in good bread

You are at present in good bread, but were you out of place, I could expect nothing from such a one as you, but to become a burden to my family.

1754, John Breues, Fortunate Lovers: Or, the Most Successful Arts Used in Honourable Courtship […], page 23:

By these Means I established myself in good Bread, and a numerous Set of good Acquaintance of both Sexes.

1755, Peter Drake, The Memoirs of Capt. Peter Drake: Containing, An Account of many Strange and Surprising Events […], volume 2, page 229:

This mode of life suited me exceedingly: I found myself in good bread, and resolved to go on; but the caprice of my stars never suffered me to be what I wished.

1791, [William Beckford], transl., Popular Tales of the Germans […], volume 2, page 176:

(obsolete, British, Ireland, slang) In a fortunate or favorable position.


cheggie

(UK, regional) A conker (horse-chestnut used in a game).


rageous

en-adj

rageous (comparative more rageous, superlative most rageous)

more rageous (comparative)
most rageous (superlative)


zero prefix

(UK, telephony) The digit 0 that begins all telephone numbers in the United Kingdom, which is substituted for the country code in the event of international calls.


wirelessless

I've been stranded, utterly abandoned, left wireless—rather, wirelessless.

We are wirelessless, or probably we should have enjoyed de la Mare's aperçu of Keats tonight.

Quoted in: 2020, Carol Z. Rothkopf, Selected Letters of Siegfried Sassoon and Edmund Blunden, 1919–1967

She also reflected that a jumpy, wool-gathering wireless operator might cause less confusion ashore. But the fact remained that the yacht was wirelessless.

2022, William J. Locke, Ancestor Jorico:


shitehead

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


Millwall brick

In reference to Millwall F.C., a football club with a reputation for hooliganism.

(UK, slang) An improvised club-like weapon made of tightly rolled and bent newspaper, allegedly used by football hooligans.


CRIII

King Charles III of the United Kingdom
w:en:Charles III of the United Kingdom

(UK) Abbreviation of Charles Rex III; the royal cypher of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, king regnant.


hannit

Contraction of hasn't it. Compare innit.

It's kinda killed comedy a little bit, hannit?

(UK, informal) Contraction of hasn't it.


monkey walk

In pre-war Britain, for example, younger people had mainly gained introductions to the opposite sex through the ‘evening walk’, with many British cities having well-known routes along which groups of young women and men would walk […]. Known colloquially as ‘monkeyruns’ or ‘monkeywalks’, these provided a relatively informal and regulated space for sexual performance and display […]

[2013, Phil Hubbard, Cities and Sexualities, Routledge, →ISBN, page 137:

(British, dated slang) Synonym of monkey run


monkey parade

These twilight parades of young people[…]—unkindly critics, blind to the inner meanings of things, call them, I believe, Monkeys' Parades—the shop apprentices, the young work girls, the boy clerks and so forth, stirred by mysterious intimations, spend their first-earned money upon collars and ties[…] and come valiantly into the vague transfiguring mingling of gaslight and evening, to walk up and down, to eye meaningly, even to accost and make friends.

1911, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter 3, in The New Machiavelli, London: John Lane; The Bodley Head […], →OCLC, book the first (The Making of a Man), page 66:

1918 [1915], Thomas Burke, Nights in London, New York: Henry Holt and Company, page 76:


Treason Day

In reference to the American Revolutionary War.

I have a British colleague who, at the end of our writing group meeting, wished us all a "happy treason day" 😂

2020 July 3, margaret_emma, Twitter, archived from the original on 2022-09-27:


WYO

WYO tonight?

(UK, US, text messaging) Initialism of what you on (“what are your plans? what are you up to?”).


WUO

(UK, text messaging) Alternative form of WYO (“what you on”)


windy pasty

(UK) A pasty made from left-over pastry, usually served with jam and cream.


tiddy oggy

In fact, we shared many a hot tiddy oggy as we sat and talked about all my inner struggles, as well as the many overwhelming challenges I regularly faced.

2012, Tricia Bennett, The Trouble With Polly Brown, page 486:

(UK, dialect, Cornwall, Devon) Synonym of oggy (“a Cornish pasty”)


ploughman's sandwich

en-noun

ploughman's sandwich (plural ploughman's sandwiches)

(British) A sandwich based on the ploughman's lunch, with fillings including cheese and pickle.


mistetch

en-verb

mistetch (third-person singular simple present mistetches, present participle mistetching, simple past and past participle mistetched)

mistetches (present singular third-person)
mistetching (participle present)
mistetched (participle past)
mistetched (past)

(UK, Yorkshire, obsolete) To misteach; teach badly or wrongly.


KamiKwasi

(UK, politics, derogatory) Alternative spelling of Kamikwasi


jarbird

(obsolete, UK, dialect) A bird of family Sittidae; a nuthatch.


jaypie

The magpie and jaypie inhabit the woods, and commit depredations on gardens.

1813, Great Britain. Board of Agriculture, Agricultural Surveys: Angus (1813) (page 460)

Loud screams the jaypie as he sounds retreat, / And turtles hurry from their latent seat: […]

1838, J. Hazel, The British Farmer; or, Sketches [in verse] of a country life, page 42:


Kamikwasi

Kamikwasi Kwarteng and Librium Liz were paralysed with terror. They had waited years for their chance to wreck the economy and now couldn’t bear to deal with the consequences.

2022 September 28, John Crace, “Labour parties like it’s 1997 as Tories descend further into chaos”, in the Guardian, retrieved 2022-09-30:

Those spending plans allied with the tax cuts sent sterling plunging to its lowest-ever value against the dollar earlier this week, as critics decried the government's "KamiKwasi" economics.

2022 September 28, “'KamiKwasi' economics: Baptism of fire for UK's new finance minister Kwarteng”, in The Straits Times, retrieved 2022-09-30:

You might have thought that the first Truss cabinet row would have been over the tax and spend implications of what has become known as the KamiKwasi budget.

2022 September 28, David Aaronovitch, “Truss is right: we need migrants to prosper - Comment”, in The Times, retrieved 2022-09-30:

(UK, politics, derogatory) Kwasi Kwarteng; used to characterise Kwarteng's term as the Chancellor of the Exchequer as reckless.


shathead

(UK, Ireland) Alternative form of shithead.


booking lad

This will provide a permanent automatic record of all train movements in the area of each box and eliminate the manual recording at present done by booking lads.

1964 November, “The Electrification of BR: 5 The Southern's Bournemouth scheme”, in Modern Railways, page 320:

(rail transport, dated, British) A young male employee in a signal box who records the movement of trains past the box.


sprackness

The Saxon's mind, and above all in the young, is destructive, and his sprackness wants the guidance of refined thought, […]

1869, William Barnes, Early England and the Saxon-English, page 64:

She smoked in silence for a minute or two while Lady Shore sat and blinked at her, struck as always by her friend's personality, by her wonderful, shining sprackness. Her dark hair shone, especially on the temples, […]

(UK, dialectal) The quality of being sprack, lively, full of energy.


polly

(UK, slang) A prefect at Uppingham School in Rutland, England.


leavelooker

(UK, historical) A market inspector in the region of Chester in England, responsible for licensing foreign traders, checking the quality of meat, etc.


nagnail

Perhaps from a rebracketing of "an 'angnail".


underfoud

From the twelfth century Shetland had been administered directly by the Norwegian crown through the 'foud', rather than forming part of the patrimony of a great aristocratic estate. The foud appointed 'underfouds' and the Shetlands evolved their own elected officers, a 'lawman' and parish 'lawrightmen', who adjudicated and negotiated the collection of customary taxes and fines on behalf of the local population.

1983, Paul Thompson, Tony Wailey, Trevor Lummis, History Workshop Series, Living the Fishing, Routledge & Kegan Paul:

(British, Shetland and Orkney) A lower-ranking foud; a subbailiff.


PRU

pupil referral unit
pupil referral unit#English

(UK, education) Initialism of pupil referral unit.

pupil reintegration unit
pupil reintegration unit#English

(UK, education) Initialism of pupil reintegration unit.


RVI

Royal Victoria Infirmary
w:Royal Victoria Infirmary

Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne#English

(UK, healthcare) Initialism of Royal Victoria Infirmary; a large hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom.


pept

en-adj

pept (comparative more pept, superlative most pept)

more pept (comparative)
most pept (superlative)

been offered a^([sic]) apprenticeship but the wage is absolutely pept

2015 October 21, @sam_hunter7, Twitter, archived from the original on 2022-10-17:

It's all backwards, I just don't get these niggas / Dumb ballers, its like they're all pept these niggas

2016 July 28, “(Freestyle)”, in Daily Duppy, performed by Aystar, GRM Daily:

Have you heard your bars? They're fucking pept / Fucking pept, yeah, that's what they are

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

Must be pept to be a stuck up cunt. Down to earth are my kinda people

2017 March 12, @MitchellmusicUk, Twitter, archived from the original on 2022-10-17:


guttlesome

guttlesome (comparative more guttlesome, superlative most guttlesome)

more guttlesome (comparative)
most guttlesome (superlative)

From guttle (“to swallow (something) greedily; to gobble; to guzzle; to eat voraciously; to gorge”) + -some (“characterized by some specific condition or quality, usually to a considerable degree”).

suffix

'What one of those guttlesome parsons who came every year to our dinners?' A momentary sadness passed over the company; on my mind the impression lingered; the talking, eating, evangelical parson, always going out to dinners, was dead.

1861 February 2, “The Sinfulness of Balls”, in Saturday Review, volume 11, number 275, page 115:

Since when I've cleared the table to feed these guttlesome swans—on the best cake, too, which is simply immoral.

1919, Lucas Malet, The Tall Villa, George H. Doran Company, →OCLC, page 95:

(British, dialect) Greedily eating and gorging oneself; gluttonous.


blokette

Coordinate term: bloke

(Australia, British, New Zealand, informal) A woman (female bloke).


wazzocked

en-adj

wazzocked (comparative more wazzocked, superlative most wazzocked)

more wazzocked (comparative)
most wazzocked (superlative)

It'll be so nice to see them again, and have a might of not bothering about anything domestic and just getting on with the serious business of getting utterly wazzocked.

2011, Sam Holden, Diary of a Hapless Househusband, page 196:


bicycle monarchy

en-noun

bicycle monarchy (plural bicycle monarchies)

(UK, informal) A relatively informal and modest style of monarchy, as found in Scandinavia and the Low Countries.


gap yah

From stereotypical pronunciation by the privileged upper class. Compare yah (“an upper-class person”). Gap Yah was the name of a comedy sketch of this kind, published on YouTube in February 2010.

I was at university in Paris for three months and I missed my friends desperately. I'd gone away without them on my gap yah but being in the Caribbean alone was fun, and people there were friendly and made me feel safe.

2020, Grace Campbell, Amazing Disgrace: A Book About "Shame":

I pushed a strawberry sweet into my mouth, bagged up the afternoon's rubbish and thought about what my gap-yah girl would be called, what her favourite colour was, her favourite food.

The sneers about my gap yah. The eye-rolling whenever I mentioned Exeter. Full of posh pricks, you said once. I thought I wasn't cool enough for you.


wazzbag

“Yeah, we know what that wazzbag, Kevin is up to, that little wretch. How dare you strike Rachel? I'll skin you alive,” Anthony said and slapped him across his face. Kevin looked unmoved and just smirked. Chandler's men wrestled the two[…]

2020 June 4, Rayna Arora, The Royal Blood, Notion Press, →ISBN:

Tyler says, “Stop being such a wazzbag and live for once. We're gonna be fine.” Octavia walks midway and sits down with the grass bestowed between her knees. Kierra asks, “What are you doing?” Octavia replies, “Everyone come over.

2022 June 17, Lis Frimpong, Forbidden Entries, Page Publishing Inc, →ISBN:

(chiefly UK, slang, derogatory) A detestable or stupid person.


jack-up-the-orchard

I'll give you jack-up-the-orchard if I catch you!

(UK, dialect, obsolete) Used as an unspecified threat.


meal deal

(UK, retail) A sales promotion consisting of a main (often a sandwich), a drink, and a snack (often crisps) for a fixed price.


wartern

(UK, regional, historical) An amount of wool, usually around six pounds, processed at one time.


wauve

(UK, regional, obsolete) The dish of a wheel; the angle at which spokes are fixed in its nave.


mustn't grumble

(UK, humorous) Not bad; implying that life is not bad and one should not complain about it.


curl one out

en-verb

curl one out (third-person singular simple present curls one out, present participle curling one out, simple past and past participle curled one out)

curls one out (present singular third-person)
curling one out (participle present)
curled one out (participle past)
curled one out (past)

I searched for a place to empty my bowels and found an empty compound. As much as I frowned on the way these people lived, I wasn't going to curl one out on their pillow.

2017, Dean Bailey, Crawling Out of Hell, Fonthill Media, →ISBN, page 117:


Brexitish

en-adj

Brexitish (comparative more Brexitish, superlative most Brexitish)

more Brexitish (comparative)
most Brexitish (superlative)

The Brexitish notion that nation states can just withdraw from the rest of the world and wall in their own production is a cultural fantasy as delusional as any who punch “Australia first!”, “America first!”, “Britain first!” statements into the keypad of a Chinese-assembled mobile phone.

2017 May 1, Van Badham, “Worker exploitation: without an international minimum wage, we're all worth 10 bucks”, in The Guardian:

(UK, informal) Resembling or characteristic of Brexit, or the attitudes thought to underlie it.


par off

en-verb

par off (third-person singular simple present pars off, present participle parring off, simple past and past participle parred off)

pars off (present singular third-person)
parring off (participle present)
parred off (participle past)
parred off (past)

Christopher suggested being "open" with the person you are parring off which will provide a "good grounding" for future tricky situations you want to weasel out of.

2017 February 20, Lucy Woodham, “We asked a therapist how to stop overthinking things”, in The Tab:

What they were like on Love Island: Cringe, and when he told her he loved her the day before the final and she parred him off, it was clear it wasn't going to work.

2017 December 4, Diyora Shadijanova, “Kem and Amber might be over, but which Love Island couples are still together?”, in The Tab:

"Nice to see eclectic sets being celebrated as they should ... except the part where the most brilliantly eclectic DJs are constantly being parred off by promoters," tweeted Josey Rebelle late last year.

2018 March 15, Josey Rebelle (quoted), Patrick Hinton, “Stop calling DJs 'eclectic'”, in Mixmag:

When good boy Grant suddenly drops good girl Cassidy for Tayla, and everybody feels sorry for Cassidy, before she does the exact same thing to lovable puppy dog Josh by parring him off for newcomer Mich.

2018 June 22, Georgie Wright, “We Compared the British and Australian 'Love Island'”, in VICE:

(UK, slang) To reject, ignore, or spurn.

When you broadly look at what’s going on in the Pokemon universe, it’s pretty questionable. Masses of beautiful wild creatures roam the hills, and it’s your task to encase them all in balls for use in battles or to par them off in a safe deposit box for your creepy collection.

2016 February 26, Adam Starkey, “8 important life lessons we’ve learned from 20 years of Pokemon”, in Metro:

That’s why, on Tuesday, I was uncharacteristically excited to see that I had an acai bowl – actual food! – but, sadly, it wasn’t to my taste, and neither was Wednesday’s Spinach, Apple and Matcha smoothie, which I happily parred off to my boyfriend in favour of, you guessed it, a chicken caesar wrap from the shop.

2022 August 20, Ella Glover, “Is this vegan food subscription worth your time and money? I tried it for a week”, in Metro:

I said to the guy, "Listen, I want a vindaloo, but I want it hot, OK? Don't par me off with any of this little spice thing." He said, "OK, yeah, you want it hot?" So, I said, "Yeah," so he went away and ordered it and he came back and clunked it in front of me and I started to eat it and it was unbelievably hot.

2016 March 14, Phil Collins (quoted), Scott Lapatine, “Easy Lover Easy Rider: Action Bronson Interviews Phil Collins”, in Stereogum:


casualty department

en-noun

casualty department (plural casualty departments)

(British) (also casualty ward) the department of a hospital providing immediate treatment for emergency cases.


jiffle

en-verb

jiffle (third-person singular simple present jiffles, present participle jiffling, simple past and past participle jiffled)

jiffles (present singular third-person)
jiffling (participle present)
jiffled (participle past)
jiffled (past)

(intransitive, UK, regional) To fidget; to act restlessly.


Brasian

(UK, slang) A British person of South Asian-extraction/heritage/ethnicity.


snap-tin

(UK, regional, dated) A metal lunchbox (food container).


Friday face

Perhaps from Friday being a day of meagre fare among Catholics and High Church Protestants.

(UK, slang, obsolete) A gloomy or melancholy face.


shaler

(UK, slang, obsolete) A girl or young woman.


spec up

spec up (third-person singular simple present specs up, present participle speccing up, simple past and past participle specced up)

specs up (present singular third-person)
speccing up (participle present)
specced up (participle past)
specced up (past)

The mech side of this is a tinkerer's paradise, allowing you to spec up your squad's weapons and armour to your heart's content, at least once you have built up the confidence to move away from stock setups.

2018 June 21, “BattleTech review – initially ponderous, then glorious”, in The Guardian:

(transitive, UK, informal) To improve, optimize, or maximize the attributes of (something).


Brindian

Indian Subcontinent
Indian Subcontinent#English

(UK, slang) A British person of Indian Subcontinent-extraction/heritage/ethnicities, or of India, British India.


engine cleaner

Driver Langdale entered the service of the L.N.W.R. as an engine cleaner at Camden on April 25, 1898, at the age of 17, and has been stationed in the London area ever since.

1943 September and October, “Top Link Drivers”, in Railway Magazine, page 293:

(rail transport, dated, British) An employee who cleans railway locomotives, especially steam locomotives in the days of steam.


born sleeping

(UK, euphemistic) Stillborn; having died in utero in the middle to late part of a pregnancy, usually after 20-28 weeks.


scrunty

en-adj

scrunty (comparative more scrunty, superlative most scrunty)

more scrunty (comparative)
most scrunty (superlative)


meat sceptre

Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and UK standard spelling of meat scepter.


bumsucker

(UK, slang, derogatory) A sycophant or toady.


brassish

brassish (comparative more brassish, superlative most brassish)

more brassish (comparative)
most brassish (superlative)


bodgy

bodgy (comparative more bodgy, superlative most bodgy)

more bodgy (comparative)
most bodgy (superlative)

A bodgy eighties removal of all the picture rails had left the walls with a serious case of the lumps.

2014 August 27, Darren Palmer, Easy Luxury: An expert guide to creating your perfect home, Allen & Unwin, →ISBN, page 14:

It must have taken the robot hours of painstaking labour, and the only remaining problem was the panels themselves, which were a bodgy mis-match of advertising hoardings, street signs and flattened-out garbage cans.

2018 August 7, Simon Haynes, Harriet Walsh Omnibus One: Books 1-3 in the Harriet Walsh series, Bowman Press:

(UK, Australia, slang) Sloppy or makeshift; bodged.


spreathe

en-verb

spreathe (third-person singular simple present spreathes, present participle spreathing, simple past and past participle spreathed)

spreathes (present singular third-person)
spreathing (participle present)
spreathed (participle past)
spreathed (past)

(UK, dialect, obsolete) To make chapped, as with cold.


spreathe

Urrell's own face smarted with dirt, exposure and cold-spreathe. He touched his nose and cheek, felt the crust of grime and chapped skin, and wondered how Agaratz showed no signs of the cold they had been through together.

(UK, dialect, obsolete) The condition of being chapped, as with cold.


keep tryst

keep tryst (third-person singular simple present keeps tryst, present participle keeping tryst, simple past and past participle kept tryst)

keeps tryst (present singular third-person)
keeping tryst (participle present)
kept tryst (participle past)
kept tryst (past)

Mr. Venus undertook to produce it again in the morning, and to keep tryst with Mr. Wegg on Boffin's doorstep as the clock struck ten.

1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC:

(UK, dialect, archaic) To wait for a person at the appointed place and time.


Regulo mark

From a brand name of thermostatic controls for cookers.


baby milk

en-noun

baby milk (countable and uncountable, plural baby milks)

Panic buying continued to sweep parts of the country over the weekend, with many shoppers buying many everyday essentials in excess as they prepared for periods of isolation during the coronavirus crisis. […] In Birmingham worried mothers took to social media begging others not to buy supplies of baby milk and formula.

2020 March 15, Nazia Parveen, “Panic buying sweeps stores despite appeal for responsible shopping”, in The Guardian:

The baby finger food category, such as the pouches, is anticipated to grow the fastest by volume. Baby milks remained the largest category in value terms, followed by baby wet meals and baby finger foods.

2022 July 9, Laura Onita, “Luxury baby foods that are 'sweeter than Coke' give middle class parents food for thought”, in The Telegraph:

(chiefly UK) Infant formula, especially that sold in liquid form.


upper school

(UK, education) A school found within secondary education.


dragon's teeth

dragon's teeth pl (normally plural, singular dragon's tooth)

Coordinate term: shark's teeth

The new line markings – known internationally as dragon's teeth – are designed to make sure motorists know they are entering a 40kmh school zone. […] "It's our aim to get these new dragon's teeth out on our streets as quickly as possible, which is why we'll be enlisting the help of several different crews around the state to get started on this massive rollout."

2009 May 24, Lisa Carty, “Dragon's teeth to guard school zones”, in The Sydney Morning Herald:

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, road transport) A series of triangular road surface markings painted on each side of a traffic lane, used for traffic calming or to alert drivers to a speed limit.


meltith

(UK, Scotland, dialect, obsolete) A meal.


emancipation waist

emancipation waist (plural emancipation waists)

(UK, historical) Synonym of liberty bodice


perfect cadence

perfect cadence (plural perfect cadences)

(music, chiefly UK) A cadence involving the resolution of the dominant chord (V) to the root chord (I).


triangulation station

triangulation station (plural triangulation stations)

triangulation pillar
triangulation pillar


trig pillar

There are several prominent boundary stones close to the path which soon merges into a broad track as it heads towards the trig pillar on Round Hill.

2019, Alan Staniforth, Cleveland Way, page 64:


no further action

Alternative form: (abbreviation) NFA

(law enforcement, criminal law, UK, Malaysia) A potential formal outcome for a suspect from a police investigation, indicating that no action will be taken.


deculvert

en-verb

deculvert (third-person singular simple present deculverts, present participle deculverting, simple past and past participle deculverted)

deculverts (present singular third-person)
deculverting (participle present)
deculverted (participle past)
deculverted (past)

(UK) To remove a culvert from (a waterway) so that it flows openly.


have a thick head

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

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


neighbourlike

en-adj

neighbourlike (comparative more neighbourlike, superlative most neighbourlike)

more neighbourlike (comparative)
most neighbourlike (superlative)

(British, Canada) Synonym of neighbourly


cotted

cotted (comparative more cotted, superlative most cotted)

more cotted (comparative)
most cotted (superlative)

a cotted fleece

a cotted temper


proto-forester

(UK, historical) An officer appointed chief of Windsor, to hear all causes of death or maim, or of the slaughter of the king's deer.


magic roundabout

en-noun

magic roundabout (plural magic roundabouts)

From roundabout (“circular road junction”) and in reference to the children's television series The Magic Roundabout.


in prime twig

(UK, slang, obsolete) In good order and high spirits.


tenpence to the shilling

The British shilling was worth twelve pence, so tenpence would be a deficient exchange.

I knew that chap; but he never was more nor tenpence to the shilling. He was one of the men, we say, who fell out of his cradle and knocked his head.

1909, Edward R. Hartley, Train Talks, page 4:

He felt no curiosity about news or daily events, and was getting to be looked on as 'tenpence to the shilling' in the head.

1951, Crichton Porteous, Wild Acres, page 203:

Whenever he did manage to engineer a meeting she always treated him as if he was only tenpence to the shilling, a few bricks short of a load, as if he needed another brain cell to qualify as a plant.

2011, Ruth Hamilton, A Whisper To The Living:


two-handed game

two-handed game (plural two-handed games)

"Mr. Pillow, Sir, none of your impertinence, or I will chastise you as well as this fellow." "That's a two handed game, by thunder," said Long Tom, "[…] I dare you to deadly combat. […]"

1849, Masonic Signet and Literary Mirror, volume 1, page 379:

get as good as one gives
give as good as one gets

(UK, slang, archaic) A game or proposal in which the chances are fairly even; a situation where one will get as good as one gives.


wet the other eye

en-verb

wet the other eye (third-person singular simple present wets the other eye, present participle wetting the other eye, simple past and past participle wetted the other eye or wet the other eye)

wets the other eye (present singular third-person)
wetting the other eye (participle present)
wetted the other eye (participle past)
wetted the other eye (past)
wet the other eye (participle past)
wet the other eye (past)

(UK, slang, obsolete) To have another alcoholic drink.


toss the pieman

toss the pieman (third-person singular simple present tosses the pieman, present participle tossing the pieman, simple past and past participle tossed the pieman)

tosses the pieman (present singular third-person)
tossing the pieman (participle present)
tossed the pieman (participle past)
tossed the pieman (past)

(UK, obsolete) To gamble with a pieman by means of a coin toss, either winning a free pie or forfeiting the coin.


codlins and cream

en-noun

codlins and cream (plural codlins and creams)

(dialectal, UK) Epilobium hirsutum, a water-loving willowherb native to Europe.


health visitor

(chiefly UK, healthcare) A healthcare professional engaged in offering public health advice to people in their homes.


lad lit

Modeled on lad mag and perhaps chick lit.

Publishers have been trying for years to find a winning formula for men's fiction. From lad lit to dad lit to bad lit, men have been barraged with an array of reading matter since Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary stormed up the bestseller lists and into our lives in 1997.

2004 June 6, Jonathan Heawood, “You couldn't make it up”, in The Observer:

Just Like You could stand alone as the ladlit-meets-mumlit social satire that it is, its vicious wit paradoxically interwoven with tenderness and empathy.

2020 September 18, Joanna Briscoe, “Just Like You by Nick Hornby review – ladlit meets mumlit”, in The Guardian:

(British) Male-authored popular novels about young men and their emotional and personal lives.


from home

From Middle English fram home, from hame, from hom.

men are merriest when they are from home

c. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene 2:

the old Gentleman being from Home, or out of the way when my Messenger came, my Letter came directly to my Sons Hand

1722, Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, London: W. Chetwood and T. Edling, page 411:

I cannot bear the thoughts of a Christmas spent from home

1847, Anne Brontë, chapter 8, in Agnes Grey, volume 3, London: Thomas Cautley Newby, page 133:

He had excuses. His family difficulties, his long stay from home.

1969, John Fowles, chapter 21, in The French Lieutenant’s Woman, London: Panther, published 1971, page 156:

(idiomatic, dated, chiefly UK) Away from home, not at home; away, out.


committee rooms

committee rooms pl (normally plural, singular committee room)

Hats were thrown in the air at the west end committee rooms when when victory seemed certain and the crowds surged up and down the stairs in the west end committee rooms to offer congratulations to the victorious candidate.

a. 1946, The Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers Journal, International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers:

One of the factors in the success of the party in Verdun in polling a sizable vote was the role played by these voluntary workers in canvassing, distributing literature, and staffing committee rooms.

1946, Herbert F. Quinn, The Quebec Provincial Election of 1944: An Analysis of the Role of the Election in the Democratic Process (master’s thesis), Montreal: McGill University, →OCLC, retrieved 2022-12-07, page 44:

With the party candidate in Winnipeg North, he shared a cramped committee room in the northern district, across the street from the Conservative auxiliary office.[…]

1964, T. Peterson, I. Avakumovic, “A Return to the Status Quo: The Election in Winnipeg North Centre”, in John Meisel, editor, Papers on the 1962 Election: Fifteen Papers on the Canadian General Election of 1962, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, →ISBN, →JSTOR, pages 94–95, 100:

COMMITTEE ROOMS:
1915 Osler Street

1975, NDP... Keeping Saskatchewan Alive, Regina, Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan NDP; republished Quebec City, Quebec: Centre for Public Policy Analysis, c. 2006, retrieved 2022-12-06, page 17:

When I came to Moosomin 30 years ago, the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives all had active local constituencies, all had well known supporters, all would set up committee rooms during the election, get their lawn signs out and work for their candidate.

2019 October 7, Kevin Weedmark, “Canadian Politics Is No Longer Right Versus Left, It’s Urban Versus Rural”, in The World-Spectator, Moosomin, Saskatchewan, retrieved 2022-12-06:

(Canada, UK, dated) One or more election campaign offices.


floating academy

floating academy (plural floating academies)

(UK, obsolete, slang) Those ships on which criminals were subjected to transportation or (later) to hard labor.


mizzler

Presumably mizzle + -er, from mizzle (“abscond, scram, flee”).

(UK, slang, obsolete) A person who is clever at effecting an escape, or getting out of a difficulty.


burker

Science was in league with the "burkers" and "body-snatchers," […]

1877, Dutton Cook, Doubleday's Children, page 90:

(UK, slang, historical) One who burkes; one who murders in order to sell the body to an anatomist, surgeon, etc.


broady

That referred to the circumstance of Dannelly having , on the preceding evening gone to Mr. Poole's cloth shop. He said he had been on the screw, (that is, lifting the latch of a door,) and sneaked out a piece of broady […]

1816, George Vaughan (Bow-Street officer), The Whole Four Trials of the Thief Takers (page 26)


four-and-nine

From the price of four shillings and ninepence, at which a once noted advertising hat-maker sold his hats.

Around me young and old, / Take this advice of mine, / When you want a hat, / Don't buy a four and nine.

1850, William Mark Clark, Clark's Orphean Warbler (page 424): Four and Nine Tile (song)


arse antlers

(UK, Australia, derogatory, slang) A tattoo on a person's lower back, especially one with a horizontally spreading design.


putter up

The thieves never take the putter up with them, nor do they allow him to know when they intend to crack the house.

1859, Snowden's magistrates assistant, page 353:

Should the "put-up job" succeed, the putter-up comes in for his share of the criminal spoil.

(UK, slang, archaic) A person who seeks out information of use to burglars, for example by ingratiating himself with the members of a household, and in return receives payment after the burglary is committed.


gandergoose

(UK, regional, obsolete) The plant ragwort.


easse

Apparently a variant of ees (“bait for fishing”).

'E swallows yis an' button-crawlers, / wears ewe's-muff cologne an' goat perfume.

2022, PJ Harvey, Orlam, Picador, page 201:


club tape

Originally the receiving tape machines were installed in gentlemen's clubs.

(UK, historical) a ticker tape service for news or stock reporting


wet play

wet play (countable and uncountable, plural wet plays)

You should stay in since it's wet play.

It was a rainy day, so at breaktime, we had to stay in for wet play.

2017, Jennifer Killick, Alex Sparrow and the Really Big Stink, Firefly Press:

Wet Play poses challenges to the school day. We know that children are happier and more focused on learning if they have time to run around and play outside. Unfortunately, sometimes (and quite often recently) the weather doesn’t allow this. At these times we have ‘Wet Play’.

2022, “Wet Play | Willow Lane Primary School”, in Willow Lane Community Primary School, archived from the original on 2022-12-22:

(UK, education, uncountable) Structured play activities for young schoolchildren during inclement weather.


froughy

en-adj

froughy (comparative more froughy, superlative most froughy)

more froughy (comparative)
most froughy (superlative)

froughy, unseasoned oak

2017, David Hoseason Morgan, Harvesters and Harvesting 1840-1900, page 23:

(UK, dialect, archaic) Loose, spongy, or easily broken.


bang on the money

bang on the money (comparative more bang on the money, superlative most bang on the money)

more bang on the money (comparative)
most bang on the money (superlative)

Combination of bang on and on the money.

Apple's official Q2 figures now available and it turns out Kuo was bang on the money.

2016 April 25, Gordon Kelly, “New iPhone 7 Details Reveal Bad News For Apple”, in Forbes, archived from the original on 2022-07-05:

But portraying a person with a disability comes with its own responsibility. "You need to get it all bang on the money," said Garfield, who spent significant time with the disabled to prepare for the part.

2017 November 30, Gary Goldstein, “To portray a paralyzed polio patient in ‘Breathe,’ Andrew Garfield relied on his voice and expressions”, in Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 2020-08-12:

After all, if you visit McIlroy’s Twitter page, his profile reads: "I hit a little white ball around a field sometimes." It's tongue-in-cheek, sure, but it's bang on the money.

2019 July 20, Gavin Newsham, “It’s ridiculous that golfers are being paid like rock stars”, in New York Post, archived from the original on 2022-01-23:

(UK, colloquial) Exactly right, accurate, or precise; spot on.


zero-hours

The pay penalty directly associated with zero-hours work amounted to 6.6% or 93p an hour. For a typical zero-hours worker doing 21 hours a week, it amounts to £1,000 a year.

2016 December 30, Phillip Inman, “Zero-hours workers '£1,000 worse off a year' than employees”, in The Guardian:

I’d always heard about other people getting bullied in zero-hours jobs. But I didn’t take it seriously until it happened to me.

2017 March 27, Martin Williams, quoting Josh, “The bullying and fear at the heart of zero-hour contracts”, in The Guardian:

Journalist James Bloodworth’s story of being ‘embedded’ for six months as a zero-hours worker is vital reading for all[.]

2018 March 11, Nick Cohen, quoting James Bloodworth, “Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain – review”, in The Guardian:

At the moment, she’s a youth worker with the local council, primarily dealing with teens who’ve got into trouble. “I think I can save them,” she says. “Open their eyes to uni or a job.” But she can’t save any money on two contracts, one of which is zero-hours and the other guaranteeing only nine hours’ pay a week.

2023 August 17, Aditya Chakrabortty, “Can’t pay and they really do take it away: what happens when the bailiffs come knocking”, in The Guardian:

(UK) Relating to a zero-hour contract or employment.


peartly

en-adv

peartly (comparative more peartly, superlative most peartly)

more peartly (comparative)
most peartly (superlative)


axiophyte

(botany, UK) A plant of special interest to botanists.


DORA

Defence of the Realm Act 1914
w:Defence of the Realm Act 1914

(UK, historical) Acronym of Defence of the Realm Act 1914.


gooner

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

(British, footballing slang) Alternative letter-case form of Gooner.


dog in a blanket

en-noun

dog in a blanket (plural dogs in blankets)

(UK, obsolete, slang) Synonym of roly-poly (“kind of steamed pudding”)


single-driver

A few such examples have been preserved, as is well known, such as one of the Stirling 8-ft. singles of the late Great Northern Railway, the Great Western 4-4-0 City of Truro, ex-Caledonian single-driver No. 123, the Brighton 0-4-2 Gladstone, and others.

1945 March and April, “Preserving Historic Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 64:

(rail transport, British, obsolete) A steam locomotive with a single driving axle.


boxhead

(UK, military, slang, dated) A German person.


missment

'Tes but a missment in the naame ^([sic]).

1860, John Tabois Tregellas, 3 Cornish Tales, page 69:

(UK, dialect, obsolete) A mistake; an error.


uplong

Well, I did belong to keep a piece of soap, but six weeks back the woman uplong the next farm, 'er sent down and borrowed it.

1963, Reginald Harrison Smythe, Healers on Horseback, page 107:

Located in a direction considered up, such as toward a central place or up the road.


WILTY

Would I Lie to You? (game show)
w:Would I Lie to You? (game show)

(UK, informal) Acronym of Would I Lie to You? (game show).


sabb

(UK, slang) Alternative form of sab (“sabbatical officer”)


sabbatical officer

sabbatical officer (plural sabbatical officers)

(UK) A full-time officer elected by the members of a students' union or similar body, and usually serving as a trustee.


black-coated

From black + coated, from the black coats traditionally worn by clergy, lawyers, and other professional and clerical workers.

Morrison, son of a policeman and a housemaid, is a born politician. He controls the city administration of London. Says he, “Labor must attract the black-coated worker” (i.e., white-collar worker).

1945 June 25, “The British Begin Election Battle”, in Life, page 22:

Briefly, it limited the number of persons of Jewish religion to be admitted to the professions of the Press, the Theatre (including Films), the Law, Medicine and Engineering, and to black-coated employments both in these professions and in financial, commercial or industrial enterprises employing more than ten persons to 20 per cent.

1956, Carlile Aylmer Macartney, October Fifteenth: A History of Modern Hungary, 1929–1945, volume 1, page 219:

Although the largest segment of the membership, category III, included other skilled workers, the vast majority in this segment—about 90 percent—came from the expanding ranks of the black-coated workers.

2008, Timothy G. McMahon, Grand Opportunity: The Gaelic Revival and Irish Society, 1893–1910, →ISBN, page 107:

(chiefly UK, dated) White-collar, relating to office workers or office work.


doorsteppy

en-adj

doorsteppy (comparative more doorsteppy, superlative most doorsteppy)

more doorsteppy (comparative)
most doorsteppy (superlative)

In my experience, the more doorsteppy the sandwiches, the better.

My porridge was followed by toast, thick, doorsteppy chunks of it, and I tried to be polite with the amount of butter I slathered on them.

2021, Vivienne Bennett, The Meanderings of a Serial Goat Keeper:

(UK, informal) Of bread: sliced very thick.


pre-lash

en-noun

pre-lash (countable and uncountable, plural pre-lashes)

From pre- + lash. Compare on the lash, lash back.

Pre-lash at mine, the text from Terence had read. She hadn't realised it was already eight o'clock. She finished the notes for her essay, backed them up, shut down her Mac, and rushed over to Terence's room with what was left of her vodka and a bottle of lime cordial. Pre-lash; that was how most evenings began.

2014, Peter Crawley, Boarding House Reach, Kibworth Beauchamp: Matador, →ISBN, page 144:

Look, my flat's having a pre-lash later, before everyone goes Oceana on Watford. Flat 77, any time before seven, and maybe you can bring everyone some tampons.

2022 May 26, Jack Rooke, “I Wanna Take You To A Gay Bar!”, in Jim Archer, director, Big Boys, season 1, episode 2, spoken by Leisa (Kristy Philipps), via Channel 4:


pre-lash

en-verb

pre-lash (third-person singular simple present pre-lashes, present participle pre-lashing, simple past and past participle pre-lashed)

pre-lashes (present singular third-person)
pre-lashing (participle present)
pre-lashed (participle past)
pre-lashed (past)

Plus, the 'land lords' blame the supermarkets and 'pre-lashing' (the term for drinking before going to the pub/night club). People are going out with the intention of drinking to excess.

2013 September 2, Brian Reay, “Re: Supermarket powers”, in uk.food+drink.misc (Usenet):

A haven for drinking & dining alfresco, a dilapidated old building with a small bar & a large car park – where people usually sit. As in all these kinds of bar throughout Sri Lanka, it's male dominated so female travellers/drinkers should be accompanied by men. The staff are friendly, & the drinks & bites relatively cheap. […] A great place to pre-lash before a club!

2014 [2002], Rehan Mudannayake, “Colombo: Downbeat Bars”, in Royston Ellis, Sri Lanka: the Bradt Travel Guide, 5th edition, Chalfont St Peter: Bradt Travel Guides, →ISBN, page 84:


goon baiting

(UK, slang, historical) In Nazi Germany, the practice among prisoners of war of deliberately annoying the guards, for example by allowing them to eavesdrop on misleading conversations.


scrimpt

He gangs about sornen frae place to place, As scrimpt of manners as of sense and grace.

1808, John Jamieson, An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language ... to which is Prefixed, a Dissertation on the Origin of the Scottish Language:

A scrimpt quorum

1857, Thomas Wright, Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English, Containing Words from the English Writers Previous to the Nineteenth Century ... and Words which are Now Used Only in the Provincial Dialects, Volume 2, page 832:


banger race

From the slang sense of banger (“an old, worn-out car”).

Trouble began when he moved in permanently after having building work done and set up a banger race track.

2003 August 31, Renee Mickleburgh, “Lotto lout gives neighbours hell by racing bangers round garden”, in The Daily Telegraph:

He made his neighbours' lives a misery earlier this year by staging late-night banger races on the three-acre field where he held the bonfire.

2003 November 7, David Sapsted, “Lottery winner puts 40ft mobile home on bonfire”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Fed up with Formula One? Rebecca Feiner recommends an evening at the Banger races

2003 December 6, Rebecca Feiner, “A smashing night out”, in The Daily Telegraph:

A much-dented Ford Fiesta with broken windows serves as a reminder of the row with neighbours and council officials earlier this year over Carroll's habit of inviting friends round for late-night banger races on a three-acre field he bought at the rear of the house.

2003 December 19, David Sapsted, “£10m 'lotto lout' arrested in police raid”, in The Daily Telegraph:

This DVD is a showcase for several of those - including banger races featuring everything from caravans to Austin FX4 taxis via Ford Transits and Reliant Robins.

2005 December 3, Simon Arron, “Flights of fancy”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The couple sought action after Mr Robinson's son and his friends allegedly staged banger races in old cars on the land surrounding their own smallholding.

2009 June 1, “Man called German neighbour Schweinhund, court told”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Relations apparently became frosty after Hurst complained about Robinson's son's banger races in a nearby field and the family was served with a noise abatement order.

2009 June 2, Rowan Pelling, “Oh for those days of catfights and sequinned G-strings”, in The Daily Telegraph:

But reasonable assumptions count for nothing in the world of Ian Brown: he just ploughs through it, with the reckless abandon of a man piloting a battered Datsun in a banger race.

2009 September 24, Alexis Petridis, “Ian Brown: My Way”, in The Guardian:

This is not the late Sixties or early Seventies, but 2011 at Arlington Stadium, near Hailsham, in East Sussex, where perhaps more than 100 classic Westminsters will be ground into scrap metal before the night is over in the most controversial banger race to be staged in England.

2011 October 1, Rob Daines, “Banger racing: the crashes and the controversy”, in The Daily Telegraph:

I started going to banger races at the age of three with my dad, uncle and cousin. They're all race bangers and that is how I got into it.

2012 November 22, Lucy Ridgard, quoting Jade Creese, “The Girls Who Love Smashing Each Other Up In Cars”, in VICE:

The contrite duo managed to fix The Overtaker enough to take part in the final event: a no-holds-barred banger race against pro driver Sabine Schmitz.

2019 June 30, Michael Hogan, “Top Gear, episode 3, review: Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall play wacky races as the show comes back from the dead”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The craziest, most extraordinary banger race on the planet: 10,000+ miles from Prague to Siberia.

2020 January 8, Nikhil Krishnan, “Six of the world's most thrilling road trips for 2020”, in The Daily Telegraph:

There it was pulling out of the repair shed after the mother of all MOTs when a 50-ton juggernaut ploughed straight through the side of it, a smash-up that would grace the most savage of banger races.

2020 March 31, Matthew Lynn, “Aston Martin not out of the woods yet as outbreak hits”, in The Daily Telegraph:

"She gave me pointers on how to drive a Ferrari very fast and hunted me down in a banger race," the current presenter Paddy McGuinness noted on Twitter.

2021 March 17, Jim White, “Sabine Schmitz: Motorsport mourns the Queen of the Nürburgring who won a nation's hearts on Top Gear”, in The Daily Telegraph:

(chiefly UK) A motorsport event in which cars race around a track while trying to damage one another.


banger racing

Even when he excelled at his favourite hobby of banger racing he attracted little attention and earned the reputation of being shy and introverted.

2001 December 12, Staff and agencies, “A loner with a deadly secret”, Child protection, in The Guardian:

Our daughter's problem has taken its toll on our relationship, but Tony has been understanding throughout. I would like to treat Tony to a day at banger racing followed by a slap-up meal of steak and chips.

2002 February 11, Richard Mann, quotee, “Your Valentine pleas”, in The Guardian:

Banger racing, for the uninitiated, is exactly like formula one. Except that it's not really, really, really boring, the cars cost about £200, and they're allowed to deliberately smash into each other.

2002 November 14, Steven Wells, “Crash, bang, wallop, what a sport”, in The Guardian:

Adams didn't mind the work involved. "I used to go banger racing and smash up cars..."

2002 December 28, Martin Gurdon, “Now for something different...”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The yellow street lights are wreathed in a wintry mist as we approach Wimbledon's Plough Lane Stadium for what is billed as the biggest night in the national Banger racing calendar, the 2003 Championship of the World.

Suitable pastimes for those who can't: banger racing; bull-fighting; playing central midfield for Birmingham City.

2004 December 4, Simon Arron, “Goodwill to all motorists...”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Chelsea have all the appeal of a lottery-winning slob who pulls out a huge wad of cash, buys the best house in the area, and then stages banger racing in the back garden.

2005 June 6, John Rawling, “Premier League needs an Asbo to control Chelsea”, in The Guardian:

Breakspear talks about the few pleasures she had before prison in the past tense. "I wanted to learn banger racing. I used to love fast and furious [car chase] films."

2005 August 16, “'I took all my anger out on him'”, in The Guardian:

There were so many crashes it might have been American motor sport - banger racing, even.

2008 March 17, “Hamilton drives McLaren beyond past troubles”, in The Guardian:

Banger Racing caught my interest a couple of years ago. I was attracted by the inherent contradictions within it – the creativity and imagination in contrast with the wild need for destruction.

2010 March 12, Chloe Dewe Matthews, “Banger Boys of Britain”, in The Daily Telegraph:

People seem to think that I have called for banger racing to be banned, which I have not. I am not worried about people smashing up disposable modern cars, but they should think a bit more about the older and rarer cars

2011 October 1, Rob Daines, quoting Nick Larkin, The Daily Telegraph:

There is no marquee mode that the game builds itself around, instead offering a compendium of snacky events focussed on variety. A grab bag of bolshy banger racing recalling 90s knockabouts like Destruction Derby.

2012 May 24, Tom Hoggins, “Dirt Showdown review”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Billed as the mutant child of basketball, ice hockey and rugby – in wheelchairs – murderball at first looks more like banger racing, with dangerously pimped-up wheelchairs bristling with protuberant metal cages and bumpers designed to upend rivals.

2012 September 5, Patrick Barkham, “'Wheelchair rugby is the glamour sport. We are the Paralympics' rock stars'”, in The Guardian:

This is the mutant child of rugby, basketball, handball and ice hockey, writes Patrick Barkham, although it looks a bit like banger racing with the souped up – and completely battered – wheelchairs.

2012 September 5, Paul Owen, “London Paralympics 2012 – day seven as it happened”, in The Guardian:

The string-glove driving brigade was once again puce-faced with rage for this latest event, with the arch enemy of classic banger racing, Classic Car Weekly, vowing that it would not devote a column inch to discuss the race's pros and cons.

2012 September 24, Robert Daines, “Banger racing with classic Rovers”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Banger racing, once predominantly the preserve of weird-looking guys with anger issues, is being taken up by an increasing number of girls.

2012 November 22, Lucy Ridgard, “The Girls Who Love Smashing Each Other Up In Cars”, in VICE:

A new two-part BBC Two documentary explores the adrenaline-fuelled sport of banger racing, and it makes for exhilarating TV, says Rebecca Smith

2014 March 7, Rebecca Smith, “Banger racing: a cross between Formula One and bumper cars”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The first episode of this documentary focused on the racers who flock to the Arena Essex Raceway in Purfleet to take part in banger racing where old, reconstructed cars speed around a dirt track.

2014 March 9, Ben Lawrence, “Fast and Fearless: Britain's Banger Drivers, BBC Two, review”, in The Daily Telegraph:

At the time rusty Mark IIs were two a penny, scrapyards were full of them, they were stripped for spares, cut up for Modsports and Banger racing – no one gave a stuff for originality.

2014 September 1, Andrew English, “Jaguar Mk2 reimagined by Ian Callum”, in The Daily Telegraph:

I'm doing my bit preserving them for posterity, and saving nicer ones from the ravages of banger racing."

2016 January 2, Andrew B Roberts, quoting Jon Culshaw, “Jon Culshaw: Why I love old Fords”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Yet every Sunday upwards of 2,000 spectators pay £15 to watch five hours of stock car and banger racing across wildly different formulae.

2016 April 1, Andrew B Roberts, “London's last racing track”, in The Daily Telegraph:

It was a smart move to start with banger racing, as the crashes, prangs and wallops caused genuine needle.

2016 April 5, Michael Hogan, “Drive, review: Vernon Kay's sexed up Top Gear entertains”, in The Daily Telegraph:

They started with banger racing, and it was clear the producers knew they were in trouble early doors, as the first five minutes were a breathless series of cut shots of the action that was coming later on.

2016 April 6, John Crace, “Drive review – even Top Gear fans will be bored silly”, in The Guardian:

Drive wasn't the first celebrity sporting reality show (they tried banger racing, buggy racing and Formula 4, among other pursuits) and it won't be the last.

2016 May 4, John Plunkett, “Car-crash TV: six celebrity sports flops”, in The Guardian:

But most of the rest of his fortune was wasted on high-living, parties and cars which he enjoyed smashing up on his own banger racing track in a field beside a house which he bought on the outskirts of Swaffham.

2016 July 12, Martin Evans, “Lotto Lout's former uncle dies in Norfolk 'murder-suicide' shooting”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Combine harvester banger — actually I've done that: banger racing up in Red Deer [in Alberta, for his 1998 doc series Extreme Machines].

2016 December 16, Jessica Wong, quoting Jeremy Clarkson, “'Holidays for three 12-year-old men': Jeremy Clarkson returns with The Grand Tour”, in CBC News:

The venue closes its doors forever on Saturday night after 89 years of greyhound, speedway and, latterly, banger racing.

2017 March 24, Paul Macinnes, “Gone to the dogs: how time has run out for greyhound racing in Wimbledon”, in The Guardian:

That was my first proper car, when I was 17, although the first car I owned was when I was 12. It was a Ford Anglia 105E, which I took banger racing.

2017 March 24, Adam Hay-Nicholls, quoting Martin Brundle, “My first car - Martin Brundle: 'It felt like I was doing 150mph with a Picasso under my arm'”, in The Daily Telegraph:

What are you guys going to miss about the track? / Tom: The whole experience of it all – the dogs and the banger racing.

2017 March 27, Jake Lewis, “In the Queue for the Last Night of the Wimbledon Dog Races”, in VICE:

When we did banger racing, which is where you race round a track, I literally crashed into a wall. I mean I had a full-on car crash.

2017 October 17, Jack Whitehall, quotee, “Jack Whitehall says 'life flashed before my eyes' during high-speed crash with Freddie Flintoff”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The vehicle, which might look more at home in banger racing, had extensive damage to all areas of its bodywork.

2017 December 30, “Police pull over battered car being driven on the roads without any windows or mirrors”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Robinson is a self proclaimed car lover, competing in 'banger racing' competitions with team mates he calls 'the bomb squad'.

2019 October 24, Jamie Johnson, “Lorry driver arrested over the death of 39 migrants 'passed out' when he discovered his human cargo, it's claimed”, in The Daily Telegraph:

We also used to spend quite a lot of time at the dog track and go banger racing there as well on Saturday nights, which is where the new ground is.

2020 November 3, Ed Aarons, “AFC Wimbledon's Plough Lane return: 'There was just an irresistible pull'”, in The Guardian:

But in banger racing, ramming your vehicle into a competitor's is not only tolerated, it might win you an award.

2021 March 11, Romain Vennekens, “What is Banger Racing? Inside One of the World's Most Dangerous Motorsports”, in VICE:

Many of the original Westminsters ended their days on the banger racing circuit but Dickens never quite forgot the Portland Beige Austin he saw "when I was five or six years old".

2021 June 10, Andrew B Roberts, “UK's rarest cars: 1956 Austin A90 Westminster, one of only 28 left on British roads”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The main chassis was solid enough, explaining why many ended up on the banger racing circuit, but panels corroded without protection and maintenance.

2021 August 7, Richard Webber, “Classic cars with anniversaries in 2021”, in The Daily Telegraph:

When it comes to entertainment, Great Yarmouth is still rich with the sorts of curious and yesteryear pastimes you might have assumed died out years ago. From full-contact banger racing (at the Yarmouth Stadium) to end-of-the-pier sing songs, you won't be short of options.

2021 August 11, Robert Jackman, “Why now is the time to follow Banksy to Great Yarmouth”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Her solo exhibition Showtime runs from 23 October at Messums Wiltshire, and explores the realms of street car culture, banger racing and Gypsy fairs

2021 October 21, Sarah Gilbert, “The eccentricities of British subcultures – in pictures”, in The Guardian:

Production ended in 1972; survivors are now scarce due to various fuel crises, rust and their fatal attraction to the banger racing fraternity.

2021 November 19, Andrew B Roberts, “UK's rarest cars: 1967 Vauxhall Cresta PC – an estate car fit for HM The Queen”, in The Daily Telegraph:

In the UK, a combination of rust, banger racing and general neglect helped to diminish the number of Ventoras.

2022 April 29, Andrew B Roberts, “UK's rarest cars: 1972 Vauxhall Ventora, one of only 30 left on British roads”, in The Daily Telegraph:

The Mk4 replaced the Mk3 in early 1966 and by the following decade many examples had fallen prey to a combination of banger racing and rampant corrosion.

2022 July 8, Andrew B Roberts, “Don't mention Z-Cars: Ford Zodiac Mk3 at 60”, in The Daily Telegraph:

Corrosion was one major problem, in addition to many Laurels ending their days on banger racing circuits.

2022 December 16, Andrew B Roberts, “UK's rarest cars: 1977 Datsun Laurel, one of only five left on British roads”, in The Daily Telegraph:

(chiefly UK) The act of participating in a banger race ("a motorsport event in which cars race around a track while trying to damage one another").


shut one's gob

shut one's gob (third-person singular simple present shuts one's gob, present participle shutting one's gob, simple past and past participle shut one's gob)

shuts one's gob (present singular third-person)
shutting one's gob (participle present)
shut one's gob (participle past)
shut one's gob (past)

Why don't you just shut your gob? I'm tired of listening to you.

(idiomatic, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) To stop talking; to be quiet.


mother and baby unit

en-noun

mother and baby unit (plural mother and baby units)

(UK, healthcare) An inpatient unit for women who have mental health issues around the time of pregnancy or childbirth.


M-way

I've been out of town, spinning like segways / Break down the shh, flying up M-ways

2015, “3 the Hard Way”, in The End of the Beginning, performed by Skrapz, Nines, and J Man:

I'm tweakin', tweakin' / 120 on the M-way, speedin'

2019, “Professor X”, in Top Boy (A Selection of Music Inspired by the Series), performed by Dave:

Hit the M-Way with two phones up (uh-huh) / Now I'm tryna come back with guala

2020, “If Only You Knew”, in Dutch from the 5th, performed by Dutchavelli:

I mean, I just seen feds on the M-way

2021, “Money Talks”, in Money Can't Buy Happiness, performed by Fredo and Dave:


bit of homework

bit of homework (plural bits of homework)

"And that little bit of homework you've got with you?" / "Miss Kolin, you mean? She's an interpreter."

1953, Eric Ambler, The Schirmer Inheritance, Alfred A. Knopf, page 177:

The last time I made love was quick and casual, with a short dark handsome theological student called Harry Lloyd, who reminded me a bit of my glamorous Uncle Bert, prize-winning dancer and lady-fancier who referred to attractive women as nice bits of homework.

1996, Barbara Hardy, London Lovers, Peter Owen Publishers, →ISBN, page 85:


hard word

The other thing that happened in 1969 was that José put the hard word on his brother again. This time José wanted him to join his slate for the elections to the local leadership of the metalworkers' union.

2003, Peter Robb, A Death in Brazil, Bloomsbury, published 2005, page 97:

What do we do? We go and see them. Put the hard word on Glasgow's so-called hard men.

2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 125:

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial) A persistent or rude request, especially for money.


homework diary

homework diary (plural homework diaries)

Several readers rued their unfinished sticker albums (perhaps we should set up a swapsies group) and Tiffany shared a photograph of her old homework diary, which had glued to it, beneath carefully written reminders to do her German exercises, a picture of two England cricketers. "I also painted a massive portrait of Allan Donald for GCSE art," she said.

2016 April 18, Emma John, “Confessions of a teenage cricket fan: share your memorabilia”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 2016-06-22:

A note in his son's homework diary asked children to "find out some information or background knowledge" on the murder.

2020 February 3, “School withdraws James Bulger homework after complaints”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 2022-01-30:

I sometimes find street art fairly humdrum – all cheesy symbolism, with female portraits resembling perfume ads and far too many skulls and aliens, the sort of stuff I scribbled all over my homework diary at school.

2021 September 30, Anna Hart, “I've found the secret to being the best kind of house guest”, in The Daily Telegraph, archived from the original on 2021-12-16:

(chiefly UK) A journal given by a teacher to a student to keep track of homework to be completed, often requiring a guardian to sign their name at regular intervals.


coorie

From Scots coor (“cower”) + -ie (frequentative).

(UK) A lifestyle involving hearty cuisine (such as Cullen skink) and invigorating outdoor activities, popularized in the late 2010s by a book and tourism campaign which incorrectly presented it as a traditional Scottish concept. (Compare hygge.)


noncery

The nonces abided, trading photographs of their victims like soccer stars. […] They saw themselves as avuncular – and had often introduced one another to children as ‘uncle’; they were generous, and had frequently been apprehended by the police, carrying toys, looking for a child to give them to. […] The nonces abided, plotting certain revolutionary acts that would enable them to advance the cause of noncery. They factored in social hypocrisy, but on the whole still considered that things would have changed by the time they got out, attitudes would have matured. Their ‘liberation’ of certain youthful citizens would be seen as just that: the freeing of tender souls into the warmth and bonhomie of a full relationship with someone older. Much older.

1998, Will Self, Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, pages 217–218:

Reformed paedophile Wishbone Fencefold, who gave up noncery when the practice was outlawed in the early 90s, has claimed that offenders just don’t fancy fat kids.

2006 May 8, “Mr Chuffy Investigates… Why obesity is phat”, in Quench, volume 3, number 38, Cardiff University Students’ Union:

He might eventually have as much as fifty per cent of previous erectile function, though it’ll take a while. — Bit naive of him, wasn’t it? Very trusting. Didn’t he whiff set-up? — Nah, cause this bird knew this geezer’s MO. Book a high-class escort girl and a suite at somewhere tasty, like the Ritz or the Savoy; in this case it was the Savoy. […] — Agreed. Sounds like high noncery to me, mate. — Noncery of the highest bleedin order, Hollis booms, as a nearby couple briefly turn round. — Well, I ain’t gonna shut up and play foot soldier for cover-up wankers!

2022, Irvine Welsh, The Long Knives, Random House, →ISBN:

Noncery is not just the domain of the paedophile, but by deﬁnition of the word it is the domain of anyone attempting to deprive the British public of an innocence they can’t get back.

2022 February, Dan Bennett, “E-Girls, Dear Boy, E-Girls; How Streamers Nearly Brought Down British Parliament”, in The Lemon Press, number 51, University of York, page 16:

(UK, Ireland, slang) The behaviour of a sex offender; paedophilia.


open evangelical

open evangelical (plural open evangelicals)

(Christianity, chiefly UK) A person who takes the approach of open evangelicalism.


open evangelicalism

(Christianity, chiefly UK) An approach that attempts to uphold evangelical doctrines, morality, and spirituality while also being inclusive of others.


sweem

en-verb

sweem (third-person singular simple present sweems, present participle sweeming, simple past and past participle sweemed)

sweems (present singular third-person)
sweeming (participle present)
sweemed (participle past)
sweemed (past)

From Middle English swemen, from Old English *swǣman, from Proto-West Germanic *swaimijan, from Proto-Germanic *swaimijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₁- (“to move, sway”). Cognate with Scots sweem, soom (“to spin at high speed; float”), Icelandic sveima (“to float, hover; wander, roam”).

cog

(UK dialectal) to swoon, faint; be giddy


sweem

(UK dialectal) a swoon, fainting; a state of giddiness or faintness


garburate

en-verb

garburate (third-person singular simple present garburates, present participle garburating, simple past and past participle garburated)

garburates (present singular third-person)
garburating (participle present)
garburated (participle past)
garburated (past)

Back-formation from garburator,
equivalent to garbage + -ate.

(Canada, UK, transitive, rare) To use a garburator (on).

(Canada, UK, intransitive, rare) To undergo the process of a garburator.


pantomime villain

en-noun

pantomime villain (countable and uncountable, plural pantomime villains)

The pantomime villain of British politics has exited stage right - leaving for a third and presumably final time, with the crowd booing. [...] From the moment of his appointment, Sir Gavin's third act in government irritated colleagues. After a divisive tenure as chief whip, difficult time as defence secretary and deeply troubled time as education secretary. Bluntly, he is unpopular.

9 November 2022, Sam Coates, “Gavin Williamson's departure is about more than just the messages”, in Sky News:

The 'pantomime villain' he was labelled by the BBC commentary team, Abrial collected his medal [...] to a chorus of boos from those inside the Manchester Centre.

19 November 2022, Callum Walker, “Referee causes controversy in Wheelchair World Cup Final with bizarre actions as England defeat France”, in Rugby League World:

The news will likely please many, as Mateu Lahoz has become something of a pantomime villain over the festive period. That is, until a controversial decision goes against their team with another official.

5 January 2023, “Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz put 'in the fridge' for card-happy performances”, in OneFootball:

Pantomime villain [...] We all have those rugby players that just we dislike for whatever reason. It's hard to forget those specific moments in matches that had us raging. An injury to your star player? Moaning to the referee? World class rugby players don't take losing well, but some take it worse than others. But who are the players that rugby fans just love to hate, and why?

2023 February 10, “Every home nations most hated player by rival fans in the Six Nations”, in RUCK:

With Owen Farrell returning to the England XV this weekend, who are rugby's greatest "pantomime villains" in world rugby. Though it's a relatively subjective term when applied to rugby players, in this context, we use it to identify big names who, despite their undoubted quality, have earned a reputation—rightly or wrongly—as something of a villain.

2023 March 16, “Fans Rank Rugby's Top 5 Pantomime Villains”, in RUCK:

This week, though, away from City on international duty, Rodri has been firmly on the radar. He's riled two opposition fanbases, added a new dimension to the Premier League title race, and emerged as the Blues' unlikely pantomime villain going into the last two months of the campaign.

30 March 2023, Joe Bray, “Rodri has become Man City's unlikely pantomime villain”, in Manchester Evening News:

Let's begin with the pantomime villain that everyone seemingly loves to hate, Elon Musk. Just a few weeks after he switched the [Twitter brand] logo away from the blue bird for shits'n'giggles he was actually demonstrating a smart comms move.

2023 April 12, “Good and Bad PR: Pantomime villain Musk does good! Unilever, not so much...”, in PR Moment:

(British, figurative) A person who has become a designated villain, often seen as cartoonishly villainous; someone people "love to hate".

In contrast, the best of the Pantomime villains are even entitled to misbehave, overact, and be disdainful of the audience.

2020 February 3, “The Best of the Pantomime Villains”, in Blackpool Grand Theatre:

(British) A character archetype in pantomime entertainment.


SMMT

“A drop of that magnitude is a concern,” said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, as he warned the government needed to provide “urgent clarity” on a transitional Brexit deal so that companies could press ahead with crucial spending decisions.

2018 January 31, Angela Monaghan, “UK car production falls for first time since 2009 as Brexit fears hit sales”, in The Guardian:

w:Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

(UK, automotive) Initialism of Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.


ploat

en-verb

ploat (third-person singular simple present ploats, present participle ploating, simple past and past participle ploated)

ploats (present singular third-person)
ploating (participle present)
ploated (participle past)
ploated (past)


dirty weather

(British) Bad weather, especially foggy or stormy weather.


Cisalpine

The adjective is derived from cisalpine (“on this side of the Alps (chiefly the south side where Rome is located)”). Sense 2 (“of or pertaining to cisalpinism”) was popularized by the Cisalpine Club which was founded in England in 1792.
The noun is derived from the adjective.

In pointing to some of these excesses on both sides, I have it not in contemplation to canvass, argue or even to refute errors either ultramontane or cisalpine, but merely to secure to myself a tenable position, […]

1824, Francis Plowden, “Of Tithes and Other Church Property”, in Human Subordination: Being an Elementary Disquisition Concerning the Civil and Spiritual Power and Authority, to which the Creator Requires the Submission of Every Human Being. […], Paris: Printed by J. Smith, […], and published by W[illiam] Simpkin and R[ichard] Marshall, […], →OCLC, page 72:

Lord Stourton [i.e., Charles Stourton, 17th Baron Stourton] had declined to join the Cisalpine Club, which consisted of men opposed to what they considered the excessive claims of an ultramontane section, but he remained a supporter of the views held by the dissolved Catholic Committee; […]

1936 May, Joscelyne Lechmere, “A Great Catholic Historian. John, Cardinal Lingard, 1771–1851”, in The Ecclesiastical Review: Monthly Publication for the Clergy, volume IV (10th series; volume XCIV overall), number 5, Philadelphia, Pa.: Board of Trustees of the American Ecclesiastical Review for the Catholic University of America, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 474:

(UK) Of or pertaining to cisalpinism (“a movement in 18th–19th century Britain among Roman Catholics which took the view that allegiance to the Crown was compatible with allegiance to the pope, and that Roman Catholics should be emancipated from various legal restrictions”).


Cisalpine

Some of the Cisalpines carried their opposition to the monastic orders so far as to be very unfriendly to the French émigrées nuns, for whose expulsion from England Sir J. Mildmay introduced a Bill in 1800.

1897, Wilfrid Ward, The Life and Times of Cardinal Wiseman, 2nd edition, volume 1, page 203, note 1:

But the Cisalpines began to be overshadowed by the ultramontane spirit in the 1830s, and it was not until after the Second Vatican Council a hundred and thirty years later that English Roman Catholics again asked themselves whether they were primarily English or primarily Roman.

1992, D[enis] G. Paz, Popular Anti-Catholicism in Mid-Victorian England, →ISBN, page 83:

Just as with the Blackloists and Jansenists (and perhaps even more so), suspicion of the supernatural came to characterize the Cisalpines, although this time it had little to do with their doctrine of grace and more to do with the Cisalpines’ desire to make Catholicism comprehensible to a sceptical age.

2013, Francis Young, English Catholics and the Supernatural, 1553–1829, →ISBN:

(UK) In 18th–19th century Britain, a Roman Catholic opponent of ultramontanism and advocate of Catholic emancipation through compromise and obedience to secular authorities.


merry-totter

(UK, dialect, obsolete) A swing (hanging seat that swings back and forth).


mileway

* mile + way.
* (period of 20 minutes): In reference to the distance that might be covered in this time period.

(UK) Any of a number of roads near Oxford, England, whose upkeep was formerly paid for by nearby residents.


mollycot

(UK, dialect, obsolete, derogatory) An effeminate man.


SDPO

serious disruption prevention order#English

(UK) Initialism of serious disruption prevention order.


Wigan kebab

(UK, informal) A small pie served in a bread roll.

(UK, informal) One or more pies served on a skewer, in the manner of a shish kebab.


mostlings

(UK, Yorkshire, obsolete) Mostly; for the most part.


squary

en-adj

squary (comparative more squary, superlative most squary)

more squary (comparative)
most squary (superlative)


armourplast

Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and UK spelling of armorplast


tPCT

teaching primary care trust
teaching primary care trust#English

(UK) Initialism of teaching primary care trust.


evening tea

(uncountable, UK) A light evening meal, typically but not necessarily including tea.


low tea

en-noun

low tea (countable and uncountable, plural low teas)

Low tea, the original aristocratic late afternoon break for conversation and dainty delicacies was a very social time and was served in the 'low' part of the day.

Afternoon tea has evolved into a combination of high and low teas. High tea, once called "meat tea", was originally the main meal of the British lower classes, eaten with the family at home at the end of a long workday. Low tea was a light meal or snack, enjoyed by the British upper classes in thr late afternoon to tide them over until their more substantial dinner in the evening. Low tea was often a social event, enjoyed in the company of friends or associates. The distinction between high tea and low tea was also a literal one, based on the kind of table used for serving. High tea was consumed at a high dining room table, while low tea was served in the sitting or living room on a lower side table or cocktail table (also called a coffee table).

2012, Beverley Dubrin, Tea Culture: History, Traditions, Celebrations, Recipes & More, page 27:

Counterintuitively, "low tea" has historically been for the upper classes the term used for afternoon tea, while "high tea" was initially the afternoon tea of the working classes.

2019, Julia Skinner, Afternoon Tea: A History, page 39:

(UK) A formal afternoon meal comprising light snacks, often accompanied by tea.


Queen's Birthday

Queen's Official Birthday
Queen's Official Birthday

A holiday or observance commemorating a female monarch and observing her birth, including:

(UK) the Queen's Official Birthday (observed on the Saturday falling between 11 and 17 June during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (died 2022))

(UK) the Queen's actual birthday (21 April in the case of Queen Elizabeth II)


TSSA

w:Transport Salaried Staffs' Association

(UK) Initialism of Transport Salaried Staffs' Association.


garburation

From garburate + -ion, equivalent to garbage + -ation.

(Canada, UK, rare) The act of using or process of a garburator.


kin 'ell

(UK, Ireland) Alternative form of fucking hell


scarcelins

(UK, regional, obsolete) scarcely; hardly


shuttance

[…] had it not been for the capture of Plunger — who, after all, was deemed a "good shuttance" — no one would have regretted the price at which the day's lesson had been bought.

1884, Benjamin Brierley, Tales and Sketches of Lancashire Life, volume 4, page 50:


sillyhood

(UK, regional, obsolete) A caul (part of the amnion that encloses a baby's head at birth).


skedlock

skedlock (countable and uncountable, plural skedlocks)


panmug

(UK, historical) An earthenware crock used to hold milk or butter, etc.


trougher

trougher (countable and uncountable, plural troughers)

From trough + -er, due to comparisons between greedy people and pigs with their snouts in the trough.

As Abel Magwitch would have said, he was "a heavy grubber"; or as a Yorkshireman, with a similar disregard for elegance, would express it, "a good trougher."

1939, Harold Armitage, Early Man in Hallamshire, page 78:

A legendary trougher - he could eat for England.

1999 August 14, Dickie Bird, White Cap and Bails:

Forget the fact I was playing for England at cricket: I was also an Olympic-standard trougher, and so I would order big steaks, burgers, whatever I fancied, and Blacky thought nothing of ordering the same thing, or something similar.

Her appetite has definitely gone down, she's the classic bored trougher, but here there's so much to do she can sometimes forget to eat.

2017, Laura Kemp, Whatever Happened to Vicky Hope's Back Up Man?:

And according to an insistent story, Vince MacLean, a formal provincial Liberal leader and prodigious trougher running in Sydney - Victoria, was slapped in thr face by a woman at the door.

1997, The Canadian Forum, volume 76, page 10:

Many of the critical quotations about Rolnik's role in the UN come from Conservative MPs: "The aid budget is a way in which poor people from Britain pay for the lifestyle of rich people in developing countries. We are having to pay taxes to put this international trougher up in a four-star hotel.

2017, Dr. Stephen Harkins, Dr. Jairo Lugo-Ocando, Poor News: Media Discourses of Poverty in Times of Austerity, page 119:

Humza is the trougher's trougher.

2022 February 25, Craig Murray, craigmurray.org.uk:

(by extension) (chiefly British) A careerist politician, especially one representing the Scottish National Party.


parlourish

en-adj

parlourish (comparative more parlourish, superlative most parlourish)

more parlourish (comparative)
most parlourish (superlative)


pimpsy

pimpsy (comparative more pimpsy, superlative most pimpsy)

more pimpsy (comparative)
most pimpsy (superlative)

[…] the most direct and difficult route on the face. Now, at HVS it was doubtless seen as pimpsy by the modern generation, but in those days it had — briefly — made quite a name for the yacht owner.

1997, Ian Robert Mitchell, The Mountain Weeps: Thirteen Exercises, page 111:

'Can you magic my bollock back on now?'
'Of course I can; I can do anything. It would be pimpsy.'

2022, Richard Herring, Can I Have My Ball Back?:


slam door

In the early 1970s, the Southern Region was also reporting around 1,500 incidents each year caused by passengers opening slam doors - including a dozen deaths and other injuries caused by falling from trains, either in stations or on the move.

2023 February 22, Howard Johnston, “Southern '313s': is the end now in sight?”, in RAIL, number 977, page 41:

(rail transport, British, dated) A hinged railway carriage door which opened outwards, that could be opened from the inside only by opening the window and turning the handle on the outside. They originated on carriages with compartments and no corridors, and persisted on later carriage designs with corridors on one side of the compartments, being fitted on the non-corridor side.


NERC

Natural Environment Research Council
w:Natural Environment Research Council

(UK) Initialism of Natural Environment Research Council.


EBacc

English Baccalaureate
w:English Baccalaureate

(UK, education) Abbreviation of English Baccalaureate.


trainer sock

Pulling my trainers off but retaining my sweaty black Primark trainer socks, I step into the heels, one foot – God, they're high – then the other.

2011, Polly Williams, How To Be Married, Headline, page 135:

Next, I copied the standard uniform adjustments: rolled-up skirt, undone top button, trainer socks instead of regulation ankle ones. A girl in my class asked why I didn't shave my legs – I knew how to, right?

2022, Laila Woozeer, Not Quite White, Simon & Schuster, page 85:

(British) A short sock that covers the foot and beyond that not essentially more than the ankle.


job and knock

(UK, informal) The situation where a worker completes an assigned job and is then able to leave ("knock off"), regardless of the time taken.


in a right state

in a right state (comparative more in a right state, superlative most in a right state)

more in a right state (comparative)
most in a right state (superlative)

The COVID-19 pandemic had the world in a right state.

At the end of a long day at work, I’m usually in a right state.

“Come off it,” said Ron, “you’re in a right state!”

2003, J. K. Rowling, chapter 20, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:

(British, idiomatic) in a mess or in a state of chaos; very unkempt, in poor condition.

The dancers were in a right state as their track wouldn’t play minutes before their performance.

Trigonometry lectures always had me in a right state!

(British, idiomatic) in a state of panic or confusion.


ditchfinder

My MX-5 was *ace* in the snow in February round here. I went where other cars couldn't go with no problem at all. It was on Avons, and felt a whole hell of a lot safer then the FWD Puma on Pirelli ditchfinders did.

2009 August 5, Mike P, “Re: Rear wheel drive”, in uk.rec.cars.misc (Usenet):

The better half's Lupo was transformed when the cheap and nasty Nankang ditchfinders came off (and they were well above the legal limit) and mid-price Kumhos went on. The cheapos compromise on grip and can become noisy.

2012 February 26, Chris Bartram, “Re: tyres”, in uk.rec.driving (Usenet):

Sure, mismatching isn't ideal, but I'd much rather have mismatched decent tyres than matched AliBaba-brand-it-yourself ditchfinders.

2016 June 7, Adrian, “Re: Tyre noise”, in uk.rec.cars.maintenance (Usenet):

(UK, automotive, slang) A poor-quality tyre for a car, usually one made and sold cheaply.


harbour master

(British) Alternative spelling of harbormaster


Troy town

Presumably because, in popular legend, the walls of the city of Troy were constructed in such a confusing and complex way that any enemy who entered would be unable to find his way out.

(UK) A turf maze, especially one in England.


Pernod and black

en-noun

Pernod and black (plural Pernod and blacks)

The cocktail in Britain is a rigidly-defined social institution: each has its own particular meaning—the G & T is the alcoholic equivalent of the interview suit; Pernod and black is an alternative to glue sniffing for repentant trendies, etc.

2011, Mark Polonsky et al., USSR: From an Original Idea by Karl Marx, page 32:

(chiefly UK) A drink made of Pernod and crème de cassis or blackcurrant syrup and water.


make the running

en-verb

make the running (third-person singular simple present makes the running, present participle making the running, simple past and past participle made the running)

makes the running (present singular third-person)
making the running (participle present)
made the running (participle past)
made the running (past)

He added: "In this period if you looked at the western world and asked who is making the running, from the point of view of modern society and particularly in terms of liberty, it would be Britain and we forget that. Britain is absolutely the model of the future."

2014 April 7, Mark Brown, “Royal art show, The First Georgians, to open at Buckingham Palace”, in The Guardian:

(idiomatic, chiefly UK) To have a leading or influential position in a field or activity; to be more active than others.


His Majesty's Opposition

Coordinate term: Her Majesty's Opposition

The job of His Majesty's Opposition - especially as election time looms - is to provide well-worked-out alternatives to government plans, not to acquiesce in what could prove to be a disastrous policy for rail passengers.

2023 March 8, Christian Wolmar, “Labour passes up the chance to deliver a forceful rail policy”, in RAIL, number 978, page 35:

(politics, UK) A more formal title for the Official Opposition (the largest opposition party) in the House of Parliament, used when there is a king on the throne.


must get in front

(UK, slang, derogatory) The perceived attitude of a motorist who drives poorly in order to stay in front of other road users.


Norman no mates

en-noun

Norman no mates (plural Norman no mates)

(British, slang) Synonym of Billy no mates (“a person with few or no friends”)


obstropulousness

(UK, obsolete, slang) The quality of being obstropulous.


Harry starkers

(chiefly British, slang) Synonym of starkers (“completely nude”)


Mozzers

You see, in my estimation, Mozzers does the best of the supermarket meal deals, because of the sheer breadth of choice available.

2021 June 28, Kirsty Bosley, “I ate Morrisons meal deals all day and this is what I found”, in birminghammail.co.uk, archived from the original on 2021-11-11:

Mozzers says its trading prospects are just dandy for the coming year, but there's no way the share price would surge on its own back to the price Clayton Dubilier & Rice is offering today.

2021 July 21, Jim Armitage, “Morrisons future isn't entirely out of its hands - it could asset strip itself”, in standard.co.uk, archived from the original on 2021-06-21:

While another added: "@Tesco well that's me going back to Morrisons then. The free EV charging compensated the extra drive to the store. Mozzers is at the end of the road. #lostbusiness"

2022 November 5, Andrew Smart, “Tesco anger electric car users after introducing EV fees to UK stores”, in gazette and herald.co.uk, archived from the original on 2022-11-05:

(UK, slang) Morrisons, a British supermarket.


double science

Coordinate term: triple science

(UK, education) A GCSE option in which three sciences are studied (biology, chemistry, physics) but to a lesser degree than if all three were taken separately, and only two GCSE certificates are awarded.


triple science

Coordinate term: double science

(UK, education) A GCSE option in which three sciences are studied separately (biology, chemistry, physics) and three GCSE certificates are awarded.


half-colonel

'Yep. Lieutenant one day; major by the end of the week: lieutenant-colonel the week after. That's what it's like.' He snuffed down his nose in self-contempt. 'The office in Cairo is full of bogus half-colonels like me.'

1965, Olivia Manning, Friends and Heroes (The Balkan Trilogy; 3), Bath: Chivers, page 895 (in series):


two pennies

There is a bit of debate on whether using a join at the end of your rounds still qualifies the doll as Amigurumi. Let me add my two pennies…

2008 August, Tamie Snow, Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy, New York, NY: Penguin Group, →ISBN, page 6:

two pennies' worth
two pennies' worth#English


jaxie

(UK, slang) Alternative form of jacksy (“backside; buttocks”)


old fellow

Bislama: olfala

→ Tirax: olfala

(UK, dated) Synonym of old chap (“affectionate term of address for a man”)

(UK, colloquial) Synonym of old chap (“the penis”)


on the hurry up

'Read the CAD as you go – on the hurry up please. Need you there as soon as possible. Make sure you let Control know when you're on scene.'

2018, Alice Vinten, On the Line: Life – and death – in the Metropolitan Police:

(UK, law enforcement, slang) At top speed; as fast as possible.


jarmies

“Nice jarmies, Tom,” he said with a smirk. Minutes later, he'd dropped off into the unconscious realm, but the smirk remained.

1981, Gerard Lee, True Love and How to Get It, page 104:

'Don't look at me! You were doing that. Only kids wear jarmies anyway.'

2014, Geoffrey Riddell, The Boy Made of Shining Happiness, page 92:

(UK, slang) Alternative form of jammies (“pyjamas”)


on the sniff

But the fact that online “dating” was a euphemism for ACTION, the same way as walking into a bar is a sign that you're out on the sniff, suited me just fine.

2011, Autumn Stephens, Roar Softly and Carry a Great Lipstick, page 56:

Ed stayed leaning in and after signalling to the others to do the same, he inclined his head towards the girls at the adjacent table. 'West End's heaving with that sort on a Saturday night,' he said. 'Office girls out on the sniff.'

(UK, slang, vulgar) In search of a sex partner.


on the other bus

“He's a bit of a loner and I think he's on the other bus, if you know what I mean.” He added and waved a limp wrist over the bar. The other men reacted to the news that Blackman might be gay by shaking their heads in disgust […]

“So am I. C'mon you never noticed that he's on the other bus?” he said, and then thought that Valana probably didn't even know what a bus was. “He's well groomed, takes care of himself a bit too much, if that doesn't give you any clues, […]

2015, Don Galloway, Time Ryder Powerstone Book Two:


HAF

(UK) Initialism of holiday activities and food (“a subsidy programme for disadvantaged children”).


UHB

(UK) Initialism of University Hospitals Birmingham., a hospital network, and the trust that operates it, part of the NHS, associated with the University of Birmingham, in West Midlands, England, UK.


stock pot

In this country, the product - a concentrated stock sold in a four-pack of small tubs, each of which makes three and a half cups of broth - is called Knorr Homestyle Stock. Other names in markets around the world include Knorr Stock Pot, Knorr Marmite de Bouillon and Knorr Bouillon Pur.

2011 September 12, Stuart Elliott, “Unilever Tries to Corner 'Stock' Market”, in NYTimes.com, archived from the original on 2011-09-25:

In order to show customers that the product is presented in a wet format, Coley Porter Bell has added a stock pot shaped cut out to reveal the actual product.[…]Having recently redesigned the core Oxo Cubes packaging to be more modern and iconic, we wanted to take the essence of that work into the new Oxo Stock Pot design.

2015 September 15, Tony Corbin, “New Coley Porter Bell-designed Oxo range unveiled”, in www.packagingnews.co.uk, archived from the original on 2015-09-20:

Continental stock pot - chicken: One unit contains four handy pots, each one making 2 cups of stock.

2017 May 14, Bronwen King, “Is packet stock as good as homemade?”, in stuff.co.nz:

[…] a quick Twitter survey reveals the Michelin-garlanded Marco Pierre White is not alone in his devotion to jellied stock pots, while I prefer organic cubes (won't someone think of the chickens?).

2017 October 9, Felicity Cloake, “Can't be bothered to make stock? Here are the ways to keep cooking simple”, in TheGuardian.com, archived from the original on 2017-10-09:

(cooking, British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) A mass-produced plastic container of a standard size and shape containing a gelatinous bouillon.


shag monster

(UK, slang) A sexually promiscuous person.


arse-up

(UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, slang, vulgar) A mistake or blunder; a cock-up.


nunnywatch

What a nunnywatch we were in, to be sure, when we heard they weren’t married.

1878, Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native, page 126:

(UK, dialect, obsolete, rare) A fuss; a mess.


odds and bods

Barbary lions had been believed extinct in the wild since the mid-twentieth century, survived only by a few odds and bods of DNA carried in captive individuals descended from Haile Selassie's private collection.

(chiefly UK, informal) Synonym of odds and sods (“miscellaneous items”)

(chiefly UK, informal) Synonym of odds and sods (“ordinary people who lack distinction”)


ZEZ

(UK, transport) Abbreviation of zero emission zone.


LEZ

(UK, transport) Abbreviation of low emission zone.


NYSD

w:en:North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League

(UK, sports) Abbreviation of North Yorkshire and South Durham.. A cricket league, the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League in England, UK.


fanny rat

Jay had also been worried that he was going to look like a melt following me around like a lovesick puppy, and he wanted to be seen as more of a fanny rat.

2016, Vicky Pattison, Nothing But the Truth: My Story:

“I certainly do not mean to imply that James is a fanny rat for royals,” he clarified.

2017, Sierra Rose, Redeeming The Billionaire Playboy:


fanny merchant

To cut a long story short, Howard looked like an intrepid explorer with an all-year tan but in actual fact he was just a chap who stayed at home and wore pan-stick: in other words, a fanny merchant.

2001, Val G. Lee, The Comedienne, page 65:

He was a “cultured left back” (translation-he could play but was a bit of a fanny merchant) and he could hit a shot.

2012, Paul Larkin, Poles 'N' Goals and Hesselink, page 67:

Right now he's calling me a 'fanny merchant' as he pins me to the wall in the Dublin Airport Hotel and lets me know exactly what he thinks of the Liverpool way just hours after a game at Lansdowne Road.

2016, Jason McAteer, Blood, Sweat and McAteer: A Footballer's Story:

(UK, slang, derogatory, vulgar) An effeminate and ineffectual man.


jillock

She scolded him, but, between you and me, I got the impression that she was probably thinking, poor Tyson, being ridden by such a jillock. I know she was. That's what horsey people think.

2008, Griff Rhys Jones, Mountain: Exploring Britain's High Places:


jockey pants

In frightened haste he takes clean Jockey pants, T-shirts, and socks from a drawer, three shirts in cellophane and blue cardboard from another, a pair of laundered suntans from a third, draws his two suits and a sports shirt from the closet, and wraps the smaller clothing in the suits to form a bundle he can carry.

1995, John Updike, Rabbit Angstrom The Four Novels: Rabbit, Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest, page 86:


prang out

en-verb

prang out (third-person singular simple present prangs out, present participle pranging out, simple past and past participle pranged out)

prangs out (present singular third-person)
pranging out (participle present)
pranged out (participle past)
pranged out (past)

Compare pranged (“paranoid”), prang (“crack cocaine”).

All right, look, don't prang out. They had this paint-party-brunch thing. But I only stayed for 45 minutes, painted a tiny bit of a door, ate half an almond croissant and bounced.

2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane, spoken by Nathan (Simon Manyonda):

(UK, slang) To worry, panic; to suffer an anxiety attack.

Anyone who has heard Mr. Skinner's recent album, "The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living" (Vice), will be surprised (and possibly relieved) that he seems to have stopped "pranging out" on cocaine. With precise but conversationally rendered detail, this British M.C. bemoans the downside of stardom and excess: drug-binge paranoia, unfulfilling shopping sprees, […]

2006 June 29, Sia Michel, “Mike Skinner Gives His Vocal Cords an Endurance Test”, in The New York Times:

(UK, slang) To have a bad experience on drugs; to have a freakout.


full screw

Coordinate term: lance-jack

It was especially important when I was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant, with all its additional responsibilities. I'd loved being a fullscrew – a corporal – because I was still one of the lads and didn’t have too much else to think about.

2016, Chris Graham, Five Minutes of Amazing: My Journey Through Dementia, London: Sphere, →ISBN, page 111:


GRT

To help with inspiration five professional GRT artists were commissioned to create a poster […]. The resulting set of images show a mixture of contemporary and historical GRT lifestyles and language.

2008 June, “Poster Competition Results”, in Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month Magazine, The Gypsy Media Company, page 13:

(British) Alternative form of GTR (“Gypsy, Traveller, Roma”)


ice pole

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

To us, these are (and always have been) called cool pops. To others - particularly on Twitter - they're everything from 'ice pops' to 'ice lollies' to 'ice poles' to 'freeze pops' to Tip-Tops.

2023 April 17 (last accessed), “The internet is arguing about what these frozen things are officially called”, in entertainment.ie, entertainment.ie, archived from the original on 2022-03-27:

(UK (especially Scotland)) A frozen snack consisting of flavored ice or juice in a tube; a freeze pop


ice lol

[…]the others are rooting through the freezer in hot pursuit of the ice-lols.

2019 February 16, Donncha O'Callaghan, “Six Nations: England may be onto something with this 'tempo percentage' lark”, in TimesOnline:

(British, Ireland, Commonwealth, colloquial) Clipping of ice lolly.


Trulliberian

en-adj

Trulliberian (comparative more Trulliberian, superlative most Trulliberian)

more Trulliberian (comparative)
most Trulliberian (superlative)

From Parson Trulliber, a character in Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews (1742), + -ian.

(UK, obsolete) Resembling or characteristic of a rude, vulgar country clergyman, devoted to agricultural pursuits.