3/9/09

Brit' Word of the Day!

Today's BWOTD is used alot to describe many things:

"She's looking a bit ropey since she married him"

"I'm feeling decidedly ropey today"

"I need to replace it, it's looking very ropey"

'Ropey' = not in as good a state as it could be

This is a bit of a slang term but you'll hear it regularly in everyday conversation back home. It can literally be used to describe any person, place or thing!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

I always love reading your word of the day. Although I live in London I work in an office with a good few people whose first language isn't English and some Scottish people... the use of idiomatic English can confuse the whole lot!

SweetPeaSurry said...

Ropey ... equivilant to 'Dodgy'?

Jill of All Trades said...

I'm glad you're doing this as we are going to be in London in June. May help a lot!

Unknown said...

SweetPea - no not quite, dodgy could be used to describe someone who can't quite be trusted, or something that's not quite kosher, or slightly suspect.

Daryl said...

Daylight Savings Time has made us ALL a bit ropey

Expat mum said...

Yes, "ropey" sounds more like it's going to fall apart - a bit like me today actually. (See post.)

karen said...

oh yes.. this is a great, great word!!

Anonymous said...

Keep the words coming, Brit Gal!!

I use the word "Blimey" a lot and when I have used it around a few people who do not know me or have never heard me say it before, I have seen a confused look on their faces. Someone once told me they thought I was insulting myself as a Limey. B-Limey. It threw me, but I suppose I see their point.

Nancy said...

I think I'm a bit ropey today. Should exercise, but it is only 20 degrees outside. Bleh

Rikki said...

I love this - I feel like I should do this with my students. I am from the desert but now live "back east"; the words have different means not to mention pronunications!

Pam said...

i love brit slang...most of what i learned is from http://marmitetoasty.blogspot.com i've never heard ropey before.

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I worked for an Australian Physician many years ago & he delighted in trying to stump me with his phrases. This brought back wonderful memories-Thanks!

Housewife Savant said...

I'm just getting started, but wondering...
Do you do Brit Word of the Day regularly? like weekly? Because that would be ducky.
I talk nonstop, never drawing breath, and I'm afraid I'm one day gonna run out of Common Americanized English.
Sometimes I get jiggy with a bit 'o rapper slang, but my peeps give me crap, saying it's unnatural 'n all.
Gimme Brit, and I'll use the heck out of it.

Lula! said...

I lived in Ireland for 2 months during the summer of 1997...and to this day I still throw out some Irish slang, without even realizing it. I have to do a lot of explaining when I'm with a friend and I point out a stranger: "Look at your man over there in the orange jumper."

I love it!

And I love your word of the day. So fun!

April said...

Ropey? Interesting. I think this shall be added to daily conversation.

Mimi said...

I love to try & figure out what the words mean when I read British Chick Lit!

Shannon said...

I am loving these BWOTD posts!