Aussie Words |
Definitions |
Comments |
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? |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
mob |
Family or herd (?) of kangaroos / herd of sheep or cattle |
(transference ?) |
mob |
Group of person or things (not necessarily unruly) |
|
moke |
Horse (not a good one!) |
Original meaning was donkey |
mole (native) |
Platypus … to a Pom who isn't any sort of naturalist |
|
moleskin(s) |
Trousers of moleskin (untwilled cotton fustian fabric) |
Typical sailors' wear on British sailing ships |
moll |
Girl(friend), disreputable girl, tart, Dona |
|
mongrel |
Despicable person |
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mopoke |
Australian bird ninox novaeseelaniae - in the owl family, but more like a sturdy |
|
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 |
|
mug |
One's face |
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mull |
Grass (the kind you smoke) |
|
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 |
|
narked |
Annoyed |
|
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 |
|
nick out |
Go somewhere for short period of time |
|
nipper |
Young surf lifesaver |
Also any youngster (generally male) |
nit |
Fool or idiot |
Also nitwit |
no hoper |
Hopeless case |
|
no shortage of oscar |
To be flush with money |
|
no worries! |
Everything will be fine! |
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no-hoper |
Somebody who'll never do well |
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nobbler |
Glass or drink of liquor |
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noise off |
Speak loudly |
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north island |
Mainland Australia, according to someone in Tasmania |
|
northern summer |
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere |
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not the full quid |
Not bright intellectually |
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nuddy, in the |
Naked |
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nulla-nulla |
Wooden club used by Aborigines |
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num-nums |
Tasty food |
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ocker |
Uncultivated or boorish Australian |
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off-sider |
Assistant or partner |
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oil |
Information |
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old man |
Large (animal) as in 'old man kangaroo … by tranference (and pidgin use?) = large |
Old Man Plain', in "Across the Western Plains", means 'the big, wide plain'. |
oldies |
Parents - "I'll have to ask my oldies" |
|
on a good lurk |
To have a good job |
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open slather |
Without restrictions |
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OS |
Overseas |
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outback |
The bush, or uncivilised uninhabited region |
|
overlander |
A drover, herding cattle or sheep hundreds of miles over land |
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owyergoin |
How are you going? Often used with "g'day" and "Mate" |
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oy! |
An ocker's call; hey! |
|
oyo |
On your own (flat or apartment) |
|
Oz |
Australia, as in Oz-tralia |
|
packed out |
Filled to capacity |
|
packet |
Large some of money, an envelope |
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paddock |
Field or meadow |
In Australia, that COULD be 1000 square miles! |
pademelon, paddymelon |
Small (potorid) wallaby … Aboriginal word (Dharuk - 'badimaliyan') |
Confused with inedible African cucurbit, growing feral in Australia - 'Paddymelon' |
pally |
On friendly terms with |
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paper yabber |
Letter |
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parcel |
Package |
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pash |
Passion, infatuation |
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pastoralist |
Large-scale grazier |
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patent pill machine |
Revolver |
Image goes back to loading a cap-and-ball revolver |
pav |
Pavlova - a rich, creamy Australian dessert |
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