- Iโve managed to book the best seats at the theatre for us, this weekend!
- Wicked! Thank you. Iโm really excited!
What do you think โwickedโ means? ย No, it doesnโt mean โevilโ or โbadโ.
Believe it or not,ย โwickedโ is actually a slang term that meansย โBrilliant!โ or โAwesome!โ
Slang is a type of jargon that originates from various small groups of people. They tend to come about from conversation, and people naturally use words that have a meaning for them, then over time, these words alter and become slang.
It is probably one of the hardest aspects of the English language to learn, because there are so many variations in each small town, let alone in different English-speaking countries!
People use slang to sound less formal. Slang is mainly used because it relaxes the mouth, and allows people to speak in a more comfortable way. It is a lot easier to use slang than โperfect Englishโ, which is probably why itโs so common!
This blog post will show you some of the most popular slang terms, but this doesnโt cover all of them! There are just too many! Hopefully the list below will cover some of the most common ones that you might hear!
1. UNREAL
Something that is unbelievably cool or brilliant
- I love this party,ย itโs just unreal!
2. PROPS
This means respect, recognition
- I know he failed the test, but youโve got toย give him props forย trying.
3. KUDOS
Another word for respect, recognition
- Kudos forย organising this party. Itโs brilliant!
4. BOTTOM LINE
The main point
- The bottom line is we just donโt have enough money to make it work.
5. DISS
When a person disrespects someone else
- Stopย dissing herย behind her back. Show some respect!
6. DIG
To really like something
- Hey,ย I dig your new style. Where did you buy that T-shirt?
7. BOBโS YOUR UNCLE
This is a well-used phrase in the UK. It is added to the end of sentences, and means something likeย and thatโs it!
- How did you make this cake? Itโs delicious!
- Well, I just mixed in the batter thoroughly, poured it into a cake pan, baked it for 30 minutes and Bobโs your uncle!
8. BUDGE UP
When you ask someone to move and make space for you
- ย I want to sit down too, could you budge up a little please?
9. ACE
This has two meanings, something that isย awesome, really cool. Or to achieve something with perfection, really easilyย
- Ace! I just got a promotion at work!
- Robert aced his physics exam!
10. ALL RIGHT?
This means โhello, how are you?โ
- All right?
- Good thanks, you all right?
11. FULL OF BEANS
This means to haveย loads of energy
- All the children were full of beans at the party today. I couldnโt get any of them to sit still!
12. BLATANT
Something that is reallyย obvious
- Sheโs blatantly very annoyed, everyone can see it apart from you.
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13. PEAR SHAPED
This means something has become aย disaster
- I was trying to organise a surprise birthday party for her, but itโs all gone pear-shaped!
14. PIECE OF CAKE
When someone is boasting or they think something is extremely easy to do, they would use this
- What did you think of the exam? I thought it was really difficult.
- No, it was a piece of cake!
15. BLIMEY
This is an exclamation of surprise
- Blimey, look at all this mess here! Iโd only left the house for an hour, and look what youโve done!
16. BOTCH
There are two ways of using this expression โto botch something upโ or โto do a botch jobโ. They both mean that the work done was not of a high standard, or was clumsy workmanship
- The builder did a terrible job on the roof. He just botched it up, and it still leaks every time it rains!
17. CHEERS
Used when drinking with friends to salute or make a toast (raise your glasses and clink them together)
- Cheers everyone! Happy birthday to John!
18. SMASHING
This means something isย terrific, brilliant
- I had a smashing time on holiday, it was so much fun!
19. SODโS LAW
This is another name forย Murphyโs Lawย โ whatever can go wrong, will go wrong
- I wore my pretty new dress, because it was a sunny day, but as soon as I stepped out of the house, it started raining, and I got completely soaked!
- Sodโs Law!
20. CHIN WAG
This means having a nice, long chat with someone. You can probably tell why!
- I saw Mary after such a long time yesterday! We had a lovely chin wag together, like the good old days.
21. CHUFFED
Used when someone is reallyย pleasedย about something
- My mum bought me a fantastic car when I passed my driving test. I was chuffed to bits!
22. CRAM
This means toย study hardย in a very short period of time
- I was so busy with my family before the exam, that I only had three days to cram in all the revision work!
23. NICE ONE
Can be used when someone does something particularly impressive
- I published my first book last year, and Iโve already started working on the sequel!
- Nice one! Youโre doing really well.
24. CRIKEY
An exclamation of surprise
- I went shopping today! (comes in with lots of bags)
- Crikey! Have you spent all of our savings??!!
25. DEAR
Something that isย expensiveย
- I avoid going shopping into the town centre nowadays, everything is so dear!
26. FAFF
This is when someone procrastinates, or wastes time wondering around
- Come on we have to go now. Stopย faffing around, weโre going to be late!
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27. DO
Another word for aย party
- Are you going to Lizzieโs birthday do next week?ย
28. FLOG
To sell something
- I managed to flog my car for a really good price!
29. FORTNIGHT
Two weeks. This comes from an abbreviation of โfourteen nightsโ
- Iโve been really ill for the past fortnight, and still havenโt recovered.
30. GOBSMACKED
This means amazed (your gob is your mouth, and if you smack your gob, it would be out of amazement!)
- I canโt believe I passed that exam! I thought I was going to fail, Iโm completely gobsmacked!
31. SPLASH OUT
When you spend far too much moneyย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
- I wanted to give Sarah a special treat for her birthday, so I splashed out on a very romantic weekend away.
32. GRUB / NOSH
Both these words mean foodย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
- Iโm going to get some grub for myself from the local takeaway. Do you want anything?
33. BEEโS KNEES
Something or someone fabulous, spectacular
- You should see my new sound-system, itโs the beeโs knees!
- I donโt like Harvey very much, he thinks heโs the beeโs knees!
34. GUTTED
When someone is really upset or disappointed
- Iโm so gutted I failed my driving test, again!
35. PEANUTS
When something is cheap, financially low
- I hate my job. I have to work such long hours, and I get paid peanuts.
- You should buy your clothes on-line. You can find some great designs for peanuts!ย
36. HAGGLE
To argue over, and try to negotiate the price of something you want to buy
- The last time I went shopping with my mum, she was haggling for something that was already really cheap!
- I managed to haggle the price of this shirt down by 25%!
37. JOLLY
You might hear people use this in all sorts of ways, but basically it means โveryโ. So โjolly goodโ would meanย โvery goodโ
- Donโt worry, I will pay you back before the end of this month.
- I should jolly well think so!
38. THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
This is an expression that meansย to wreck something
- I managed to keep the surprise a secret, right up until the day before my sisterโs birthday, then he threw a spanner in the works by telling her!
39. KIP
A shortย sleep, forty winks, a nap, a power nap, or a snooze.
- Why donโt you try and have a kip before everyone gets here? You wonโt have time to rest later.
40. WIND UP
This has a couple of meanings. If something you do is a โwind upโ it means you areย making funย of someone โ you could be called a wind-up merchant if you do this.
However, if you are โwound upโ it means you areย annoyed.
- John really is a wind-up merchant, but the girl he was picking on was so gullible!
- I was just winding her up for fun, but she took offence to it and got really angry!
41. MATE
This means friend, chum, pal, or buddy.
- Iโm going to the cinema with my mates tonight.
42. NOT MY CUP OF TEA
This is a common saying which means that something isย not to your liking.
- I donโt really like this sort of music. Itโs just not my cup of tea.
43. PORKIES
This means telling lies. It comes from cockney rhyming slang. Short for โporky piesโ, meaning โpork piesโ, which rhymes with lies!
- Donโt listen to her, sheโs telling porkies!
44. ROW
This means anย argument (rhymes with โcowโ)
- My brother had a huge row with his girlfriend yesterday. Heโs really upset!
45. DONKEYโS YEARS
If someone says โI havenโt seen you in donkeyโs yearsโ, it means they havenโt seen you for a very long time!
- Hi Sarah! What a surprise to see you here. I havenโt seen you in donkeyโs years! How have you been?
46. EASY PEASY
A childish term for something very easy
- I could make that for you, if you like? Itโs easy peasy!
47. SORTED
When someone asks you about a problem you have already fixed, you could say this.
You can also say โget it sortedโ, when you are telling someone to get on with something they have to do.
- Whatโs happening about that roof leak then?
- Oh thatโs sorted now. I found a really good builder to do the job.
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ย 48. STROP
If someone isย sulkingย or being particularly miserable, you would say they are โbeing stroppyโ, or โthrowing a stropโ
- Janet would you please cheer up? Itโs your birthday, donโt be so stroppy!
49. CHEERIO
This is a friendly way of saying goodbye
- Right, I have to go now, see you soon. Cheerio!
50. WANGLE
This is used to say some people have all the luck
- I canโt believe he managed to wangle an upgrade on their airline seats, AND the honeymoon suite in their hotel!
51. BLINDING
If something is a blinding success, it means it wasย awesome, brilliant
- They had a blinding party after their wedding ceremony. Everyone had such a great time!
52. WONKY
If something isย shakyย orย unstable,ย you might say it is wonky.
- I canโt eat my dinner at this table. Itโs wonky and wonโt stop wobbling!
53. ZONKED
If someone is zonked or โzonked outโ it means they are totally knackered, or exhausted
- He had a lot of fun at his birthday party earlier, but heโs completely zonked out now!
54. DODGY
If someone or something is a bit dodgy, it is not to be trusted.
- I saw a few dodgy-looking people standing around along that quiet street near our house, so just to be on the safe side, I notified the police.
- This food looks a bit dodgy, it might have passed its expiry date. I donโt think we should eat it.
55. LEG IT
This is a way of sayingย โrunโย orย โrun for itโ
- I went out on Halloween night, and someone jumped out from behind a bush to scare me. I was so frightened, that I just legged it all the way back home!
So there you go. Now you have a long list of slang words that you can familiarise yourself with, and try to remember! If youโre going to England or another English-speaking country, you might feel a bit more prepared to make conversation, if youโve gone through this list!
OMG the last one was really hilarious! Thanks for this great list.
Wow Iโm from England and a lot of these arenโt slang haha wow how crap. The word cushty and peng are slang words these are phrases and a lot of English speaking countries donโt know these
Wow very handy list of slangs. Thanks for the share. WANGLE and THICC are my favorite slang terms
it is very nice I like these all wordsโฆโฆ..
Thank you soooo much!