Cockney rhyming slang is a form of English slang which originated in the East End of London. Many of its expressions have passed into common language, and the creation of new ones is no longer restricted to Cockneys.
Rhyming slang developed as a way of obscuring the meaning of sentences to those who did not understand the slang, though it remains a matter of speculation whether this was a linguistic accident, or whether it was developed intentionally to assist criminals or to maintain a particular community.
Rhyming slang works by replacing the word to be obscured with the first word of a phrase that rhymes with that word. For instance, "face" would be replaced by "boat", because face rhymes with "boat race". Similarly "feet" becomes "plates" ("plates of meat"), and "money" is "bread" (a very common usage, from "bread and honey"). Sometimes the full phrase is used, for example "Currant Bun" to mean "The Sun" (often referring to the British Tabloid Newspaper of that name). There is no hard and fast rule for this, and you just have to know whether a particular expression is always shortened, never shortened, or can be used either way.
Rhyming slang developed as a way of obscuring the meaning of sentences to those who did not understand the slang, though it remains a matter of speculation whether this was a linguistic accident, or whether it was developed intentionally to assist criminals or to maintain a particular community.
Rhyming slang works by replacing the word to be obscured with the first word of a phrase that rhymes with that word. For instance, "face" would be replaced by "boat", because face rhymes with "boat race". Similarly "feet" becomes "plates" ("plates of meat"), and "money" is "bread" (a very common usage, from "bread and honey"). Sometimes the full phrase is used, for example "Currant Bun" to mean "The Sun" (often referring to the British Tabloid Newspaper of that name). There is no hard and fast rule for this, and you just have to know whether a particular expression is always shortened, never shortened, or can be used either way.
by Santi July 11, 2005
cockney rhyming slang originates in east london but is spoken all over east anglia. it ussualy consists of two words the second rhyming with the word your refuring too although you normally say the first word of the two
e.g. shut your BOAT (boat beaning boat race rhyming with face)
bread and honey=money (give us some bread for the pictures)
rasberry ripple=cripple ( couldnt fit into that car space si i have to use the rasberry ones)
struggle and grunt=cunt ( you fuckiong what mate watta struggle)
apples and pears-stairs (youve been a naughty boy get up those apples and pears)
these are all comman examples of cockney rhyming slang
bread and honey=money (give us some bread for the pictures)
rasberry ripple=cripple ( couldnt fit into that car space si i have to use the rasberry ones)
struggle and grunt=cunt ( you fuckiong what mate watta struggle)
apples and pears-stairs (youve been a naughty boy get up those apples and pears)
these are all comman examples of cockney rhyming slang
by olliewesty January 25, 2006
A dialect replacing numerous words with phrases that rhyme with the desired outcome, e.g. Dog and Bone = Phone, Trouble and Strife = Wife, Horse and Carriage = Marrage.
Stems from an area in London.
See Also: rhyming slang
Stems from an area in London.
See Also: rhyming slang
Anyway, I was going off to my Pope in Rome, when the old Trouble and Strife's only gone and left the Horse and Carriage and Cat and Mouse and left me a message next to the Dog and Bone on an Alexander the Great up the Apples and Pairs. She's gone of with another fella with a lot of Poppy Red. Made me so Hit List, you know? So I gos and gets meself a Pigs Ear. Not bothered really, just she dragged her huge Kingdom Come off with my Sue Rider!
by regs_ October 28, 2004
A dialect originating in East London which involves substituting short phrases for words. The phrases rhyme with the word that they replace.
"So unless we intend to do this job in Reno, we're in barney...
Barney Rubble...
Trouble!"
-Don Cheadle as Basher in Ocean's Eleven
No one gets his Cockney Rhyming Slang but him.
Barney Rubble...
Trouble!"
-Don Cheadle as Basher in Ocean's Eleven
No one gets his Cockney Rhyming Slang but him.
by VooDooXII August 26, 2006