fuckwittery

I've got a degree in total fuckwittery, but why is that a material fact, Richard? Nobody has denied that Lady Draycott was Joseph Pilgrim's mistress.

2001, Andy McSmith, Innocent in the House:

...the 'sameness argument' — 'challenge this whole fuckwittery about "I treat everybody the same'".

2002, Adrian Coyle, Celia Kitzinger, Lesbian and Gay Psychology: New Perspectives:

...and 'Three Lions' jingoistic fuckwittery that went on to lay karmic waste to record labels, live venues and rock mag institutions alike.

2004, Garry Mulholland, This Is Uncool: The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk and Disco:

"How the hell are we supposed to help them when they've got gold medals in fuckwittery — answer that, Sherlock!" She slammed her briefcase down...

That claim summed up the utter fuckwittery of horoscopes. It implied that either (i) all horoscopes prior to that were totally wrong...

2005, Tim Worstall, 2005: Dispatches from the Blogosphere:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, vulgar, derogatory or offensive) Behaviour of a fuckwit; irksome foolishness.


pandy

en-noun

pandy (countable and uncountable, plural pandies)


shitehawk

Possibly one of the most highly protected birds today is the kite, known by the British Army throughout the world as a shite-hawk.

1999 April 28, Lord Burton, “Capercaillie”, in parliamentary debates (House of Lords), column 423:

Shite-hawks..are more properly known as black kites,..gaining their unlovely nickname from British troops who used to get the meat stolen from their plates by these bold and skilful birds.

2006 March 11, Simon Barnes, “At deep mid-wicket I can see a face like a gargoyle – but wings like an angel”, in The Times, page 23:

(chiefly UK, Ireland, informal) A large scavenging or predatory bird; especially (originally in military use in South Asia) the black kite.

European herring gull
European herring gull

(chiefly UK, Ireland, informal) The European herring gull.

"Watch yer language, ye shitehawk." His da had heard the din from the kitchen and had decided to have his say in the matter.

1997, Valerie Maher, Sarah's Gate: Tales from Ballyhornet:

What must it be like, to be such a fucking gimp, and see perfection, and know you're too much of a shitehawk to ever have it?

2001, Gary Owen, Crazy Gary's Mobile Disco:

When I win, Liam still suggests on the eighteenth green that I'm a nine-fingered shitehawk.

2005, Andrew M Greeley, The Priestly Sins:

...any analyst who puts out a book with the word "ethics" in the title is invariably an incorrigible shitehawk.

(chiefly UK, Ireland, informal) An objectionable person; a twat or wanker.


pushbike

pushbikes (plural)
push bike (alternative)
push-bike (alternative)
pushie (alternative)

The noun is derived from push + bike. The verb is derived from the noun.

In England I learned to ride what the Australians call a push-bike, and spent many week-end leaves, and one four days' leave, riding in the South of England and Wales. [...] Today, I wished the push-bike was in its old place—especially when three boys sailed past on push-bikes and offered to give me some "gas."

1919, The Motorcycle Illustrated, volume 15, New York, N.Y.: Motorcycle Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 15:

[W]e find that the police have only got a pushbike in the place of the horse. We are, therefore, retrogressing. A pushbike cannot be used very well on our roads, and it is practically useless. The hon. member for Prieska expressed the view that it would cost much more to provide motor vehicles in the place of horses, but I doubt it.

1937, Union of South Africa: Debates of House of Assembly (House of Assembly of South Africa), volume 30, Cape Town: Cape Times, →OCLC, column 5911:

I ask the Minister for Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that last year 120 pushbike riders were killed and more than 4,000 injured? Is it a fact that about 100,000 more pushbikes are coming on to the roads each year, increasing even further the possibility of accidents? Has it been estimated that there are over 2,000,000 pushbike riders in Australia, thousands of whom are under 12 years of age?

1970, Clarence Joseph Earl, “Bicycles”, in New South Wales Parliamentary Debates (New South Wales Legislative Assembly), Sydney, N.S.W.: W. & F. Pascoe, →OCLC, column 5610:

It was just like an old novel: an ornate iron gate was opened by a liveried janitor, looking askance at my rather derelict pushbike.

1984, Tad Sobolewski, Crossing the Bridges, Adelaide, S.A.: Dezsery Ethnic Publications, →ISBN, page 3:

Section One of the Railway Trail is 1¾ miles long and is suitable for walking, push bikes (as bicycles are called), or mopeds. [...] Section Two is 2¼ mile in length and is suitable for push bikes and mopeds.

1995 July–August, Anne Sterling, “Bermuda Railway Trail: Exploring this ‘Linear Park’ Offers an In-depth Look at Island Life”, in Robert Meyers, editor, Cruise Travel, volume 17, number 1, Evanston, Ill.: World Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 48:

The town being so small, everybody rode pushbikes and there were pushbikes propped up everywhere. I've never seen anything like it! Next thing you know there were pushbikes going in all directions and blokes climbing up the verandah posts!

1996, Australian Farm Journal, volume 6, Melbourne, Vic.: Rural Press Limited, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12, column 2:

He looked around for a push bike. There was a red one hanging on the wall that looked like it might go.

2005, J[ason] T[revor] Wilson, “Way Down Below”, in Behind the Lines: Stories, Auckland: Exisle Publishing, →ISBN, page 56:

[O]ne night, when my brother and I went to bed, he told me he was leaving that night, but he needed my pushbike because his one was old, ugly and broken. [...] In return for giving him my pushbike he promised to give me his miniature railway set.

2018, Hans Meyer, “10 Years at School”, in 72 Years ont the Slippery, Sloppery Gangway Called “Life”: The Ups and Downs of Working 45 Years in the Shipping Industry, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Matador, Troubador Publishing, →ISBN, pages 13–14:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, informal) A pedal bicycle, as distinguished from a motorized bicycle.


mountain dew

So called because it was often illicitly distilled in the mountains.

[…] and a big-bellied bottle of old whiskey — for there is nothing like mountain-dew taken internally for resisting the effects of night mists.

1837 November, “Leistering Salmon by Torch-Light”, in New Sporting Magazine, volume XIII, number 79, page 310:

1870s or 1870s, George Etell Sargent, The Story of a City Arab, Religious Tract Society, page 387.
How they were employed was manifest from the strong perfume of tobacco and mountain dew (illicit whisky) which, striking upon me as I entered, almost overpowered my senses, […]

(Southern US, Ireland) Illegally distilled whiskey.


wankery

The core band, meanwhile, had clearly honed their chops well on stage; Ashton's lead guitar work avoids both wankery and simplicity […]

2002, Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide to Rock:

Their visas entailed bribes and a certain amount of bureaucratic wankery, but were approved quickly enough.

There are moments of static beauty, haunting sparseness, and pointless wankery, sometimes all in the same tune.

2003, Jim DeRogatis, Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock:

Sub Pop was different, they were arty and more into darker, weirder stuff like Big Black. K was pretty much the opposite of that kind of macho wankery.

2007, Everett True, Nirvana: The Biography:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, vulgar) Unnecessary or pretentious noodling (messing around).


fuckwittedness

It's a war against terror and it's a war against ignorance, and it's a war against prejudice and pure dumb-arsed fuckwittedness, and we've got to win that […]

2003, Stephen Sewell, Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America:

At any rate, this particular incidence of fuckwittedness had me arrive at Southampton Parkway ready to alight, struggling to the exit door in the corridor […]

2006, Stephen Francis, Reconstructing Stephen:

He should have stayed away from the war wound fuckwittedness, the being cute.

2008, James Meek, We Are Now Beginning Our Descent:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, vulgar) Extreme stupidity.


NCT

(Ireland) Initialism of National Car Test: a roadworthiness test for cars that must be periodically undertaken once the vehicle is more than three-and-a-half years old.


flicky

(slang, urban England and Ireland) flick knife, switchblade


arse-licker

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Alternative form of ass-licker.


panda car

/ˌpændə ˈkɑː/

/ˌpændə ˈkɑɹ/

From the original black and white colouring of the automobiles, like that of a giant panda.

(UK, Ireland, law enforcement, informal) A police car; specifically (historical), one with a broad white stripe painted around its middle on a darker-coloured or, originally, black background.


homeware

homeware (countable and uncountable, plural homewares)

[…] selling homewares has become the toughest job on the high street.

2009 January 23, Zoe Wood, “War on the home front as Ikea chief tempts flatpack-phobic”, in The Guardian:

(British, Ireland) Furnishings for the home, such as furniture and cushions.


sket

Don't be too upset if they call you a sket / 'Cause like the news, every day, you get pressed

2004, Amy Winehouse, Salaam Remi, “Fuck Me Pumps”, in Frank, performed by Amy Winehouse:

Love for the G's in the ends / But we don't love no girls in the ends / Last time I fell in love with a sket / But trust me, I will never do that again

2014, Skepta, Jme, “That's Not Me” (track 10), in Konnichiwa, performed by Skepta featuring Jme:

You shagged bare lads, you're a little sket / Have you heard your bars? They're fucking pept

2016 December 3, Millie B, “Soph Aspin Send”, performed by Millie B:

NB: All terms are usually pejorative unless stated otherwise.

(MLE, UK, Ireland, derogatory, slang) A sexually promiscuous woman.


gobsmacking

en-adj

gobsmacking (comparative more gobsmacking, superlative most gobsmacking)

more gobsmacking (comparative)
most gobsmacking (superlative)

(slang, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Causing one to be gobsmacked; astounding, flabbergasting.


balls up

en-verb

balls up (third-person singular simple present ballses up, present participle ballsing up, simple past and past participle ballsed up)

ballses up (present singular third-person)
ballsing up (participle present)
ballsed up (participle past)
ballsed up (past)

He was putting everything he had into it, but he kept ballsing up.

2009, Jan Kjaerstad, The Discoverer, →ISBN:

'We just have to get through without ballsing up

2011, Lesley Thomson, A Kind of Vanishing, →ISBN:

(UK, Commonwealth, Ireland, vulgar, intransitive) To make a mess of a situation.

He really ballsed up that paint work. It'll have to be redone!

It has got to the ludicrous stage that whenever Snedden makes a speech without actually ballsing something up irrevocably, they tell him he's the greatest thing since Winston Churchill;

1977, Mungo MacCallum, Mungo's Canberra, page 142:

Bearing in mind that if you're teasing but you have to explain it, then you're not teasing, you're just ballsing things up and being a fucking thug.

2010, A.L. Kennedy, Everything You Need, →ISBN:

We’re humans, we’re fallible, there is no medal for being right all the time; admitting we ballsed it up is not a weakness, it’s a superpower.

2023 January 28, Justin Myers, “62 dating green flags that shout ‘this one’s a keeper’”, in The Guardian:

(UK, Commonwealth, Ireland, vulgar, transitive) To do something badly. To ruin a job.


laneway

We pulled into a laneway at 496 Evans and drove to the back[…].

2009 January 15, Jack Lakey, “Hiding under a cold tin truck is no way for a cat to spend the winter”, in Toronto Star:

(Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Australia) A narrow roadway; a lane


agra

From Irish a (vocative particle) + lenited form of grá (“love”).

a ghrá (alternative)
agrah (alternative)

Kathleen, agra, […] bring me a glass of sperrits, will you?

1847, Anthony Trollope, The Macdermots of Ballycloran:

But their mother sent our one notes. Give that to your mam a ghrá.

2013, Eimear McBride, A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing, Faber & Faber, published 2014, page 21:

(Ireland) Dear, darling (as a term of endearment).


Elastoplast

From the trademarked name of one brand of sticking plasters, presumably from elastic and plaster.

Tension on the skin edges is prevented by the use of several one-half inch strips of elastoplast applied directly across the wound at right angle to the suture line.

1951 February, Charles E. Gurney, Verner V. Lindgren, “Early Care of Traumatic Wounds of the Face”, in Northwest Medicine, volume 50, number 2, Portland, Ore.: Northwest Medical Publishing Association, page 93:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) A sticking plaster (adhesive bandage) or medical dressing; a band-aid.


bridewell

From Bridewell (named after a well dedicated to St Bride), an area of London that once had a "house of correction".

Others in the Bridewell heard him screaming. Even prison doctors could see. His injuries were not self-inflicted. Those who tipped the scales did not agree.

1983, “The Wicklow Boy”, in The Time Has Come, performed by Christy Moore, produced by Dónal Lunny:

Two Fermanagh girls who never laughed were certain that he must have served time in a bridewell, so cold was his expression and so calloused his small hands.

2002, Joseph O'Conner, Star of the Sea, Vintage, published 2003, page xix:

(sometimes capitalised, dated in British, Ireland, rare elsewhere) A small prison, or a police station that has cells.


gaelscoil

From Irish, from Gael (“Gael, Gaelic person”) + scoil (“school”).

(Ireland) A school in which Irish is the working language.


wanky

en-adj

wanky (comparative wankier, superlative wankiest)

wankier (comparative)
wankiest (superlative)

I do feel like a bit of a jealous wanky idiot.

2007, Mathilde Madden, The Silver Collar:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, vulgar) Like a wanker; foolish or objectionable.

Must always have a worse time than me at parties. Must hate parties, students, arty wankers, wanky art students, parties with wanky art students.

1993, Henry Normal, Nude Modelling for the Afterlife:

1997 April, Jessica Hopper, L7: The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum, review, Spin, page 161,
Donita Sparks′s patented “I'm still dead” vocals and wanky guitar often beg to be fast forwarded (“Drama” comes off like Helmet sans pretentious time signatures), but that′s your problem. L7 are perfectly happy to rock, dress like roadies, and fall off bar stools with glee-filled abandon.

That Leo Sayer haircut and those dungarees, and the stupid laugh and the wanky right-on politics...

1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN:

We talked a bit — it was that wanky bar in town, the Art Bar — and first it was good, but then he got going on about justice, how there wasn't any.

2008, Richard Flanagan, The Unknown Terrorist:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, vulgar) Pretentious.


twatting

When are they going to fix that twatting coffee machine?

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, vulgar) damned; blasted; contemptible


twatty

twatty (comparative twattier, superlative twattiest)

twattier (comparative)
twattiest (superlative)

(vulgar, slang, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Like a twat; foolish, objectionable.


hillwalking

(British, Ireland) The pastime of walking in hilly countryside.


COP

en-noun

COP (countable and uncountable, plural COPs)

community ophthalmic physician
w:community ophthalmic physician

(Ireland, medicine) Initialism of community ophthalmic physician.


ETB

Meanwhile, Andy Pike of Fórsa, which represents SNAs, said the work to accommodate Ukrainian students has been coordinated very well through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). / The Government could ask the ETBs to make sure there is sufficient provision within their catchment area, he added.

2022 October 4, Jess Casey, “Eight-week summer gap 'not acceptable' for children with additional needs”, in Irish Examiner:

Education and Training Board
w:Education and Training Board

(Ireland, education) Initialism of Education and Training Board.


codology

codology (countable and uncountable, plural codologies)

Bloom comes out with the why and the wherefore and all the codology of the business.

Being an Englishman, Hilton had no time for codology.

6 June 2004, Hugh Leonard, A night with Hilton and Michael, Sunday Independent

I suspect that Mr Ó Duibhginn is, despite his abhorrence of codology, infected with that grimmest of codologies, Anglophobia (grimmest, that is, for Irishmen, as Germanophobia is for Frenchmen).

2006, John Jordan, Hugh McFadden, Crystal Clear: The Selected Prose of John Jordan, →ISBN, page 100:

(Ireland, colloquial) Hoaxing, humbugging, bluffing, deception.


Gordon Bennett

For James Gordon Bennett, Jr., a New York newspaper proprietor and playboy during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who became widely known for his extravagant lifestyle and shocking behaviour. The first time the expression appears in print was in 1937, in James Curtis's novel, You’re in the Racket, Too. The Oxford English Dictionary places the phrase in the 1890s as an alteration of gorblimey and again in reference to James Gordon Bennett Jr.
The name was probably chosen because the first syllable of Gordon sounds like God in non-rhotic pronunciations, which would make this a minced oath.

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) expression of surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, frustration.


clever clogs

clever clogs (plural)
cleverclogs (alternative)
clever-clogs (alternative)

'Not in itself,' said the Doctor, holding the gun at arm's length. 'But you tell me, what happens if some clever clogs gets this in his lab? Finds out how it works? The human race gets the secret of Dalek weapons. You'll all be dead by Wednesday week.'

2006, Gareth Roberts, I Am a Dalek, BBC Books, page 39:

'All right then, clever-clogs,' said Yasmin. 'Any idea which one?'

2011, Tom Bradman, Tony Bradman, Space School: Blast Off!, Bloomsbury (A & C Black), page 49:

'Yes, perfect. Mr Clever Clogs has done it again!'

2013, Lynda Bellingham, Tell Me Tomorrow, Simon & Schuster, page 409:

(slang, UK and Ireland) Somebody who is rather too clever; a smart aleck; sometimes used as an epithet.


scobe

(Ireland, slang) A chav or ned; a delinquent.


common land

common land (countable and uncountable, plural common lands)

The common land up at Chailey's always good for a walk.

(British, Ireland) an area of land in the United Kingdom or Ireland that is open to the public at all times and until the 18th century would have been land that was free for anybody to graze their animals on (often shortened to common).

fælled

land free for anybody to graze their animals on

I've always grazed my animals on the common land and I'm not going to stop now.

(UK, Ireland) collectively, all the common land in one of those two countries.


leaving do

(colloquial, Ireland, UK) A party or other celebration held in honour of someone leaving their job.


clever arse

No, don't be a clever arse. Did you or did you not eat all the ice cream?

(British, Ireland, slang, derogatory) A person who annoyingly tries too hard to impress with their cleverness; a clever dick.


go-slow

(UK, Ireland) A period of time spent in an unusually slow fashion.

Indiscipline results in chaos, confusion and diffusion or results. It give rise to strikes, ‘go-slows’, absenteeism, leading to loss of production, profits and wages. […] The features of code of discipline:
(i) It prohibits strikes and lock outs without proper notice and also prohibits intimidation, victimization, go-slow tactics, violence, coercion or instigation by both parties.

2018 October 8, Nwanne Titus Freeman Ifeanyi, “LABOUR UNREST AND INDUSTRIAL PEACE”, in 8th Annual Youth Peace Conference, Godfrey Okoye University, pages 5, 7:

(UK, Ireland, Nigeria) Deliberate slow working as a protest during an industrial dispute.


fart-arse

en-verb

fart-arse (third-person singular simple present fart-arses, present participle fart-arsing, simple past and past participle fart-arsed)

fart-arses (present singular third-person)
fart-arsing (participle present)
fart-arsed (participle past)
fart-arsed (past)

No good fartarsing about, […]

2008, Tom Holt, Falling Sideways, Orbit books, →ISBN, page 24:

For the last couple of years, the coaches at the Raiders have never given him much of a chance. They've been fart-arsing him around.

2009 May 29, David Campese, “Terry Campese's made it on own merits”, in Herald Sun:

(British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, slang) To waste time or opportunities; to dawdle.


blimey O'Reilly

If you're the O'Reilly, they speak of so highly, / Why blime me, O'Reilly, you're doing quite well.

[1915, Harry S. Miller, “Blime Me, O’Reilly (You’re Doing Quite Well) [cover title: Blime Me Mr. O’Reilly but You’re Looking Mighty Well]”, New York, N.Y.: The Cadillac Music; Springfield, Mass.; Chicago, Ill.: A. H. Goetting, →OCLC, page 5:

(UK, Ireland) Alternative form of blimey O'Riley.


blimey O'Riley

1915, Harry S. Miller, “Blime Me, O’Reilly (You’re Doing Quite Well) [cover title: Blime Me Mr. O’Reilly but You’re Looking Mighty Well]”, New York, N.Y.: The Cadillac Music; Springfield, Mass.; Chicago, Ill.: A. H. Goetting, →OCLC, page 5:

(UK, Ireland) An expression of surprise or frustration.


bloody Nora

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, dated) Expression of surprise, irritation, etc.


sod it

(UK, Ireland) expression of surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, boredom, frustration.


sod a dog

"Sod a dog." He shook his head. "She'll have a rant, then forgive me."

"Sod a dog, will you look at that? I've never seen so many CD's. Ya got a record store right here in yer room."

(UK, Ireland, mildly vulgar) Expression of surprise or annoyance.


sodding hell

(UK, Ireland, vulgar, mildly blasphemous) expression of contempt, frustration, etc.


green man

(chiefly UK, Ireland) A small figure of a walking man illuminated in green on a traffic light at a pedestrian crossing, indicating that it is safe to cross the road.


transition town

en-noun

transition town (plural transition towns)

environmentally friendly
environmentally friendly

(UK, Ireland) A town in the British and Ireland that is a member of the Transition Towns movement and is striving to develop a higher standard of living and an environmentally friendly future.


people carrier

(UK, Ireland) A car or minivan designed for spaciousness.


brass neck

[to have] a neck like a jockey's bollocks

This year's commemorations of the start of World War One are a stark reminder of the sacrifices politicians make with other people's lives – except nowadays they'll do so wearing a Help for Heroes t-shirt (almost entirely covering their brass necks). When it comes to the hypocritical lauding of the armed forces while simultaneously shafting them, no one does it better than this government.

2014 March 18, John Hyde, “Help for Heroes? Not from this government”, in The Law Society Gazette, archived from the original on 2014-03-20:

That’s why it’s particularly outrageous for the government to sneak out its rubbish “blueprint” for cycling and walking on Easter Sunday, and having the brass neck to try to spin its laughably small investment in cycling and walking as a genuine attempt to make them people’s choice for shorter journeys and to reduce the rate of cyclists killed or seriously injured.

2016 March 27, Helen Pidd, “Government's laughable cycling blueprint does nothing to boost safety”, in The Guardian:

Theresa May’s former chief of staff has accused the UK’s chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost, of having a “brass neck” after he said the UK government had “blinked first” in negotiations.

2020 September 6, Jessica Elgot, “UK's chief Brexit negotiator has 'brass neck', says former May aide”, in The Guardian:

After the Conservatives’ economic failure left working people worse off, it takes some real brass neck for the Tory top team to tell the public that it’s really all their fault. It’s the same old Tories. They haven’t changed and they’ve learned nothing.

2025 January 31, Rowena Mason, quoting Labour spokesperson, “Tory Chris Philp accused of ‘brass neck’ after saying UK needs better work ethic”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(idiomatic, UK, Ireland) Gall, shamelessness, cheek.

And it will need a strong hand to wield that knife, and it will need a steady nerve besides, because they have necks of brass, these aristocrats, I tell you: brass necks, all of them!

2010 [2006], Robert Harris, Imperium (Cicero Trilogy), Random House, →ISBN, page 72:

Mostly, though, open data acts as a deterrent against committing fraud in the first place, since it would take the brassiest of brass necks to post a fake dataset on a public website.

2020, Stuart Ritchie, Science Fictions: Exposing Fraud, Bias, Negligence and Hype in Science, Random House, →ISBN:

(idiomatic, UK, Ireland) A person with gall.


brass-necked

en-adj

brass-necked (comparative more brass-necked, superlative most brass-necked)

more brass-necked (comparative)
most brass-necked (superlative)
brassnecked (alternative)

I was at Stansted airport with my wife, younger kids and a niece the other week to take a flight to Dublin; one provided by that brass-necked, self-proclaimed champion of the air-travelling masses Michael O'Leary and his low-cost trailblazer Ryanair.

2007 August 6, Dave Hill, “Plane sailing?”, in The Guardian:

“Humbug”. That word may sink him. “Unfit” was Corbyn’s sombrely measured term. Brazen, brass-necked, thrashing about wildly in proclaiming the 11 supreme court justices “wrong”, Boris Johnson’s performance last night defied all democratic dignity.

2019 September 26, Polly Toynbee, “Boris Johnson’s brutish parliamentary performance defied all democratic dignity”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic, UK, Ireland) Nervy; cheeky; shameless.


brass-neck

en-verb

brass-neck (third-person singular simple present brass-necks, present participle brass-necking, simple past and past participle brass-necked)

brass-necks (present singular third-person)
brass-necking (participle present)
brass-necked (participle past)
brass-necked (past)

(idiomatic, UK, Ireland) To behave boldly or shamelessly.


green cormorant

en-noun

green cormorant (plural green cormorants)

(Ireland) The shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis).


coronach

coronachs (plural)
coranach (alternative)
coranich (alternative)
corrinoch (alternative)
corronach (alternative)
cronach (alternative)

From Scottish Gaelic corranach and Irish corānach.

The village maids and matrons round / The dismal coronach resound.

1810, The Lady of the Lake, Walter Scott, 3.XV:

[A] hired mourner, the Irish "Keener" at the conclamatio or coronach, where the Hullabaloo, Hulululu or Ululoo showed the survivors' sorrow.

1885, Richard F. Burton, chapter XXX, in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, volume I, The Burton Club, page 311 footnote:

(historical, Scotland, Ireland) A dirge or lamentation.


I believe you, thousands wouldn't

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-I believe you, thousands wouldn't.wav

You weren't working on germ warfare five years ago." "Non-lethal," she cries. "Oh, how you can not see." "Well, I believe you, thousands wouldn't[…]

2004, Sandra Newman, The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done: A Novel, →ISBN, page 185:

(British, Ireland, sarcastic) Used to indicate that the speaker does not put faith in something they have just heard.


my giddy aunt

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-my giddy aunt.wav

(British, Ireland) An exclamation of astonishment, confusion, despair, etc.: my sainted aunt, my sainted uncle.


haitch

→ Irish: héis

From earlier aitch with an initial H (lost already in Vulgar Latin) restored, from Middle English ache, from Old French ache, from Vulgar Latin *acca, probably an extension of earlier ha, from an unidentified source. The restoration reflects the pronunciation of the letter name in several dialects of English. See the Wikipedia article about the letter.

(chiefly Ireland, Australia, Malaysia) Alternative form of aitch.


freephone

From free + phone, perhaps after the Freefone (0800 number) service introduced in 1985 in the UK.

If they are not marketed properly they can easily be viewed as a poor man's freephone. Therefore, if such a service is to succeed, it needs to be promoted...

1997, Peter Murley, Gower handbook of customer service:

One reason for the increase in public contact with companies has been the introduction of freephone, or toll-free, services.

2000, Owen Hargie, Dennis Tourish, Handbook of communication audits for organisations:

Adding a freephone telephone number does increase response...

2001, Dave Patten, Successful marketing for the small business:

(chiefly UK, Ireland) A service offering telephone calls free of charge to designated numbers.


fag break

(UK, Ireland, slang) A brief cessation of work, activity etc. in order to have a cigarette.


Hallantide

Allantide (alternative)
Hallontide (alternative)
Hollandtide (alternative)
Hollantide (alternative)

Palmes and my friend, this night of Hallantide / Left all alone, and no way occupied

c. 17th century, William Browne, “An Epistle occasioned by the most intolerable Jangling of the Papists' Bells on All Saints' Night”, in The Poems of William Browne of Tavistock, volume 2, published 1894, page 229:

Hallantide ... All Saints' Day, (hallow-een-tide)

1872, Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society's Proceedings, “Somersetshire Glossary”, in Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society's, page 17:

(obsolete, dialectal, West Country, Ireland, Isle of Man, Lincolnshire, Northampton, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Wiltshire, Somerset, Cornwall) All Saints' Day

Isle of Man; Northampton; Worcestershire; Isle of Wight; Somerset; Isle of Man; Northampton; Worcestershire; Isle of Wight; Somerset


sugar momma

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Alternative spelling of sugar mama.


hoolie

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-hoolie.wav

At the Hoolie or Spring Festival, which happened in March, the Sepoys came round in procession, and exhibited anautch for our amusement in front of our bungalow, and a sort of play, the performers enacting the part of wild beasts.

1830, Anne Katharine Curteis Elwood, Narrative of a Journey Overland from England, page 229:

'A right damn wild hoolie!' a well-oiled friend enthused.

2010, Andrew Greig, At the Loch of the Green Corrie:

Indeed, our Recording Date was only yesterday and, thanks to a myriad of ongoing so-called technical 'snafus' (more media lingo - you'll get used to it!), we didn't leave the studio (get me, eh?!) until one in the morning, after which our presenters, Jiz and Liz, were in a right fouler, so we all piled back to Jane's gaff for champagne on tap and a wild sort of hoolie that had cocaine and everything, although when Jiz, who's a gas man, took out the baggies of coke and started spilling it around, I had to give Shauna a right decent reef on the arm, because I could feel she wanted to lunge for the stuff, and so I had to make it very clear to her that I had seen enough episodes of Miami Vice to know the kind of godforsaken roads you go down when you start messing with the Peruvian marching powder.

(Ireland) Alternative form of hooley (“party”).


arse around

en-verb

arse around (third-person singular simple present arses around, present participle arsing around, simple past and past participle arsed around)

arses around (present singular third-person)
arsing around (participle present)
arsed around (participle past)
arsed around (past)
arse about (alternative)

Quit arsing around and get to work!

Gob, he’s not as green as he’s cabbagelooking. Arsing around from one pub to another, leaving it to your honour, with old Giltrap’s dog and getting fed up by the ratepayers and corporators.

1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 299:

[…] up in London you arse around and go to the local and meet the boys and perhaps take in a flick, and then when you go to bed you find you’ve spent a quid and wonder where in hell it went and what you got for it.

1944, Nevil Shute, chapter 2, in Pastoral, London: Pan Books, published 1964:

It’s part of a whole lot of home-movie stuff I’ve just bought at Christie’s. Most of it’s too madly dull for words—you know, gay young things arsing around with no shame.

1988, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 12, in The Swimming-Pool Library, paperback edition, London: Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 284:

(intransitive, slang, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) To behave in a clownish, irresponsible or inefficient manner.


sadcase

sadcases (plural)
sad case (alternative)

(UK, Ireland, slang, derogatory) A pathetic, unfashionable or socially inept person.


blaa

From French, either from blé (“wheat”) or from blanc (“white”) as in pain blanc (“white bread”). Cognate with Yola blah (“a thin cake”).

(bakery, Ireland) a soft white breakfast roll, traditionally associated with south-east Ireland


begob

I spake to the polis, an' they laff at me, begob.

1894, Arthur Morrison, Martin Hewitt, Investigator:

Two Irishmen, Pat and Mike, were walking along Broadway, and one said to the other, 'Begorrah, the race is not always to the swift,' and the other replied, 'Faith and begob, education is a drawing out, not a putting in.'"

1922, P. G. Wodehouse, Right Ho, Jeeves:

1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Episode 12, The Cyclops
So anyhow Terry brought the three pints Joe was standing and begob the sight nearly left my eyes when I saw him land out a quid O, as true as I'm telling you


dog's dinner

to make a dog's dinner (of)

The Polizei had made a dog's dinner of this. Vera would have done better, no doubt of it. It now remained to be seen whether the Law would do better.

She must look like a real dog's dinner. No wonder he'd been looking over her head to the girl who took the coats.

1997, Norma Harrs, Where Dreams Have Gone:

Just think; without that Mrs Pankhurst and her wrecking crew jumping under racehorses (phwooar!) and chaining themselves to railings (kinky!), these young women would be out getting an education and respecting their own sexuality, not getting themselves up like dog’s dinners and being the passive playthings of men.

2004 March 6, Julie Burchill, “Welcome to the world of the Stepford Sluts”, in Times Online, retrieved 2010-11-29:

The folio text is unevenly spaced (the compositor made a dog's dinner of setting the text), with three spaces closed up...

2007, Mark Bland, Early Modern Manuscript and Printed Book Studies:

(Ireland, UK, Australia, New Zealand, slang) A complete mess.


hoke

hoke (third-person singular simple present hokes, present participle hoking, simple past and past participle hoked)

hokes (present singular third-person)
hoking (participle present)
hoked (participle past)
hoked (past)

From the root of holk (“hollow cavity”). Compare Scots howk.

When I hoked there, I would find / An acorn and a rusted bolt

1987, Seamus Heaney, Terminus: The Haw Lantern, published 2010, unnumbered page:

We met when I was hoking about in the rocks – just the sort of thing a virtual only child does to put in the day.

2000, John Kelly, The Little Hammer, unnumbered page:


bedad

From by dad, euphemistic form of by God.

Lady O'Dowd is also so attached to it that, she says, if anything were to happen to Mick, bedad she'd come back and marry some of 'em.

1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair:

But as for the party, bedad, it's rotten to the core, and won't stand another session.

"Ah, bedad, ye can finish it yourself--it's too expansive for me!"

1875, Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), Sketches New and Old:

May I tempt you to a little more filleted lemon sole, miss Dubedat? Yes, do bedad. And she did bedad.


done and dusted

1953, UK, with "dusted" alliterative and expressing "finishing touches". Compare home and hosed.

All to be done and dusted before the National Honey Show. After this the grand clear up.

(British, Ireland, idiomatic, of a task) Completed thoroughly and satisfactorily.

kua kēhi

an idiomatic expression - completed thoroughly


Irish English

The set of English dialects native to the island of Ireland, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.


loy

They were wielding the tools of their livelihood, but as weapons – scythes, hoes, loys, billhooks.

2002, Joseph O'Conner, Star of the Sea, Vintage, published 2003, page 28:

(Ireland) A type of one-eared spade used in Ireland.


gossoon

gossoons (plural)
gorsoon (alternative)
gazoon (alternative)

From Irish garsún, from Old French garçun. Doublet of garçon.

..and a whole army of gorsoons were hunting a poor dog with a kittle tied to his tail.

1866, Patrick Kennedy, “Jack and His Comrades”, in Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts:

"Thank you for the compliment, your Reverence," he replied, construing the delicate innuendo in a favourable sense' "sure every one, high and low, knows Andy Spain, the roadmaker, after his forty years on the highway, since I was a gossoon helpin' my father, who was a roadmaker before me.Bedad, I am a well-known character, and no mistake."

1912, Joseph Guinan, The Curate of Kilcloon, page 90:

‘He wants to be something he's not,’ he'd say. ‘He's fish, that gossoon, and he wants to be fowl.’

2002, Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea, Vintage, published 2003, page 63:

(Ireland) A young boy, a servant boy; a lackey.


bawneen

en-noun

bawneen (countable and uncountable, plural bawneens)

From Irish báinín (“(undyed) wool”), from bán (“white”) + -ín (“-een”).

Granna's rag rug still lay on the floor near the hearth, but it was more rag than rug now, and terribly dirty beside. The bawneen curtains were gone from the window, having been used to make bedding for wee Thomsy's cradle; [...]

2001, Ann Moore, Gracelin O'Malley, Penguin, →ISBN, page 339:

Light flooded the small living-room, with its rope flooring, utility chairs and tables, electric storage heater, and gaudy red bawneen curtains. He made immediately for the window and pulled the curtains together with a swift furtive twitch.

1973, John Broderick, An apology for roses, Calder Publications Limited:

(Ireland) Woven wool or flannel; especially undyed, unbleached wool.

I noticed she was looking closely at my jumper. [...] I remembered a bit of folklore I'd once heard that Island women used to weave secret patterns into their husbands' fishing bawneens to warn other women they were spoken for.

2002, Writers' Week Listowel, Writers' week Listowel winners 2002, →ISBN:

(Ireland) A traditional Irish "Aran" sweater.

Out of the flannel the women made what were called bawneens for the men. A bawneen was a kind of sleeved waistcoat, buttoning up the front. Often trousers were made of this flannel, too.

1934, George A. Birmingham, Pleasant places:

... and trimming great quantities of single-width coarse frieze for conversion into the everlasting suits that farmers wore on Sundays, and like quantities of thick white flannel, which their wives made into sleeveless waistcoats or bawneens.

1985, Terence Brown, Ireland: A Social and Cultural History, 1922 to the Present, Cornell University Press, →ISBN, page 70:

(Ireland) A waistcoat with sleeves, typically worn by labourers and fishermen.


Continent

(UK, Ireland) Mainland Europe, as seen from the British Isles.


tenpence

(obsolete, British, Ireland) A coin worth ten old pence.

(rare, British, Ireland) A coin worth ten new pence.

(obsolete, British, Ireland) The value of ten old pence.


snagger

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

Snag List Steve is not a happy snagger. […] It's his job to ensure that new homes are finished properly for their buyers - his clients.

2019 February 15, “'Some so-called tradesmen should be truly ashamed of themselves' - Steve's snagging headache bodes badly for buyers”, in Irish Independent:

We've gone from a small company in west Wales to the UK's number one snagger inspectors

2022 October 21, John Cooper, quotee, “The building inspectors exposing cowboy builders on TikTok: Experts' videos blasting 'absolutely shocking' paving, electrics and brickwork have been watched over eight million times”, in Daily Mail:

I was a snagger on the building site, where I was going around pointing out problems.

2024 January 3, Saoirse Monica Jackson, quotee, “Derry Girls star Saoirse Monica Jackson reveals surprising job she did before becoming famous”, in Irish Mirror:

(chiefly Ireland, UK) A person that reviews newly built properties to find issues to be remedied before the client buying the home moves in; someone who produces a snag list.


meinie

meinies (plural)
mayne (alternative)
mayné (alternative)
meiny (alternative)
meynee (alternative)
meynie (alternative)

From Middle English meine, meyne, from Anglo-Norman maigne and Old French mesnie (“household”), from Vulgar Latin *mānsiōnāta, from Latin mānsiō, mānsiōnem (“house”). Compare menial.

And whanne they in the caſtel wyſte hou ſire Palomydes had ſped there was a Ioyeful meyny / and ſoo ſir Palomydes departed / and came to the caſtell of Lonaȝep
"And when they in the castle wist how Sir Palomides had sped, there was a joyful meiny; and so Sir Palomides departed, and came to the castle of Lonazep."

1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum lxiv”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book X, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC, page 525:

(now rare, Scotland, Ireland) A household, or family.


pladdy

(Ireland) an islet or bank in the middle of a channel.


Wren Day

(Ireland, Wales, Isle of Man, Newfoundland) A celebration on December 26 where people, especially boys, hunt a fake wren and parade it upon a decorated pole.


bone-idle

Laziness that penetrates the very bones. Attested 1836. Similar terms (bone-lazy, bone-sore, bone-tired) pre-dated it in The Vocabulary Of East Anglia, 1830, Robert Forby. Compare to the bone.

For the last three weeks I have been going what you call bone-idle.

(chiefly British, Ireland, Commonwealth, idiomatic) Utterly lazy.


gone on

Tillie Boulter says the master is DEAD GONE on her.

1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “A Tempest in the School Teapot”, in Anne of Green Gables, →ISBN:

“And would you like doing that?”
“I'm not gone on it.”
She pulled me around so that she could get the light on my face , and she said : “Do it, do as the priest says. It'll help yourself to grow up." […]

1951, Francis MacManus, The Fire in the Dust:


Jedward

(UK, Ireland, informal) John & Edward, an Irish singing duo who achieved fame in The X Factor in 2009.


holliers

(Ireland, usually as "on one's holliers") holidays (time off work or time spent travelling; = U.S. vacation).


double cream

double cream (usually uncountable, plural double creams)

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

(UK, Ireland) A relatively thick cream suitable for pouring, whipping and piping.


tits up

tits-up (alternative)
titsup (alternative)

Perhaps derives from an expired animal lying on its back, or the behaviour of aeroplanes' attitude indicators, which in some regional conventions turn upside down when faulty and display an inverted 'W' resembling a pair of breasts.

The vast majority go tits up in the first year. Basic economics, even if the people have some training and education in retail.

1987, Nora Roberts, Daring to dream, page 157:

But believe me, sunshine, if this show goes tits up, none of us are going to come out smelling of roses."

2007, Gemma Townley, The Hopeless Romantic's Handbook, page 102:

(idiomatic, slang, vulgar, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Broken; failed; inoperable.

(idiomatic, slang, vulgar, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Dead.


down the banks

Unknown. Probably of Irish origin.
five conjectural etymologies
* Notes & Queries, 3rd series, volume 1 (8 March 1862), page 189 posits a connection with "down the khud", supposedly used of a person falling down a precipice in the Himalayas.
* Cassell's Dictionary of Slang (1998) suggests falling off the raised bank of a bog into muddy water.
* Bernard Share (Slanguage, 1997) suggests a link to "The Banks of my own Lovely Lee", a Cork anthem nicknamed "De Banks".
See also:
* Laurence Urdang, Walter W. Hunsinger, Nancy LaRoche, Picturesque expressions: a thematic dictionary (1985, →ISBN, page 571
* The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (2006, →ISBN, volume 1 A–I, page 646

Independent woters ain't the chalk—and the K. Ns. has done it!— They've spiled the trade. Sam's done it—Amerikins has done it! Take 'em up for interfeerin' with other people's bisness. Give 'em down the banks; send em up ninety days; give em that,"—and he struck straight out at an imaginary head, with a force that sent him with a lurch across the sidewalk, up against the side of the buildings.

1855, Albany Register, "An Independent Voter" (reprinted in Supplement to the Connecticut Courant, volume 20, number 27, page 211)

In a time in Ireland when politicians and public representatives and others are getting down the banks (if you’ll pardon the pun), a special word of gratitude goes to TD John Browne and Enniscorthy Town Councillor Keith Doyle for their support.

2009 October 1, “Little Angel Davina’s massive legacy in €25,000 fundraiser”, in Wexford Echo:

(slang, dated, Ireland, Liverpool) a severe criticism, scolding, reprimand, or punishment


cross-channel

cross channel (alternative)
cross-Channel (alternative)

Effect on the Revenue by the alteration of the Cross Channel Trade: The Acts of last Session of Parliament in regard to the removal of foreign goods between Great Britain and Ireland...

1825 (February 24) House of Lords Sessional Papers, v.120: Tenth report of the Commissioners of Inquiry into the Collection and Management of the Revenue arising in Ireland, Scotland, etc. p.233

the complete freedom given to general commercial intercourse, by which the cross-channel trade was made, by 6th Geo. 4th c. 107, a coasting-trade; and the intercourse with Ireland was left as unrestricted as that between London and Newcastle.

1834 (April 23) Thomas Spring Rice, House of Commons, v22 c1208

Arriving in Dublin from the Cross Channel steamer

1940 (June), Norman Somerville, The Rotarian, "Rotary in a Confused World", p.7

The Central Statistics Office publishes annual figures on the estimated total earnings from all visits to Ireland. These figures include a breakdown into the following categories for overseas travel routes: air cross-channel, sea cross-channel, continental and transatlantic.

2005 (November 29) Tom Kitt, Dáil Éireann, v611 c8

2008 (January 23) Tommy Marren, Western People "All-Ireland League could be soccer’s saviour"
Our fascination for cross-channel soccer never ceases to amaze me. We head to places like Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and even Elland Road week in week out in our droves to support teams that have little or no Irish involvement yet we find little or no attraction in attending matches in the eircom League that are virtually on our doorstep.

That travels across a channel of water; relating to somewhere on the opposite side of the channel

(chiefly Ireland, dated in British) Relating to the body of water between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland (the Irish Sea, Saint George's Channel, and the North Channel); to, from, or in the other of the two islands


Fenian

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-Fenian.wav

Blend of Irish féinne or fianna, plural of fiann (“soldier”), the name of a legendary band of Irish warriors, and Old Irish Féne or Féni, legendary settlers of Ireland. First attested from 1816.

(British, Ireland) An Irish nationalist or republican.


shiteload

(chiefly UK, Ireland, Northern England, vulgar, very uncommon) Alternative form of shitload.


bacon and cabbage

(Ireland) A traditional Irish dish of back bacon simmered with cabbage and other vegetables such as onions, turnips and carrots, served with the bacon sliced and much of the boiled liquid retained with the vegetables.


honour roll

British, Commonwealth, and Ireland standard spelling of honor roll.


what are you like

(UK, Ireland, colloquial, US, obsolete) Expressing mock despair at somebody's outrageous behaviour.


hillwalker

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of concern for a group of three hillwalkers who had not returned from the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glen Coe shortly after 9.05pm on Saturday 5 August.

2023 August 7, Nadeem Badshah, “Bodies of three hillwalkers recovered from ridge in Scottish Highlands”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(British, Ireland) A person who takes part in hillwalking.


diddy

Variant of titty. Attested from the late eighteenth century.

Hell, I almost regret editing out my original miss-spelling of the word 'literacy', since your sense of humour seems to be in need of some assistance, and that would have been a classic, one-off opportunity not only to make me look a right diddy, but to finally prove that Americans do understand irony.

2004 September 9, Iain McFadzen, “Remake of Taxi pissing me off”, in CGTalk, archived from the original on 2015-09-14:

(informal, Ireland, British) A fool, a tit.


bogger

boglander

(originally UK, derogatory) Synonym of boglander: an Irishman, now (Ireland, derogatory) a yokel, an Irishman from the countryside or (sometimes) from anywhere other than Dublin and the Pale.


rere

(Ireland, law, specifically) back portion or area behind (a building, etc.)


narky

en-adj

narky (comparative narkier, superlative narkiest)

narkier (comparative)
narkiest (superlative)

The war had made Stan narkier than ever.

1995, Linda Grant, The Cast Iron Shore, Granta, published 1998, page 61:

2003, Justine Larbalestier, A Buffy Confession, Glenn Yeffeth (editor), Seven Seasons of Buffy: Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors Discuss Their Favorite Television Show, BenBella Books, US, page 83,
I′m now one of those people I used to defend the show against. There is no one more bitter than an ex-true believer. Color me narky and picky.

It was a special request and Mrs. Fleming had to do it all on the spot, so that′s made her even more narky than usual.

2005, Maxim Jakubowski, editor, The Best British Mysteries 2005, page 191:

Foolishly, I went to the National Right dinner last night. What a narky, miserable bunch of sods.

2005, Mark Latham, The Latham Diaries, page 141:

I had to endure the narkiest taxi driver complaining about ‘Foreign lads takin′ taxi plates’, who then managed to test my patience even more by leaving me a good walk from Parker′s apartment block.

2008, Amanda Brunker, Champagne Kisses, page 46:

2008, Claudia Carroll, Do You Want to Know a Secret?, Random House, UK, unnumbered page,
Age is definitely making me narkier. The only difference between me and my moany Auntie Maisie is a plaid shopping trolley and a tracheotomy.

(UK, Australia, Ireland, slang) Irritated, in a bad mood; disparaging.


cheeky monkey

(UK, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, idiomatic) An impudent person, usually a child.


chargeant

The discharge of the petitioner to the charge of the executors alleged that the REv. THomas Conway was a member of the Order of Saint Dominic, and that is not denied; and the said discharge further stated that the said legacy to the Rev. Thomas Conway was in trust for the sole use and benefit of the members of the Order of Saint Dominic, and was void. The Rev. P. T. Conway, by his charge, states- "That chargeant has read that portion of the petitioner's discharge in this matter, which impeaches the said bequest to this chargeant on the ground that the said legacy was left to this chargeant upon trust, that he would take and apply same for the maintenance and support, or for the use and benefit of the members of the Order of Saint Dominic resident in the United Kingdom, and chargeant saith that no trust, save as hereinafter mentioned, was imposed upon chargeant in relation to the said bequest—that is to say, that he, the testator, had a conversation with chargeant, who informed him that he had bequeathed, or would bequeath, to chargeant the sum of £500, and that the said sum was, or would be, so bequeathed to chargeant, […]

1896, James Alphonsus Dwyer, The Dominicans of Cork City and County, page 164:

Every charge and discharge shall be verified by the affidavit of the chargeant and dischargeant respectively, unless the Court shall otherwise allow.

1904, Great Britain, Statutory Rules and Orders Other Than Those of a Local, Personal, Or Temporary Character, page 557:

(Ireland, law, possibly obsolete) A chargee, a person who has a charge upon something.


knobber

From knob + -er; the deer sense derives from the fact that a young buck's antlers begin diminutively as mere knobs; the fool sense derives indirectly from a reference to the penis; the two senses are ultimately cognate.

Harry chuckled. 'What is it, old son? Are you worried Natalie will go for a rummage in your undercarriage and come away empty-handed?'
Ad spat Tango across the table, missing me by inches.
'No, you knobber,' I said. “I'm meeting her parents for the first time tomorrow.'

2015, Ben Davis, The Private Blog of Joe Cowley: Return of the Geek, page 29:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang, derogatory) A stupid, obnoxious, or otherwise contemptible person.


Easter lily

(Ireland) An emblem of the lily in the Irish colours of green, white, orange: used to commemorate the Easter rebellion of 1916.


unparished

/(ˌ)ʌnˈpæɹɪʃt/

/ˌʌnˈpɛɹɪʃt/

From:
* un (prefix meaning ‘not’) + parish (noun) + -ed (suffix forming possessional adjectives from nouns); and
* un- + parished (“organized into parishes; possessing parishes”, adjective).

prefix

(British, Ireland, Christianity) Not designated as a parish (“an administrative part of a diocese that has its own church”).


rip the piss

en-verb

rip the piss (third-person singular simple present rips the piss, present participle ripping the piss, simple past and past participle ripped the piss)

rips the piss (present singular third-person)
ripping the piss (participle present)
ripped the piss (participle past)
ripped the piss (past)

(UK, Ireland, intransitive, slang, vulgar) To ridicule or mock severely.


sorr

"'I tell ye, sorr,' he told him, tis of no use at all, thryin' ter reclaim ther castle.

1912, William Hope Hodgson, Carnacki, The Ghost Finder:

No, sorr--yes, sorr," said Clancy hurriedly, and then more slowly, in neat adoption of the remarks he had just heard: "Leastways, sorr, I was just afther wondering if you had heard anything of this tale of a German Gineral lying out there on the ground beyanst." "

1916, Boyd Cable (Ernest Andrew Ewart), Action Front:

"A foine day it is, sorr," said our jarvey as we took our seats on the car.

1888, William Henry Hurlbert, Ireland Under Coercion (2nd ed.) (1 of 2) (1888):

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling

(Ireland) Pronunciation spelling of sir.


arsemunch

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, sometimes vulgar, humorous, slang) Alternative form of assmunch.


arseface

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang, derogatory or offensive) A contemptible person.

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang, derogatory or offensive) An ugly person.


copperfasten

copperfasten (third-person singular simple present copperfastens, present participle copperfastening, simple past and past participle copperfastened)

copperfastens (present singular third-person)
copperfastening (participle present)
copperfastened (participle past)
copperfastened (past)
copper fasten (alternative)
copper-fasten (alternative)

/ˈkɒpəˌfɑːsn̩/

From copper + fasten. From copper sheathing of ship hulls (to protect from damage by marine organisms. Originally copper sheathing but non-copper bolts were used, leading to corrosion. Later copper bolts (fasteners) were also used, eliminating corrosion issues. Literal sense from 18th century, metaphorical sense attested 1948.

We had some striking examples of what happens when a guy gets so big for his britches that any pal of his is automatically a copper-fastened genius.

1948, The Evening Independent, November 1948

This brings to an end a ten-year campaign by Pol O Murchú and other Irish language activists to copperfasten rights to have Irish language legislation made available […]

2010 “Supreme Court rules on law translation”, RTÉ News, May 6, 2010

(transitive, figuratively, British, Ireland) To reinforce, strengthen; to make permanent, embed.


tn

tn. (alternative)
tln (alternative)
tln. (alternative)

(chiefly UK, Commonwealth except Canada, Ireland) Abbreviation of trillion.


brehon

From an Anglicized oblique form (such as genitive singular breitheamhan or dative singular breitheamhain) of Irish breitheamh, from Old Irish brithem, from breth (“judgment”).

(Ireland, historical) A judge or lawgiver in ancient Celtic Ireland.


craytur

Mr. Ryan is very sick; the poor craytur.

(Ireland, slang, term of endearment) creature (a wretch).

A drop of the craytur will do you good.


kiss arse

kiss arse (third-person singular simple present kisses arse, present participle kissing arse, simple past and past participle kissed arse)

kisses arse (present singular third-person)
kissing arse (participle present)
kissed arse (participle past)
kissed arse (past)
kiss ass (alternative)

(UK, Ireland, idiomatic, sometimes vulgar, colloquial) Alternative form of kiss ass, to curry favour with the powerful by obsequious flattery.


cleverality

klĕvərăʹlĭtĭ

/klɛvəˈɹælɪtɪ/

Formed irregularly as clever + -ality on the pattern of comicality and other such terms.

I protest, it is to me the most difficult of things to write to one of your female - geniuses — there is a certain degree of cleverality (if I may so call it), an easy kind of derangement of periods, a gentleman-like — fashionable - careless — see-saw of dialogue — which I know no more of than you do of cruelty.

1803, Ignatius Sancho with Joseph Jekyll, Letters of the late Ignatius Sancho, an African, page 140:

But the time wearing late, and Tammie Bodkin having brought ben the shop-key, after putting on the window-shutters, Nanse and I, out of goodfellowship, thought we could not do less than ask the honest man, whose cleverality had diverted us so much, to sit still and take a chack of supper;

1868, David Macbeth Moir, The life of Mansie Wauch: tailor in Dalkeith:

There there dwelt a robber, much at his ease, because he had with him the only boat on the Loch: so that when he had robbed a passing traveller or party he had only to slide away in his boat to his Mand, where he could enjoy the spoil at his leisure, though an army should be raging for his apprehension on the shore. But we all, know what became of the man who was too clever: he perished of spontaneous combustion, consumed by his own excessive cleverality.

1882 March 18, The Lecturer, “BALQUHIDDER IN THE HIGH LANDS.”, in Otago Witness, number 1582, Dunedin, NZ, page 26:

"That," said Professor Denis Donoghue, "is what in Ireland is called 'cleverality.'" We had been talking of a contemporary American poet whom I admired for ironic and dazzling wit.

1975 April 10, Doris Eyges, “Beware of being too clever”, in The Christian Science Monitor, page 31:

The cleverality did not end there as McCreevy decided to borrow some of the old clothes from Tony Blair's spin machine

2003 December 7, “The chips are down for Bertie's kebabs - Analysis, Opinion ...”, in Irish Independent:

(formerly Scotland, now chiefly Ireland) cleverness


Paki shop

(UK, Ireland, offensive slang, derogatory) A corner shop run by a Pakistani or any other person of South-West Asian and South-Asian descent. Hence also any corner shop.


up oneself

en-adj

up oneself (comparative more up oneself, superlative most up oneself)

more up oneself (comparative)
most up oneself (superlative)

I don't like her; she is really up herself.

Don't be so up yourself.

2010, Deb Fitzpatrick, 90 Packets of Instant Noodles, Fremantle Press, page 151,
They′re older and taller and more up themselves.

There was a lot of yard bitching about Michelle, who was getting more and more up herself.

I had felt too that Putin was far grander than before, much more up himself, a bit peevish.

2012, Alastair Campbell, The Burden of Power: Countdown to Iraq - The Alastair Campbell Diaries, unnumbered page:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) Smug; arrogant; self-important and self-satisfied.


lovesome

lovesome (comparative more lovesome, superlative most lovesome)

more lovesome (comparative)
most lovesome (superlative)
loosome (alternative)
lossom (alternative)

From Middle English lufsom, lufsum, from Old English lufsum (“loving, lovable, pleasant”), equivalent to love + -some.

inh

(now rare, chiefly Ireland) Affectionate; friendly.


mountainy

en-adj

mountainy (comparative more mountainy, superlative most mountainy)

more mountainy (comparative)
most mountainy (superlative)

His girl, who worked on a mountainy farm above Caerphilly, had written to him about a queer cow […].

1925, Ford Madox Ford, No More Parades (Parade's End), Penguin, published 2012, page 292:

The mountainy fields rose quietly outside it towards gorse and heather.


knawvshawl

en-verb

knawvshawl (third-person singular simple present knawvshawls, present participle knawvshawling, simple past and past participle knawvshawled)

knawvshawls (present singular third-person)
knawvshawling (participle present)
knawvshawled (participle past)
knawvshawled (past)
cnawvshawl (alternative)
knauvshawl (alternative)

From Irish cnáimhseáil (“grumbling, complaining”).

der

On the way home in the trap, that night, the uncle started to cnawvshawl. "Houl', you hoor," said Dan, "there's a woman as has been watching your nephew this while will be rightly annoyed now that he's promised.

1984, John B. Keane, Man of the triple name, →ISBN, page 75:

Suzanne Vega stereotyped 'Calypso' as we knawvshawled about our families (our begetters and begotten, no worse than the next, whose umbilical cords we're still spancelled to) before we went on to our respective wanderings.

1997, The Irish review, numbers 20-21, page 123:

Secured with ballast of repartee, we drifted past murky, shallow waters of literary knawvshawl and found ourselves navigating a course I can't recall we ever traversed.

1999, “The Leper and Civil Disobedience”, in Fortnight, numbers 376-390:

Nothing would do her but that the fort should be levelled, and she was ever grumbling and knawvshawling about it, if it wasn't about something else.

2000, Rory O'Connor, Gander at the gate, →ISBN, page 244:

(Ireland, intransitive) to mutter or complain sullenly


half cut

en-adj

half cut (comparative more half cut, superlative most half cut)

more half cut (comparative)
most half cut (superlative)
half-cut (alternative common)

Originally jocular derivative of now rare use of cut in this sense, which dates from the 17th century, from cut in the leg, to have cut your leg, euphemism for being very drunk.

He had the girl's head on his shoulder but she was half cut and in her seventh heaven, so he just went on talking to me, proud of his English, you see.

1974, John Le Carré, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Folio, published 2009, page 233:

Drink up thy zider, drink up thy zider, For tonight we'll merry be. We'll knock the milk churns over and roll 'em in the clover, for the corn's half cut and so be we!

1975 July 10, “Drink Up Thy Zider” (track 6), in The Finest 'Arvest of The Wurzels, performed by The Wurzels:

Lucie Miller always loved Christmas back home in Blackpool. Her Mum running a still-frozen turkey under the hot tap at ten. Great-Grandma Miller half-cut on cooking sherry by eleven. Her Dad and her uncle arguing hammer and tongs about who was the best James Bond all through dinner.

2009, Death in Blackpool (The New Eighth Doctor Adventures; 4.01), Big Finish, publisher's summary:

You think: "That old fella's woken up still half-cut and put on his girlfriend's shoes by mistake."

2010 January 9, Alexis Petridis, “Ugg boots for men? No thanks”, in The Guardian:

(informal, UK, Ireland, Australia) Rather drunk.


kick into touch

en-verb

kick into touch (third-person singular simple present kicks into touch, present participle kicking into touch, simple past and past participle kicked into touch)

kicks into touch (present singular third-person)
kicking into touch (participle present)
kicked into touch (participle past)
kicked into touch (past)
kick to touch (alternative)

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I'm going to kick it into touch.

With referee Mark Clattenburg at the centre of a new racism row, is football once more succumbing to a blight many thought had been kicked into touch?

2012 October 29, Barney Ronay, “Is the Premier League becoming racist again?”, in The Guardian:

(UK, Ireland, idiomatic) To evade an issue; to stop from happening.


lands preserved

(UK, Ireland) statement placed on signs or in newspaper ads, advising that hunting or shooting is not permitted on the property.


skew whiff

en-adj

skew whiff (comparative more skew whiff, superlative most skew whiff)

more skew whiff (comparative)
most skew whiff (superlative)

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Alternative spelling of skew-whiff.


coner

Cameroon Pidgin: coner

When I lit my spliff
Just met my cat with the fattest coner

Just wanna go home and smoke coners

2023 June 3, Wee Joe, “Fun & Games”, 1:17–1:18:

(slang, Canada, Ireland) A marijuana cigarette tapered to a conical shape.


left hooker

left hookers (plural)
left-hooker (alternative)

From English left and hook + -er in the sense of the game of golf.

(UK, Ireland, colloquial, derogatory) A Roman Catholic, especially one of Irish descent.


examinership

(Ireland, law) A legal process whereby a company gets protection from the Court, in order to survive.


plain flour

en-noun

plain flour (usually uncountable, plural plain flours)

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

plain (“regular”) + flour.
The U.S. standard of identity comes from 21CFR137.105.

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, cooking) A wheat flour with a medium gluten content, suitable for general use.

puolikarkea vehnäjauho

flour with medium gluten content, suitable for general use


fooster

en-verb

fooster (third-person singular simple present foosters, present participle foostering, simple past and past participle foostered)

foosters (present singular third-person)
foostering (participle present)
foostered (participle past)
foostered (past)
foosther (alternative)

"Ony if he wouldn't spind so much time foosthering about with thim little hins, bad luck to thim, that lays an igg no bigger than a marble," she added plaintively, as the trio started down the village street.

7 July 1894, Charles Dickens (editor), Kattie's Wedding, F. M. Evans and Co., Limited

(Ireland, intransitive) To bustle about in a purposeless way; fidget.

"Speaking of which—" Fionn starts foostering in the pocket of his manky old jacket—"I've probably got something for you."

2010, Marian Keyes, The Brightest Star in the Sky:

(Ireland, intransitive) To rummage; to engage in inept activity; to noodle.


butcher's apron

en-noun

butcher's apron (plural butcher's aprons)

butcher's aprons (plural)
Butcher's Apron (alternative)

The apron worn in a traditional butcher's shop often has blue and white stripes and may acquire red bloodstains in the course of the work, thus bearing a passing resemblance to the red, white, and blue design of the Union Jack. Metaphorically, the pejorative allusion is to the bloodshed blamed on British imperialism.

Mr Eamonn McCann, of the Derry Labour Party, said he had no objection to people waving the Union Jack in the Diamond; he had no liking for it, as he considered it as being a butcher's apron in places like Aden and Kenya and elsewhere.

1969 March 31, Fergus Pyle, “Marchers attain Derry aim”, in The Irish Times, page 8:

They went out to the car and drove for over an hour until the road came into Cookstown. ... On the front of one of the stores, an insurance agency, there was a British flag flying. Sean pointed to it.
“What do they have the butcher’s apron out for?” he said.

1973, Jimmy Breslin, World Without End, Amen, New York: Viking, →ISBN, page 284:

In Re McAnulty, ... the applicant was a member of the People's Democracy Party and an elected member of Belfast City Council. which is Unionist controlled. ... At a meeting of the council on 6 December 1984, he criticized the proposal to have tricolour flags removed from a leisure centre and made reference to "the Union Jack, also known as the butcher's apron". Following this remark, the Council resolved that Mr McAnulty be suspended from the council pending withdrawal of the remark.

1986 September–October, Kathy Sinclair, “A review of recent legal decisions in Northern Ireland affecting local authorities”, in Local Government Studies, volume 12, number 5, →DOI, page 25:

Petty nonsense over the flying of (British) flags over (British) government offices caused pointless offence to (British) unionists. That such antics were really a disguising tactic meant to mask the fact that ministers de Brun and McGuinness are operating a partitionist Stormont government with British civil servants may fool some of the more gullible Shinners, but few were around the north Down and east Belfast fortresses of Education and Health to notice the butcher's apron fluttering outside on millennium day.

2000 February 10, “Question Time”, in Fortnight, number 383, →JSTOR, page 5:

Even in the West Brit stronghold of Killiney, Dublin, if a man were to go about wearing the Union Jack on his shirt it would cause a frisson. Now try wearing the ‘Butcher’s Apron’ on a T-shirt in the West Cork rebel stronghold of Inchigeelagh and your safe passage back to wherever you came from is not guaranteed.

2013 April 17, Shane Minogue, “Letters; Question Time”, in Irish Examiner, Cork:

What a grand ambition – rich and poor, left and right, all NZers getting together and waving a silver fern at an All Blacks match. It’s this kind of de-politicised, sports oriented, corporate logo version of Nationalism the Lockwood design represents, I don’t see anything progressive about it at all. ... tbh, if someone pointed a gun to my head and forced me to vote for one of these two crap options, I would opt for the butchers apron, at least it has genuine political and historical substance (even if bad substance)

2016 March 21, Tim Leadbeater, “Odd alignments in the flag debate [comment]”, in The Daily Blog, New Zealand:

That claim by Tomkins that Wales is full of butcher’s aprons flying next to Y Ddraig Goch is utter tosh, by the way.

2021 July, Wrexhamian, “‘Angry’ Scotland should be more like Wales and accepts its place in the union says Scottish academic [comment]”, in Nation Cymru:

Starmer was on tv earlier tonight rightly condemning the rioting right-wing thugs, but he was flanked by two Butcher's Aprons.

2024 August 4, Bill Cruickshank, Twitter:

It's no coincidence that Oasis are the band of choice for flag-shaggers and Reform voters – it's remarkable how often their fans have the butcher's apron on their Twitter bios, just as Noel had it painted on his guitar.

2024 August 28, Simon Price, “Stop the celebrations – Oasis are the most damaging pop-cultural force in recent British history”, in The Guardian:

(chiefly Ireland, derogatory) The Union Jack, as a symbol of oppressive British nationalism.


divil

(Scotland, Ireland) Alternative form of devil.


begrudgery

a certain sense of resentment at economically successful countries (what the Irish themselves call their national vice of begrudgery)

1978, Gerard Quinn, “Ireland and the European Monetary System”, in Studies, volume 67, page 275:

Joseph Lee's Ireland 1912-1985 seems to confirm the intuition of the writers in presenting an Ireland in which an alarming political and economic retardation was linked to begrudgery, "a deadly alloy of envy, jealousy and spite".

1998 Nina Witoszek, Patrick F. Sheeran, "The Tradition of Vernacular Hatred" in Talking to the Dead: A Study of Irish Funerary Traditions (Costerus New Series, Vol.117, p.114)

If proof were needed that begrudgery was dead, we need look no further than the existence of VIP magazine.

2004, John Waters, The politburo has decided that you are unwell, page 283:

(Ireland) resentment or envy of the success of a peer; criticism of ostentatious display of success.


cute hoorism

Some of the articles in this volume point to a culture of individusalism and ‘cute hoorism’ – where people try to get the political system to work for their own individual desires rather than for broad policy changes.

2007, McGrath & O'Malley, Irish Political Studies Reader, page 7:

On a positive note, the Rechthaberei culture has bred a society of remarkable, dogged fairness – the opposite of cute hoorism.

(Ireland) Cunning, trickery, cleverness, especially in negative sense: finagling, cynical self-interest.


bealach

These scoured-out basins form the grain of the land but excellent tracks weave their way through glens and up over the bealachs at their heads, giving good access to the summits, and what summits they are.

2018, Cameron McNeish, There's Always The Hills:


wankerish

en-adj

wankerish (comparative more wankerish, superlative most wankerish)

more wankerish (comparative)
most wankerish (superlative)

Caroline underlines her copy with the Bic pen she always carries along with her sketching pencils. And I told her that was a wankerish thing to do, but she keeps right on doing it even in public.

1994, Edward Farrell Marsicano, No satisfaction: and, The happy time, page 67:

But I wasn't sorry to prod him a bit; his preciousness about the grind of years, or the loss of youth, was sometimes as wankerish as his arrogance.

2008, Dhivan Thomas Jones, Green Eros, page 176:

(slang, vulgar, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Like a wanker (obnoxious person).


shopping trolley

en-noun

shopping trolley (plural shopping trolleys)

2007, Scott Moeller, Chris Brady, Intelligent M&A: Navigating the Mergers and Acquisitions Minefield, John Wiley, UK, 2011, unnumbered page,
As Wal-Mart builds up its knowledge of what goes into your shopping trolley, it can aid the positioning of goods as well as the pricing of complementary goods.

Children are often placed in shopping trolleys; in the designated seats as well as in the trolley itself.
A fall from a shopping trolley is a regular occurrence, possibly due to diminished attention of the parents while shopping.

2010, Rob A. C. Bilo, Simon G. F. Robben, Rick R. van Rijn, Forensic Aspects of Pediatric Fractures, Springer, page 123:

Which payment system and shopping trolley software is right for you?[…]When you go to the supermarket or other retail outlet, you pick goodies off the shelves and put them in a shopping trolley.

2011, Kim Gilmour, Dan Matthews, Greg Holden, Starting and Running an Online Business For Dummies, UK, page 255:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) A shopping cart.


gobful

The Professor, in order fittingly to celebrate this golden moment, leaned back in his chair, lit the worst cigar ever sold west of the Mississippi River, and blew five large gobfuls of smoke into the face of Mr. Gilhoolie, directly above him.

1926, Robert H. Davis, Irvin S. Cobb, Over My Left Shoulder, page 20:

One after another, gobfuls of mash are gobbled up.

1989, Robert McLiam Wilson, Ripley Bogle, published 1998, page 121:

The reps sat in the only beam of midwinter afternoon sunlight, and they guzzled paté, crackers, gobsful of spring onions, lettuce done in varnish, they farted and burped and read business contracts to one another,[…].

1992, Barry Dickins, Post Office Restaurant and Other Stories, page 42:

They stood, mouths open and teeth bared, till the yolk-like film that seeped from their gums had slid to form small gobfuls, at which time, one after the other like a Gatling gun, they spat the slime at Pemmell′s face.

2002, John Scott, “Warra Warra”, in Peter Craven, editor, The Best Australian Stories 2002, page 311:

(chiefly UK, Ireland, slang) A mouthful.


poustie

From Middle English pouste, from Anglo-Norman pousté, Old French poesté, posté etc., from (the stem of) Latin potestās (“power”). Doublet of podesta.

‘A, good knyght,’ seyde he, ‘thou arte a foole; for that jantillwoman was the mayster fyende of helle, which hath pouste over all other devyllis[…].’

1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XIV:

2020 Department of Health (NI), An Roinn Sláinte, Männystrie O Poustie

(now Scotland, Ireland) Power, authority, strength, health.


money spider

(UK, Ireland) Any spider of the family Linyphiidae, or (loosely) any very small spider, superstitiously believed to bring financial good luck.


aeroboard

From aero- (or the Irish aer) + board, or from a company of a similar name which manufactures polystyrene insulation products in Ireland.

(Ireland) Expanded polystyrene foam, such as is used in insulation.


wankerdom

(slang, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, vulgar) The state or essence of being a wanker (idiotic person).


fuel poverty

(chiefly UK, Ireland, New Zealand) The inability of a household to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost.


fuel-poor

en-adj

fuel-poor (comparative more fuel-poor, superlative most fuel-poor)

more fuel-poor (comparative)
most fuel-poor (superlative)

(chiefly UK, Ireland, New Zealand) Unable to keep one's dwelling adequately warm at a reasonable cost.


have a laugh

en-verb

have a laugh (third-person singular simple present has a laugh, present participle having a laugh, simple past and past participle had a laugh)

has a laugh (present singular third-person)
having a laugh (participle present)
had a laugh (participle past)
had a laugh (past)

Near-synonym: have (someone) on

Some of the kids had a laugh and put glue on the teacher's chair.

Fifty quid for that piece of junk? You're having a laugh!

(UK, Ireland, idiomatic) To joke; kid around.

We had a great laugh yesterday at the funfair.

(UK, Ireland, idiomatic) To enjoy oneself; have fun.


gintleman

One look from that Quaker gintleman is worth all the praching and praying that be in you."

Sure enough it was a millstone, and a very neat one; and the saint, having raised a bit of a laugh, went on like a cheap-jack: "Av there's any gintleman prisunt wid an eye for millstones, I'll throuble him to turn ut here.

1906, Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, The Delectable Duchy:

There is no finer man on earth than your "thrue Irish gintleman," and Henry Clay had not only all the highest and most excellent traits of the "gintleman," but a few also of his worst.

1916, Elbert Hubbard, Little Journeys To the Homes of the Great, Volume 3 (of 14):

(Ireland, Mid-Ulster) Pronunciation spelling of gentleman.


give a shite

give a shite (third-person singular simple present gives a shite, present participle giving a shite, simple past gave a shite, past participle given a shite)

gives a shite (present singular third-person)
giving a shite (participle present)
gave a shite (past)
given a shite (participle past)

I'd carry a sandwichboard only the girl in the office told me they're full up for the next three weeks, man. God, you've to book ahead, man, you'd think it was for the Carl Rosa. I don't give a shite anyway so long as I get a job, even as a crossing sweeper.

1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 16: Eumaeus]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part III [Nostos], page 574:

(chiefly UK, Ireland, slang, vulgar, very uncommon) To care; mind; consider important.


revivor

Where any enactment not repealed by this Act has been confirmed, revived or perpetuated by any enactment hereby repealed, such confirmation, revivor or perpetuation shall not be affected by the repeal.

1962 Statute Law Revision (Pre-Union Irish Statutes) Act, 1962 §2(2) Irish Statute Book, No. 29 of 1962

(Ireland, law) revival into force of a statute which had previously been repealed


dillisk

(chiefly Ireland) Alternative form of dulse.


sleeping partner

en-noun

sleeping partner (plural sleeping partners)

sleeping partners (plural)
sleeping-partner (alternative)

Somewhat later, the Frenchman Charles Fourier was ridiculed for expecting day by day the sleeping-partner to turn up who would invest in his Phalanstère plan, which was based on ideas very similar to those sponsored by one of the greatest contemporary experts on finance.

1957 [1944], Karl Polanyi, chapter 9, in The Great Transformation, Beacon Press: Boston, page 108:

(UK, Ireland) A business partner who doesn't play an active role in running the day-to-day operations of a business, who instead, finances the business in the form of capital investment.

stiller Gesellschafter

a business partner who is not involved in the day-to-day business, but puts up capital


PAT

PAT (countable and uncountable, plural PATs)

electrical engineering
electrical engineering

portable appliance testing
w:portable appliance testing

(electrical engineering, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia) Initialism of portable appliance testing.


shitebag

(UK, Ireland, vulgar, very uncommon) Alternative form of shitbag.


muppetry

(UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, slang, derogatory) The behaviour of a muppet; foolish incompetence.


faix

(Ireland) Eye dialect spelling of fecks.


whip-round

whip-rounds (plural)
whip-around (alternative)

When the war ended, local businessmen had a whip-round to pay for rebuilding a destroyed airport terminal and the bombed-out shops on Tripoli Street in the city centre.

2013 October 5, “The can-do city”, in The Economist, page 69:

(chiefly UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, informal) A quick collection of money from a group of people, usually for a beneficial purpose.


left-footer

(Roman Catholic): Said to allude to the practice of Irish farm labourers of digging with their left foot on one-eared spades such as loys and slanes that were designed to be operated in that way.

Jones shook his head knowingly. "I forgot you're a left-footer. Catholic by name, catholic by nature."

2011, Elena Forbes, Die with Me, →ISBN, page 382:

(UK, Ireland, Australia, colloquial, derogatory) A Roman Catholic, especially one of Irish descent.


where there's muck there's brass

(UK, Ireland) There is money to be made even in unpleasant, dirty jobs.


dacent

en-adj

dacent (comparative more dacent, superlative most dacent)

more dacent (comparative)
most dacent (superlative)


bad cess

Uncertain. Occurs in print at least as early as 1831, when Samuel Lover used the expression as one already long-established. He unambiguously stated the derivation of cess in the malediction bad cess to be an abbreviation of success. OED speculated that it either was from success or from assessment meaning a military or governmental exaction.

...and so says the king to himself, "the divil receave the dhrop of that wine they shall get," says he, "... bad cess to the dhrop," says he, "my big-bellied bishop, to nourish your jolly red nose..."

1831, Samuel Lover, Legends and Stories of Ireland:

Bad cess to me, but it's too provokin', so it is; — and why couldn't you tell me so at wanst?

1834, Samuel Lover, Legends and Stories of Ireland:

Bad cess to the villains, but it's themselves that put me into the hobble, the thievin' rogues of the world.

1836, Philip Dixon Hardy, Legends, Tales, and Stories of Ireland:

Seen it with the ould Canal Company, bad cess to them, and all. People are decent enough in ones and twos, and maybe even threes, but they're worse than a lot of bad-mannered dogs when they band together into a crowd.

1963, Michael Farrell, Thy Tears Might Cease, Hutchinson:

(British, Ireland) Bad luck, failure, or evil befalling.


fagbutt

(UK, Ireland, slang, colloquial) The butt of a cigarette.


get on someone's tits

en-verb

get on someone's tits (third-person singular simple present gets on someone's tits, present participle getting on someone's tits, simple past and past participle got on someone's tits)

gets on someone's tits (present singular third-person)
getting on someone's tits (participle present)
got on someone's tits (participle past)
got on someone's tits (past)

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang) To annoy or irritate.


climbing frame

(UK, Ireland) A piece of playground equipment consisting of a set of interlinked bars on which children can climb.


fucksticks

"Fucksticks!" When some other fucker pushes in a queue / "Fucksticks!" When you get caught short and really need a poo / "Fucksticks!" When I came a-tumbling off my BMX / "Fucksticks!" When I split my frenulum while having sex

2011, Kunt and the Gang, Fucksticks (song)

Would A Christmas Carol have been as popular if instead of saying 'Bah, Humbug!' Ebenezer Scrooge had said, 'Oh, Fucksticks!'? What's the funniest expletive you can imagine Scrooge exclaiming?

2018, Richard Herring, Emergency Questions: 1001 conversation-savers for any situation:

His eyes rolled back in his head and his slender form crumpled to the floor like someone had just cut his strings.
"Oh, fucksticks!" I breathed, rushing to him and pulling him into my arms.

2019, Kaye Draper, Gesa's Menagerie Box Set (books 7-9)

(UK, Ireland, colloquial, vulgar) Expressing frustration.


shass

If there were any sheaves left, they composed a compact shass in the end, and the long ladder, strewn with straw, and resting on stones, or other supports, lay [...] opposite the shass.

1875, Patrick Kennedy, The Banks of the Boro: A Chronicle of the County of Wexford:

She was speaking at the time lower than a whisper, so that I had to kneel beside her on the ground—she was lying on a shass ov straw—an' bend my face down to her's to hear her.

1913, James Murphy, Convict No. 25; Or, the Clearances of Westmeath: A Story of the Whitefeet:

(Ireland, possibly obsolete) A heap of sheaves (straw).


geebag

(Ireland, slang) An irritating or obnoxious person.

(Ireland, slang, derogatory) An objectionable person.

'OhmyGod', I said, matching his peeved tone and doing the same geebag accent I'd used to get Naylor out of his hedge.

2008, Tana French, The Likeness, page 312:

“Get it offa me, ye mindless geebag!” Tomlinson's glazed eyes danced with sudden glee, and he tore the top from her, Dymphna's breasts spilling out like the screams spilled from her mouth.

(Ireland, slang, derogatory) A person of a lower class.


yis

(Ireland, especially Dublin) Alternative form of yous.


nancyboy

nancyboys (plural)
nancy boy (alternative)

With Mum out of earshot, he continued: "I don't believe you did six girls. I think you're a liar. I think you're either a virgin or a nancyboy."

2003, Alan Grayson, Mile End, Ragged Sky Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 84:

This was Marcus, this effeminate, mincing nancyboy, picking his way fastidiously across the grass?

2009, Andrew Chapman, Pagan, →ISBN, page 303:

Always having to look over your shoulder for some prissy little nancyboy from the ACLU trying to get you bounced from the force.

2009, Peter S. Fischer, The Blood of Tyrants, The Grove Point Press, published 2009, →ISBN, page 60:

(slang, derogatory, Commonwealth, Ireland, UK) Synonym of nancy: an effeminate man, especially an effeminate homosexual.


what ho

What ho, Frobisher!

The Count’s in danger,—what ho! there! approach!

1817 May 5, Lord Byron, “Letter CCLXXVIL To Mr. Murray.”, in Thomas Moore, editor, Letters and Journals of Lord Byron: With Notices of His Life, […], volume II, London: John Murray, […], published 1830, →OCLC, page 23:

What ho, there! All who are within hearing, return without fear. Caesar has tamed the lion.

1912 February 6 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Androcles and the Lion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act II, page 44:

"[…]in he came, and I said ‘Oh, what ho!' and introduced Wally Mason.[…]"

1920 April 10 – August 28, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, The Little Warrior [Jill the Reckless], New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 8 October 1920, →OCLC, page 152:

‘What ho!’ said Adrian, getting up to shut the door. ‘Treasons, strategems and spoils.’

1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 18:

(Commonwealth, UK, Ireland, informal, dated) An exclamation of greeting, summons, or surprise.


pintman

(Ireland, informal) A man who habitually drinks pints of beer, or is revered for his way of drinking them.


Seanad Éireann

(Ireland) The upper house of the Parliament of Ireland.


yokibus

From yoke + jocular Latin -ibus. Compare thingumajig.

With your permission, Sir, I propose to have this “yokibus” ["a badge bearing caricatures and words of a ludicrously stage-Irish nature"] made available in the Library so every Deputy will have an opportunity of seeing the way this country is being caricatured by the Government.

1961, Jack McQuillan, Dáil Éireann debates, Vol.189 no.1 p.17 cc.16-17 9 May 1961

O'HORAN: (Taking a rise:) You had invented a yokibus, your letter said, that was on a par with p'ison gas.

1994 [set in 1929], Hugh Leonard, "Senna For Sonny", Plays International, Vol.10 p.38

(Ireland, slang, dated) A miscellaneous thing or whimsical contraption; a thingamajig.


Croker

From Croke + -er; the stadium was named in honour of Archbishop Thomas Croke.

(Ireland, slang) Croke Park, the largest stadium of Ireland, home of the Gaelic games.


compromise rules

international rules football
international rules football


throughother

en-adj

throughother (comparative more throughother, superlative most throughother)

more throughother (comparative)
most throughother (superlative)

Probably from Irish. However, it has parallels in both Goidelic (e.g. Irish trína chéile) and Germanic (e.g. Scots throuither, German durcheinander).


craik

I have heard the word "craik" used by both the Irish and Scottish to mean "good conversation" or something close to that, varying a bit in context.

2003 July 28, HollyElise, “"Craik" and "crack"”, in Scotland.com:

Ye bust yer chops engineering intelligent monkeys an ye hae a guid craik wi them.

2007 April 26, “The Scottish word: Craik”, in Scottish Words Illustrated:

(Scotland, Ireland) Misspelling of craic.


blow me

With a look of disdain, he exclaimed: “Blow me, your shirt! Why in 'ell didn't you use mud?”

1917, Arthur Guy Empey, “Lewis Gun”, in Over the Top, G. P. Putnam's, page 44:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, dated, informal) Ellipsis of blow me tight.


best thing since sliced pan

greatest thing since sliced bread#English

(Ireland, idiomatic) Alternative form of greatest thing since sliced bread.


alanna

He was sentenced to be hung without any trial worth speaking of; but as he was carted to the gallows an old woman cried out, "Ach, Jimmy alanna!

1872, John Fiske, Myths and Myth-Makers:

Well, alanna," he continued in an altered tone, "don't be frettin' yourself anyway.

1902, M.E. Francis (Mrs. Francis Blundell), North, South and Over the Sea:

Come here, alanna," said the voice, with mock fondness.

1905, George Bernard Shaw, The Irrational Knot:

(dialect, Ireland, as a term of address) child


council house

The modern council house, with its bathroom and electric light, is smaller than the stockbroker's villa, but it is recognizably the same kind of house, which the farm labourer’s cottage is not.

1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn:

She maintains that the internet should face similar curbs to TV because young people are increasingly living online. "It's totally different, someone at Google watching the video from the comfort of their office in San Francisco to someone from a council house in London, where this video is happening right outside their front door."

2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in the Guardian:

(UK, Ireland) A house built and operated by local town councils, usually of relatively low price and lived in by the working class and welfare recipients.

kunnan omistama vuokra-asunto

house built and operated by a local council


council-housed

(UK, Ireland) Living in a council house.


scraw

From Irish scrath (“a turf”), sgraith (“a turf, green sod”), akin to Scottish Gaelic sgrath, sgroth (“the outer skin of anything, a turf, a green sod”).

(Ireland, archaic) A sod of grass-grown turf from the surface of a bog or from a field.


arsehead

Blackadder: Meet the new Member of Parliament for Danny-on-the-Wold.
Prince George: But he's an absolute arsehead!

1987, Blackadder the Third: Dish and Dishonesty:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, vulgar, derogatory, slang) An idiotic or undesirable person.


pigs in the parlour

Before 1968, what little coverage there was of Irish affairs was of the traditional 'pigs in the parlour' kind.

1986, Yonah Alexander, Alan O'Day, Ireland's terrorist dilemma, page 111:

(Ireland, UK) An allegory for a backward rural society.


double first

(UK, Ireland) A first-class degree in both classics and mathematics.

Chess-playing requires complete abstraction, and Nigel, though he was a double-first, occasionally lost a game from a lapse in that condensed attention that secures triumph

1880, [Benjamin Disraeli], Endymion […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC:

(UK, Ireland) One who achieves such a degree.


virger

(UK, Ireland) Alternative form of verger.


head

EN-AU ck1 couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery.ogg

En-au-couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery.ogg

Presents an example of a minimally simple project that the person or group described is presumed unable to accomplish.

“Deladrieux should have stayed an accountant,” Murphy sighed. “He's got three people working for him but they're just administrative clerks, pencil-pushers, they couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery. That's what you get when you assign engineering jobs to non-engineers.[…]”

2006, G. C. Lemans, Chantier: A tribute to the world's engineers and their partners in life, page 60:

'It'll be a sad day when the British leave. You lot couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery without the Queen, God bless her'.

2023 January 28, Martin Thiebaut, The Nomad Letters, Troubador Publishing Ltd, →ISBN:

But, a tip for everyone reading this, don't use Visa Machine, as it couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery! And I should know, as I have had three breweries and I can!

2018 December 11, Ian Rogers, London to Magadan, Troubador Publishing Ltd, →ISBN, page 47:

(UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, vulgar, slang, idiomatic) Is unable even to organise a project that requires no planning; is incompetent; used to describe someone as greatly incompetent.

couldn't organise a bun fight in a bakery


wekeen

(obsolete, Ireland) A bird, the meadow pipit.


deed poll

I changed my name by deed poll.

(law, UK, Ireland) A deed that effects a change of an individual's name.


The Emergency

(Ireland, historical) The official euphemism used by the Irish Government during the 1940s to refer to its neutral position during World War II.


barstooler

From barstool + -er.
From the prevalence of the practice within bars.

(Ireland, derogatory) An Irish person who regularly watches English football matches on television and takes no interest in or disparages the domestic League of Ireland.


Rose of Tralee

(Ireland, informal) An international festival of Irish culture held annually in County Kerry.


Rose of Tralee

(Ireland) The young woman who wins a personality contest at this annual festival.


jackarse

Blend of American English jackass with British English arse.

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) A jackass (foolish or obnoxious person).


no duff

From the RAF slang expression "duff gen" meaning bad information; no duff, by extension means accurate, also: stop operations until ordered otherwise.
No Duff comes from the term "No Direction Finding" in the British Army in regards to radio/signals procedure. It was used when in training or on exercise to pass a message true in nature but not related to the aims of the exercise. This could be an accident, change of exercise requirements etc. This means the message to be sent should not be subject to radio direction finding to locate the transmitting station by either the blue or red side. ie
"Hello zero this is two one alpha, NO DUFF message over".
"NO DUFF two one alpha this is zero, roger out to you, hello all stations this is zero stand by for NO DUFF message out, two one alpha send NO DUFF over".
"NO DUFF hello zero this is two one alpha, two one bravo has rolled their rover over, over".
Normally followed by laughter or expletives from the zero's CP.

“Sunray, No Duff, No Duff, No Duff. We need a medic, we’ve got a man down. Wound to the upper arm, and major blood loss. Over.” ¶ All the other chatter on all the radios went dead with the ‘No Duff.’ It was the signal for a medical emergency.

2001, Ska Child, David Harris, Skavoovee, Victoria, B.C.: Trafford Publishing, page 152:

“Someone grabbed me from behind and said ‘No duff,’ which means this is real,” said LCdr. Wong. “That’s what everybody heard, ‘Plane crash, 737,’ and all of us started running to our posts,” he told reporters after Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived here to commend those who raced to the scene.

2011 August 24, Gloria Galloway, “When troops heard ‘no duff,’ they knew Resolute Bay rescue wasn’t an exercise”, in The Globe and Mail:

(UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, military slang, radio voice procedure) Indicating that this is not a drill or training exercise.


no duff

“Get him in here, and radio a ‘no duff’ [casualty] to HQ.”

1999, Scott Taylor, Canada at War and Peace: A Millennium of Military Heritage, volume 3, Ottawa: Esprit de Corps Books, page 140:

[p 224] I called on the radio and — this was the most horrifying part of this — I couldn’t reach my observation post where my guys were. But I did get the command post in the middle of Srebrenica. I told them, “This is a no duff situation. You’ve got two men down and we’re on the trail.’
[p 236, glossary] No duff The radio code words used to get people off the air because a serious incident has occurred.

2003, “Jordie Yeo: Master Corporal” in John Wood ed., The Chance of War: Canadian Soldiers in the Balkans, 1992–1995, Dundurn Press

(UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, military slang, radio voice procedure) An incident that is not a drill or training exercise; an emergency. Also end of exercise. Stop drill immediately. As a ‘tap out’ called by during physical training. Sim munitions training in Australian Swat ‘end ex’.


atself

"Ach sure, there's no harm in the one drink atself, but wasn't Mrs. Farrell telling us Father had an extra twelve last night after his tay?"

(UK dialectal, Ireland) Actually; really.

(UK dialectal, Ireland) Merely; even; only so much as.