A fair dinkum Aussie Dictionary A collection of Aussie terms and sayings “Mate, give this a burl!” “You little beauty! “Grouse!!” “Cripes, fire up the billy, pass me a bickie and cop a look at this.” A fair dinkum Aussie Dictionary A collection of Aussie terms and sayings “Whether you’re a bloke or a sheila, have a go at our Aussie lingo. In an arvo, you’ll be speaking like you’re from Down Under!” ustralian English is Many early Australianisms were Not included in this collection, While the terms which made justifiably notorious for its words taken over by or derived but something you are bound to it into this dictionary are as Acolourful and seemingly from the languages spoken by encounter at some point during Australian as meat pie, we’d have endless collection of slang terms Aboriginal tribes. Thus, words your stay, is the popular Aussie to have more hide than Ned Kelly and sayings. Some Australianisms such as boomerang, billabong, habit of nicknaming mates and to suggest that this is the last such as “she’ll be right, mate” kangaroo and cockatoo soon cobbers by embellishing the word on the matter. and “fair dinkum” are well known became part of the general endings of their first names with around the world, but these are language (lingo) spoken by all an “o”. Like all languages, Aussie English just the start. Australians. is growing and changing with the For example, if your name is David, times. And while you’ll be flat out Many a visitor to the land Down Australian place names of you may find yourself being called like a lizard drinking if you try to Under has been more than a Aboriginal origin can be another Davo; likewise, Stevens can expect make head or tail of all the local little mystified when told that source of amazement to to be called Stevo; and Johns to be lingo, this book will, hopefully, give it is his or her turn to “shout” newcomers – especially tongue- called Johnno. Names ending in you the drum on some common while drinking with new mates twisters like Woolloomooloo, “ie” or “y” are often transformed ones you may encounter on your at a pub; or that he or she has Mullumbimby, Wollongong and by a “zza” ending. A Gary is almost trip Down Under. “Buckley’s of making the next bus Wagga Wagga, names which invariably known as Gazza, Barry to Brissie”; or that the “blowies” in simply trip off the tongues of as Bazza, Sharon as Shazza. Bullamakanka are as big as emus. the locals. “Hold on to your esky and give this a burl.” 2 3 Ace bell A “He’s a few snags B short of a barbie.” ace arvo “Pop in for barbie bell Excellent Afternoon. arvo tea.” Barbecue. “Let’s go down to the To call someone on the telephone. beach and have a barbie.” Also, “I’ll give you a bell from the back ANZAC Aussie “He’s a few snags (sausages) short of beyond.” Members Australian. of a barbie” is used to describe of the someone who is a little crazy. big-note Australian Aussie salute To boast and exaggerate one’s and New The backward and forward waving barney wealth and power. Zealand Army Corps in World War of hands before the face to shoo An argument or a dispute. I. Anzac Day, which falls on April away the flies. See blowie. billabong 25, is a national holiday. Delicious barrack A water hole in a dry river bed. back of beyond biscuits (cookies), made with oats To give encouragement to your “Once a jolly swagman and golden syrup, are also known Way out there somewhere; sports team. camped by a billabong…” as Anzacs. remote. See the black stump and woop woop. barramundi bickie Alice, The Aboriginal name for a large A cookie. bag of fruit Alice Springs, Northern Territory. tasty fish found in the waters of Rhyming slang for a man’s suit. Queensland, Northern Territory bingle amber fluid and Western Australia. A minor car crash or accident. See Beer. “Lets have a quick prang. transfusion of amber fluid.” battler “He was dressed to kill Someone who struggles hard billy ankle-biter to make ends meet or to A metal can, usually tin, enamel A small child. See rug-rat. in his bag of fruit and he overcome adversity. “He’s a ware or aluminium used for didn’t care who knew it.” real Aussie battler.” making tea over an open fire. apples beaut or beauty black stump Everything’s under control, as in Balmain Bug “She’s apples.” Great! An imaginary point dividing Small type of crayfish. Named after Terrific! Also civilization and the Outback. the trawlermen of the historic Sydney Apple Isle, The pronounced “She’s the biggest big-noter this suburb of Balmain, who pioneered Tasmania, our only island state. beaudy, or side of the black stump.” See back the industry. See Moreton Bay Bug. “You little bewdy. beauty! of beyond and woop woop. 4 5 B blind freddie bung, to B blind freddy boomer brumby bung, to The person who can immediately A large male kangaroo. It From an Aboriginal word To put on an act; to throw. “There’s see the bleedin’ obvious. “Blind is believed by some Aussie meaning a wild horse. no need to bung it on with me.” Freddy can tell he’s a bludger”. youngsters that Santa Claus’ sleigh is pulled by six white bubbler bloke boomers. A drinking fountain. A male. boot bucket, to “Just bung another prawn blowie Trunk of a car. To dump on someone; to blame (shrimp) on the barbie!” Blowfly. Sometimes jokingly them for everything. referred to as Australia’s national bombed out Buckley’s chance bird. See Aussie Unsuccessful, also drunk. bush, the salute. Absolutely no chance. bonzer Unspoiled land beyond the city bludger A great bloke or sheila. “He’s a budgie smuggler with natural vegetation. Also, “to Someone who bonzer bloke to have on your side A tight men’s swimming costume. go bush” is to get away from all doesn’t pull their in a blue.” Named after the budgerigar, a your troubles. “Bruce’s gone bush.” small colourful native bird. weight at work bushie and sponges off others. bottler Someone (or “He’s a little bull artist Used to describe someone who blue something) bottler.” A teller of tall tales; a braggart. lives miles from anywhere. To have an argument or a fight. who performs well. Closely related to a big noter. “Bazza’s a real bushie.” Bundy bushed, I’m bluey bottle shop The town of Bundaberg in “I’m tired.” Nickname for a bloke with red hair. Liquor store, often part of a hotel. Queensland. Also the name Also, a swagman’s blanket roll. Also known as a ‘bottlo’. of a popular brand of rum. bushranger blue heeler breakkie An outlaw in early colonial days. Ned Kelly was one of Australia’s A nuggety cattle dog with a blue- Breakfast. most notorious bushrangers. flecked coat, popular with bushies brolly “Time for and city folk alike. An umbrella. breakkie, I’m starving.” 6 7 B bushranger Come a cropper C bush tucker chemist Chrissie come a cropper Native foods such as berries, roots Pharmacy or drugstore. Christmas; Chrissie prezzie To fall heavily or have an accident. and food stuffs, such as edible (present). insects, known to Aborigines chewy cooee and only recently discovered by Chewing gum. chuck a wobbly Originally a call used by Aborigines European Australians. To go berserk. in the bush, it is now used by all chips Australians. To be “within cooee” is B.Y.O. French fries or “Johno was Clayton’s to be in earshot. Bring your own. Unlicensed potato crisps. To Name of a soft drink that was restaurant where you need to bring “spit chips” means spitting chips.” promoted as a substitute for cop, to your own alcohol. Many party that you are very alcohol. The term came to mean Take a look at that! “Cop that.” invitations include the B.Y.O. proviso. angry. something that is not what Also, “Cop it sweet” means to take it seems. “This is a Clayton’s bad news well or “on the chin.” cactus chook dictionary if ever I saw one”. Useless, broken. Domestic chicken or hen. Some Corroboree Australians keep chooks in the back coathanger, the Aboriginal dance ceremony Captain Cook garden in a chook house with a Term for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. or meeting. British navigator and explorer who chook run. “He’s running around mapped the east coast of Australia like a headless chook,” refers to Cobber cot case in 1770. Also, “take a Captain Cook” someone who is over-excited or A close friend. A drunk or exhausted person, fit is rhyming slang for take a look. disorganized. Also a mild derogatory only for bed. cocky term for an older woman: “the dear cozzies cashed up old chook”. A cockatoo, Having plenty of ready money. native bird of Swimming costume. “I got some Australia; cozzies for Chrissie.” cark it can To die. also crikey “He’s running around mean An expression of surprise. cheese and kisses a farmer. Boss like a headless chook!” crook Rhyming slang for wife, Cocky means the boss; and i.e. the missus. someone who is cocky is To be sick or no good; also angry. over-confident. 8 9 C crows, stone the fair dinkum F “Don’t spit the crows, stone the dilly-bag dummy you drongo!” Esky A mild oath.