A

* (highest rank, grade, music): From the initial position of the letter A in the English alphabet.
* (blood type): From A antigen


rat

From Middle English ratte, rat, rotte, from Old English rætt, from Proto-West Germanic *ratt, from Proto-Germanic *rattaz, *rattō (compare West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”). However, the rat may have been unknown in Northern Europe in antiquity, and the Proto-Germanic word may have referred to a different animal; see *rattaz for more. Attestation of this family of words begins in the 12th century.
Some of the Germanic cognates show considerable consonant variation, e.g. Middle Low German ratte, radde; Middle High German rate, ratte, ratze. The irregularity may be symptomatic of a late dispersal of the word, although Kroonen accounts for it with a Proto-Germanic stem *raþō nom., *ruttaz gen., showing both ablaut and a Kluge's law alternation, with the variation arising from varying remodellings in the descendants. Kroonen states that this requires a Proto-Indo-European etymon in final *t and is incompatible with the usual derivation from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).

der

Get your rat out.

I don't need no dating app to tell me if I look like crap / To tell me if I'm thin or fat, to tell me should I shave my rat / I don't need no radio, no MTV, no BBC / I just need a bubble bath to set me on a higher path

2022, Chambers Hester Louise, Champion Michael James, Teasdale Rhian Louise, “Too Late Now”, in Wet Leg, performed by Wet Leg, Domino, →OCLC:

(UK, north-west London, slang, vulgar) Vagina, vulva.


sparrow

From Middle English sparwe, sparowe, from Old English spearwa, from Proto-West Germanic *sparwō, from Proto-Germanic *sparwô, from Proto-Indo-European *spḗr (“sparrow”).
Cognate with Dutch spreeuw (“starling”), Alemannic German Spar (“sparrow”), German Sperling (“sparrow”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål spurv (“sparrow”), Norwegian Nynorsk sporv (“sparrow”), Swedish sparv (“sparrow”), Breton frao (“crow”), Tocharian A spārāñ, Ancient Greek ψάρ (psár, “starling”).

cockney sparrow

I take it there 's scarcely a happier fellow alive than your honest town-bred smoke-dried cockney sparrow.

1878, Charles Henry Ross, Ally Sloper's guide to the Paris exhibition, page 54:

Professional cockney sparrow Martine has acted since childhood.

2005, Drama Faces: Martine McCutcheon, BBC:

(UK, chiefly London) A quick-witted, lively person.


musher

Origin uncertain, possibly from mush (“cab driver who is the owner of their cab, and sometimes a small number of other cabs as well”) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns), although the word is attested slightly earlier than mush. Mush is possibly derived from mush (“to drive dogs, usually pulling a sled, across snow”, verb) (see etymology 1), or mush (“(slang, rare) umbrella”, noun) (a clipping of mushroom, from the similar appearance; referring to drivers shielding passengers with umbrellas in rainy weather).

affix

Nobody knew Old Joe. He was a "musher"—that is to say, he owned his own cab and mostly did night work. He gave no trouble to anybody, and came and went as a rule in the dark hours of the night.

1927, Edgar Wallace, chapter XXXIV, in The Clever One [The Forger], 1st American edition, Garden City, N.Y.: The Crime Club, Doubleday, Doran & Company, published 1928, →OCLC, page 287:

(chiefly London, slang) Synonym of mush (“a cab driver who is the owner of their cab, and sometimes a small number of other cabs as well”).


mush

Possibly from mush (“to drive dogs, usually pulling a sled, across snow”, verb), or mush (“(slang, rare) umbrella”, noun) (a clipping of mushroom, from the similar appearance; referring to drivers shielding passengers with umbrellas in rainy weather).

(chiefly London, slang) A cab driver who is the owner of their cab, and sometimes a small number of other cabs as well; a musher.


manor

From Middle English maner, manour; from Old French manoir, from Latin manēre. Doublet of maenor.

Beckham was asked what it would mean for the Olympics to be held in his old neighbourhood.
"You mean my manor?" Beckham replied, in fluent East End argot. "I'm obviously from the East End, so it would be incredible for me if it was held there. It could go down as one of the best games in history."

2005 July 5, Mark Oliver, “Beckham kicks off last minute Olympics campaigning”, in The Guardian:

2012 July 30, Shekhar Bhatia, “My East End manor is now as smart as Notting Hill”, in The Evening Standard:

And, Gold adds, he can understand that West Ham's famously dedicated supporters, Londoners though they themselves mainly are, may mistrust businessmen "coming into the club and talking about loyalty. But this is my manor. I worked on Stratford Market, where the Olympic Stadium sits now. I remember the bomb falling on West Ham football ground and thinking: my God, they're coming after me. West Ham is my passion."

2012 August 19, Robert Chalmers, “Golden balls: West Ham United's co-owner reveals his cunning plan for the Olympic stadium”, in The Independent:


Abraham

Etymology tree
Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָםbor.
Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám)bor.
Latin Ābrahāmbor.
Old English Abraham
Middle English Abraham
English Abraham
From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”). Thomas L. Thompson suggests that the meaning of the name in Genesis was forgotten due to its age and that its original meaning was "Father is exalted." Glossed as אַב (aḇ, “father of”) + הֲמוֹן (hăˈmōn, “multitude of”) in Genesis 17:4–5; or from Hebrew אַבְרָם ('aḇrām, “Abram”). Doublet of Ibrahim and Avraham.

etymon

Charles G[odfrey] Leland
w:Charles Godfrey Leland

John S[tephen] Farmer
w:John Stephen Farmer

(archaic, British slang, chiefly London) A shop selling cheap and low-quality clothes, especially in the East End of London.


Met

(London, rail transport) The London Underground Metropolitan line.

(London, rail transport, historical, 1863–1933) The Metropolitan Railway.

The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of the investigation. […] The Met said it had informed its own Directorate of Professional Standards and a "mandatory referral will be made to the IOPC in relation to the initial contact from the woman's friend".

2024 April 11, Victoria Cook, “Westminster murder inquiry: Woman, 27, named by police”, in bbc.com:

(London, law enforcement) The Metropolitan Police Service of London (MPS).


Met

(London, informal) A Metropolitan line train.


wonga

Borrowed from Angloromani [Term?], from Romani angar (“coal”), from Sanskrit अङ्गार (áṅgāra, “charcoal, coal”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hángāras, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁óngʷl̥. The English term coal was itself used as a slang term for money in England in the 18th and 19th centuries.

der

A whole wodge of wonga.

I don't mean to be difficult, I said to the madame in reception, but I'm paying a lot of wonga, so these women of yours should be able to manage a bit of service, shouldn't they, I said, and then I was given a voucher.

2009, K. O. Dahl, The Fourth Man: A Thriller, Minotaur Books, →ISBN, page 59:

“Well, to fix this house, we need money, correct? Does anyone know if we have any money? Anyone?” “Uh...” “Cash.” “Coin.” “Moola.” “Gold.” “Wonga.” “Rubles.” “Milk.” “Lettuce.” “Bread.” “Dough.” “Sweet cream.” “Stripper tips.” “Anyone?” “Colin Robinson was in charge of paying all the bills in the house, and now Colin Robinson is dead.”

2022 July 12, Stefani Robinson & Paul Simms, “Reunited” (16:24 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 4, episode 1, spoken by Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou):

(slang, chiefly London, New Zealand) Money.


diver

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-diver.wav

(London, dated) A passenger carrying vehicle using an underground route; specially, a diver tram, one using the former Kingsway tramway subway (1906-1952).


Square Mile

From square mile
* (London): The City's land area is about 1.12 square miles and roughly square in shape.
* (Montreal): Ellipsis of Golden Square Mile. From having a land area of roughly a mile square.

(London, informal) Synonym of City of London.


guv

Alternative phonetic spelling of gov, short for governor.

Spare two quid, guv? I 'aven't eaten since yesterday.

Right away, guv... I mean, sarge.

(UK, Ireland, chiefly London, informal) A form of address to a man, usually a stranger or a superior.


sparra

Pronunciation spelling of sparrow, representing Cockney English.

pronunciation spelling of

Jason dons a screwed-up accent that Madonna would be proud of. While Martine, loved for being a cockney sparra, unfortunately goes posh.

2008, Jon Wise, “Double trouble as soap won't wash”, in People:

"Ah ! ah ! the fun was, one of the company said it was as like a sparra as one pea is like another; how I did laugh to myself, for she grew quite offended like, and insisted that this was a light brown bird, but that a sparra was next to black"

1859, Samuel Carter Hall, The book of the Thames: from its rise to its fall, page 351:


outerchange

From outer + change by analogy with interchange.

The five minute walk between Northwick Park and Kenton tube stations is a valid outerchange.

(British, chiefly London, rail transport) A connection between two stations within walking distance of each other but which are not physically connected; used especially where a journey involving such a connection can be done on a single ticket.


overground

The overground is ten minutes walk through the gloom. Anna finds a seat in the third carriage she tries.

Today dozens more systems are being built – or at least being planned with twelve in China alone – and that's not counting the overgrounds and the tramways!

2014, Nicholas Faith, The World the Railways Made:

TfL has released an official map showing how the new Elizabeth Line will slot in with the existing stations, Tube lines and overgrounds.

2022 May 19, Lucy Aplin, “New Tube map: How the London Underground map looks with the Elizabeth Line ahead of Crossrail opening”, in i:

(chiefly London) A commuter rail or similar rail transport system, or a train in such systems, generally running through an urban area largely above ground and faster than an underground or metro with fewer stops.


London Town

From London + Town. Compare Old English Lundentūn (literally “London town”).

cog

There was a man from London Town, Who was so very wise, He jumped into a bramble bush And scratched out both his eyes.

1906, Sarah Stone Williams, The Man from London Town, page 5:

The last other black face she'd seen had been at a tournament in London Town where her lord's son had fought.

2012, Richard Monaco, Lost Years: The Quest for Avalon:

To be in London Town on a Sunday morning is to be awakened by the music of many church bells, which provides an extraordinary experience in itself.

2014, George M. Goritz, Shakespeare, Wall Street and My Arabian Nights Adventures, page 36:

So it went on for a long time—hunger and poverty for poor Dick, with nothing but his dreams of London Town to give him happiness.

2014, E. Nesbit, Fairy Tales for Young Readers:

(UK, chiefly London, traditional or poetic) London, predominantly the central fifteen or so boroughs.


Old London Town

(UK, chiefly London) London, predominantly the central fifteen or so boroughs.


East End

But O Cook, O Thomas Cook & Son,[…]with ease and celerity, could you send me to Darkest Africa or Innermost Thibet, but to the East End of London, barely a stone’s throw distant from Ludgate Circus, you know not the way!

1903 October, Jack London, chapter I, in The People of the Abyss, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

(colloquial, UK, chiefly London) The east end of London, generally regarded to be east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames.


gawf

A cheap red-skinned fruit, known to costermongers as "gawfs," is rubbed hard, to look bright and feel soft, and is mixed with apples of a superior description. "Gawfs are sweet and sour at once," I was told, "and fit for nothing but mixing."

1851, Henry Mayhew, “Costermongers”, in London Labour and the London Poor, volume 1, Of the Tricks of Costermongers, page 61:

From Little White-Lion-street, an appleman in his stuff-coat swings out wide, side-pockets loaded. Doing brisk business, he turns to his young helper. 'Hurry it up with them gawfs!' he hisses. The boy redoubles his efforts, frantically rubbing at the redskinned fruit to make it look brighter and feel softer.

2011, Ed Hillyer, The Clay Dreaming, Myriad Editions:

In the piazza business is already brisk and the air is thick with costers' cries: 'Three a penny, two shillins the lot'; 'Best quality leeks, just look at the shine on these beauties'; 'Fine apples, mister – 'apenny each – you won't get no gawfs 'ere.

2012, Lynn Shepherd, Tom-All-Alone's, Hachette UK:

(obsolete, London, slang) A cheap and low-quality apple that has been polished to deceptively appear of better quality.


nosegent

There was a proud patrico and a nosegent, he toke his Jockam in his famble, and a wapping he went, he dockt the Dell, he prygge to praunce, he byngd a wast into the darkemans, he fylche the Cofe without any fylche man.

1871, Charles Hindley, The Old Book Collector's Miscellany:

'Still the lovely old nosegents were generous with their information when I asked about the grave.'

2017, Anabelle Bryant, The Den Of Iniquity:

'Oh, I forgot,' he said, mincing, 'you nosegents is so fokking pure.'


Bengi

(slang, London, Leeds, Birmingham) An ethnic Bengali


black car

(London) a black cab, a taxi that is only hailed from the street


quietway

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-quietway.wav

Hope came when the street was designated part of a so-called ‘quietway’, a London-wide initiative to create a network of continuous routes on side roads, particularly intended for less experienced riders, or older people, or children.” This in part involves using already-quiet streets, but also seeking to reduce car use on other residential roads. As part of this, residents of my street were consulted on the idea of blocking off the road to all but bikes at one end, thus cutting traffic levels by about 95 per cent. A majority agreed.

2017, Peter Walker, Bike Nation: How Cycling Can Save the World, Random House, page 125:

(London, cycling) A low-traffic cycle route aimed at less confident cyclists or those who want to travel at a more gentle pace.