A PHIL BRODIE BAND'S FUN PAGE
. . ENJOY

. . .!! COCKNEY RHYMING SLANG !!
To most people living outside London a "Cockney" is any Londoner; But a Cockney is a person born within hearing distance of the sound of Bow bells, the bells of the Church of St Mary Le Bow in Cheapside, London, EC2 . Although much of Cockney Rhyming slang has now become part of general speech, originally it was a secret language, thought to have originated in the 18th century by street traders to communicate with each other whilst trading illegally.
(although it's roots may go far deeper)

WORDS TO
"Fings Ain't What They Used T' Be"

MONEY SLANG

COCKNEY RHYMING SLANG

BITS & BOBS
Adam and Eve = Believe
Apples and Pears = Stairs
Ball and Chalk = Walk
Barnaby Rudge = Judge
Barny Rubble = Trouble
Bird Lime = Time = Prison Sentence
Bob Hope = Dope (Marijuana)
Bobble Hat and Scarf = Laugh (You 'avin' a bobble; you can't be serious)
Borasic Lint = Skint (broke: no money)
Brixton Riot = Diet
Brown Bread = Dead
Bread and Honey = Money
Bubble Barf/Bath = laugh (you 'avin' a bubble..)
Bubble and Squeak = Speak
Bull and Cow = Row
Butchers Hook = Look
Cain and Abel = Table
Cape of Good Hope = Soap
Cat and Mouse = House
Cherry Hog = Dog
Cloud Seven = Heaven
Cock and Hen = Ten
Coffee and Cocoa = Say So (I should cocoa)
Collar and Tie = Pie
Currant Bun = Sun
Dicky Bird = Word (Don't say a Dicky Bird)
Ding Dong = Sing Song (now means argument or fight)
Dog and Bone = Telephone
Duke of Cork = Talk
Duke of Kent = Rent
Dunlop Tyre = Liar
Earwig = twig (understand, to catch on)
Earwigging = To Eavesdrop (evolved from earwig)
Elephant and Castle = Parcel
Flowery Dell = Cell (Prison Cell)
Fore and Aft = Daft
Frog and Toad = Road
Gary Glitter = Shitter
Greengages = Wages / Money
Gregory = Cheque (Peck)
Half-inch = pinch (to steal)
Harry Tate = Eight
Highland Fling = Ring
Holy Ghost = Toast
Jack Jones = Alone (On your Jack)
Jam Jar = Car
Jack and Jill = Hill or Bill
Jack the Ripper = Kipper
Jackanory = Story / Tall Tale
Joanna = Piano (cockney Piana)
Johnny Horner = Corner
Kick and Prance = Dance
Lady Godiva = Fiver
Lemonade = Spade
Linen Draper = Newspaper (Reading the Linen)
Little White Mice = dice
Mickey Bliss = Piss (Taking the Mickey/ Piss = jovial sarcasm)
Mutt and Jeff = Deaf
Oily Rag = Fag (cigarette)
On The Floor = Poor
Oxford Scholar = Dollar
Oxo Cube = tube = the London Underground
Pen and Ink = Stink
Pipe Your Eye = Cry
Pork Pies = Lies
Potatoes in the Mould = cold (It's taters, aint it !)
Rabbit and Pork = Talk (Rabbit's too much)
Rory O'Moore = Door
Ruby Murray = Curry
Sausage and Mash = Cash
Scapa Flow / Scarper = run away/go
Scooby Doo = Clue (Ain't got a Scooby)
Sherbet Dab = Cab
Steam Tug = Mug
Sweeny Todd = Flying Squad (Police)
Syrup of Fig = Wig
Tea Leaf = Thief
Tin Tack = Sack
Todd Sloane = On your own (on yer Todd)
Tomfoolery = Jewellery (A nice piece of Tom)
Tom Mix = Six
Trick Cyclist = Psychiatrist
Trombone = Phone
Uncle Ned = Bed

OF THE PERSON
Barnet Fair = Hair
Berkshire Hunt = Cunt (He's a right Berk)
Boat Race = Face
Bottle and Glass = Arse
Bristol City = Titty (breast)
Chalfont St Gyles = Piles
Chalk Farm = Arm
Cobblers Awls = Balls (A load of old cobblers)
Dipstick = Prick/Penis
Derby Kelly = Belly
Douglas Hurd = Turd
Eartha Kitt = Shit
Farmer Giles = Piles
Fife and Drum = Bum
Friar Tuck = Fuck
Ghunga Dhin = Chin
Gregory Peck = Neck
Gypsies Kiss = Piss
Ham and Eggs = Legs
Hampstead Heath = Teeth
Hampton Wick = Prick (penis)
Hit and Miss = Kiss or Piss (could be complicated!!)
Hobson's Choice = Voice
Ivory Band = Hand
J. Arthur Rank = Wank (Having a J. Arthur)
Jimmy Riddle = Piddle (urinate)
Khybur Pass = Arse
Loaf of Bread = Head
Mince Pies = Eyes
Nellie Duff = Puff = Breathe = Life
Newington Butts = Guts
Niagra Falls = Balls / Testicles
North and South = Mouth
Oliver Twist = Wrist
Orchestra Stalls = Balls
Pipe and Drum = Bum
Plates of Meat = Feet
Pony and Trap = Crap
Raspberry Ripple = Nipple
Raspberry Tart = Fart (blowing raspberries)
Richard the 3rd = Turd
Sherman Tank = Wank
Tom and Dick = Sick
Tom Tit = Shit
Tommy Rollocks = Bollocks
Turkish Delight = Shite (speaking shite/rubbish)
Two and Eight = state (in a right old two and eight/hypo mood)
Uncle Dick = Sick

ON THE PERSON
Airs and Graces = Braces
Almond Rocks = Socks
Daisy Roots = Boots
Dicky Dirt = Shirt
East and West = Vest
Kippers = Slippers
Lional Blairs = Flares (flared trousers)
Peckham Rye = Tie
Round the Houses = Trousers
Sky Rocket = Pocket
Syrup of Fig = wig (golden syrup an awful wig)
Tit for Tat (Titfer) = Hat
Turtle Doves = Gloves
Weasel and Stoat = Coat
Whistle and Flute = Suit

PEOPLE
Artful Dodger = Lodger
Bricks and Mortar = Daughter
China Plate = Mate
Duchess of Fyfe = Wife
Dustbin Lid (Bin Lid) = Kid
Four by Two = Jew
Ginger Beer = Queer
Hillman Hunter = Punter/Customer
Iron Hoof = Poof
Joe Soap = Dope / Stupid Person
Love and Kisses = Mrs.
Merchant Banker = Wanker
Mother of Pearl = Girl
Old Bag = Hag = Horrible Woman
Old Pot and Pan = Old Man
Paraffin Lamp = Tramp
Septic Tank = Yank
Silver Spoon = Coon
Skin and Blister = Sister
Tea Leaf = Thief
Toe Rag = Slag = Female of Easy Virtue
Tin Lid = Yid = Jewish Person
Treacle Tart = Sweetheart
Trouble and Strife = Wife

DRINKING
Aristotle = Bottle
Brahms and Liszt = Pissed
Battlecruiser = Boozer (Pub)
Chewy Toffee = Coffee
Elephants Trunk = Drunk
Fine and Dandy = Brandy
Finger and Thumb = Rum
Fishermans Daughter = Water
Gold Watch = Scotch
Pigs Ear = Beer
Plink-Plonk = vin Blanc (Wine, A bottle of plonk)
Rosie Lee = Tea
Rub-a-Dub-Dub = Pub
Salmon and Trout = Stout
Tiddlywink = Drink (Tiddly = Drunk)
Vera Lynn = Gin

THANKS TO ADE WHO SENT ME MANY OF THE ABOVE
and to everyone who has sent me more!
If you know anymore to add to these
~ please e-mail them through ~

COMMENTS
Reading the list of rhyming slang brought back some memories, one that crops up now and again is HARRIS for arse, i had to ask around a bit to find out how it works out to be arse.
HARRIS pronounced ARRIS (SILENT COCKNEY 'H') = ARISTOTLE = BOTTLE BOTTLE AND GLASS = ARSE.
I wonder how many more have a slang for a slang? ~ David
Thanks for your information David ~ great to get some roots info.
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Was searching the net for the origins and meaning of harris and found
your site. a few there that made some sense... how about another one...
scooby doo = clue (eg "sorry mate, i ain't got a scooby")
Thanks James for the Scooby-Doo
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I, also, was looking for the origin of ‘Harris’ and came across your site. Thanks for the information. Am I happy? I should cocoa. (Coffee and cocoa – say so). - Cheers Thanks Brian for the Coffee and Cocoa
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WORDS TO
"Fings Ain't What They Used T' Be"