Rhyming Cockney slang

"Arf a cock linnet ,i'm just off for a Jimmy riddle"

Ok i'm back and ready to learn some more of this mysterious covert language
Any experts in the art ,like to throw in some of their favourite lines?
All spoken with your best Michael Caine accent
Heres another
"Whats the use in aving an artful dodger when all the burton goes down the rub-a-dub"

Basically this one translated reads
Whats the use in having a lodger when all the money gets spent at the pub

reply to post by 12voltz


Me dog n bones singing xD

reply to post by TechUnique


well you better go answer it ,it could be the trouble n strife ,

Don't forget that part of the mystique of rhyming slang is to drop the rhyme from the final version.
E.g. "to take a butcher's" means "to take a look"- the rhyme is "butcher's hook".

reply to post by DISRAELI


Yes ,thats true ,it makes it even harder to follow.
heres an example
"Take your minces(mince pies) off her Bristols(Bristol cities)"

reply to post by 12voltz

Or they might be "her thruppenies". (threepenny bits)

"her boat(race) was covered in harry(monk)"

"Having a couple of Britneys (Spears) down the battle (crusier)"

Stick the kettle on...mine's a Rosie.

reply to post by lilsmurf

Too many salmon and trouts ?
you really need to improve your aim

ones i like (although not strictly cockney) :-

are you extracting the urine (are you takng the piss / the mick) ?

do you have the minerals sunshine (do you have the balls to go some) ?

what part of f-u-c-k off dont you understand (which part of no dont you get) ?

im desperate for a brad pit (im desperate for a s-h-i-t)

turn it in, you give asparin a head ache (please be quiet, i have heard enough).

im sure there are plenty more, will post if any come to mind

another couple.

there was claret all over this geezers boat race ( there was blood all over this mans face)

are you avin a giraffe ( are you having a laugth) ?

whats on the nelly tonight , feck all as usual ? ( what is on TV tonight, nothing as usual)


a pint of wife beater please (a pint of stella (brand of beer) please)

er in doors is doin my nut in (my wife is winding me up)
this can also be said as 'er with droopy draws is doin my ed in)

look at the norma stits on that (have a look at the enourmous t-i-t-s on that women)

reply to post by diddy1234


thanks diddy, Is this everyday language where you are or is it a dying art.?
I heard the slang was originally started as a means of outwitting/confusing the law

I'm just going the Gary Glitter for a Geoff Hurst = I'm just going the #ter (toilet) for a burst (piss)

The Swiss tried to put the blocks on my Leo so I threw her down the apples = the wife (swiss army knife) tried to put the blocks on my Leo (leo Sayer = all dayer= all day drinking session) so I threw her down the apples (apples and pears = stairs)

To be honest with you, Cockney is dying out in London. A lot of the people from the east end moved off to some of the home counties around London and became 'Mockneys' after the area became more expensive to live in.
But here's some slang that you'll maybe still hear;

You 'avin' a bubble = Are you having a bubble bath = Are you having a laugh

Fancy a Ruby? = Do you Fancy a Ruby Murray = Do you fancy a Curry?

Bit shorta bread mate = I'm a bit short on Bread and Honey mate = I'm a bit short Money my friend

Got a Hen? = Have you got a Henry the VIII = Have you got an 8th (lets just say an 8th of a kilo of sugar for example)

You're tellin' Porkies = You're telling Porky Pies = You're telling lies/you're lying

On my todd = On my Todd Sloane = On my own.

It's been Donkeys mate! = It's been Donkeys Ears Mate = It's been years my friend

Also, Cherry instead of cool, not slang though as far as I know.

reply to post by 12voltz


i would say it is dying out.

i live in the home counties and one side of my family is cockney and does come from london.
even the die hards have mellowed out over the years.
maybe it is just times changing.
i rearly use it in day to day life but can understand it.
even the wife (who was born in birkenhead but raised in london), knows when i am talking about het thrupney bits. he he

Yeah it's a shame because its quite funny lingo. I'm out in Surrey so we still have a bit of it out here, but it's definitely declining.

Its peas here so i wanted to stretch my scotch pegs ,headed out to the Noah;s ark for an oily rag but i forgot to bring the cuts and scratches,saw an old pot and pan lying under a linen draper.'Hey hampton wick, got an anna maria?. "He said only if you got a tea pot lid".What a cherry hog ,his Uncle Bert was covered in hit and miss and he smelt like mothers ruin."Go back to the bread and butter ,china plate or i will give you a read and write.
Well ding dong bell! the elephants trunk got on his plates of meat and raised his german bands ,then proceeded to throw an oliver twist.But the old gits filthy monkeys tails only hit my bushel and peck.
"thats it mate ,your going to the bucket and pail to face the garden gate.(to be continued)

Anyway i just checked the Gordon and gotch and i have to go and give the cherry hog his Jim Skinner.