It wasn't easy but we've tried to include
uniquely Australian slang here and to exclude British and
American slang even though these are commonly used in
Australia. We see no point in informing the world that
"fridge" is Australian slang for a "refrigerator". If you've
got any comments or
suggestions, though, we'd very much like to hear them.
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By using the world wide web, you can find luxury hotels, truck stops for your RV, and
even pet friendly hotels almost anywhere in the
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have to be!
Ace! : Excellent! Very good!
Aerial pingpong : Australian Rules football Amber
fluid : beer Ambo : ambulance, ambulance
driver Ankle biter : small child Apples, she'll be
: It'll be all right Arvo : afternoon Aussie
(pron. Ozzie) : Australian Aussie salute : brushing
away flies with the hand Avos : avocados
B
B & S : Bachelors' and Spinsters'
Ball - a very enjoyable party usually held in rural areas
Back of Bourke : a very long way away Bail
(somebody) up : to corner somebody physically Bail out
: depart, usually angrily Banana bender : a person
from Queensland Barbie : barbecue (noun) Barrack
: to cheer on (football team etc.) Bastard : term of
endearment Bathers : swimming costume Battler :
someone working hard and only just making a living Beaut,
beauty : great, fantastic Big Smoke : a big city,
especially Sydney or Melbourne Big-note oneself : brag,
boast Bikkie : biscuit (also "it cost big
bikkies" - it was expensive) Billabong : an oxbow lake cut
off by a change in the watercourse. Billabongs are usually formed
when the course of a creek or river changes, leaving the former
branch with a dead end. Billy : teapot. Container for
boiling water. Bingle : motor vehicle
accident 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 the bag : have a
breathalyser test Blowie : blow fly 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 cattle dog (named after its subtle markings)
which is an excellent working dog. Everyone's favourite all-Aussie
dog. Bluey : heavy wool or felt jacket worn by mining and
construction workers. Bluey : bluebottle
jellyfish Bodgy : of inferior quality Bog in :
commence eating, to attack food with enthusiasm Bog standard
: basic, unadorned, without accessories (a bog standard car,
telephone etc.) Bogan : person who takes little pride in
his appearance, spends his days slacking and drinking
beer Bogged : Stuck in mud, deep sand (a vehicle).
Boil-over : an unexpected (sporting) result Bondi
cigar : see "brown-eyed mullet" Bonzer : great,
ripper Boogie board : a hybrid, half-sized surf board
Boomer : a large male kangaroo Booze bus :
police vehicle used for catching drunk drivers Boozer : a
pub Bored shitless : very bored Bottle shop :
liquor shop Bottle-o : liquor shop (originally a man with
hessian bags going around picking up beer bottles in the 50's and
60's) Bottler : something excellent Bottling, his
blood's worth : he's an excellent, helpful bloke. Bounce
: a bully Bourke Street, he doesn't know Christmas from
: he's a bit slow in the head. (Bourke Street is a brightly lit
Melbourne street) Bowl of rice, not my : not my cup of
tea; I don't like it Brass razoo, he hasn't got a : he's
very poor Brekkie : breakfast Brick shit house,
built like a : big strong bloke Brickie : bricklayer
Brisvegas : Brisbane, state capital of Queensland
Brizzie : Brisbane, state capital of Queensland
Brown-eyed mullet : a turd in the sea (where you're
swimming!) Brumby : a wild horse Buck's night
: stag party, male gathering the night before the wedding
Buckley's, Buckley's chance : no chance ("New Zealand
stands Buckley's of beating Australia at football") Budgie
smugglers : men's bathing costume Bull bar : stout bar
fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting
kangaroos (also roo bar) Bundy : short for Bundaberg,
Queensland, and the brand of rum that's made there Bunyip
: mythical outback creature Bush : the hinterland,
the Outback, anywhere that isn't in town Bush bash : long
competitive running or motorcar race through the bush Bush
oyster : nasal mucus Bush telly : campfire
Bushie : someone who lives in the Bush Bushman's
hanky : Emitting nasal mucus by placing one index finger on the
outside of the nose (thus blocking one nostril) and
blowing. Bushranger : highwayman, outlaw Butcher
: small glass of beer in South Australia - From the theory that
a butcher could take a quick break from his job, have a drink and be
back at work BYO : unlicensed restaurant where you have to
Bring Your Own grog, also similar party or
barbecue
C
Cab Sav : Cabernet Sauvignon (a
variety of wine grape) Cactus : dead, not functioning
("this bloody washing machine is cactus") Cane toad : a
person from Queensland Captain Cook : look (noun) ("let's
have a Captain Cook") Cark it : to die, cease functioning
Cat burying shit, as busy as a : busy Cat's piss,
as mean as : mean, stingy, uncharitable Chewie :
chewing gum Chokkie : chocolate Chook : a
chicken Chrissie : Christmas Christmas : see
Bourke Street Chuck a sickie : take the day off
sick from work when you're perfectly healthy Chunder :
vomit Clacker : anus (from Latin cloaca = sewer).
Also the single orifice of monotremes (platypus and echidna) used
both for reproduction and for the elimination of body
wastes. Clayton's : fake, substitute Cleanskin
: Bottle of wine without a label. Usually bought in bulk by
companies who then add their own personalised label and use the wine
as e.g. gifts to clients Cleanskin : cattle that have not
been branded, earmarked or castrated. Click : kilometre -
"it's 10 clicks away" Clucky : feeling broody or maternal
Coathanger : Sydney Harbour bridge Cobber :
friend Cockie : farmer (Farmers were called cockies in
the early days of European settlement because, like the birds of the
same name, they made their homes on the edges of permanent
waterholes) Cockie : cockatoo Cockie :
cockroach Cockroach : a person from New South Wales
Coldie : a beer Come a gutser : make a bad
mistake, have an accident Compo : Workers' Compensation
pay Conch (adj. conchy) : a conscientious person.
Somebody who would rather work or study than go out and enjoy
him/herself. Cooee, not within : figuratively a long way
away, far off - England weren't within cooee of beating Australia at
cricket Cooee, within : nearby - I was within cooee of
landing a big fish when the line broke. He lives within cooee of
Sydney. Cook (noun) : One's wife Corker :
something excellent. A good stroke in cricket might be described as
a 'corker of a shot' Corroboree : an aboriginal dance
festival Counter lunch/Countery : pub lunch Cozzie
: swimming costume Crack a fat : get an erection
Crack onto (someone) : to hit on someone, pursue someone
romantically Cranky : in a bad mood, angry Cream
(verb) : defeat by a large margin Crook : sick, or
badly made Crow eater : a person from South Australia
Cubby house : Small, usually timber, house in the garden
used as a children's plaything. Cut lunch : sandwiches
Cut lunch commando : army reservist Cut snake, mad
as a : very angry
D
Dag : a funny person, nerd, goof
Daks : trousers Damper : bread made from flour
and water Date : arse[hole] ("get off your fat date")
Dead dingo's donger, as dry as a : dry Dead horse
: Tomato sauce Deadset : true, the truth Dero
: tramp, hobo, homeless person (from "derelict") Dickhead
: see "whacker" Digger : a soldier Dill :
an idiot Dingo's breakfast : a yawn, a leak and a good
look round (i.e. no breakfast) Dinkum, fair dinkum :
true, real, genuine ("I'm a dinkum Aussie"; "is he fair dinkum?")
Dinky-di : the real thing, genuine Dipstick :
a loser, idiot Divvy van : Police vehicle used for
transporting criminals. Named after the protective 'division'
between the driver and the villains. Dob (somebody) in :
inform on somebody. Hence dobber, a tell-tale Docket : a
bill, receipt Doco : documentary Dog :
unattractive woman Dog's balls, stands out like : obvious
Dog's eye : meat pie Dole bludger : somebody on
social assistance when unjustified Donger : penis
Doodle : penis Doovalacky : used whenever you
can't remember what something is called. Thingummyjig,
whatsit. Down Under : Australia and New Zealand
Drink with the flies : to drink alone Drongo :
a dope, stupid person Dropkick : see
'dipstick' Drum : information, tip-off ("I'll give you the
drum") Duchess : sideboard Duffer, cattle :
rustler Dummy, spit the : get very upset at something
Dunny : outside lavatory Dunny budgie :
blowfly Dunny rat, cunning as a : very cunning
Durry : tobacco, cigarette Dux : top of the
class (n.); to be top of the class (v.) - "She duxed four of her
subjects".
E
Earbashing : nagging, non-stop
chatter Ekka : the Brisbane Exhibition, an annual
show Esky : large insulated food/drink container for
picnics, barbecues etc. Exy : expensive
F
Face, off one's : drunk ("He was off
his face by 9pm") Fair dinkum : true, genuine Fair
go : a chance ("give a bloke a fair go") Fair suck of the
sav! : exclamation of wonder, awe, disbelief (see also "sav")
Fairy floss : candy floss, cotton candy Feral
: V8 ute (q.v.) sporting large heavy bullbar, numerous aerials,
large truck mudflaps and stickers almost all over the rear window
and tailgate. Sometimes seen with a Mack emblem on the bonnet and
always with large (multiple) driving lights Feral (n.) : a
hippie Figjam : "F*ck
I'm good; just ask me". Nickname for people who have a high
opinion of themselves. Fisho : fishmonger Flake
: shark's flesh (sold in fish & chips shops) Flat out
like a lizard drinking : flat out, busy 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 flyscreen
covering a window or doorway. Footy : Australian Rules
football Fossick : search, rummage ("fossicking through
the kitchen drawers") Fossick : to prospect, e.g. for
gold Fossicker : prospector, e.g. for gold Franger
: condom Freckle : anus Fremantle Doctor :
the cooling afternoon breeze that arrives in Perth from the
direction of Freeo Freo : Fremantle in Western
Australia Frog in a sock, as cross as a : sounding angry -
a person or your hard drive! Fruit loop : fool
Full : drunk Furphy : false or unreliable
rumour
G
G'Day : hello! Gabba :
Wooloongabba - the Brisbane cricket ground GAFA (pron. gaffa)
: the big nothingness of the Australian Outback. Great
Australian F**k All. Galah : fool, silly person. Named
after the bird of the same name because of its antics and the noise
it makes. Garbo, garbologist : municipal garbage
collector Give it a burl : try it, have a go
Gobful, give a : to abuse, usually justifiably ("The
neighbours were having a noisy party so I went and gave them a
gobful") Gobsmacked : surprised, astounded Going
off : used of 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 slangword "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 (adj.) :
great, terrific, very good Grundies : undies, underwear
(from Reg Grundy, a television person) Gutful of piss :
drunk, "he's got a gutful of piss" Gyno : gynaecologist
H
Handle : beer glass with a handle
Harold Holt, to do the : To bolt. (Also "to do the
Harold") Heaps : a lot, e.g. "thanks heaps", "(s)he earned
heaps of money" etc. Holy dooley! : an exclamation of
surprise = "Good heavens!", "My goodness!" "Good grief!" or
similar Hoon : hooligan Hooroo : goodbye
Hotel : often just a pub Hottie : hot water
bottle
I
Icy pole, ice block : popsicle,
lollypop
J
Jackaroo : a male trainee station
manager or station hand (a station is a big farm/grazing property)
Jillaroo : a female trainee station manager or station
hand Joey : baby kangaroo Journo : journalist
Jug : electric kettle 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 criticise Knock back :
refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb) Knocker :
somebody who criticises
L
Lair : a flashily dressed young man
of brash and vulgar behaviour, 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") Long paddock
: the side of the road where livestock is grazed during
droughts Longneck : 750ml bottle of beer in South
Australia Lucky Country, The : Australia, where else?
Lunch, who opened their? : OK, who farted? Lurk
: illegal or underhanded racket
M
Maccas (pron. "mackers") : McDonald's
(the hamburger place) Mallee bull, as fit as a : very fit
and strong. The Mallee is very arid beef country in Victoria/South
Australia. Manchester : Household linen, eg sheets
etc. Mappa Tassie : map of Tasmania - a woman's pubic area
Mate : buddy, friend Mate's rate, mate's discount
: cheaper than usual for a "friend" Matilda :
swagman's bedding, sleeping roll Metho : methylated
spirits Mexican : a person from south of the Queensland
or New South Wales border 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 Mob :
group of people, not necessarily troublesome Mob : family
or herd (?) of kangaroos Mongrel : despicable person
Moolah : money Mozzie : mosquito Muddy
: mud crab (a great delicacy) Mug : friendly insult
("have a go, yer mug"), gullible person Mull : grass (the
kind you smoke) Muster : round up sheep or cattle
Mystery bag : a sausage
N
Nasho : National Service (compulsory
military service) Naughty, have a : have sex Never
Never : the Outback, centre of Australia Nipper :
young surf lifesaver No drama : same as 'no
worries' No worries! : Expression of forgiveness or
reassurance (No problem; forget about it; I can do it; Yes, I'll do
it) No-hoper : somebody who'll never do well Not
the full quid : not bright intellectually Nuddy, in the
: naked Nun's nasty, as dry as a : dry Nut out
: hammer out or work out (an agreement, say)
O
O.S. : overseas ("he's gone O.S.")
Ocker : an unsophisticated person Offsider :
an assistant, helper Old fella : penis Oldies :
parents - "I'll have to ask my oldies" Op shop :
opportunity shop, thrift store, place where second hand goods are
sold. Outback : interior of Australia Oz :
Australia!
P
Paddock : see 'long
paddock' Pash : a long passionate kiss; hence "pashing on"
Pav : Pavlova - a rich, creamy Australian / New Zealand
dessert Perve (noun & verb) : looking lustfully at
the opposite sex 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
Pink slip, get the : get the sack (from the colour of the
termination form) Pint : large glass of beer (esp. in
South Australia) Piss : beer. Hence "hit the piss", "sink
some piss" Plate, bring a : Instruction on party or BBQ
invitation to bring your own food. It doesn't mean they're short of
crockery! Plonk : cheap wine Pokies : poker
machines, fruit machines, gambling slot machines Polly :
politician Pom, pommy, pommie : an Englishman • See the
complaint about
"Pom" etc. Pommy bastard : an Englishman (see also
'bastard') Pommy shower : using deodorant instead of
taking a shower Pommy's towel, as dry as a : very dry -
based on the canard that Poms bathe about once a month
Porky : Lie, untruth (pork pie = lie) Port :
suitcase (portmanteau) Postie : postman, mailman
Pot : 285 ml beer glass in Queensland and Victoria
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.
[Historical note: 'quid' is slang for a pound. £1 became $2 when
Australia converted to decimal currency]
R
Rack off : push off! get lost! get
out of here! also "rack off hairy legs!". Rage : party
Rage on : to continue partying - "we raged on until 3am"
Rapt : pleased, delighted Ratbag : mild insult
Raw prawn, to come the : to bullshit, to be generally
disagreeable Reckon! : you bet! Absolutely! Reffo
: refugee Rego : vehicle registration Rellie
or relo : family relative Ridgy-didge : original,
genuine Right, she : it'll be all right Right,
that'd be : Accepting bad news as inevitable. ("I went fishing
but caught nothing." "Yeah, that'd be right.") Rip snorter
: great, fantastic - "it was a rip snorter of a party"
Ripper : great, fantastic - "it was a ripper party"
Ripper, you little! : Exclamation of delight or as a
reaction to good news Road train : big truck with many
trailers Roadie : a beer you buy to take away with
you Rock up : to turn up, to arrive - "we rocked up at
their house at 8pm" Rollie : a cigarette that you roll
yourself Roo : kangaroo Roo bar : stout bar
fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting
kangaroos (also bull bar) Root (verb and noun) : synonym
for f*ck in nearly all its senses: "I feel rooted"; "this washing
machine is rooted"; "(s)he's a good root". A very useful word in
fairly polite company. Root rat : somebody who is
constantly looking for sex. Ropeable : very angry
Rort (verb or noun) : 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
Salute, Aussie : brushing flies away
Salvos, the : Salvation Army, bless them
Sandgroper : a person from Western Australia
Sanger : a sandwich Sav : saveloy (see also
"fair suck of the sav!") Schooner : large beer glass in
Queensland; medium beer glass in South Australia Scratchy
: instant lottery ticket Screamer : party lover; "two
pot screamer" - somebody who gets drunk on very little alcohol
Seppo : an American Servo : petrol station
Shag on a rock, stands out like a : very
obvious Shark biscuit : somebody new to surfing
She'll be right : it'll turn out okay Sheepshagger
: A New Zealander Sheila : a woman Shit house
(adj.) : of poor quality, unenjoyable ("this car is shit house",
"the movie was shit house") Shit house (noun) : toilet,
lavatory Shonky : dubious, underhanded. E.g. a shonky
practice, shonky business etc. Shoot through : to leave
Shout : turn to buy - a round of drinks usually ("it's
your shout") Show pony : someone who tries hard, by his
dress or behaviour, to impress those around him. Sickie :
day off sick from work (chuck a sickie = take the day off sick from
work when you're perfectly healthy!) Skite : boast, brag
Skull/Skol (a beer) : to drink a beer in a single draught
without taking a breath Slab : a carton of 24 bottles or
cans of beer Sleepout : house verandah converted to a
bedroom Smoko : smoke or coffee break Snag : a
sausage Sook : person or animal who is soft, tame,
inoffensive. Hence sooky (adj.) Spag bol : spaghetti
bolognese Spewin' : very angry Spiffy, pretty
spiffy : great, excellent Spit the dummy : get very
upset at something Spruiker : man who stands outside a
nightclub or restaurant trying to persuade people to
enter Sprung : caught doing something wrong Spunk
: a good looking person (of either sex) Squizz (noun)
: look - "take a squizz at this" Standover man : a
large man, usually gang-related, who threatens people with physical
violence in order to have his wishes carried out. Station
: a big farm/grazing property Stickybeak : nosy
person Stoked : very pleased Stonkered :
beaten, defeated, cornered, perplexed Strewth :
exclamation, mild oath ("Strewth, that Chris is a bonzer bloke")
Strides : trousers Strine : Australian slang
and pronunciation Stubby : a 375ml. beer bottle
Stubby holder : polystyrene insulated holder for a stubby
Stuffed, I feel : I'm tired Stuffed, I'll be :
expression of surprise Sunbake : sunbathe Sunnies
: sunglasses Surfies : people who go surfing -
usually more often than they go to work! Swag : rolled up
bedding etc. carried by a swagman Swaggie : swagman
Swagman : tramp, hobo
T
Tall poppies : successful people
Tall poppy syndrome : the tendency to criticize
successful people Tallie : 750ml bottle of
beer Taswegian : derogatory term for a person from
Tasmania Tea : supper Technicolor yawn : vomit
Tee-up : to set up (an appointment) Thingo :
Wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit Thongs : cheap rubber
backless sandals Throw-down : small bottle of beer which
you can throw down quickly. Tickets, to have on oneself :
to have a high opinion of oneself Tinny : can of beer
Tinny : small aluminium boat Tinny, tin-arsed :
lucky Togs : swim suit Too right! : definitely!
Top End : far north of Australia Trackie
daks/dacks : tracksuit pants Trackies : track suit
Troppo, gone : to have escaped to a state of tropical
madness; to have lost the veneer of civilisation after spending too
long in the tropics. Trough lolly : the solid piece of
perfumed disinfectant in a men's urinal Truckie : truck
driver True blue : patriotic Tucker : food
Tucker-bag : food bag Turps : turpentine,
alcoholic drink Turps, hit the : go on a drinking binge
Two up : gambling game played by spinning two coins
simultaneously
U
Ugg boots : Australian sheepskin
boots worn by surfers since at least the 1960s to keep warm while
out of the water. Also worn by airmen during WW1 and WW2 because of
the need to maintain warmth in non-pressurized planes at high
altitudes. Ugh : ugly. hence Ugg boots 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" Useful as an ashtray on a motorbike / tits on a
bull : unhelpful or incompetent person or thing - "he, she or it
is about as useful as tits on a bull" etc. etc. Ute :
utility vehicle, pickup truck
V
Vedgies : vegetables Vee dub
: Volkswagen Veg out : relax in front of the TV (like
a vegetable) Vejjo : vegetarian Vinnie's : St.
Vincent De Paul's (charity thrift stores and hostels)
W
WACA (pron. whacker) : Western
Australian Cricket Association and the Perth cricket
ground Waggin' school : playing truant Walkabout
: a walk in the Outback by Aborigines that lasts for an
indefinite amount of time Walkabout, it's gone : it's
lost, can't be found Weekend warrior : army
reservist Whacker, whacka : Idiot; somebody who talks
drivel; somebody with whom you have little patience; a
dickhead Whinge : complain White pointers :
topless (female) sunbathers Whiteant (verb) : to
criticise 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
behaviour ("I complained about the food and the waiter threw a
wobbly") Wobbly boot on, he's got the : drunk Wog
: flu or trivial illness Wog : person of
Mediterranean origin. A milder insult than the same word in the UK
and perhaps elsewhere. Wombat : somebody who eats, roots
and leaves (see also root) Woop Woop : invented
name for any small unimportant town - "he lives in Woop Woop"
Wowser : straight-laced person, prude, puritan,
spoilsport Wuss : coward; nervous person or animal
X
XXXX : pronounced Four X, brand of
beer made in Queensland
Y
Yabber : talk (a lot) Yabby
: inland freshwater crayfish found in Australia (Cherax
destructor) Yakka : work (noun) Yewy :
u-turn in traffic ("chuck a yewy at the next traffic lights")
Yobbo : an uncouth person
Z
Zack : sixpence (5 cents) - "it isn't
worth a zack", "he hasn't got a zack"
