Dictionary Of Slang

Here we’ve got some examples of how to say things in different situations.

Situation Formal Relaxed Informal

A bar owner invites you to a drink, paid for by the bar: This establishment would like to invite you to a drink Free drinks for everyone, courtesy of the bar! The drinks are on the house

Your house hasn’t been cleaned for six months:

You explain to a friend how you started a romance with someone last night:

A friend asks to borrow some money. You tell your friend this is not possible:

You saw a film last night. It wasn’t very good:

You want to congratulate a friend who made a good decision:

You are describing how a friend ran away quickly from a place of danger: This house is in an appalling state

My attempts at seduction were successful last night I was lucky last night I scored last night; I copped off; I pulled

There is no possibility of me lending you some money No way Fat chance; piss off; get the hell out of here; you must be joking; take a hike

That film was below standard That film was awful; what a load of rubbish That film wasn’t anything to write home about; that film was shite; that film was the pits

That was a calculated and judicious decision This house is disgusting This house is filthy; this house is in a right state; this house is a shit hole; this house is a pigsty; this house looks like a bomb hit it

That was a clever decision That was a smart move

She left rapidly She ran off She legged it; she got the hell out of there; she scarpered; she did a runner

G L O S S A R Y

Please note that the words in this glossary box are literal translations of parts of idiomatic expressions.

an establishment n a pub, club or restaurant shit n offens excrement a pigsty n a small building where pigs live to score vb in football, you “score” when you kick the ball into the goal to cop vb inform to catch to borrow vb if you “borrow” something from someone, you take that thing from them for a limited period of time a hike n a long walk in the country a load of exp a lot of rubbish n of poor quality - bad a pit n a deep hole in the ground smart adj intelligent, clever