British Slang Dictionary: Common English Expressions & Definitions
British Slang: A Quick Reference
Here’s a handy list of common British slang terms and their meanings:
- Big-headed: Arrogant
- Soppy: Cheesy (empalagoso)
- Duck tape: Cinta aislante (Duct tape)
- Ticking: What the clock does
- Bother: Annoy
- Overtake: Adelantar
- Rehearse: To practice for something
- Slurp: To drink making noise
- Shiver: Tremble, shake
- Peaky: Sick, ill
- Mug someone: Atracar a alguien
- Frown: Fruncir el ceño, hacer un mal gesto
- Guts: Las tripas. I feel it in my guts (Tengo un presentimiento)
- Sink: Lavabo
- Snob / Snobby: Arrogante, pedante o esnob
- Eloquent: A person who speaks fluently and well
- Geezer: Old bitter man
- Wind someone up: To annoy someone
- Own up to something: Admit/confess you have done something wrong
- To dump someone: To stop dating someone
- Posh: From a high social class
- GCE: General Certificate of Education
- Quivery: Shaking or trembling slightly
- Skimming stones: The activity of throwing a flat stone across the water in a way that it bounces off the surface
- Bloke: A man, often considered ordinary
- Lookout: A place from which to keep view of something
- Tacky: Vulgar, of bad taste
- Dodgy: Of low quality, potentially dangerous
- Loo: Informal word for toilet
- Greedy: Having an excessive desire for something
- Whiny: Having a complaining tone
- Swirl: Girar
- Pond: Estanque
- Weird: Strange, odd, peculiar
- Thug: Matón
- Reckon: Think, believe
- Suspicious: To have doubts about someone or something
- Blushing: To have a red face out of embarrassment normally
- Nodding: To say yes gesturing with your head
- I Dunno: I don’t know
- Concrete: Cemento
- Screw up: Mess up, to spoil something
- Slaughter: Matanza
- Piling: Apilar, to make a tower putting things on top of each other
- Nappy: Diapers
- Whack: To hit
- Homesick: To miss your home
- Get hooked on something: To be addicted to something
- Inches: Unit used to measure (pulgadas)
- Clubbing: Go out to clubs
- Bang: Hitting something making noise
- Threaten: Amenazar
- Crappy: Bad, awful
- Sorting: Choosing
- Fun fair: Different rides placed in a village, similar to an amusement park, but smaller and temporary
- Weeping: Crying
- To drive someone nuts: To drive someone crazy
- Scummy: Referred to someone who is despicable and awful
- Clatter: A noise
- To be knocked up: To be pregnant
- To get rid of: To dispose of something
- To mess around: To spend time doing stupid things
- Drown: To die under water because of the lack of air
- Mind your own business: Do not meddle in other people’s affairs (métete en tus asuntos)
- Moan: Complain, whine
- Stud: A metallic piece which is normally found in clothes as a kind of decoration
- Tummy: Childish way to say stomach
- Lamp post: Street light
- Scrambled: Mixed, not in order
- Wriggle out: Escabullirse
- Get over: To overcome a problem
- Gate: 1, entrance. 2, to walk awkwardly
- Bloke: A guy, a fella or a dude
- Cot: Informal way to say bed
- Armpit: Part of the body under your shoulder
- Booth: Cabina
- Whiny: A person who whines and complains a lot
- Sprawl out: Lie down with spreading your limbs
- Scab: Costra
- Cush out: Amortiguar
- Cocky: Arrogant, smug
- Loo: Toilet
- Lap: Regazo
- Quid: Pounds
- Pebbles: Small stones
- Kettle: Gadget used to boil
- Envy: Envidiary o envidia