Aussie Words |
Definitions |
Comments |
Jack Shay (Jack Shea) |
Quart pot, metal drinking vessel / container |
Rhymes (to the Irish) with tea (pot) |
jack-in-the-box |
Person who can't sit still |
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jackaroo |
A male station hand (a station is a big farm/grazing property) |
In station life, Jackaroo has long meant an Englishman getting 'colonial experience' (often not paid … but ate with the magager, not the men!) [Originally, ie very early colonial, it meant a white man living beyond the boundary of settlement - possibly Aboriginal word 'dhugai-iu', (Jagara)] |
jillaroo |
A female station hand |
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jingoes! |
Exclamation of wonder |
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jocks |
Men's or boys' underpants |
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Joe Blake |
Snake (rhyming) |
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Joe Bloggs |
The average citizen |
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joey |
Baby kangaroo, still in the pouch |
Originally baby possum - trans. to kangaroo, then any young marsupial … eventually comes to mean child! |
johnny cake |
Small, thin, loaf of damper (bush bread) |
Trans. from US flat oat cake |
journo |
Journalist |
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jumbuck |
Sheep |
Probably an Aboriginal word for 'cloud' or 'mist' (a distant mob of sheep?) |
jumped-up |
Full of self-importance; arrogant |
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kanga or kangaroo |
Shoe |
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keen as mustard |
Enthusiastic |
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kelpie |
Australian sheepdog originally bred from Scottish collie |
Breed is descended from champion short-haired collie named 'Kelpie' |
kerb |
Alternative Australian and British spelling of "curb" |
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kerbside quiche |
Vomit |
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kerfuffle |
Argument |
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kero |
Kerosene |
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kick |
To share or join in |
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kick-in |
To provide your share |
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kindie |
Kindergarten |
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king brown |
Type of venomous snake or tall bottle of beer |
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kip |
Sleep or nap |
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kiwi |
New zealander |
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knackered |
Worn out, rooted |
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knackers |
Testicles (also love spuds, nuts, nads) |
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knock |
To criticise |
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knock back |
Refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb) |
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knocker |
One who criticises |
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kombi |
Multi-purpose van-like vehicle, often modified so the back seats were folded dow |
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koori |
Aborigine (mostly south of the Murray River) |
Also all of NSW (except for Yuin in south east) ... Murri -then Bama to north in Queensland - Yura, then Nunga to west, in South Australia |
lair |
Layabout, hooligan |
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lairise |
To behave in a vulgar, flamboyant manner |
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lamb-brained |
Stupid |
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lamington |
Sponge cake cut into squares, covered in chocolate and coconut |
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larrikin |
Ruffian or hoodlum, but viewed with some admiration |
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lay-by |
To put a deposit on an article so a shop will hold it |
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licensed |
Legally permitted to sell alcoholic drinks |
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like a bandicoot on a burnt ridge |
Lonely and vulnerable |
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lingo |
The language |
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lippy |
Lipstick |
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liquid laugh |
Vomit |
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lob, lob in |
Drop in to see someone ("the rellies have lobbed") |
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lollies |
Candy or sweets |
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lolly |
Money |
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London to a brick |
Absolute certainty ("it's London to a brick that taxes won't go down") |
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loo |
Lavatory or toilet |
English, 19th c. (Water)loo |
lot |
The whole thing |
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lubra |
Aboriginal woman |
Aboriginal word (se Tasmania) 'lubara' |
lucky country, the |
Australia, where else? |
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lurk |
Scheme, sometimes viewed with envy |
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ma stater |
Resident of New South Wales |
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mad |
Crazy (seldom means anger) |
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Mallee |
Remote bushland of Victoria, low scrub |
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manchester |
Household linen |
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mate |
This usually means a friend but it can be used to talk about or to anyone - even |
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mate's rate, mate's discount |
Cheaper than usual for a "friend" |
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matey with |
Familiar or friendly with |
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matilda |
The belongings of a swagman, wrapped in a blanket or bedroll |
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meat safe |
Ventilated fly-proof cage for storing meat carcasses without refrigeration |
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merino |
Breed of sheep with fine strands of fleece |
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metho |
Methylated spirits |
Denatured alcohol/rubbing alcohol |
Mexican |
A person from south of the (Queensland) border |
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mickey mouse |
Excellent, very good |
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middy |
285 ml beer glass (New South Wales) |
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milk bar |
Corner general store |
Not NSW usage - corner shop had to have milk licence, but a 'milk bar' was principally a (milk & soft) drink shop … almost = US "drug store" |
milko |
Milkman |
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mob |
Family or herd (?) of kangaroos / herd of sheep or cattle |
(transference ?) |
mob |
Group of person or things (not necessarily unruly) |
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moke |
Horse (not a good one!) |
Original meaning was donkey |
mole (native) |
Platypus … to a Pom who isn't any sort of naturalist |
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moleskin(s) |
Trousers of moleskin (untwilled cotton fustian fabric) |
Typical sailors' wear on British sailing ships |
moll |
Girl(friend), disreputable girl, tart, Dona |
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mongrel |
Despicable person |
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mopoke |
Australian bird ninox novaeseelaniae - in the owl family, but more like a sturdy |
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mozzie |
Mosquito |
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muddy |
Mud crab (a great delicacy) |
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mug |
Friendly insult ("have a go, yer mug"), gullible person |
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mug |
One's face |
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mull |
Grass (the kind you smoke) |
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mull up |
Roll a joint and smoke it |
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murphy |
Potato |
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naff |
Ridiculous, useless |
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nana |
Banana |
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nark |
Spoilsport |
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narked |
Annoyed |
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naughty, have a |
Have sex |
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neddies |
Horses |
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Never Never |
The Outback, centre of Australia |
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new chum |
New arrival or immigrant |
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nick |
To steal |
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nick out |
Go somewhere for short period of time |
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nipper |
Young surf lifesaver |
Also any youngster (generally male) |
nit |
Fool or idiot |
Also nitwit |
no hoper |
Hopeless case |
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no shortage of oscar |
To be flush with money |
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no worries! |
Everything will be fine! |
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no-hoper |
Somebody who'll never do well |
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