Posted: 1/2/2008 11:28:38 AM EDT
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What would be a slang phrase for assuring complete certainty? In the US we would say things like: "You can count on it" (or bet on it) "You can take that to the bank" You can bet your bottom dollar" (or last dollar) ...and so forth. There must be a phrase of two unique to the UK. 
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Have some army ones as much use as a street fighter in venice. as much use as a carrying handle on a tank. pick up/bring your monkeys and parrots (bring all your gear). like shit off a shovel (very fast). face like a blind cobblers thumb/bag of spanners (not good looking) poets day (piss off early tomorrows saturday). dhobi (washing) Minging (distgusting dirty or ugly used to describe barrack room you have spent all night cleaning). you get the idea |
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Cockney rhyming slang is great and still in widespread use. I work with our colleagues from the Met on a daily basis and it's great entertainment just having a chat with them. I think they must be force fed all the episoded of The Sweeney before they are allowed on the Department: ..'We've got some kosher off a snout that there's a tasty geezer, a well'ard villain all tooled up, kippin in a gaffe over the rub-a-dub. We'll go see the Beak before he 'as it away on 'is toes, get a 'W', go round early doors, up the apples and pears out the back, lift 'im, spin his drum and lock 'im up in a fairy dell. Sorted!' Translates as.. We have information that there is a wanted man, armed and violent, occupying a flat over the pub. We'll see the Magistrate, swear out a warrant before he has a chance to leave, go there in the early hours, using the rear stairs, arrest him, search his flat and take him into custody. Sorted! 
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showing my age - I didn't need the translation  ETA: "some slags blagged me gaffe" - my home appears to have been burgled by a person of ill repute..... |
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"do the bears shit in the woods?" ( 100% certainty) "Is the Pope Catholic?" ( as above) " Got your arse in your hand?" ( In a bad mood) " Got a bag on?" ( as above) " Hello me duck!" ( Local slang for 'hello, how are you) " Let the master finish his work" ( This is again local slang for any tradesman working in your home e.g plumber, carpenter, bricky etc) |
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In the Band of Brothers DVD series, American Paratroopers were getting reading for the Normandy jump. They passed by a few British soldiers disguised as German troops. One trooper asked the Brit if he could see his Luger. When he turned to grab the attention of his friend, the British soldier said: "Hoy mate!, you're avin' a bath if you think you're alf inchin' that". I can only guess what that means. |
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Oi geezer, have a gander at the aris on that bird. Translated as, I say old chap look at the bottom on that young lady Wander over to my gaff for a cup of rosie and a ruby. = Come over to my house for a cup of tea and a curry. He's got more front that brighton (substitute any seaside town). = He's full of himself. They've got a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp. = A misserable looking person. |
Gat = personal weapon Robert Redford = Bedford HGV (in my case the MK., but some old sweats meant the RL) Ronnie Barker = Parka Maggot / Scratcher = Sleeping bag Old sweat = Veteran Buckshee = Surplus to requirement (person's or equipment). Tony |
"You've got more rabbit than Sainsbury's" Rabbit Most of you know that my wife was a London girl (that's a Chas & Dave routine, as well), and while many of her terms rubbed off on me, I never could quite get that Cockney slang, me china plate. Jim |
Consult the ARRSEPedia www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Dictionary |
Now that's a resource! 
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The slightly altered phrase " A face like a bulldog licking p*ss off a stinging nettle" springs to mind. Also, not strictly slang but in a similar vein, the many and varied uses of the obvious f word have never ceased to amaze and amuse me - e.g. A conversation from a very hacked off squaddie to an even more hacked off subaltern to descirbe a defective vehicle; Soldier: Sir, I f-ing know what's f-ing wrong with the f-ing f-er. The f-ing f-er is f-ing well f-ed" Officer: How f-ed? Soldier: Proper f-ed Officer: F! Soldier: Too f-ing right, F! We're f-ing f-d are'nt we. Officer: It would f-ing well seem so. F, f and double f. Ah, the joys of a wide and varied vocabulary.... |