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*female puppy, canine or dog from Australia

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Australia

Rhyming Slang

A lot of controversy surrounds the origins of Australian Rhyming Slang. Some say that it came over with the original convicts, but most current pundits think that it came into general use at the turn of the century and was generally only used by men. It was not the sort of language that a lady would indulge in!

Basically, it consists of a couple of words or syllables, the last of which rhymes with the word for which it is substituted. Sometimes there is a kind of humourous connection between the two. Slang such as "cries and screeches" - meaning leeches or "gay and hearty" - meaning party.

You can add to the language by making up your own! Just make sure that the context makes your real meaning clear! Happy creating!

Here are some of the better known ones to get you started.


Slang	Translation	Usage
apple sauce	horse	She's a great little apple sauce.
steak and kidney	Sydney	We are off to steak and kidney!
Johnny Horner	corner	He's just gone round the Johnney Horner.
dead horse	tomato sauce	What this needs is a bit of dead horse.
brave and bold	cold	It's really brave and bold today.
Johnny Raper	paper	Nip down to the newsagent and get a Johnny Raper.
Dalai Lamas	dramas	Hey, no Dalai Lamas
bag of fruit	suit	All dressed up in your best bag of fruit.
blood blister	sister	How's your little blood blister?
Captain Cook	look	Well, take a Captain Cook.
curry and rice	price	What's the curry and rice?
dodge and shirk	work	I'm off to dodge and shirk.
dog and bone	phone	Can you get that dog and bone?
forgive and forget	cigarette	What I wouldn't give for a forgive and forget.
Fred Astair	lair (a show off)	He's a real Fred Astair.
frog and toad	road	Goodbye, must hit the frog and toad.
Germain Greer	beer	A Germain Greer would really hit the spot.
grim and gory	story	What a great grim and gory.
honky tonk	plonk (cheap wine)	Get a couple of bottles of honky tonk.
Jimmy Dancer	cancer	Did you hear that Harry's got the Jimmy Dancer?
Joe Blake	snake	Watch out for the Joe Blakes.
kitchen sink	drink	I could really do with a kitchen sink.
laughs and smiles	piles	It's not funny. I've got the laughs and smiles.
lemon squash	wash	I'd better give the car a bit of a lemon squash.
mud pies	eyes	She has beautiful mud pies.
Mutt and Jeff	deaf	What's wrong with you? Are you Mutt and Jeff?
nails and screws	news	Got any nails and screws?
near and far	bar	Meet you at the near and far at 6.
optic nerve	perv (pervert)	He's definitely an optic nerve.
Pat Malone	alone	I'm all on my Pat Malone.
Noah's ark	shark	Look out for the Noah's arks if you're going swimming.
plates of meat	feet	Oh, my aching plates of meat!
tit for tat (titfer)	hat	I think you should wear your titfer.
pig's arse	glass	Want a pig's arse?
rock and lurch	church	See you at the rock and lurch on Sunday.
billy lids	kids	How many billy lids you got?
septic tank	yank	That Bill Clinton, he's a septic tank.
smash and grab	cab	Would you call for a smash and grab?
tea leaf	thief	You bl**** tea leaf!
trouble and strife	wife	How's the trouble and strife these days?
young and frisky	whisky	I'll have a young and frisky.
Werris Creek	leak	I need to go for a Werris Creek
Bruce Reed	feed	I think I'll have a bit of a Bruce Reed
dog's eye	meat pie	That was a great dog's eye!
Zane Grey	pay	Can't buy much with the old Zane Grey these days.
Gregory Peck	cheque	I sent you the Gregory Peck!
butcher's hook	look	Take a butcher's!
Oxford scholar	dollar	It's just an Oxford scholar
Al Capone	phone	Will you get that Al capone for me?
dog's eye and dead horse	pie and sauce	I'll have a dog's eye and dead horse.
Peter Mertens	curtains	How are the Poms looking Shirl? It's Peter Mertens for em luv! (we are talking cricket!)
John Dory	story	What's the John Dory?
china plate	mate	How's me old china?
trick cyclist	psychiatrist	Have to go. Got an appointment with the trcik cyclist.
rubbidy dub	pub	I'm meeting them down at the rubbidy.
cherry plum	mum	I love my cherry plum
cheese and kisses	missus	How's the cheese and kisses?
Malcolm Blight	light	I really need a Malcolm Blight for my ciggy
on the beak	reek (stink)	You're on the beak a bit mate
Mars bar	car	I think I'll get a new Mars bar
Bugs Bunny	money	Got any Bugs Bunny?
wooden pegs	legs	She had a great pair of wooden pegs
canoes	shoes	New canoes?
hollow log	dog	Is the hollow log back from the vet yet?
ballarat	hat	Nice ballarat!
boat race	face	She has nice legs, shame about the boat race

Let me know of any new ones you think I should include in my list.

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