# What do these Britishisms mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623 "2009-10-29T16:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/101 "2009-10-31T23:53:41Z")
Other Britishisms that have rubbed off on me and which I’ve come to use routinely over here include “knackered” for “exhausted” and “spanner” for “wrench” (really like that one). I’ve even been heard to utter the occasional “shite.” Have never goten used to “bloody” as a curse word, though. Am very familiar with “donkey’s years” and did not even think about it being a Britishism. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/102 "2009-11-01T03:41:13Z")
_Bollocks_, as Hale & Pace rightly point out, is a very handy word. It’s perhaps not something you’d casually throw around in front of a Maiden Aunt, but it’s not as bad as “Shit”, and depending on context, it can mean anything from “Crap”(“Oh, bollocks, it’s gone wrong”) to “I don’t believe you” (“What a load of bollocks”) to indicating a SNAFU ("Well that’s bollocksed that up, hasn’t it?) and many other things. Yes, “Bollocks” is a very handy word indeed. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/103 "2009-11-01T14:15:26Z")
I’ve picked up "can’t be arsed’ from this board, but I’ve only used it here. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/104 "2009-11-01T16:58:36Z")
So, I if said “give us a kike?” - would you? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/105 "2009-11-01T17:09:29Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > The lighthearted usage of “cock” heard in Top Gear was largely pioneered by the show itself. “Dick”, for a person, is more common, and when referring to an actual penis, “cock” is still pretty rude. Seems to me I’ve heard the phrase “cocked it up” on British TV which is a polite way of saying “fucked it up” and the same as the US version “screwed it up”. On a similar note, saying you’re “stuffed” after eating a meal in the US mean you’re full but the word used in the UK is slang for “fucked”. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/106 "2009-11-01T18:01:27Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Seems to me I’ve heard the phrase “cocked it up” on British TV which is a polite way of saying “fucked it up” and the same as the US version “screwed it up”. > > On a similar note, saying you’re “stuffed” after eating a meal in the US mean you’re full but the word used in the UK is slang for “fucked”. Well “stuffed” is slang for “in an irretrievably bad situation”, as is “fucked”. But I don’t think “stuffed” means “fucked” literally. And it can also mean “full”, just like in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/107 "2009-11-01T23:59:37Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > So, I if said “give us a kike?” - would you? What does that mean? I’ve only heard that word as a term of racvial abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/108 "2009-11-02T02:11:29Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > So, I if said “give us a kike?” - would you? In the US, “kike” is a very offensive term for Jewish people. I’m unfamiliar with any other meaning for the term, so I wouldn’t understand your question. I’d recommend against using this expression around Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/109 "2009-11-02T08:30:58Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Well “stuffed” is slang for “in an irretrievably bad situation”, as is “fucked”. But I don’t think “stuffed” means “fucked” literally. And it can also mean “full”, just like in the US. It can mean “fucked” literally, as played upon by a second-handshake of mine whose hobby was taxidermy. She was at one of these management courses where you get to introduce yourself to your fellow students, and her standard opening line was “Hello boys, I’m Lindy and I’ve probably stuffed more birds than you have…” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/110 "2009-11-02T17:19:41Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > So, I if said “give us a kike?” - would you? I just googled to make sure but I don’t think this is a term in common use at all. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/111 "2009-11-02T17:29:00Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > PS Dublin isn’t British 🙂 Dammit, I knew I would mess that up! Ignorance fought. Another one: I’ve noticed in House Hunters International, folks refer to what an American would call the yard or backyard as the “garden”. Over here, a garden is an area intentionally planted with flowers or vegetables, rather than simply a grassy area around the house. What do they call an intentionally planted area? A “flower garden”?? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/112 "2009-11-02T17:34:50Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Dammit, I knew I would mess that up! Ignorance fought. > > Another one: I’ve noticed in House Hunters International, folks refer to what an American would call the yard or backyard as the “garden”. Over here, a garden is an area intentionally planted with flowers or vegetables, rather than simply a grassy area around the house. What do they call an intentionally planted area? A “flower garden”?? You might see an ornamental-type garden, some area designed specifically for the public to come and view, described as a flower garden. But generally a garden could refer to a backyard with flowerbeds and pots everywhere, a simple grass lawn, or an entirely paved patio. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/113 "2009-11-02T17:39:39Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Dammit, I knew I would mess that up! Ignorance fought. > > Another one: I’ve noticed in House Hunters International, folks refer to what an American would call the yard or backyard as the “garden”. Over here, a garden is an area intentionally planted with flowers or vegetables, rather than simply a grassy area around the house. What do they call an intentionally planted area? A “flower garden”?? They are just called front and back gardens, no matter what is planted in them. Some older town houses have what is called a “yard” at the back of the premises. This is just a small area covered over with some sort of hard paving or cobble-stones. On that subject, concrete or natural stone paving slabs are sometimes called “flagstones”, probably because of their shape. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/114 "2009-11-02T18:01:12Z")
Does “gardening” as a hobby refer to tending planted flowers or veggies? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/115 "2009-11-02T18:05:03Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Does “gardening” as a hobby refer to tending planted flowers or veggies? Yes, it can mean either of those. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/116 "2009-11-02T22:34:11Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I just googled to make sure but I don’t think this is a term in common use at all. :dubious: Well, well, my apologies for any offense - as far as I’ve heard it used it means “let’s have a look” - yet I can find no reference to it at all other than as a derogatory term for Jew, or a cockney cake! Obviously I’ve only used it in the “have a gander” sense. Wonder where I got it from then, I thought it was London. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/117 "2009-11-02T22:38:41Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I’ve picked up "can’t be arsed’ from this board, but I’ve only used it here. Well, that’s a bit half-arsed of you 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/118 "2009-11-02T22:43:41Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > They are just called front and back gardens, no matter what is planted in them. Some older town houses have what is called a “yard” at the back of the premises. This is just a small area covered over with some sort of hard paving or cobble-stones. > > On that subject, concrete or natural stone paving slabs are sometimes called “flagstones”, probably because of their shape. Flagstone is a type of stone in its own right. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/119 "2009-11-02T22:52:58Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > Flagstone is a type of stone in its own right. It may well be, but I have heard the phrase used to describe the ordinary paving slabs you see in the streets. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/120 "2009-11-03T13:39:20Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > _Bollocks_, as Hale & Pace rightly point out, is a very handy word. > > It’s perhaps not something you’d casually throw around in front of a Maiden Aunt, but it’s not as bad as “Shit”, and depending on context, it can mean anything from “Crap”(“Oh, bollocks, it’s gone wrong”) to “I don’t believe you” (“What a load of bollocks”) to indicating a SNAFU ("Well that’s bollocksed that up, hasn’t it?) and many other things. > > Yes, “Bollocks” is a very handy word indeed. 🙂 “Bollocks” can also be something good as in “That’s the dog’s bollocks!”. Sometimes also seen as “the mutt’s nuts” or “the badger’s nadgers”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623.md?page=7)