Cockney Rhyming Slang

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Have you ever had anybody tell you to

"Use your crust" or "The thought came right

out of the loaf"?? Well, if you did, they were speaking

in Cockney Rhyming Slang! Now, I've never heard

of these crazy little phrases... except for "See you

later, alligator"...but I didn't even know it was one!

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Cockney rhyming slang has uncertain roots. It is said that it was once spoken by the thieves of London. It would certainly have been a very effective code, being incomprehensible to the authorities or any eavesdroppers who were not familiar with the slang. The problem in researching its origins is that it was largely a spoken language with very few written records. What is more, if it was a secret code used by traders, entertainers, and thieves, then the secret has been well kept. We will never be certain how widespread its usage once may have been. The Cockneys were – and for the mostpart still are – working class Londoners. The word comes from cockeneyes (14th century) which means eggs that are misshapen, as if laid by a cock. The word went through a series of usages over the centuries, and it came to be used to refer to city folk. Nowadays the definition of Cockney is often one which originated during the 17th century. It refers to anyone born within the sound of Big Ben. The term is still usually used in a somewhat derogatory sense.

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Here is a handful of Cockney phrases with some contextual examples of their use.

The rhyming slang is shown in black, and the meaning in yellow.

Adam and Eve............Believe..........Would you Adam and Eve it?

Alligator...................Later............See you later alligator.

Apples and Pears......Stairs............Get up those apples to bed!

Army and Navy........Gravy...........Pass the army, will you?

Bacon and Eggs.........Legs.............She has such long bacons!

Barnet Fair................Hair.............I'm going to have my barnet cut!

Bees and Honey.........Money.........Hand over the bees!

Biscuits and Cheese...Knees...........Ooh, what knobbly biscuits!

Butcher's Hook..........Look............I had a butchers at it through the window.

Crust of Bread............Head...........Use your crust, lad!

Daffadown Dilly.........Silly.............She's a bit daffy.

Mince Pies.................Eyes............What beautiful minces!

Oxford Scholar..........Dollar..........Could you lend me an Oxford?

Rabbit and Pork.........Talk............I don't know what she's rabbiting about!

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So are you totally confused yet? LOL! I'd love to know if you

say any of these or knew what they meant before reading my post!

And if you want to have more fun with word

games, click on my link for "word games" below.

Info obtained through fun-with-words.com.

OK...I must "scarpa" now...

(which means 'go' as in scarpa flow!) hahaha....