n. Any small building, pavilion H hard word slang An immoral suggestion (usu. 'put the hard word on her') head them, to v. phr. slang The act of tossing pennies heads-up in a game of two-up home and hosed adj. phr. slang An easy winner. Usu. used when the result is a foregone conclusion hot adj. Unreasonable, exorbitant ('That's a bit hot!') hum dinger adj. excellent, good hump, to v. slang To lift or carry | J jack n. slang 1. A double-sided penny. 2. the kookaburra 3. A police officer jack adj. slang Tried beyond endurance ('To be jack of ' - to have one's patience exhausted jackeroo n. A male station-hand. esp. one who has been trained for managerial duties. Jilleroo - the female version jacky n. slang An aboriginal native job, to, v. slang To punch, strike Joe Blake n. slang a snake joey n. A young kangaroo, still in the pouch jumbuck n. slang sheep (esp. in the flock) 'just quietly' adv. phr. slang 'confidentially' K kelly n. An axe. Hence, 'to swing like Ned Kelly', to chop king hit slang A severe decisive blow Kiwi n. A New Zealander knock, to v. slang To criticise adversely L lair n. slang A flashy dressed young man larrikin n. A boisterous, irresponsible and mischievous boy or young man line, to do a n. slang to court, woo lob, to v. slang to arrive (eg. to lob on one's doorstep') lurk n. slang a pursuit, avocation (legal or illegal). Hence, 'that's a good lurk' M mag, to v. slang persistent chatter Mallee n. A scrub district in matilda n. slang A roll of blankets used by a swagman metho n. methylated spirit, also a drinker of this molly dook n. slang A natural left-hander mulga n. The Outback, the bush mutton, underground rabbit meat N nark n. slang A whinger, a wowser, a spoil-sport never-never, The n. The far outback, esp. unsettled, inland districts nit n. slang A simpleton noah's ark A shark no-hoper n. slang A ineffectual person, a loser nose, on the adj. phr. slang smelly, offensive, disagreeable nudge n. slang Indulgence ('I've been giving the drink a nudge') nulla-nulla An aboriginal wooden club, used in battle O 'oath! My' Exclamation of emphatic approval oil, The dinkum n. slang Authentic information, good advice outback n. The hinterland, remote rural districts outer, on the adj. phr. slang Unwanted, discarded, ignored, black-legged Overland, The n. The Transcontinental Railway from Kalgoorlie (WA) to Port Augusta (SA) overlander n. A cattle drover, esp. in north Australia P paper war adj. phr. slang Any wearisome attendance to administrative routine pat n. slang Solitude ('To be on one's pat (Malone)') pearl, pearler adj. slang excellent perform, to v. To indulge in a gross display of rage or temperament perve, to v. slang To admire lasciviously (Also, 'optic nerve') pigs! excel. Nonsense, Rot! plonk n. slang Cheap wine point the bone, to v. phr. slang To put a curse on a person pom, pommy n. slang An English person pong, to v. slang To give off an unpleasant odour pozzie n. slang position, job, situation pub n. slang A public hotel, public-house punce n. An effeminate male push n. A gang of ruffians, louts Q quid n. A pound note (currency) R ratbag n. slang An eccentric, crank, fanatic razoo n. slang small amount of money ('Haven't a brass razoo') reffo n. slang A European immigrant rough adj. slang Unreasonable demand or condition rubbity n. slang See pub. (Also 'rubberdy dub') S sheila n. slang A young girl or woman Shop, The n. The University of Melbourne shout n. slang A custom of reciprocal payment for drinks in a group ('to shout') skite, to v. To boast, brag skull v. To strike someone on the head slab n. a pack of 24 cans of beer sling, to v. slang To bribe Smoke, the Big n. slang Any of the large cities in Australia smoko n. slang A brief break from work in the morning or afternoon sort n. An amiable young woman ('a good sort') S.P. adj. phr. Starting-price betting, conducted by unregistered 'off-course' bookmakers spare me days! excl. phr. slang Mild oath, expressing exasperation spin n. slang A five pound note spinner n. slang The tosser of the coins in the game of 'two-up' squatter n. A farmer. pastoralist, sheep-farmer stab n. slang Attempt ('to have a stab') station n. A sheep farm, or cattle range stockman n. A mounted station employee (U.S. cowboy) stone the crows! excl. slang (See 'spare me days') stoush, to v. slang To hit, strike strike-a-light!, strike me!, strike me lucky! excl. See 'Spare me days' stringybark n. A variety of eucalyptus tree. Hence, a tough wiry bushman stuck into, to get adj, phr. slang To become embroiled in an argument sundowner n. A itinerant swagman sus n. slang 1. suspicious 2. To inspect at close quarters ('To sus out!') swagman n. A vagrant, wanderer, nomad by choice, one who carries a swag, ie a roll of blankets swiftie n, A clever imposition upon someone, to fool or mislead ('to put a swiftie over on someone') T talent n. slang Group of young women, esp. at a social function Tatt's n. sweepstakes Tassie n. Tasmania tinny 1. n. a can of beer 2. adj. slang To be consistently lucky too right! excl. slang Expression of approval toss-in, to v. To give up, surrender Track, the n. The Alice Springs to Darwin Highway tray-bit, tray n. slang A threepenny coin (obsolete) turn it up! excl. slang Phrase suggesting disbelief or impatience turps n. slang Alcoholic liquor U Uni The University of Sydney uperty adj. slang 1. worthless, undesirable, incomplete 2. n. a snob W waddie, waddy n. A wooden club walkabout n. An extended trip or tour, on foot. Wet, the n. The wet season, north of the tropic of Capricorn wet adj. slang silly, simple, moronic whacko! excl. excellent, delightful wicket n. slang being in a privileged position ('on a good wicket') wouldn't it! Expression of resignation, frustration wowser n. A killjoy, puritan, esp. one with messianic tendencies Y yabby n. A small freshwater crustacean of the crayfish family yakka n. slang hard manual work yarra n. slang A fool, simple fellow yonnie n. slang A small stone Z zack n. slang A sixpenny coin (Obsolete, today's five cent piece) |
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