Some Australian slang uses rhyming words to get the meaning (eg. Billy Lids - the kids (children)). It can take some getting used to but certainly adds more colour to the language.
Australians sometimes say several words as one 'waddayareckon' (what do you reckon?), owyagoin (how are you going?) etc. This can be confusing for an overseas visitor but you can soon get used to it.
| Ace | excellent |
| Aggro | some who is aggravated, upset about something |
| Alf | stupid person |
| Amber fluid / Amber nectar | beer |
| Ankle biter | young child |
| Ant's pants | height of fashion OR person has a high opinion of themselves |
| Anyhow mate | a saying used to change the subject when talking (usually when they bored with what you are saying) |
| Apple eaters | someone who lives in the state of Tasmania (apple growing state) |
| she'll be Apples! | everything will be okay |
| Apricots | a man's testicles (reproductive glands). Should I have said that as it would be obvious to anyone familiar with human anatomy that women don't have testicles. Okay, let's just leave it as testicles. |
| Aerial ping pong | Aussie rules football |
| Arse over tit | trip or fall over |
| get your Arse into gear | someone is asking you to get moving |
| Arse about face | something is back to front |
| Arvo | afternoon |
| this Arvo | this afternoon |
| Aussie | someone from Australia - an Australian |
| Ay? or eh? | didn't catch what someone has said, or pardon me |
| Avagoyermug | someone is not trying hard enough in their sport, and you want them to (this is yelled to give them a bit of a push a long) |
| AV Jennings | marriage meaning your first marriage (AV Jennings is a builder in Australia specialising in building houses for young married couples) |
| Awning over the toy shop | male beer belly (the toy shop being the male reproductive organs) |
| your Acres (achers) | testicles (achers from when someone kicks you in the testicles) |
|  |
B | |
| Back of Beyond | far out bush as you can get, right out outback of Australia |
| Back of Bourke | the middle of nowhere |
| out in the Back Blocks | beyond suburbia and the more established farm and cattle properties |
| Back hander | a bribe |
| Back hander | sometimes used to describe hitting someone with the back of your hand |
| Your old Bag, the old Bag | a term for a woman, usually the wife, the mother-in-law, or such |
| Bagged someone | criticised or put someone down |
| Bail out | you leave |
| Bail up | hold up OR rob OR earbash |
| Balls | Testicles |
| Balls up | terrible mistake, everything has gone all wrong |
| Bananas | someone going crazy with anger |
| Banana Bender | some who lives in the state of Queensland (Queensland is the Banana growing state) |
| Bang on | hit the target right in the middle, OR it's right, or correct |
| Banged up | pregnant |
| Bangs like a dunny door in storm | Makes a lot of noise when making love |
| Bar flies | Old men who drink and talk in the front bar of a pub (hotel) from when they open to when they close (they sit on a beer for hours) |
| Barbie or B.B.Q | barbecue cooking outdoors |
| Have a Barney | fight or scuffle or argument or tiff |
| Barrack | to spur your team, or sport on |
| Give it a Bash | you will try something you are not sure of |
| Basket case | someone on the edge of mental collapse |
| Gidday you old Bastard | a term of endearment |
| Bathers | swimming costume (VIC & SA) |
| Old Battle-Axe | wife OR mother-in-law |
| Battler | you work hard to earn a living |
| Beak | your nose |
| Beanie | ski hat |
| Beaten by a blow | shearer slang, running shears from one end of sheep to the other. Used in the song 'Click go the shears'. |
| Beating around the bush | not getting to the point on a subject |
| You little Beauty, that's Beaut | excited approval, something has gone really well |
| Beer o'clock | Knock off time, time to finish what you are doing and have a well earned beer |
| give someone a Bell | ring them on the phone |
| Belly flop | diving incorrectly into water with the stomach breaking the water |
| Belt up! | you are asked stop talking, be quiet, in a angry way |
| Berko | angry in a unreasonable way |
| gone Berko | gone mad, looks like going mad |
| Better Half | your wife or husband |
| Bewdy! | Beauty. Really good. Exclamation of delight |
| Going to have a Bex | you are going to settle your self down from some sort of stress - usually a cup of tea, a cry and a good lie down (Bex is a pain relieving drug) |
| Bickie | a dollar |
| Big note yourself | to say you are better or more important than you are |
| Town Bike | woman of loose morals, sleeps around (everyone rides her) |
| Billabong | a waterhole |
| put the Billy on | putting water on to boil, usually camping out to make a cup of tea |
| Billy cart | a go-kart of a kid's (child's) construction |
| Billy lids | The kids, children |
| Bindii (Bindy-eye) or Bindie | a grassy nettle |
| Biscuit | cookie |
| To put the Bite on | someone to ask them for money |
| Past the Black Stump | the same as Back of Beyond |
| Blimey | you are surprised by something |
| Even Blind Freddy could see that | what someone would say to you, if you are not understanding something that is obvious |
| Block | your head |
| Do your Block | you are angry or lose your temper |
| Doing your Block | you are getting very angry, losing your head |
| Go to the Block | go to your vacant piece of land |
| Bloke | Australian male |
| Bloody oath I do "yes" | you really, really do approve of what's someone is saying |
| Ugly as a box of Blowflies | that's real ugly |
| On the Blower | telephone |
| Blowies | blow flies |
| Blow in | stranger in town |
| Blowing your dough | spending all your money |
| Blow through | leave in a hurry |
| Bludger | someone who fails to do anything at all they are asked (lazy) |
| Bludge | to do nothing at all |
| True Blue | something that is real Australian |
| having a Blue | having a fight or argument |
| Blue Heeler | police |
| Bluey | a nickname for someone with red hair |
| Bob's your uncle | you just understood something that at first you did not not understand |
| off to the Bog to leave an offering | off to the toilet to leave a deposit |
| bolted | left very quick |
| Boogie Board | half-sized surf board |
| Bolt | erect penis |
| it's a Bomb | it's cool or it' a old car |
| Bonza or Bonzer | great, an expression of delight |
| Bonzer there mate! | that's great friend |
| Boomer | kangaroo |
| Booze, Boozer | alcohol, pub or hotel OR a person who is a heavy drinker |
| Booze Bus | Police van used for random breath testing for alcohol |
| go for a Bo-peep | a sly look at something |
| you little Bottler | delight, something as gone the way you want |
| ya bloods worth Bottling! | someone has done something good for you, you make this statement |
| Bottoms up | drinking the whole glass of something all at once (usually beer) |
| Bow wow | really ugly (a dog) |
| got no Brass | you've got no money |
| Brass razoo | no money |
| hit in the Breadbasket | hit in the stomach |
| Brekky | first meal of the day |
| Brickies cleavage | top of the buttocks exposed |
| he's a Broken packet of biscuits | his life looks good on the outside, but his a mess on the inside |
| choke a Brown dog OR kick a Brown dog | you are going to get your tension out (NO you don't choke or kick a brown dog). Another way of referring to going to the toilet |
| Brown-eye | to show ones bottom, mooning |
| a Bruce | a man (as in the Monty Python sketch where all the Australians were named Bruce |
| Brumby | wild horse |
| Buckley's chance | no chance at all (Buckleys & Nunn was a store and the Nunn rhymes with none) |
| Budgie | Budgerigar - small parrot popular as pets. Good mimic. |
| have a feed of Bug | (Moreton Bay Bug) small crab |
| Bugalugs | a friendly endearment |
| doing Bugger all | you doing absolutely nothing |
| Bugger me dead! | extremely shocked at something |
| Bugger off! | they are telling you to go, in a not very nice way. If asked as a question it can mean that you aren't believed or an expression of surprise |
| go to Buggery | being asked to leave or keep your nose out-in a very nasty way |
| Built like a brick shit house | something or someone is of very strong construction (usually outside toilets are made of wood) |
| Bull dust | a lie |
| Bullamakanka | imaginary place in the far outback, as far as you can go in the outback |
| Bum | your arse end (bottom) or someone down on their luck and living on the street |
| Bum nuts | eggs |
| Bummer | you're been let down by something |
| Bundy | Bundaberg rum |
| Bung | to put (bung another snag on the barbie mate!) |
| Bunghole | your mouth |
| Bunyip | mythical spirit creature from outback said to reside in or near billabongs |
| give it a Burl | give something a try, that you have not done before |
| Burr up | get angry |
| Bushbash | go off road in a vehicle, forcing your way through untouched bush |
| Bush pig | an unattractive woman |
| Bush telegraph | the town gossip network |
| what is this? Bush week? | you tell someone something is not true. An exclamation that they don't believe you |
| Busy as a one legged bloke in an arse kicking contest | you are doing nothing |
| Busy as a centipede on a hot plate | very busy (picture trying to manage 100 bare feet while standing on a hot stove) |
| give it a "Butchers" | you will look into it (rhymes with butcher's hook) |
| it's BYO | bring your own (alcohol to a restaurant, OR meat to a barbecue) |
| |
C | |
| Something's Cactus | It's died |
| Cakehole | your mouth |
| Call it a day | to finish what you have been doing for the day |
| Camp oven | Large cast iron pot with a lid, for cooking on a open fire |
| Have a Captain Cook | have a look at something |
| Someone Carked it | they've died |
| Carpetbagger steak | beef stuffed with oysters |
| Catch me fuck me | Rugby League football |
| Chalkie | teacher |
| Cheapskate | someone will not spend money or tight wad |
| Cheerio | saying goodbye |
| Cheese & kisses | the missus, you wife |
| Chew the fat | have a good talk together |
| Chinwag | having a good chat |
| Chippie | carpenter |
| It's Chock a block or Chocker's | full to the point you can fill no more or crowded to over flowing |
| You Choof off | You go now |
| Chook | a chicken, rooster or hen |
| May your Chooks turn into emus and kick your shithouse down | statement you can make when, you're not very happy with what someone has done to you |
| Chuck | throw something or vomit |
| Chunder | vomit |
| Clanger | tell a real big lie or say something inappropriate or a shock |
| Claytons | something of questionable integrity, a fake. Claytons is a non alcoholic drink billed as 'the drink you're having when you're not having a drink' |
| Cleanskin | unbranded cattle OR not a criminal |
| Clobber | Clothes |
| Clocked someone | you're hit someone |
| Clod hoppers | your feet |
| Cobber | a mate, a close friend |
| G'day Cobber | welcome close friend |
| something is a Cock up | its gone all wrong |
| Cock and bull | something is a lie (cock and bull story) |
| Cockroach | someone who lives in the state of New South Wales, don't ask why |
| Cockie | farmer |
| a Cockie | cockroach |
| Cod's | testicles |
| Codswallop | cods-swal-lop a lot nonsense or a lie |
| got no Coin | got no money |
| Coldie | a cold beer |
| get them to Come across | try to get someone over to your way of thinking |
| Compo | Compensation (Worker's Compensation) |
| Conk | to hit someone |
| Cooee | call for greeting someone at a distance in the bush |
| Cop it sweet | to get what's coming to you, without try to get back at them |
| Corroboree | aboriginal festival dance |
| put on your Cossie | put on your clothing |
| you will be waiting till the Cows come home | you be waiting all day |
| Couldn't organise a root in a brothel | Person is incompetent, they can't even arrange to have sex in a brothel |
| Cow Juice | milk from a cow |
| Cozzie | swimming costume (NSW) |
| that's a load of old Crap | (load of old shit) a lie |
| stop the Crap! | stop what you are doing or saying its not right |
| off to the Crapper | you off to the toilet |
| Crack onto | to make a pass at/chat up |
| Creamed someone or team | beaten someone else or a team by a huge margin |
| Crikey! | surprise at something |
| Cripes!! I've stepped in something | in extreme discomfort (as in having stepped into dog poo barefoot |
| Crockery | teeth |
| Crook | ill OR something that is not functioning |
| feeling Crook | not feeling well |
| Crook as Rookwood | very unwell (Rookwood is a cemetery in western Sydney) |
| Croweater | someone who lives in the state of South Australia, that state's outback has a lot of crows |
| Cruddy | something of low quality |
| to make a Crust | to earn a living, work for wages |
| not worth a Crumpet | something is worthless |
| Cunning as a shithouse rat | someone is very cunning and under handed |
| have a Cuppa | have cup of tea or coffee |
| Curly | nickname for a bald person |
| give someone a bit of Curry | give someone a hard time of it |
| Cut lunch | sandwiches |
| you need to take a Cut lunch | where you going is a long walk |
| mad as a Cut snake | someone very upset, that could do anything |
| Cow-tow | bow and scrape to someone |
| |
D | |
| Daks or Dacks | trousers or shorts. Sometimes refers to underpants |
| you are a Dag | the manure that hangs from the wool on the rear end of a sheep or a friendly endearment (the trick is knowing which one they mean, check to see if they a smiling) or an unfashionable way of dressing |
| Daggy | something that looks very bad |
| Damp squib | someone who is not thinking too well, a bit of a dud (a squib was a small firecracker, a damp squib is one that doesn't go off). |
| Damper | flour and water bread mix cooked in the coals of a camp fire |
| he's got the Darling pea | behave strangely, OR insane (it's a plant that causes some strange behaviour mainly in animals that eat it) |
| Deadset | without a doubt |
| Dead cert | absolute certainly |
| Dead horse | tomato sauce |
| Dead marine | empty beer bottle |
| going to the Dunny | off to the toilet |
| your Dial | your face |
| Didgeridoo | Aboriginal wind musical instrument |
| Digger | Australian soldier |
| Going to your Digs | is going to your home the place you live |
| Dill | someone that is not too smart |
| Dilly-bag | food bag or small bag to carry things |
| Dingbat | someone who is a fool or acting foolish |
| You are a Dingo | you are cunning bad person |
| Dinki-di | something good from a Australia OR originating from Downunder |
| Dobber | the person has told someone else what you've been up to |
| Dodgy | something suspicious and underhanded is going on |
| Doesn't know if it's Pitt street or Christmas | to be confused (a country bloke confused at all the lights of Sydney's Pitt Street) |
| Dog and bone | telephone |
| Who cut the dog in half? | someone has farted |
| Dog's Breakfast | a mess or messy |
| its a Done Deal | something is finished or completed |
| Donger | a mans penis |
| Donk | car or boat engine or motor bike |
| Haven't seen you in Donkey's years | you haven't seen someone in a very long time |
| Doodah | something or item you do not know the name of |
| Dork | fool or idiot |
| Blowing all your Dough | spending all your money |
| Drink with the flies | to drink alone |
| if you are a Drip | you are someone with no personality, no character, boring |
| Drongo | idiot, someone that is stupid, an insult |
| Dropped your bundle | you lost control of the situation, and finding it hard to get it sorted out, finding it hard to cope with things (Bundle - a load you carry) |
| Dropped your guts | you have farted |
| you are Drover's dog | you no good, you a useless, you are of no importance |
| Dry as a dead dingo's donger | drought OR very dry climate |
| I've been Dudded | someone's conned you, cheated you |
| Dudder | con-man, won't pay bill's |
| Dud-dropper | one who sells cheap stuff as good stuff, implying that it's cheap because it fell off the back of a truck (stolen) |
| up the Duff | pregnant |
| Dunlop cheque | cheque that bounced (the bank did not accept it, returned to you) Dunlop being famous for making tyres |
| noisy as a Dunny door in a storm | something or someone making a continuous noise |
| Dunny budgie | a fly |
| Durry | cigarette |
| |
E | |
| getting a good Earbashing | someone talking to you a long time |
| I could Eat a horse, and chase the jockey | you are very very hungry |
| Elbow grease | working hard (digging etc) |
| Esky | large insulated box which you put ice bricks in, to keep food and drink cold (beer) |
| Evo | evening |
| |
F | |
| Face fungus | man's beard, hair on the face |
| Fag | a cigarette |
| Fair crack of the whip! | Give me a fair go or when someone has done or said something wrong or not correct, or is going to (to let them know, you know) |
| Fair-go Mate! | statement you make when someone is not letting you do or say something |
| Fair dinkum | someone or something really genuine |
| Fair enough OK | you are right, I agree about something |
| Fair suck of the sav | statement you make when someone is not letting you do or say something (sav is a saveloy - a type of sausage) |
| Fanny | female private parts |
| Fart-arse around | you not getting on with the job at hand, and doing other things |
| Fat chance | someone has little to no chance of something happening |
| old fella | a man's penis |
| Fibber | someone who tell lies |
| like a Fish on a hook | you are really caught on something or caught by something or into something usually unpleasant |
| Five finger discount | shoplifting |
| Flake | Shark meat, used in Fish and Chip shops |
| Flaked out | laid down for a rest or fell down from over doing it |
| Flaming thing or Flaming good time | extra bad or extra good |
| Flash as a rat with a gold tooth | dressed and groomed nicely |
| Flasher | perverts who expose their private parts in public |
| Flat chat or Flat out | going very fast what ever they're doing |
| Flat out like a lizard drinking | doing something very fast |
| give it the Flick | you throw it away |
| go to the Flicks | you off to the cinema |
| Floater | meat pie floating in thick pea soup |
| Flog | usually means to sell something but can sometimes mean to steal something |
| Footbrawl | northerners term for Ozzie Rules Football |
| Footy | Aussie Rules Football |
| Footy | Rugby league |
| Fossicking | hunting for gemstones etc (usually opals or sapphires) |
| I suppose it was Fred Nerk | I suppose it was someone imaginary |
| Fridee | Friday |
| Frocks | older ladies Dresses |
| you Front someone | you ask them what they're hiding |
| a Fruit cake | mentally unstable |
| Fruiterer | one who sells fruit and vegetables |
| Full as a boot | drunk |
| Full as a Fairy's phone book | something that is not at all empty |
| in Full Feather | in real good health |
| Funny as a fart in an elevator | something that isn't funny |
| Funny farm | mental institution |
| |
G | |
| Ga day, Gidday or G'day | a friendly welcome (same as hello or hi) |
| Galah | loud, rudely behaved person, an insult (a galah is a loud raucous parrot) |
| what's your Game | what are you up to, something going on that is wrong |
| you're Game | if you have a go at something others think or find difficult, they say you're Game or brave |
| have a Gander | have a look |
| Garbo | Garbage collector |
| Garbologist | Garbage collector |
| Gasbag | talking a lot |
| Gibber | a large rock or a desert (as in the Gibson Desert) |
| Give it away | give up on something |
| I need to Go! | you want to go to the toilet |
| it's a Goer | something that will definitely occur, that you have been trying to make happen |
| Going like hot cakes | something selling or given away very fast |
| Gone round the bend | gone crazy or mental |
| Gone to the dogs | something or some place, is no longer any good |
| Good as Gold! | something is great |
| Good oh | okay |
| the Good oil | on it is to tell the truth on something |
| Good on ya Mate! | you are happy with what they are doing |
| Goog | an egg (he's got a big goog on 'is head) he's got a bump on the head as big as a egg |
| full as a Goog | drunk |
| Goose | Someone that is not to smart, silly |
| come off the Grass! | do you think I'm stupid or gullible? |
| Green around the Gills | you are feeling queasy, sick often referring to hangovers |
| you dirty Grub | dirty eater or dirty child |
| go eat some Grub | go eat some food |
| hop into the Grub | start eating food |
| Grazier | sheep or cattle farmer (usually in a big way) |
| Gregory Peck | your neck |
| Grizzle | complaining person |
| Grog | alcohol |
| you are a Grot | you are very dirty or untidy |
| Grouse | something is great, terrific |
| Grumblebum | usually an older person who habitually complains. |
| Guffing off | someone who is lazy |
| Gumsucker | someone who lives in the state of Victoria |
| down the Gurgler | down the plug hole, something has failed |
| Gutzer or Gutsa | to fall over and hurt yourself or plan that does not work out |
| got a Gympy leg | your leg is not working, its damaged |
| |
H | |
| Haggle | you try to talk the price down |
| Hair of the dog | drinking more alcohol as a cure for a hangover |
| Put Hairs on ya chest | someone that if you eat this or drink this you will become a man |
| Handles like a dog on lino (linoleum) | your car or whatever handles very badly |
| Hang out | spending time out, usually with friends |
| Happy as a pig in mud | very happy |
| Hardcase | someone with closed mind, but they might not think so or a tough guy |
| Hit the Hay or Hit the sack | go to bed to sleep |
| Hit the Frog and Toad | Hit the road, leave, usually said by a visitor when they are ready to leave |
| Hit your kick | open your wallet |
| Hoon | a show-off with limited intelligence |
| Hoo-roo | saying goodbye to someone |
| Hot under the collar | to get angry |
| Howzat? | asking someone how something is. Often shouted at cricket when appealing for a batsman to be dismissed |
| Humping | something heavy carrying something heavy usually very hard or having sex |
| Humpy | bush dwelling of cheap construction |
| |
I | |
| Idiot box | television set |
| something is a bit Iffy | it is risky or suspect |
| you give me the Irrits | they're extremely irritating |
| Ivories | your teeth (to tickle the ivories) to play the piano |
J | |
| Jack of that | you a fed up with something |
| I will fix your Jack and Jill | I will pay your bill, usually in a restaurant
|
| Jack-in-the-box | someone who can not sit still |
| Jackaroo or Jillaroo | trainee male or female Cattle Station hand |
| Jack Dancer | Cancer |
| Jaked | broken |
| Jaffle | toasted sandwich (toasty toast) |
| Had to use the Jerry | (chamberpot) it is a pot under the bed if you need to go in the middle of the night |
| See you in a Jiffy | see you in a short time |
| Jigged | broken or no long useful |
| I will job you! | I will hit you or punch you |
| Jocks | male underpants |
| Joe Blake | a snake |
| Joe Bloggs | you are referring to the average citizen |
| Any old Joe blow will tell you | any one you don't even know will tell you |
| Down the John | off to the toilet |
| Journo | journalist |
| Jumper | usually a woollen sweater |
| Jumbuck | sheep |
| Just down the road | If someone says this, ask for more details as this could be 100 yards to a 1000 miles away |
| |
K | |
| Kafuffle | argument Or a disturbance |
| you must have Kangaroos loose in the top paddock | you going a little crazy |
| Keen as mustard | enthusiastic about something |
| Kick the bucket | dead |
| Kindy | kindergarten |
| Kip | short rest or sleep or nap |
| pack your Kit | pack up all your belongings or your possessions |
| Kiwi | someone who live in New Zealand (New Zealander) |
| Knackers | testicles |
| Knickers | female underwear |
| Knock-off | a counterfeit product |
| Knock shop | a house of prostitution |
| Knock something | you criticise it |
| Knocked me back | she didn't want to have sex with you |
| Knocked up | she is pregnant |
| Knock off time | time to go home from work |
| Get Knotted! | is a angry way of say go now |
| you Know | mostly used by people who do not know what they are talking about, and hope you do (habit phrase some Aussies use at the end of a sentence) |
| What do you Know? | someone is try to open a discussion with you, in a friendly way |
| |
L | |
| Lady muck | a woman who puts on airs of a grand lady, usually badly (stuck up) |
| Lady blamey | a beer glass made from the bottom half of a beer bottle |
| Lag | inform, dob |
| Lame-brained | someone that is stupid |
| Lamingtons | sponge cakes coated in chocolate and grated coconut |
| Laughing gear | your mouth |
| Lashing out | going on a spending spree |
| Lav or Lavvy | outdoor toilet |
| Leading you up the garden path | someone is try to deceive you, but you are not awake up to it |
| take a Leak | go to the toilet |
| Get a leg over | have sexual intercourse |
| help you get a Leg up | someone is going to help you get started at something (usually when you are new to something) |
| Lemon | something that is faulty or broken or bad or useless (that you are stuck with) or a lesbian |
| Lights on but there's no one home | someone not too smart |
| Lippie | lipstick |
| Liquid amber | Beer |
| use your Loaf | use your head, think about it |
| Lob-in on someone | visit someone unnannounced |
| do your Lolly | hit your head or shouting and raving in an angry way (losing you head) |
| Lollywater | soft drink, also a way to insult someone who has served an alcoholic drink that is not up to scratch |
| Long as a month of Sundays | a very long time (28 - 31 weeks) |
| Long drink of water | someone who is tall |
| Long neck | large bottle of beer |
| how Long is a piece of string? | used when someone asks when something will be finished, and it's one of those jobs that is finished when it's finished (can not determine a time) |
| on a good Lurk | on to a good thing or job |
| G'day Luv | substitute for the woman's name in a friendly way |
| |
M | |
| Mad as a cut snake | gone crazy |
| Mad as a meat axe | crazy, sometimes used to excuse coarse behaviour |
| Map of Tassie | Woman's reproductive parts. Tasmania is a triangular shape. The 'map' being the pubic hair |
| Mate | friend |
| Matilda | your sleeping bag or bed roll for camping out |
| Milk bar | the corner shop that sells all sorts(mainly food) |
| Min Min | mysterious lights at night in the outback |
| Missus | your wife |
| Mob | group of people or things, not necessarily unruly |
| Mozzie | mosquito |
| Mollydooker | a left hander |
| Moosh | your mouth |
| I was just Mucking around | you where playing around in a way that others generally don't like |
| Mug | your face |
| gone up the Mulga | gone bush, gone to the country not touched by man |
| More of them, than you can poke a stick at | a lot of something |
| Stunned Mullet | dazed or shocked at some disturbing news |
| Manchester | household linen |
| Middy | 285 ml beer glass (NSW) |
| Things are crook in Musclebrook | times are bad |
| plates of Meat | your feet |
| Mundee | Monday |
| Mystery bag | sausage (never know what the butcher put in it) |
| |
N | |
| Nacked | annoyed |
| I'm Nackered | absolutely exhausted or very tired |
| Nana | banana |
| Nappy | diaper (not slang) |
| Narkie | short tempered or very negative about everything | |
| Naughty | sexual intercourse |
| NCR Rating | Number of Cans Required. The number of beers you would need to drink before you would consider having sex with them |
| Neddie | a horse |
| Out in the Never Never | gone out to the bush, usually off the beaten track, gone off in our native countrysides undeveloped by man |
| you've got a good Nick | you got a good name |
| in the Nick | you are naked |
| Nick off | go now, get lost |
| Get Nicked! | go away, get lost, sometimes used when someone doesn't believe what you are saying |
| Nickers | females underpants |
| Noah's ark | a shark |
| No-hoper | someone who is hopeless |
| Nockers | women's breasts |
| Noggin | head or brains |
| It's on the Nose | something stinks |
| Not Bad | often an understatement of something being good but can also be trying to spare one's feelings. Most often used when asked how you are |
| In the Nuddy | naked |
| Nulla-nulla | wooden club used by Aborigines (made from very heavy and hard wood) |
| Nuggets | man's testicles |
| |
O | |
| Ocker | Aussie that likes beer, sport and women and uncultured |
| Off the Beaten Track | on a road not used very much, to no road at all or in a remote part of Australia |
| Off like a brides nightie | leave very quickly or something stinks |
| Off like a bucket of prawns in the hot sun | leaving very quickly |
| Off-sider | assistant or partner |
| Oldies | parents |
| Once over | giving something the look over or checking it out |
| One armed bandit | poker machine (slowly being replaced by the button version) |
| On ya mate | (as in Good on ya) well done there mate |
| Ooroo | goodbye |
| Orright! | All right! Can mean great delight but could also be a protest at being asked to do something you don't want to do. Depends on the tone of voice |
| Outback | remote part of Australia |
| Bun in the Oven | pregnant |
| Ow-yar-goin | how are you going? |
| Oy! or Oi! | a Aussie bush call |
| Oz | Australia |
| |
P | |
| Pack of Poo tickets | toilet paper |
| I'll put the cows out in the long Paddock | putting cows out on the road |
| Pally | on friendly terms with someone |
| Paper Yabber | letter |
| Pash or Pashing | kissing and cuddling |
| Pat Malone | you are on your own, alone |
| Paw-paw | Queensland papaya (tropical fruit) |
| Pearl | excellent |
| Perk | at work something good your employer supplies for nothing as a part of your job (and the taxman wants a part of) |
| Pester | annoy or bother someone |
| Pie floater | a meat pie floating in thick pea soup, usually with lots of sauce |
| Pigs bum | that's wrong, or incorrect |
| Piffle | nonsense |
| Piker | someone who does not want to do, what the rest of the group want to do |
| Pinch | to arrest |
| Pissed as a family fart | very drunk, sometimes used to insult a younger drinker to imply that they are like the old family drunk |
| Pissed as a parrot | drunk |
| Pissed off | you are angry or unhappy with something |
| Plate of meat | your feet |
| Playing Possum | you are hiding yourself or try to keep something from someone (sometimes by pretending to do something you are not) |
| Plonk | very cheap alcohol or sometimes refers to wine in general |
| Poddy dodger | cattle rustler |
| Pommy or Pom | English person |
| Pong | a bad smell or unpleasant odour |
| Talking on the Porcelain telephone | vomiting into a toilet (driving the Porcelain bus) |
| Feel like a Pork chop in a Jewish Synagogue | you feel out of it, in whatever situation |
| Possie | advantageous position, in good spot (eg at sporting event, fishing spot) |
| Postie | Postman, mail delivery person |
| Pot | 285 ml glass of beer (VIC & Qld) |
| the Pot calling the kettle black | someone said something adverse about you and you reply with this slang phrase (which says that they are the same or worse than their statement) |
| Pot hole | hole in the road |
| Prang | automotive crash |
| Prawn | shrimp |
| The Raw Prawn | easy to deceive |
| Don't come the Raw Prawn | don't try to put one over me, I'm not easily fooled |
| Prezzies | gifts |
| Proud as a rat with a gold tooth | someone is very proud of how they look or something they have done |
| Pub | hotel, place for buying and drinking alcohol |
| Puffed | you are out of breath |
| Pull your head in mate | tell them to mind their own business |
| Pull up your socks | get your life in order or your act together |
| Push-bike | Bicycle |
| Pussy | domestic cat or a females private part |
| Put up or shut up | show you can do it or say it or keep quiet |
| |
Q | |
| Quack | doctor |
| Quid | money |
| not the full Quid | short on brains |
R | |
| Racing off | sex with someone else's wife or husband |
| Rack off | go now, in an angry way, get lost |
| Rafferty's Rules | every thing is a mess and mixed up, done all wrong, with no rules at all |
| the Rag | newspaper or a women who sleeps around |
| Raining cats'n'dogs | heavy storm & rain |
| Ratbag | not a nice person, sometimes used as an endearment |
| Reckon you are right | believe or think you're right |
| putting the Red steer into the paddock | burning off the paddock, putting fire to the paddock |
| Rellie | relative or family |
| Ridgy didge | true or genuine article |
| Righto | okay or that's right |
| Ringer | fast sheep shearer |
| Ring-in | replacement for the real thing, imposter |
| Rip off | you been cheated |
| smells Ripe | smells off or bad |
| it's a Ripper | it's really great |
| it's a Ripsnorter | something is really great |
| Road train | multi-trailered semi trailer |
| Doing a Roaring trade | you been doing a lot of business |
| Root | sexual intercourse |
| Rooted | very tired |
| Ropable | very ill tempered or angry |
| You got the Rough end of the pineapple | you got a bad deal or the bad end of something |
| RS | lousy (rat shit) |
| Rug up | dress warmly |
| you'd have to Run around in a the shower to get wet | you are very thin |
| |
S | |
| Great Australian Salute | swatting flies |
| Sacked | you been fired from work |
| Sandgroper | someone who lives a the state of Western Australia (very sandy state) |
| Sandshoes | joggers, sneakers, trainers |
| Sanger or Sanga | Sandwich |
| Satdee | Saturday |
| Sausage short of a barbecue | short of brains (a Snag Short of a barbie) |
| Scallops | fried potato cakes (Qld), Shellfish (elsewhere) |
| Scarce as hen's teeth | something extremely rare |
| School | group of drinkers, each of whom buys a round |
| Schooner | large beer glass (NSW & SA) |
| Scone | your head |
| Scrounge | to get something for free |
| Scrounge around | to furious look for something |
| you Scrub-up well | you are now dressed, hair done nice, you look good, where you didn't before |
| You Scrubber | you're of poor quality and don't keep yourself clean |
| Scrubber | a farm animal gone bush |
| Scungies | bather's, can also refer to underpants in general |
| Septic tank | American (not nice - a septic tank is a tank used to hold sewerage) |
| Seppo | American (see Septic tank) |
| Shack | a simple dwelling or house |
| Shag | sex with someone |
| A Shag on a rock | alone and stuck away from others |
| Shank's pony | going some where by foot |
| Shark | used car salesman |
| Shark | biscuit new surfers |
| Sheila | a woman (not used any more other than by some old timers) |
| She'll be right! | this means everything at all will be good or OK or all right |
| Shellacking | complete defeat |
| Shirty | to get upset or angry |
| Shonky | unreliable a very suspect deal |
| Shoot through | to leave in a hurry |
| Short and curlies | pubic hair when someone states they've 'got you by the short and curlies' you're in a bad position |
| Short arms deep pockets | someone will not part with their money |
| Shout | buying friends alcohol (usually beers) at a pub (then its their turn to buy you one, one sure way to get drunk, especially if there is enough of you) |
| Wouldn't Shout in a shark attack | will not take is turn buying the drinks in a bar, will not shout their turn |
| Shove off! | go away, said in a angry way |
| Show you the ropes | show you how to do a job |
| Taking a Sickie | taking time off work, with the reason of sickness, but you are well, and just going fishing or something you do in good health |
| Silly Season | Christmas holiday's |
| Sit on a beer | take a long time to drink a beer |
| Going for a Slash | a man is going to urinate |
| Skite | to boast or brag about ones personal accomplishments |
| a Slab | pack of 24 cans of beer |
| Slats | window slats or roofing slats (tiles) |
| Slippery-dip | kids slide |
| Slog | hard work |
| Sloppy joe | a cotton sweater |
| Slow as a wet week | you doing something very slowly, and they trying to get you moving on it at a faster pace |
| Smoko | have a break, and usually having something to eat and drink, and have a cigarette if you are allowed to |
| Snag | sausage (put a snag on the barbie) now that's what Aussie really do say (not shrimp) |
| Snakey | someone is very upset or angry |
| Snapping | log crocodile |
| you a big Sook! | you are very sensitive, and upset over nothing |
| I'll Sort it | you'll fix it what ever it is |
| Call a Spade a Spade | telling something like is, not saying something good if its not, or bad if its good |
| Sparky / Sparkie | electrician |
| Speedo's | bather's |
| Spit the dummy | you getting or got very upset at something. It implies immaturity as a dummy is a child's pacifier |
| Good Sport | someone who is good about losing |
| Up the Spout | pregnant |
| Sprung | caught doing something they should not, busted |
| Spud | a potato |
| Spunk (Spunky) | good-looking, attractive |
| Spunky | someone who is very attractive |
| Square off | get ready for a fight |
| Square up | apologise or make good |
| Squatter | someone who live on someone else's land or house with out permission |
| Squib out | you are backing out of something, chickening out |
| Have a Squiz | at have a look at something |
| Well Stacked | large breasted women |
| Stick in the mud | someone is stopping you from doing something, you say this statement |
| Dick Stickers | bathers |
| Stickybeak | someone can not mind their own business (nosy) |
| Stinger Box | Jellyfish |
| Stone the crows! | Shock at something |
| Strewth! | shock at something |
| Strides | trousers |
| Strine | a lot of Aussie slang said at once |
| Stroppy | someone in a bad mood, and being difficult |
| Stubby | small bottle of beer or a pair of men's shorts |
| I don't give a Stuff | you don't care about something |
| Stuffed | very tired |
| Pull up Stumps | moving home, changing address (from the end of a cricket match where the stumps are removed) |
| Sundee | Sunday |
| Swag | canvas bag or cover that you keep all your belonging and bedroll in, to protect it from the weather when camping out |
| you look pretty Swank | you look dressed expensive, dressed well etc |
| something looks Swank | something looks expensive |
| No Sweat | no worries |
| |
T | |
| Ta | thanks |
| Talk the leg off an iron pot | someone with the gift of the gab (someone who talks a lot) |
| Taswegian | someone who lives in the state of Tasmania |
| Tea | evening meal |
| Tee up | organise or arrange something |
| Bush Telly | looking up at the stars |
| Thingamajig | term you use when you can't actually remember the name of something |
| Thing-eme-bob | term you use when you can't actually remember the name of something |
| Thingo | term you use when you can't actually remember the name of something |
| Thongs | sandals made from rubber |
| Thugby | southerners term for Rugby League Football |
| Thunder box | toilet |
| Thursdee | Thursday |
| Hang on a Tick | wait a short moment |
| He's got Tickets on himself | this person thinks they are the greatest, self opinionated |
| Tides gone out | your glass is not full |
| Tightarse | someone who will not part with is money, shout a drink in a bar, etc |
| Tight wad | person who doesn't want to part with their money, miser |
| Tighter than a fish's bumhole | a miser, won't spend money on mates |
| Tinnie | can of cold beer or a aluminium boat |
| Crack a Tinnie | open a can of cold beer |
| Couple of Tinnies short of a slab | someone a bit simple minded, or mentally impaired |
| Too right! | something is absolutely right & correct |
| Top-Ender | someone who lives in the Northern Territory |
| Make Tracks | you want to get going somewhere |
| True Blue | really Australian |
| Tucker | food |
| Tuckerbag | a bag for storing food in the bush |
| Tuckshop | What Aussie schools call a canteen or cafeteria |
| Tuesdee | Tuesday |
| Turn it up | stop what your say or doing as its not right |
| Going Twenty to the dozen | moving or doing something very fast, or too fast |
| Two-up | traditional Australian heads or tails gambling game with two coins |
| |
U | |
| Um-ah | indecisive or can be doing something wrong |
| Uee, Uie or Uwie | doing a U turn |
| Underdaks or undies | underpants |
| Uni | University |
| Up shit creek | things are going wrong for you |
| Up the gumtree | someone that got them self in a spot of trouble, in a quandary |
| Up yourself | full of yourself |
| Got Up your nose | they've really upset you and irritated and annoyed you |
| Ute | utility (in the USA a pickup truck) |
| |
V | |
| Vegies | vegetables |
| Verbal diarrhoea | talking utter rubbish |
W | |
| Waffle | nonsense |
| Wag | skip school, truancy |
| Gone Walkabout | you've gone for a long walk, for an aboriginal it a holiday away in the bush, period of spiritual enlightenment. |
| Walking ticket | laid off from your job |
| Walkover | something is done easily or someone deceived easily |
| On the Wallaby track | to go from place to place in search of work |
| Wally | someone who keeps making mistakes |
| Backroom Waltz | discipline dished out at the Police Station |
| Wanker | a male that is really stupid but they think they are the greatest |
| How's ya Warwick farms? | How are your arms |
| It will all come out in the Wash | something will sort it's self over time |
| Go down the Waterhole | off to the hotel or pub |
| Weatherboard | wooden house |
| Wedding tackle | man's penis |
| The Wet | rainy season in northern Australia |
| Wharfie | dockworker |
| Whip around | collecting money for a gift for someone leaving work |
| Give it a Whirl | to try doing something, by giving it your best |
| White pointer | highway patrol |
| White pointers | lady sunbaking topless |
| Who-ha | someone is making a fuss about something, usually nothing important |
| Great Wing-ding | you had a great party or get together or sometimes can mean an argument |
| What's that!! or Wossat?! | you didn't catch what someone was saying, and you want them to say it again. |
| On a good Wicket | on to a good thing life or earning a good income |
| Willy | man's penis |
| Willy Willy | wind whirly or dust twister |
| Willy-nilly | something kept in a untidy way |
| Put the Wind up ya! | frighten someone or to intimidate |
| Winge | complain and carry on unnecessarily |
| Something is Wobbly | it's shaky |
| Chucked a Wobbly | threw a tantrum |
| Put on the Wobbly boot | drunk or have had to much to drink (alcohol) |
| I got the Wog | I got a cold or the flu or virus |
| you're a Wombat! | you are not to smart, a dope |
| Wonky | something is unstable or unsteady or shaky |
| Woomera | stick used by Aborigines to throw spears |
| Woop Woop | somewhere a long way from civilisation |
| Wowser | killjoy or prude, old fashioned |
| Wouldn't be dead for quids | your very happy and well |
| Write off | the car can not get fixed after a crash (totalled) |
| |
X | |
| x it out | cross it out or erase something |
Y | |
| Ya tellin me | someone said something you agree with |
| Yabbie | freshwater Australian crayfish |
| Yacking | talking a lot |
| Yahoo | loudmouthed person which usually out of control in some way |
| Yakka | Work, usually labouring or other physically demanding work |
| Hard Yakka | hard work |
| Yank | American |
| Yapping | talking none stop |
| Tell you a Yarn | tell a story that maybe true or it might not be, that's for them to work out |
| See you Yewse | later see you you all later |
| Yobbo | same as a yahoo but no values at all,looks like a slob always |
| Your Yanking my chain or don't Yank my chain | your telling a lie |
| |
Z | |
| Catch some Z's | go for a sleep |
| Zebra crossing | broad striped paint lines as a pedestrian crossing of a roadway |
| Zonked | really really tied |
| |
