Australian Slang List


	Australian slang G’day, mate! Learn these Australian slang words and phrases and you’ll feel at home on your first day Down Under. It wasn’t easy but I’ve tried to include uniquely Australian slang here and to exclude British and American slang even though these are commonly used in Australia. I see no point in informing the world that “fridge” is Australian slang for a “refrigerator”. A Ace! : Excellent! Very good! Aerial pingpong : Australian Rules football Amber fluid : beer Ankle biter : small child Apples, she’ll be : It’ll be alright Arvo : afternoon Aussie (pron. Ozzie) : Australian Aussie salute : brushing away flies with the hand Avos : avocados B B & S : Bachelors’ and Spinsters’ Ball - a very enjoyable party usually held in rural areas Back of Bourke : a very long way away Bail (somebody) up : to corner somebody physically Bail out : depart, usually angrily Banana bender : a person from Queensland Barbie : barbecue (noun) Barrack : to cheer on (football team etc.) Bastard : term of endearment Bathers : swimming costume Battler : someone working hard and only just making a living Beaut, beauty : great, fantastic Big-note oneself : brag, boast Bikkie : biscuit (*also* “it cost big bikkies” - it was expensive) Billabong : an ox-bow river or watering hole Billy : large tin can used to boil water over a campfire for tea Bities : biting insects Bitzer : mongrel dog (bits of this and bits of that) Bizzo : business (“mind your own bizzo”) Black Stump, beyond the : a long way away, the back of nowhere Bloke : man, guy Bloody : very (bloody hard yakka) Bloody oath! : that’s certainly true Blow in the bag : have a breathalyzer test Blowie : blow fly Bludger : lazy person, layabout, somebody who always relies on other people to do things or lend him things Blue : fight (“he was having a blue with his wife”) Blue, make a : make a mistake Bluey : pack, equipment, traffic ticket, redhead Bluey : blue cattle dog (named after its subtle markings) which is an excellent working dog. Everyone’s favourite all-Aussie dog. Bodgy : of inferior quality Bog in : commence eating, to attack food with enthusiasm Bondi cigar : see “brown-eyed mullet” Bonzer : great, ripper Boogie board : a hybrid, half-sized surf board Boomer : a large male kangaroo Booze bus : police vehicle used for catching drunk drivers Boozer : a pub Bored shitless : very bored Bottle shop : liquor shop Bottle-o : liquor shop Bottler : something excellent Bottling, his blood’s worth : he’s an excellent, helpful bloke. Bounce : a bully Bourke Street, he doesn’t know Christmas from : he’s a bit slow in the head. (Bourke Street is a brightly lit Melbourne street) Brass razoo, he hasn’t got a : he’s very poor Brekkie : breakfast Brick shit house, built like a : big strong bloke Brickie : bricklayer Brizzie : Brisbane, state capital of Queensland Brown-eyed mullet : a turd in the sea (where you’re swimming!) Brumby : a wild horse Buck’s night : stag party, male gathering the night before the wedding Buckley’s, Buckley’s chance : no chance (“New Zealand stands Buckley’s of beating Australia at football”) Bull bar : stout bar fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting kangaroos Bundy : short for Bundaberg, Queensland, and the brand of rum that’s made there Bunyip : mythical outback creature Bush : the hinterland, the Outback, anywhere that isn’t in town Bush telly : campfire Bushie : someone who lives in the Bush Bushranger : highwayman, outlaw BYO : unlicensed restaurant where you have to Bring Your Own grog, also similar party or barbecue C Cactus : dead, not functioning (“this bloody washing machine is cactus”) Captain Cook : look (noun) (“let’s have a Captain Cook”) Cark it : to die, cease functioning Cat burying shit, as busy as a : busy Cat’s piss, as mean as : mean, stingy, uncharitable Chewie : chewing gum Chokkie : chocolate Chook : a chicken Chrissie : Christmas Christmas : see Bourke Street Chuck a sickie : take the day off sick from work when you’re perfectly healthy Chunder : vomit Clayton’s : fake, substitute Click : kilometre - “it’s 10 clicks away” Clucky : feeling broody or maternal Cobber : friend Cockie : farmer. Also a cockatoo Cockroach : a person from New South Wales Coldie : a beer Come a gutser : make a bad mistake, have an accident Compo : Workers’ Compensation pay Cooee, not within : figuratively a long way away, far off - England weren’t within cooee of beating Australia at cricket Cook (noun) : One’s wife Corroboree : an aboriginal dance festival Counter lunch : pub lunch Cozzie : swimming costume Crack a fat : get an erection Cranky : in a bad mood, angry Cream (verb) : defeat by a large margin Crook : sick, or badly made Crow eater : a person from South Australia Cut lunch : sandwiches Cut snake, mad as a : very angry D Dag : a funny person, nerd, goof Daks : trousers Damper : bread made from flour and water Date : arse[hole] (“get off your fat date”) Dead dingo’s donger, as dry as a : dry Dead horse : Tomato sauce Deadset : true, the truth Dero : tramp, hobo, homeless person (from “derelict”) Digger : a soldier Dill : an idiot Dingo’s breakfast : a yawn, a leak and a good look round (i.e. no breakfast) Dinkum, fair dinkum : true, real, genuine (“I’m a dinkum Aussie”; “is he fair dinkum?”) Dinky-di : the real thing, genuine Dipstick : a loser, idiot Dob (somebody) in : inform on somebody. Hence dobber, a tell-tale Docket : a bill, receipt Doco : documentary Dog : unattractive woman Dog’s balls, stands out like : obvious Dole bludger : Somebody on social assistance when unjustified Donger : penis Doodle : penis Doozey : something very pleasant, significant, large Down Under : Australia and New Zealand Drink with the flies : to drink alone Drongo : a dope, stupid person Drum : information, tip-off (“I’ll give you the drum”) Duchess : sideboard Duffer, cattle : rustler Dummy, spit the : get very upset at something Dunny : outside lavatory Dunny budgie : blowfly Dunny rat, cunning as a : very cunning Durry : cigarette E Earbashing : nagging, non-stop chatter Ekka : the Brisbane Exhibition, an annual show Esky : large insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues etc. Exy : expensive F Face, off one’s : drunk (“He was off his face by 9pm”) Fair dinkum : true, genuine Fair go : a chance (“give a bloke a fair go”) Fair suck of the sav! : exclamation of wonder, awe, disbelief (see also “sav”) Fairy floss : candy floss, cotton candy Feral (n.) : a hippie. Fisho : fishmonger Flake : shark’s flesh (sold in fish & chips shops) Flick : to give something or somebody the flick is to get rid of it or him/her Flick it on : to sell something, usually for a quick profit, soon after buying it. Fly wire : gauze flyscreen covering a window or doorway. Footy : Australian Rules football Fossicking : searching, rummaging (“fossicking through the kitchen drawers”) Franger : condom Freckle : anus Frog in a sock, as cross as a : sounding angry - a person or your hard drive! Fruit loop : fool Full : drunk G G’Day : hello! Galah : fool, named after the bird of the same name which flies south in the winter - a bloody silly thing to do in the Southern Hemisphere Garbo, garbologist : municipal garbage collector Give it a burl : try it, have a go Gobful, give a : to abuse, usually justifiably (“The neighbours were having a noisy party so I went and gave them a gobful”) Going off : used of a night spot or party that is a lot of fun - “the place was really going off” Good oil : useful information, a good idea, the truth Good onya : good for you, well done Goog, as full as a : drunk. “Goog” is a variation of the northern English slangword “goggie” meaning an egg. Greenie : environmentalist Grinning like a shot fox : very happy, smugly satisfied Grog : liquor, beer (“bring your own grog, you bludger”) Grouse (adj.) : great, terrific, very good Grundies : undies, underwear (from Reg Grundy, a television person) Gutful of piss : drunk, “he’s got a gutful of piss” Gyno : gynaecologist H Handle : beer glass with a handle Heaps : a lot, e.g. “thanks heaps”, “(s)he earned heaps of money” etc. Holy dooley! : an exclamation of surprise = “Good heavens!”, “My goodness!” “Good grief!” or similar Hoon : hooligan Hooroo : goodbye (© Don Burke) Hotel : often just a pub Hottie : hot water bottle I Icy pole, ice block : popsicle, lollypop J Jackaroo : a male station hand (a station is a big farm/grazing property) Jillaroo : a female station hand Joey : baby kangaroo Journo : journalist Jumbuck : sheep K Kangaroos loose in the top paddock : Intellectually inadequate (“he’s got kangaroos loose in the top paddock”) Kelpie : Australian sheepdog originally bred from Scottish collie Kero : kerosene Kindie : kindergarten Knock : to criticise Knock back : refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb) Knocker : somebody who criticises L Lair : a flashily dressed young man of brash and vulgar behaviour, to dress up in flashy clothes, to renovate or dress up something in bad taste Lair it up : to behave in a brash and vulgar manner Larrikin : a bloke who is always enjoying himself, harmless prankster Lend of, to have a : to take advantage of somebody’s gullibility, to have someone on (“he’s having a lend of you”) Lippy : lipstick Liquid laugh : vomit Lizard drinking, flat out like a : flat out, busy Lob, lob in : drop in to see someone (“the rellies have lobbed”) Lollies : sweets, candy London to a brick : absolute certainty (“it’s London to a brick that taxes won’t go down”) Loo : toilet Lucky Country, The : Australia, where else? Lunch, who opened their? : OK, who farted? Lurk : illegal or underhanded racket M Maccas (pron. “mackers”) : McDonald’s (the hamburger place) Mallee bull, as fit as a : very fit and strong. The Mallee is very arid beef country in Victoria/South Australia. Manchester : Household linen, eg sheets etc. Mappa Tassie : map of Tasmania - a woman’s pubic area Mate : buddy, friend Mate’s rate, mate’s discount : cheaper than usual for a “friend” Matilda : swagman’s bedding, sleeping roll Metho : methylated spirits Mexican : a person from south of the (Queensland) border Mickey Mouse : excellent, very good. Beware though - in some parts of Australia it means inconsequential, frivolous or not very good! Middy : 285 ml beer glass in New South Wales Milk bar : corner shop that sells takeaway food Milko : milkman Mob : group of people, not necessarily troublesome Mob : family or herd (?) of kangaroos Mongrel : despicable person Moolah : money Mozzie : mosquito Muddy : mud crab (a great delicacy) Mug : friendly insult (“have a go, yer mug”), gullible person Mull : grass (the kind you smoke) Muster : round up sheep or cattle N Nasho : National Service (compulsory military service) Naughty, have a : have sex Never Never : the Outback, centre of Australia Nipper : young surf lifesaver No worries! : Expression of forgiveness or reassurance (No problem; forget about it; I can do it; Yes, I’ll do it) No-hoper : somebody who’ll never do well Not the full quid : not bright intellectually Nuddy, in the : naked Nun’s nasty, as dry as a : dry O O.S. : overseas (“he’s gone O.S.”) Ocker : an unsophisticated person Offsider : an assistant, helper Oldies : parents - “I’ll have to ask my oldies” Outback : interior of Australia Oz : Australia! P Pash : a long passionate kiss; hence “pashing on” Pav : Pavlova - a rich, creamy Australian dessert Perve (noun & verb) : looking lustfully at the opposite sex Piece of piss : easy task Pig’s arse! : I don’t agree with you Piker : Someone who doesn’t want to fit in with others socially, leaves parties early Piss : beer. Hence “hit the piss”, “sink some piss” Plate, bring a : Instruction on party or BBQ invitation to bring your own food. It doesn’t mean they’re short of crockery! Plonk : cheap wine Pokies : poker machines, fruit machines, gambling slot machines Polly : politician Pom, pommy : an Englishman Pommy bastard : an Englishman Pommy shower : using deodorant instead of taking a shower Pommy’s towel, as dry as a : very dry - based on the canard that Poms bathe about once a month Port : suitcase (portmanteau) Postie : postman, mailman Pot : 285 ml beer glass in Queensland and Victoria Pozzy : position - get a good pozzy at the football stadium Prezzy : present, gift Q Quid, make a : earn a living - “are you making a quid?” Quid, not the full : of low IQ R Rack off : push off! get lost! get out of here! also “rack off hairy legs!”. Rage : party Rage on : to continue partying - “we raged on until 3am” Rapt : pleased, delighted Ratbag : mild insult Raw prawn, to come the : to bullshit, to be generally disagreeable Reckon! : you bet! Absolutely! Reffo : refugee Rego : vehicle registration Rellie : family relative Ridgy-didge : original, genuine Right : okay (“she’ll be right, mate”) Rip snorter : great, fantastic - “it was a rip snorter of a party” Ripper : great, fantastic - “it was a ripper party” Road train : big truck with many trailers Rock up : to turn up, to arrive - “we rocked up at their house at 8pm” Rollie : a cigarette that you roll yourself Roo : kangaroo Root (verb and noun) : synonym for fck in nearly all its senses: “I feel rooted”; “this washing machine is rooted”; “(s)he’s a good root”. A very useful word in fairly polite company. Ropeable : very angry Rort (verb or noun)* : Cheating, fiddling, defrauding (expenses, the system etc.). Usually used of politicians Rotten : drunk - “I went out last night and got rotten” Rubbish (verb) : to criticize S Salute, Aussie : brushing flies away Salvos, the : Salvation Army, bless them Sandgroper : a person from Western Australia Sanger : a sandwich Sav : saveloy (see also “fair suck of the sav!”) Schooner : large beer glass in Queensland; small beer glass in South Australia Scratchy : instant lottery ticket Screamer : party lover; “two pot screamer” - somebody who gets drunk on very little alcohol Seppo : an American Servo : petrol station Shark biscuit : somebody new to surfing She’ll be right : it’ll turn out okay Sheila : a woman Shonky : dubious, underhanded. E.g. a shonky practice, shonky business etc. Shoot through : to leave Shout : turn to buy - a round of drinks usually (“it’s your shout”) Sickie : day off sick from work (chuck a sickie = take the day off sick from work when you’re perfectly healthy!) Skite : boast, brag Slab : a carton of 24 bottles or cans of beer Sleepout : house verandah converted to a bedroom Smoko : smoke or coffee break Snag : a sausage Sook : person or animal who is soft, tame, inoffensive. Hence sooky (adj.) Spag bol : spaghetti bolognese Spewin’ : very angry Spit the dummy : get very upset at something Sprung : caught doing something wrong Spunk : a good looking person (of either sex) Squizz (noun) : look - “take a squizz at this” Standover man : a large man, usually gang-related, who threatens people with physical violence in order to have his wishes carried out. Station : a big farm/grazing property Stickybeak : nosy person Stoked : very pleased Strewth : exclamation, mild oath (“Strewth, that Chris is a bonzer bloke”) Strides : trousers Strine : Australian slang and pronunciation Stubby : a 375ml. beer bottle Stubby holder : polystyrene insulated holder for a stubby Stuffed, I feel : I’m tired Stuffed, I’ll be : expression of surprise Sunbake : sunbathe Sunnies : sunglasses Surfies : people who go surfing - usually more often than they go to work! Swag : rolled up bedding etc. carried by a swagman Swaggie : swagman Swagman : tramp, hobo T Tall poppies : successful people Tall poppy syndrome : the tendency to criticize successful people Taswegian : a person from Tasmania Technicolor yawn : vomit Tee-up : to set up (an appointment) Thingo : Wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit Thongs : cheap rubber backless sandals Tickets, to have on oneself : to have a high opinion of oneself Tinny : can of beer Tinny : lucky Tinny : small aluminium boat Togs : swim suit Too right! : definitely! Top End : far north of Australia Trackie daks/dacks : tracksuit pants Trackies : track suit Trough lolly : the solid piece of perfumed disinfectant in a men’s urinal Truckie : truck driver True blue : patriotic Tucker : food Tucker-bag : food bag Turps : turpentine, alcoholic drink Turps, hit the : go on a drinking binge Two up : gambling game played by spinning two coins simultaneously U Uni : university Unit : flat, apartment Up oneself : have a high opinion of oneself - “he’s really up himself” Up somebody, get : to rebuke somebody - “the boss got up me for being late” Useful as an ashtray on a motorbike / tits on a bull : unhelpful or incompetent person or thing - “he, she or it is about as useful as tits on a bull” etc. etc. Ute : utility vehicle, pickup truck V Vedgies : vegetables Vee dub : Volkswagen Veg out : relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable) Vejjo : vegetarian W Waggin’ school : playing truant Walkabout : a walk in the Outback by Aborigines that lasts for an indefinite amount of time Walkabout, it’s gone : it’s lost, can’t be found Whinge : complain White pointers : topless (female) sunbathers Whiteant (verb) : to criticise something to deter somebody from buying it. A car dealer might whiteant another dealer’s cars or a real estate salesman might whiteant another agent’s property Wobbly : excitable behaviour (“I complained about the food and the waiter threw a wobbly”) Wobbly boot on, he’s got the : drunk Wog : flu or trivial illness Wog : person of Mediterranean origin. A milder insult than the same word in the UK and perhaps elsewhere. Wombat : somebody who eats, roots and leaves (see also root) Woop Woop : invented name for any small unimportant town - “he lives in Woop Woop” Wowser : straight-laced person, prude, puritan, spoilsport Wuss : coward; nervous person or animal X XXXX : pronounced Four X, brand of beer made in Queensland Y Yabber : talk (a lot) Yakka : work (noun) Yewy : u-turn in traffic (“chuck a yewy at the next traffic lights”) Yobbo : an uncouth person Youse : you (plural) Z Zack : sixpence (5 cents) - “it isn’t worth a zack”, “he hasn’t got a zack”