Cor blimey, what’s all this poppycock? These British sayings have been used for yonks, but if you haven’t been in the UK long, you might not know what they mean. Read on to learn the words that will impress the locals and amaze your professors…
1. Gobsmacked
Example:
“I can’t believe that young man didn’t hold the door open for Princess Mary, I’m Gobsmacked!”
2. Damp Squib
Example:
“We’d planned a lovely summer picnic on the village green but what with all the wasps, the chilly wind and James being depressed about the football results it was a bit of a damp squib.”
3.Brass Monkeys
Example:
“Make sure you wear a coat to the Spring Fête – it’s brass monkeys out there.”
4. Hunky Dory 
Example:
“Since they solved the problem with the foxes digging up the rose bushes, everything’s been hunky dory.”
5. Bits n’Bobs
Example:
“There are all sorts of bits and bobs in Grandpa’s attic – see if you can find the croquet set and the stuffed lion’s head.”
6. Chin Wag.
Example:
“I bumped into Margaret at the corner shop – we popped in to Dilly’s for a cup of tea, a scone and a chin wag.”
7. Kerfuffle
Example:
“I tried to do my Christmas shopping on Oxford Street on Christmas Eve – what a kerfuffle!”
8. Collywobbles
Example:
“Walking to the pub in winter time through Old Castle Lane gives me the collywobbles.”
9. Lurgy
Example:
“I’ve got fifty flapjacks to make for the rambling club’s autumn party, don’t give me your lurgy!”
10. Spend a Penny
Example:
“Hang on, I need to spend a penny before we go and look at this shire horse.”
11. Tickety Bo.
Example:
“Don’t worry about me, I love rough seas – I’ve got my cocoa, my life jacket is on snugly, I’m tickety-boo!”
12. Easy Peasy
Example:
“Making beans on toast and old fashioned lemonade is easy peasy!”
13. Plonker
Example:
“If you stop being such a plonker we could be millionaires by this time next year!”
14. Oops-a-Daisy
Example:
“Oops-a-daisy! Don’t worry the daffodils and the bone china are all in one piece!”
15. Gobbledegook
Example:
“After he’s had a few ales you won’t get any sense out of Frank – most of it will be gobbledegook, or statistics about United…Then he’ll probably go and mark out the football field if the moon’s out.”
16. Kip
Example:
“After a large Sunday roast it’s sensible to have a large afternoon kip, in my book.”
17. Whinge
Example:
“Cousin Jimmy from Down Under says you are the world’s greatest whinger, Jack, and I have to say – I agree!”
18. PoppyCock
Example:
“Poppycock! I don’t whinge, I just describe a situation truthfully.”
19. Codswallop
Example:
“That is pure Codswallop! What about the time you complained for three years because your neighbour had chopped two small branches off your oak tree that hung over into their garden?”
20. Cor Blimey
Example:
“Cor Blimey! Did you see the blonde fella in the flowery shirt and tweed jacket? What a looker!”
21. Gumption
Example:
“The one thing you can say about Grandma Beatrice is she had gumption! They say the stuffed lion’s head in Grandad’s attic was a lion she killed with an umbrella when it attacked their camp whilst they were on safari.”
22. Spiffing
Example:
“Hot mince pies and mulled wine at the church carol service tonight – spiffing!”
23. Skew Whiff
Example:
I do believe you’ve had too much mulled wine (or too many mince pies) – the goal line is skew-whiff. Why are we marking out the football pitch at this time of night anyway?
24. Twopenn’orth
Example:
“If I had wanted your twopenn’orth I’d have asked for it. That goal line is perfectly straight!”
25. Yonks.
Example:
“It’s been yonks since we marked out the football pitch, it simply can’t wait any longer. Watch out for that baby hedgehog!”
26. Snog
Example:
“Oops-a-daisy, it’s all right, I missed it! Ah, it was in this corner of the field that I snogged Eleanor Byerley-Long. She was the first girl I kissed, you know.”
