Cockney Rhyming Slang

Would you Adam and Eve it! He's only gone down the battlecruiser and now he's completely Brahms and Liszt. If his trouble 'n' strife finds out he's gonna be in a whole load of Barney Rubble

This loosely translates to:
'Would you believe it. He's gone to the pub and is now completely the worse for drink! If his wife was to find out he would most certainly be in quite some trouble

Of course to experience the full effect you must remember to never pronounce the 'h's!

Cockney is often used as an all encompassing term to include those from the East End of London or even more broadly, those who speak with a working class London accent. The technical definition though is more precise:
A true Cockney is someone born within earshot of the Bow Bells
This refers to the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow church in Cheapside.

Actually no one is too sure exactly how cockney rhyming slang came about. We know it started in the 19th century and as the name would suggest it started in the East End of London.

One likely theory is that it may have been used as a kind of secret language (or cryptolect) to prevent outsiders from understanding what was going on. This may have been advantageous for market traders to be able to communicate amongst each other without customers (or the authorities) knowing what they were discussing.
It may be that the use was more innocent and was merely a way of strengthening a sense of community.

Another possibility is that it was developed for fun or as a game, or even an accident. Whatever the origins rhyming slang has become widespread and some phrases are firmly entrenched in mainstream British English now.

Now the bit you've been waiting for - the list. Primed with these, you'll be ready to go into London town and assimilate with locals!

• Adam and Eve - Believe


• Alan Wickers - Knickers


• Apples and Pears - Stairs


• Aristotle - Bottle


• Army and Navy - Gravy


• Artful Dodger - Lodger


• Ascot Races - Braces


• Bakers Dozen - Cousin


• Barney Rubble - Trouble


• Barnet Fair - Hair


• Battle cruiser - Boozer (pub)


• Berkshire Hunt - C**t (berk)


• Boat Race - Face


• Bob Hope - Dope


• Bottle and Glass - Arse


• Brown Bread - Dead


• Brahms and Liszt - Pissed


• Brass Bands - Hands


• Bread and Honey - Money


• Bristols (City) - tittys (Boobs)


• Bricks and Mortar - Daughter


• Britney Spears - Beers


• Bubble and Squeak - Greek


• Bubble Bath - Laugh


• Butcher's Hook - Look


• Chalk Farm - Arm


• China (Plate) - Mate


• Cobblers (Awls) - Balls


• Cream Crackered - Knackered


• Crown Jewels - Tools (genitals)


• Current Bun - Sun


• Daisy Roots - Boots


• Dicky (Bird) - Word


• Dicky (Dirt) - Shirt


• Dog and Bone - Phone


• Donkey's Ears - Years


• Duck and Dive - Skive


• Duke of Kent - Rent


• Dutch (Duchess of Fife) - Wife


• Finger and Thumb - Rum


• Four by Two - Jew


• Frog and Toad - Road


• Gold watch - scotch


• Gregory Peck - Cheque


• Gypsy Rosey Lee - Tea


• Half Inch - Pinch (steal)


• Hank Marvin - Starving (hungry)


• Iron Hoof - Poof (homosexual)


• Jam Jar - Car


• J. Arthur Rank Wank (to masturbate)


• Jimmy Flint - Skint


• Jimmy Riddle - Piddle (wee)


• Joanna - Piano


• Kyber Pass - Arse


• Lady Godiva - Fiver (£5 note)


• Lemon and Lime - Time


• Lemon Squeezy - Easy


• Lionel Blairs - Flairs


• Loaf of Bread - Head


• Merchant Banker - W@nker


• Moby Dick - Sick


• Mother Hubbard - Cupboard


• Mince Pies - Eyes


• Mutt and Jeff - Deaf


• Nanny Goat - Coat


• Nelson Mandela - Stella (Artois)


• North and South - Mouth


• Oily Rag - Fag (Cigarette)


• Old Pot and Pan - Old Man (husband)


• Peckham Rye - Tie


• Pen and Ink - Stink


• Pete Tong - Wrong


• Plates of Meat - Feet


• Pony and Trap - Crap


• Pork Pies - Lies


• Queen's Mum - Bum


• Rabbit & Pork - Talk


• Raspberry Ripple - Cripple


• Raspberry Tart - Fart


• Richard the 3rd - Turd


• Ruby Murray - Curry


• Salmon and trout - Snout (cigarettes) or Stout (beer)


• Saucepan (or bin) lid - Kid


• Septic Tank - Yank


• Sherbert Dab - Cab


• Skin and Blister - Sister


• Sky Rocket - Pocket


• Sweeny Todd - Flying Squad (police)


• Syrup of Figs - Wig


• Tea Leaf - thief


• Todd Sloane - On your own


• Tom and Dick - Sick


• Trouble and Strife - Wife


• Tom-Foolery - Jewellery


• Turtle Doves - gloves


• Two and Eight - State


• Uncle Ned - Bed


• Vera Lynns - Skins (tobacco paper)


• Whistle and Flute - Suit