ambo
An ambulance worker or paramedic.
The Slang MusterAustralian words and expressions
Everyday life
The words and expressions woven through ordinary Australian conversation.
142 entries · Search and filter this theme →
Aristotle
A bottle.
arvo
The afternoon.
arvo tea
Afternoon tea.
as blind as a welder's dog
Very drunk or intoxicated.
Read the note on usageas dry as a blacksmith’s apron
Extremely thirsty or dry.
Read the note on usageas dry as a dead dingo's donger
Extremely dry or thirsty.
Read the note on usageas rough as guts
Very rough, uncouth or unrefined.
as useful as a pocket in a singlet
Completely useless or impractical.
Read the note on usageavo
Avocado.
bag of fruit
A suit, in rhyming slang.
Read the note on usageBarry Crocker
A shocker; something poor or disappointing.
Read the note on usagebetter than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick
Better than nothing; an outcome that is at least preferable to something worse.
Read the note on usagebiccy
A biscuit.
Read the note on usagebilly lid
A kid or child.
bingle
A minor collision or accident, especially involving a vehicle.
brekkie
Breakfast.
Buckley's chance
Little or no chance; a forlorn hope.
budgie smugglers
Close-fitting men's swimming briefs.
bugger me dead
Express strong surprise, disbelief or exasperation.
Read the note on usagebung
Incapacitated, exhausted, broken or ruined; in go bung, to fail, collapse, die or become bankrupt, according to context.
Read the note on usagebush oyster
A lump of nasal mucus; a coarse comic Australian expression.
Read the note on usagebush telegraph
The rapid informal spread of news by word of mouth.
Read the note on usagecactus
Broken, ruined, useless, exhausted or no longer functioning.
Read the note on usagecarry on like a pork chop
Behave noisily, foolishly or with excessive fuss.
charge like a wounded bull
Charge an excessive price.
Read the note on usagecheese and kisses
Rhyming slang for one's missus or wife.
Read the note on usagechoccy
Chocolate; also an attributive shortening as in choccy biccy.
Read the note on usageChrissy
Christmas.
Read the note on usagechunder
To vomit; also vomit.
Clayton's
A thing that exists in name only, or is an inferior substitute.
come a gutser
Fall heavily or fail badly.
Read the note on usagecomic cuts
Guts.
compo
Workers' compensation or a compensation payment.
cooee
A long, carrying call used to attract attention over distance.
Read the note on usagecozzie
A swimming costume.
crook
Bad, unpleasant, unsatisfactory or ill; also dishonest/illegal in Australian senses, and in go crook, angry or abusive.
Dad 'n Dave
A shave.
Read the note on usagedaks
Trousers.
Read the note on usagedead horse
Tomato sauce, in Australian rhyming slang.
Read the note on usagedeadset
Genuine, absolutely or emphatically true; also an emphatic discourse form.
Read the note on usagedinkum oil
The genuine truth or reliable inside information.
Read the note on usagedo a perish
To suffer badly from thirst or from a lack of sustenance; to feel as though one might perish.
Read the note on usagedo the Harold Holt
Leave or disappear suddenly; do a bolt.
Read the note on usagedo your dough
Lose your money, especially through gambling.
dob
Inform on someone or report their wrongdoing.
dog and bone
Telephone, in rhyming slang.
Read the note on usagedog’s eye
A meat pie, in Australian rhyming slang.
Read the note on usagedone like a dinner
Thoroughly beaten, ruined, caught or defeated.
Read the note on usagedown the gurgler
Wasted, lost or ruined.
dunny
A toilet, especially historically an outdoor toilet.
earbash
To subject someone to a long, forceful or one-sided conversation; also a prolonged talking-to.
flat chat
At full speed, maximum effort or maximum intensity.
flat strap
Extremely busy, or operating/moving at maximum capacity or speed.
flat to the boards
At maximum speed, effort or capacity.
Read the note on usagefrog and toad
Road, especially in the phrase hit the frog and toad.
Read the note on usagefurphy
A rumour, false report or improbable story.
g'day
An informal greeting meaning good day or hello.
give it a burl
Try or attempt something.
give us a hoy
Call out or let someone know.
gone troppo
Become irrational, eccentric or overwhelmed, supposedly because of tropical heat.
Read the note on usagegood oil
Reliable information, the truth or useful inside information.
have a Captain Cook
Have a look.
Read the note on usagehave a go
Try, make an attempt or take an opportunity.
Read the note on usagehave a squiz
Take a look.
hip-pocket nerve
A humorous supposed nerve that makes someone especially sensitive to spending money.
Jatz crackers
The testicles, via rhyme with knackers.
Read the note on usageJimmy Grant
An immigrant.
Read the note on usagejourno
A journalist.
kindy
Kindergarten or preschool.
Read the note on usageknockback
A refusal, rejection or rebuff.
like a shag on a rock
Completely alone, exposed or isolated.
Read the note on usageLionel Rose
Nose.
Read the note on usagelippy
Lipstick.
Read the note on usageMaccas
McDonald's.
Read the note on usagemanchester
Household linen, or the retail department where it is sold.
Martin Place
Face.
motza
A large sum of money, a fortune or a great amount.
mozzie
A mosquito.
nah yeah
An informal discourse marker usually meaning yes or agreement, with the final element carrying the force.
Read the note on usageno worries
No problem, no trouble; an assurance that everything is fine or will be handled.
no wuckers
No worries or no problem.
Noah's ark
Rhyming slang: historically 'nark' (informer), and later in Australia 'shark'.
Read the note on usagenot much chop
Not very good, useful or impressive.
not the full bottle
Not very intelligent or not fully informed.
Read the note on usagenot worth a brass razoo
Worth nothing, or have almost no money.
not worth a cracker
Worth very little or nothing.
off like a bride's nightie
Leaving or being removed very quickly.
Read the note on usageoil
Information or news, especially reliable inside information.
parma
A shortening of chicken parmigiana, especially the pub meal.
pollie
A politician.
porky pie
A lie; usually plural porky pies.
Read the note on usagepunch a dart
Smoke a cigarette.
put the mozz on
Jinx, thwart or spoil someone's chances.
Read the note on usagerack off
Go away; get lost.
rattle your dags
Hurry up; get a move on.
razoo
An imaginary coin of trivial value, used in negatives about having no money.
Reg Grundies
Underpants; undies.
Read the note on usagerego
Vehicle registration; sometimes the registration process/fee itself.
rough end of the pineapple
An unfair or unfavourable deal or outcome.
rubbity dub
A pub.
Salvos
The Salvation Army, its members or its op shops/services in informal Australian usage.
Read the note on usagesee you round like a rissole
A playful rhyming farewell.
selfie
A photograph a person takes of themselves, usually with a phone or digital camera.
she’ll be apples
Everything will be all right.
Read the note on usageshe'll be right
Things will work out or need no further attention.
Read the note on usageshoey
The act of drinking from a shoe, usually as a celebration or dare.
Read the note on usageshoot through like a Bondi tram
To leave or act with great speed.
sky rocket
Pocket, in rhyming slang; often shortened to sky.
Read the note on usagespruik
Promote, pitch or harangue publicly.
starve the lizards
Express surprise, disbelief or exasperation.
stone the crows
An exclamation of surprise, amazement, frustration or emphasis.
Read the note on usagestrewth
An exclamation of surprise, annoyance or emphasis.
strike me pink
Express surprise or astonishment.
Read the note on usageStuart Diver
A survivor.
Read the note on usagesunnies
Sunglasses.
tanner
A sixpence in pre-decimal currency.
Read the note on usagetechnicolour yawn
Vomit or vomiting.
Read the note on usagethat’d be right
An ironic, sceptical or resigned response meaning that an unwelcome or predictable outcome is just as expected.
Read the note on usagethe full bottle
Fully informed, knowledgeable or expert.
thingo
An unspecified object or person.
things are crook in Tallarook
Things are going badly or circumstances are unpleasant.
thong
A rubber or plastic sandal held by a strap between the toes.
Read the note on usagetinny
A can of beer; also a small aluminium boat.
togs
A swimming costume or swimwear.
trackie dacks
Tracksuit pants.
trackies
A tracksuit or, commonly, tracksuit pants.
Read the note on usagetrouble and strife
Wife, in rhyming slang.
Read the note on usageup to pussy's bow
Completely full, busy or at maximum capacity.
Read the note on usageute
A utility vehicle with a passenger cabin and open cargo tray.
vego
A vegetarian; sometimes vegetarian food.
where did you get your licence — from a cornflakes packet?
A criticism of someone's driving competence.
Read the note on usagewouldn't be dead for quids
Express exuberant enjoyment of being alive or present.
wouldn't know shit from clay
Be unable to distinguish the obvious or know very little.
Read the note on usagewouldn't shout if a shark bit him
Be extremely reluctant to buy a round of drinks.
Read the note on usageyeah but nah
Express resistance, qualification or disagreement.
yeah nah
A conversational expression generally signalling disagreement, refusal or qualification.
Read the note on usageyeah nah yeah
Signal a nuanced or qualified response whose final force is often positive.
you beauty
An enthusiastic exclamation of approval, delight or celebration.
you little ripper
An exclamation of delight, approval or triumph.
you right?
An informal service question meaning 'Are you being served?' or 'Do you need help?'.
zac
Sixpence; later also a trivial amount of money.
Read the note on usage