| Aussie Words |
Definitions |
Comments |
| lair |
Layabout, hooligan |
|
| 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") |
|
| loo |
Lavatory or toilet |
English, 19th c. (Water)loo |
| lot |
The whole thing |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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) |
|
| 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 |
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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 |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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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| 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 |
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| 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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! |
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| oyo |
On your own (flat or apartment) |
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| Oz |
Australia, as in Oz-tralia |
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| packed out |
Filled to capacity |
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| 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 |
|
| paper yabber |
Letter |
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| parcel |
Package |
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| pash |
Passion, infatuation |
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| pastoralist |
Large-scale grazier |
|
| 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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