Brit Word of the Day

I used this the other day with our photocopier maintenance company and threw Wilma into complete confusion!

"The tray 2 display has a spanner symbol on it?"

Spanner = Wrench!

Once Wilma and I were on the same page, she asked me to spell it for her so she could use it on her engineers lol!

Brit' Word of the Day & Immigration

Well I have been up to my elbows in immigration paperwork for the last 48 hours, and I'm sort of brain dead! All I need now is 2 passport photo's to be done and ready for mailing.

So today's post is just a much used  and loved Brit phrase:

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, it'll be okay"

Knickers in a twist = frustrated or worked up and remember, knickers = underwear to a Brit.

I have to say I have not got my knickers in a twist over the Citizenship application. In fact it was a wonderful surprise to find out that for the first time ever, we do not have to submit half a ton of supporting paperwork and evidence.

Wonders will never cease where the USCIS is concerned!

Brit Word of the Day

So I tested this BWOTD on the Hubster for understanding:

"I've been feeling dicky for a few days now"

Dicky = unwell

Not that I have literally been feeling anyone called Dicky. Don't rush to a mirror if a Brit ever asks you if you feel okay, because they think "you look a bit dicky"!

So get out there today and accost a friend or two that looks under the weather, with this BWOTD. It may rise a smile!

Brit Word of the Day

A highly appropriate BWOTD for current times:

"They're definitely in stook"

In stook (said: shtook) = in financial trouble.

I tried to research where this originates from, but it's a pure slang term and in reality means a bundle, heap or sheath of grain! I guess it could have developed from being in a bundle/heap of trouble.

Anglo/American Word of the Day!!

I thought we'd have a BWOTD for the New Year, one I used at work earlier and caused confusion with, of course! But then after much discussion in the comments, it became clear it's not just us Brits that use it.

"I shelled out a good few bucks on it"

Shell(ed)(ing) out = Pay/Paid

To be honest I had absolutely no clue how this one came into being, I mean it's hard to spot a connection between shells and payment, and there's no rhyming going on. But then along came the lovely Kay from Hawaii, a good blog friend of mine, with the very interesting ANSWER to my wondering how it originated. It seems us Brits had a hand in it, but it originated from that long ago British Colony known as the America's! So not so much a Brit Word of the Day, but a very interesting history on how we all came to use it.

Thanks Kay :-)

Some men talk to their.....

....but I'm one of the lucky ones who receives calls!!

If you have no clue what I'm on about, then Google 'John Thomas slang' for a complimentary giggle!

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is used widely by us Brits:

"He just sat there glued to the box all night long"

'the box' = the television/tv

The sentence I used for this is also widely heard, saying someone is 'glued to the box' is very common. It is however very misleading and must conjure up a very strange image for some foreigners!

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is something many are lacking in right now:

"I could really do with a bit more moolah coming in"

'Moolah' = money

I have no idea where this originates from, so if you know please share, but I remember it from my youth. I do know though that it was used here in a popular advertising campaign, but with a totally different meaning.

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is one anybody can put to good use:

"You need to use your lugholes!"

'Lugholes' = Ears

So this effectively means "you need to listen".

Popular slang terminology for ear(s) and is derived from Cockney Rhyming slang for Toby Jugs (lugs).

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD brings back childhood memories:

"She dropped a clanger"

Clanger = a blunder or faux pas.

This is widely used throughout the UK and all Brits would know what it means.

But the childhood memory goes back to a very popular childrens show named 'The Clangers'. Watching it now, I have to wonder if the person who came up with it had been smoking some waccy-baccy!! The real action starts at about 1min 30secs, remember a whole generation was influenced by this show!

The show has nothing to do with the 'blunder' meaning.

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is a commonly used phrase:

"She just slagged him off something rotten"

'Slag(ed/ging) off' = to criticise, slander or disparage

Therefore the exact translation of this sentence is: she criticised him really badly. So if you were to hear someone being critical of another person, you would be well within your rights to ask them "why are you slagging him off"?

Causing confusion everywhere I go!

I've had one of those days today, where it seemed like I was speaking in a foreign language all day!!

Incident #1 - I tell the Superintendant's Secretary that "I'm missing some of my stationery" and she says she'll "check on it for me". When I call her back later to tell her I have found it, she tells me she "has a box out to send me". So I say "no you're okay I have found all the things I was missing". Her response "Sarah, what do you mean by stationery"? Me "I mean office supplies"! Laughing she says "well I was sending you a box of letter headed paper, as that's stationary to us"! We got a good laugh out of it anyway.

Incident #2 - Chatting with 3 colleagues after work, I asked one of them if she was "taking the p"? They all start giggling and two of them say "what did you say, is she taking a pee"? Whilst the one I was talking to says "Noooo, how can I be taking a pee sitting here"! So I say "nooo, I mean are you taking the Mickey"? More blank expressions and giggles, they think I mean something to do with drugs now! I then struggle to explain what I mean, as I only ever say "take the p" or "take the Mickey" and suddenly find myself stumped to explain them! Finally I say "I mean are you kind of being 'funny' in a sarcastic way" the best I could come up with. When I left though they were still laughing about "are you taking the p" and still didn't seem to quite get why we say that.

Incident #3 - with the Hubster of all people, who it appears I can still catch out after years together! I call to him "Something's really honking in the garage"? The next thing I know I hear his Pickup horn honking!! So I look into where he is and see him pressing his remote and exclaiming "I must have hit this when I was taking my pants off"! I burst out laughing and say "nooo, I mean't really honking as in really smelling, not your Pickup horn"! Apparently he has never heard me use this before.

I think this was maybe a record day of confusion for me!

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is going to be a popular one I think:

"We all had a good old argy-bargy"

'Argy-bargy' = a lively and confrontational discussion

This dates back to the late 1800's and is basically a duplication of 'argue' with links to Scottish & English dialect. Most people would say this is a very lively discussion, but some would also use it if it got mildly physical too.

It's certainly one of the most fun Brit expressions and a great one for causing utter confusion for those not in the know. So go forth dear friends, have/cause an argy-bargy and then use this BWOTD!

BWOTD

Todays BWOTD is one I still use quite a bit:

"I did sweet FA today!"

'Sweet FA' = nothing at all

Now I'm sure that some people think the FA stands for something far worse than it actually does. Sweet FA is actually short for sweet Fanny Adams and perfectly acceptable in polite society!

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is another used daily:

"I had to chivvy them up"

'Chivvy' = Hurry along or to harrass someone

It depends on the context you say it in, as to which meaning it takes on, but it's more commonly used for hurry along.

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is a multi-functional one!

"I love to have lashings of HP sauce"

'Lashings' = an abundance, or alot of something.

Oft heard in Enid Blyton childrens books, this is not some kind of kinky whipping thing the Hubster and I do with HP Sauce!! Although to be lashed does mean to be whipped to us too, and it can also be to tie something down.

Anyway enough of our private life, have a great weekend y'all! ;-)

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is a common old-fashioned term:

"I banged my bonce"

'Bonce' = Head

This really is a fun word for confusing foreigners and is used nationally. This is the traditional use for it, but apparently it's now become a popular 'urban' descriptive word, meaning something is cool, hot, sexy as well.

Originally 'a bonce' was a large marble used in childrens games during the 18th century. It's first known use as a term for the head was in the 1880's.

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is a nice descriptive phrase:

"He came a right cropper"

'to come a cropper' = a victim of disaster or mishap

I have no idea where this comes from for certain. But I wonder if it has it's roots in farming and 'to crop' or cut-off at the base, it would make sense.

Brit Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is a BBC 'Top Gear' fave:

"I'm getting absolutely mullered!"

'Mullered' = beaten to a pulp!

Yep this is when there is absolutely no doubt you have been beaten, or thrashed, by something or someone! It is also a slang term for being very drunk.

Brit' Word of the Day

Todays BWOTD is a phrase even my gran sometimes uses!

"Will you do that for me?"
"Not on your nelly!"

'Not on your nelly' = a heartfelt 'not likely'

This is just a funny Brit phrase, I have noticed tends to be used more by northerners and the older generation. The younger generation have their own less polite version!

**Chicago holiday posts will return later today with a Chi-town Skywatch, and then continue with the final Thursday/Friday piccies on Monday & Tuesday.**