this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
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My most beloved British slang is Knackered. Fucking knackered! It means very tired, exhausted. But those terms are sterlized of feeling, of life. You know that feeling after you finish moving? That total fucking exhaustion, you're knackered my friend. I can't think of a word that feels more accurate to the state of reality it describes. Knackered is a fucking gift.

Chuffed. If youre chuffed i believe that means your excited. I hate it but not for real good reasons. It sounds like a bad thing. Like i don't want to be chuffed from the sound of it. It sounds like i chafed my lungs from sighing too much cuz I'm miserable.

Ok now for the linguistic crime known as snog or snogging. It means to make out or tongue kiss someone. But it sounds like a fucking sex act involving noses. And not a normal sex act. A fucking depraved dirty sex act, you'd feel shame even googling, but again it involves noses. And honestly it sounds like snot is likely involved with this sex act. Do better Britain stop saying fucking snogged you dirty bastards.

What is your most beloved and hated British slang?

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[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] gothic_lemons@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
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[–] ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Is calling someone Petal a slang or a regionalism? I, 30-something male, love doing that, petal.

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[–] carl_dungeon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)
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[–] TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I like the phrase "tell a lie" used right after you misspeak or remember something to the contrary of what you just said.

I hate clunge and minge. I'm not generally opposed to vulgarity but these are just taking the piss. On a similar note, the cockney rhyme for Eartha Kitt is just distasteful.

[–] Pumafred9@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (3 children)

When it's raining, and someone inevitably tells me it's raining, I like to say 'perfect weather for ducks, innit'

I also like 'Kuch' which is Welsh slang for 'cuddle'

[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Cwtch - I do like your English spelling though.

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[–] gothic_lemons@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Love it gonna steal it the next time it rains!

[–] BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 2 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

The sexual slang is hilarious. Vadge, bugger, shag.

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[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 2 points 1 day ago
[–] TIN@feddit.uk 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A fucking depraved dirty sex act, you'd feel shame even googling

Only if you're doing it right!

[–] gothic_lemons@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Lol ya freak

[–] AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (7 children)

Most hated is “boffin” for scientist—“boff” is American slang for sex, so it sounds like calling them “fuckers” (which generally doesn’t seem to be the intended connotation).

[–] swizzlestick@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

Which in turn can be slang for vomit. Wonderful :)

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[–] WhiteRabbit@lemmy.today 4 points 1 day ago

American’s Guide to speaking British

https://www.effingpot.com/

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"Wanker" is what I remember most of the time, ya f'in wanker lol

[–] gothic_lemons@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Wanker is great!

[–] Object@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago

I use "proper" a lot, so that one is inevitably favourite, unless it's not an exclusive UK slang

[–] crawancon@lemm.ee 4 points 1 day ago (5 children)

hated, well there are lots, but I think the word "bellend" is stupid for its purpose.

mixed, also like hearing some brittish dialects say the word "water bottle" as wuh-er boh-ol. like wow. lol

loved, "bullocks!" has always been a chuckle-able reaction to things. like wtf is that.

[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Bellend it’s just the tip of the shaft - the bell shaped bit at the end… also used to signify a stupid person.

[–] crawancon@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago

that is a good explanation, thank you.

[–] Pumafred9@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

'Bollocks' as in another way of saying 'bullshit'... When you hear someone say something that's totally not true... What a load of bollocks.

[–] gothic_lemons@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Bullocks is great!

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[–] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 2 points 1 day ago

The dog's bollocks and the dog's breakfast.

[–] Menschlicher_Fehler@feddit.org 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

My most hated is definitely how some (all?) Brits say "Leftenant" instead of "Lieutenant".

Most beloved is a bit harder... "Blimey" is a nice one though.

[–] essell@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But we do say Lieutenant!

We just don't call em Lou-Tennants.

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What do you say in lef of that?

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Pronunciation with lef- is common in Britain, and spellings to reflect it date back to 14c., but the origin of this is a mystery (OED rejects suggestion that it comes from old confusion of -u- and -v-).

https://www.etymonline.com/word/lieutenant

Listen here, you little...

[–] gothic_lemons@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Blimey is great!

[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone -2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

British people are fucked. They say shit like hi Marvin and then think you're an idiot for not recommending somewhere to eat.

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[–] reddwarf@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Pear shaped (things have gone pear shaped, i.e. things have gone wrong a bit)

Bellend (basically calling someone a dick, stupid or annoying)

Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast (I'll get this thing done before you know it)

Never liked : Govna/Guv/Guvner

[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

"Shaking hands with the unemployed"

Just kidding, that one's a cracker

[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

most loved: literally any insult from Gordon Ramsay ever

my most hated: literally any name of food. It's like they picked one of those huge spinning wheels and chose names at random

[–] lucg@lemmy.world 0 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

I was in Britain for only a handful of days and think I saw at least two meanings for the word bubble and none of them were "air pocket inside a liquid" (or even "fizzy drink" or something related to bubbles). One was mashed potatoes, I can't remember the other one. You'll simply need to ask to find out what it is they're selling!

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