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A
Arvo:
Short for afternoon.
Aussie salute: Brushing away flies with the hand.
B
Bail
out: Depart,
usually angrily.
Bail (somebody) up: To corner somebody physically.
Balls-up: Mistake.
Barbie:
Barbecue
(noun).
Barney:
A
fight.
Barrack: To cheer on (football team, etc.).
Battler: Someone working hard and just barely making a living.
Beaut, beauty: Great, fantastic.
Bib and tucker: Best clothing. When you're in your bib and tucker you're
"dressed to the nines."
Big-note oneself: Brag, boast.
Bikkie: Biscuit (also "it cost big bikkies" — it was
expensive).
Billabong: An oxbow 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: Unexpected visitor.
Blow-through: Leaving with a goodbye.
Blowie: Blowfly.
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 heeler cattle dog (named after its subtle markings), which is
an excellent working dog. Everyone's favorite all-Aussie dog.
Bob's your uncle: When someone explains something that has a logical
conclusion, they may end with that phrase. It means they expect you to easily
follow the progression and things will work out.
Bodgy: Of inferior quality.
Bog in: Commence eating, to attack food with enthusiasm.
Bollocky: To be in the "bollocky" is to be naked.
Bonzer: Great, ripper.
Boofhead: A dill, or idiot.
Boomer: A large male kangaroo.
Boozer: A pub.
Bottle-o: Liquor shop.
Bottler: Something excellent.
Bottling, his blood's worth: He's an excellent, helpful bloke.
Bourke Street, he doesn't know Christmas from: He's a bit slow in the
head. (Bourke Street is a brightly lit Melbourne street.)
Brasco: Toilet.
Brass razoo, he hasn't got a: He's very poor.
Brown-eyed mullet: A turd in the sea (where you're swimming!).
Brumby: A wild horse.
Bull bar: Stout bar fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect against
hitting kangaroos.
Bugger off, go to buggery: Get lost.
Bung it on: To pretend, or lay it on thick. Pretentious.
Bushranger: Highwayman, outlaw.
Bush telly: Campfire.
C
Cack:
Something
unpleasant.
Cacky-hander: Left-handed person.
Cactus: Dead, not functioning. ("This bloody washing machine is
cactus.")
Cark: When you die, you "cark it."
Capt. Cook: Look (noun). ("Let's have a Capt. Cook.")
Chewie: Chewing gum.
Chinwag:
Conversation.
Choof off: To leave.
Chook: A chicken.
Chuck a sickie: Take the day off sick from work when you're perfectly
healthy.
Chunder: To vomit.
Clayton's: Fake, substitute.
Click: Kilometer. ("It's 10 clicks away.")
Clucky: Feeling broody or maternal.
Cobber: A friend or mate.
Codswallop: Nonsense.
Coldie: Can of beer.
Come a gutser: Make a bad mistake, have an accident.
Comic cuts: Your guts.
Cooee, not within: Figuratively a long way away, far off. ("England
wasn't within cooee of beating Australia at cricket.")
Corker: If something's great, it's a corker.
Cozzie: Swimming costume.
Crack on to: To woo a member of the opposite sex.
Crash hot: Can mean something great. You can also be feeling "not so
crash hot" (buggered).
Crawler: Sycophant.
Crikey/Cripes: Expression of surprise.
Crook: When you're feeling ill, you're "crook."
Crows: "Stone the crows." Expression of disbelief or surprise,
similar to crikey, cripes.
Cut snake, mad as a: Very angry.
D
Dag:
A
funny person, nerd, goof.
Daks: Trousers.
Damper: Bread made from flour and water.
Dead dingo's donger, as dry as a: Very dry.
Deadset: True, the truth.
Decko: To take a decko means to look.
Digger:
A
soldier.
Dill:
An
idiot.
Dingo's breakfast: A yawn, a leak and a good look around (i.e., no
breakfast).
Dinkum, fair dinkum: True, real, genuine. ("I'm a dinkum Aussie,"
or "Is he fair dinkum?")
Dinky-di: The real thing, genuine.
Dob (somebody) in: Inform on somebody. Hence dobber, a tell-tale.
Docket: A bill, receipt.
Doco: Documentary.
Dog's eye: Meat pie (Australian national dish).
Dole bludger: Somebody on social assistance when unjustified.
Doozey: Something very pleasant, significant, large.
Dot: Your bottom.
Drink with the flies: Drink alone.
Drongo: A dope, stupid person.
Drop your bundle: Lose control.
Drum: Information, tip-off. ("I'll give you the drum.")
Duchess: Sideboard.
Duck-shove: Continually moving a problem until it disappears.
Dummy, spit the: Get very upset at something.
Dunny: Outside lavatory.
Dunny budgie: Blow fly.
Dunny rat, cunning as a: Very cunning.
Durry:
Cigarette.
Dyke: Toilet.
E
Earbasher
(also yakkabox, chatterbox): Person
who talks too much.
Eau
de Telephone.
Esky:
Large
insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues, etc.
Exy: Expensive.
F
Fair
go: A
chance. ("Give a bloke a fair go.")
Fair suck of the sav!: Exclamation of wonder, awe, disbelief.
Fairy floss: Candy floss, cotton candy.
Fat as a match: Someone who's actually thin.
Fat ... to chew the fat: To have a discussion, usually about nothing in
particular.
Fatties: Wide car tires.
Flake: Shark's flesh (sold in fish and chips shops).
Flaming: A compliment. Someone or something is said to be "flaming,
great" when they/it are better than OK.
Flat-chat: When you are working to full capacity you are said to be
"working flat-chat."
Flatties: Low-heeled women's shoes.
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 fly-screen covering a window or doorway.
Fossicking: Searching, rummaging. ("Fossicking through the kitchen
drawers.")
Freckle: Your bum.
Freddie: Blind Freddie: imaginary person who can see the obvious would
happen. So if you aren't suited to the person you are going to marry, but you do
anyway, then get divorced, even Blind Freddie could have told you it wouldn't
have worked.
Fred Nerk: Mythical person who can be anybody. Like America's John Doe.
Fruit loop: Fool.
Full: Drunk.
G
Galah:
Fool,
named after the bird of the same name that flies south in the winter — a
bloody silly thing to do in the Southern Hemisphere.
Garbo, garbologist: Municipal garbage collector.
G'day: Hello!
Give it a burl: Try it, have a go.
Gobful, give a: To abuse, usually justifiably. ("The neighbors were
having a noisy party so I went and gave them a gobful.")
Going off: 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 slang word "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: Great, terrific, very good.
H
Handle:
Beer
glass with a handle.
Hoon: Hooligan.
Hooroo: Goodbye.
Hotel: Often just a pub.
Hottie: Hot-water bottle.
I
Icy
pole, ice block: Popsicle,
lollipop.
J
Jackaroo:
A
male station hand (a station is a big farm/ranch).
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
criticize.
Knock back: Refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb).
Knocker: Somebody who criticizes.
L
Lair
A flashily dressed young man of brash and vulgar behavior, 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?
Lurk: Illegal or underhanded racket.
M
Mallee
bull, as fit as a: Very
fit and strong. The Mallee is very arid beef country in New South Wales/South
Australia.
Mate: Buddy, friend.
Mate's rate, mate's discount: Cheaper than usual for a "friend."
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.
Mongrel: Despicable person.
Mozzie: Mosquito.
Muddy:
Mud
crab (a great delicacy).
Mug: Friendly insult ("Have a go, yer mug!"), gullible person.
Muster: Round up sheep or cattle.
N
Never
Never: The
Outback, center of Australia.
Nipper: Young surf lifeguard.
No-hoper: Somebody who'll never do well.
Not the full quid: Not bright intellectually.
No worries!: Expression of forgiveness or reassurance. ("No problem,"
"Forget about it," "I can do it," or "Yes, I'll do
it.")
Nuddy, in the: Naked.
O
Ocker:
An
unsophisticated person.
Offsider: An assistant, helper.
Oldies: Parents. ("I'll have to ask my oldies.")
O.S.: Overseas. ("He's gone O.S.")
Outback: Interior of Australia.
Oz: Australia!
P
Pash:
A
long passionate kiss; hence "pashing on."
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."
Plonk: Cheap wine.
Pokies: Poker machines, fruit machines.
Polly: Politician.
Pom, pommy: An Englishman.
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.
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!"
Raw prawn, to come the: To put one on, to be generally disagreeable.
Reckon!: You bet! Absolutely!
Rego: Vehicle registration.
Rellie: Family relative.
Ridgy-didge: Original, genuine.
Right: OK. ("She'll be right, mate.")
Ripper: Great, fantastic. ("It was a ripper party.")
Rip snorter: Great, fantastic. ("It was a rip snorter of a party.")
Rollie: A cigarette that you roll yourself.
Roo: Kangaroo.
Ropeable: Very angry.
Rort: 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
Salvos,
the: Salvation
Army, bless them.
Sanger: A sandwich.
Schooner:
Large
beer glass in Queensland; small beer glass in South Australia.
Scratchy: Instant lottery ticket.
Servo: Petrol station.
Shark biscuit: Somebody new to surfing.
Sheila: A woman.
She'll be right: It'll turn out OK.
Shonky: Dubious, underhanded — a shonky practice, shonky business, etc.
Shoot through: To leave.
Shout: Turn to buy — a round of drinks usually. ("It's your shout.")
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.
Sook: Person or animal who is soft, tame, inoffensive. Hence sooky (adj.).
Snag: A sausage.
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.")
Station: A big farm/ranch.
Stickybeak: Nosy person.
Strewth: Exclamation, mild oath. ("Strewth, that Chris is a bonzer
bloke.")
Strides: Trousers.
Strine: Australian slang and pronunciation.
Stubby: A 375-ml beer bottle.
Stubby holder: Polystyrene insulated holder for a stubby.
Stuffed, I'll be: Expression of surprise.
Stuffed, I feel: I'm tired.
Sunnies: Sunglasses.
Surfies: People who go surfing — usually more often than they go to
work!
Swag: Rolled-up bedding, etc., carried by a swagman.
T
Tall
poppies: Successful
people.
Technicolor yawn: Vomit.
Tee-up: To set up (an appointment).
Thingo: Wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit.
Tickets, to have on oneself: To have a high opinion of oneself.
Tinny: Can of beer, small aluminum boat.
Togs: Swimsuit.
Too right!: Definitely!
Top End: Far north of Australia.
Trackies: Track suit.
Truckie: Truck driver.
Tucker: Food.
Tucker-bag: Food bag.
Turps: Turpentine, alcoholic drink.
Turps, hit the: Go on a drinking binge.
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.")
Useless as an ashtray on a motorbike: Incompetent or unhelpful person or
thing.
Ute Utility vehicle.
V
Vedgies:
Vegetables.
Vejjo:
Vegetarian.
W
Waggin'
school: Playing
truant.
Walkabout, it's gone: It's lost, can't be found.
Whinge: Complain.
Whiteant To criticize 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 behavior. ("I complained about the food and the
waiter threw a wobbly.")
Wog: Flu or trivial illness.
Woop Woop: Invented name for any small unimportant town. ("He lives
in Woop Woop.")
Wowser: Straight-laced person, prude, puritan, spoilsport.
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.
Z
Zack:
Sixpence
(5 cents). ("It isn't worth a zack.")