Collywobbles

Gaffer
Belter
Making peas $$$
Mug v n
Diamond geezer
Top notch
Throw a wobbly
Away with the fairies
Meaty
Skee daddle
spiffing
skedaddle
bamboozled
cuppa
Best get a wiggle on.
 #1

“be full of beans”

If someone is full of beans, they have a lot of energy and life.

E.g. Sarah is full of beans. She is constantly running around everywhere with a smile on her face.

The idiom “full of beans” dates back to the 1840s when horses were often fed beans as their staple diet.
A horse that is “full of beans” is lively, energetic and high-spirited.
 #2

“brolly”

= an umbrella

E.g. Don’t forget to take a brolly with you when we go to Stirling on Saturday.

Other shortened words in English include:

television  telly
fabulous  fab
football  footy
holiday  hols
 #3

“cream crackered”

= extremely tired

E.g. Ben was cream crackered after the disco last night.

This expression is rhyming slang for ‘knackered’, which means very tired.
 #4

“peckish”

= a little bit hungry

E.g. Neil hadn’t eaten any breakfast and was quite peckish.

And the word ‘ravenous’ means very hungry.

 #5

“cheeky”

= rude and showing a lack of respect often in a way that seems playful or amusing

E.g. Simon is a cheeky little boy! How does he get away with saying such things to Fred?

Cheeky can also mean enjoyable and unplanned

(E.g. Michelle went into Starbucks for a cheeky coffee with Brian.)
 #6

"whinge"

= to complain in an annoying way

"Would you please stop whinging about British food! It’s scrumdiddlyumptious!"

Have you tried a full Scottish breakfast at Churchill House yet?

 #7

"Give me a tinkle on the blower"

"Give me a call" or "ring me." The phrase is sometimes shortened to "give me a tinkle."

E.g. Give me a tinkle on the blower after afternoon activities and we’ll grab a coffee together.

"Tinkle" refers to a phone's ring, while "blower" is slang or telephone and refers to the device that predated phones on
Naval ships. Sailors would blow down a pipe to their recipient, where a whistle at the end of the pipe would sound to
spark attention.
 #8

"miffed"

= slightly irritated or annoyed.

E.g. She hadn't called for a week and I was getting miffed.

"Miffed" possibly derives from the German "muffen," meaning "to sulk."
 #9

"Tickety-boo"

Something that is "tickety-boo" is fine, okay.

E.g. I thought I had lost my keys, but I found them and everything was tickety-boo.

This expression may have originated in Scotland, where it's the title of a popular children's song.
A song called "Everything Is Tickety-Boo" was recorded by Danny Kaye as part of the film "Merry Andrew".

Some sources believe that "tickety-boo" in fact derives from the Hindu phrase "ṭhīk hai, bābū," meaning "it's alright, sir."
 #10

"quid"

= pound / £

E.g. Can I you lend me ten quid, please?

An informal word for a five-pound note is ‘fiver’.

An informal word for a ten-pound note is ‘tenner’.
 #11

“fortnight”

= a period of two weeks

E.g. Pete can’t believe he’s only been here for a fortnight.
 #12

“kip”

= a short sleep

E.g. Beth is going to have a kip before the disco tonight.

Another informal word that means the same is ‘nap’.

 #13

“cost a bomb”

= to cost a lot of money

E.g. It cost Dave a bomb to get his Porsche fixed.

Cost a fortune & cost the earth have the same meaning.
 #14

“bonkers”

= crazy

E.g. A: Do you think Michael is a little bonkers?

B: A little? He’s crazy in the coconut!
 #15

“not my cup of tea”

= if something is not your cup of tea, you do not like it or you are not interested in it

E.g. Listening to heavy metal music isn’t really my cup of tea.

 EXTRAS…

"a few sandwiches short of a picnic"

Someone that lacks common sense might be described as

"a few sandwiches short of a picnic."

E.g. I think Barry is a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

He says he's going to start a business selling bees as pets.

The phrase was first documented in the BBC's "Lenny Henry Christmas Special" in 1987.
 "Bee's knees"

"The Beatles are the bee's knees."

This phrase became mainstream in the USA in the 1920s despite its British origins, but its popularity in the States has
dwindled since the turn of the century.

The "bee's knees" referred to small or insignificant details when it was first documented in the 18th century. Since then,
the phrase has evolved and refers to something at the "height of cool."
https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/88-british-phrases-that-confuse-anybody-who-didnt-
grow-up-in-the-uk-a3686021.html

"A few sandwiches short of a picnic"

Someone that lacks common sense might be described as "a few sandwiches short of a picnic."

E.g. I think Barry is a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

The phrase was first documented in the BBC's "Lenny Henry Christmas Special" in 1987.

"Give me a tinkle on the blower"

"Give me a call" or "ring me." The phrase is sometimes shortened to "give me a tinkle."

"Tinkle" refers to a phone's ring, while "blower" is slang or telephone and refers to the device that predated phones on
Naval ships. Sailors would blow down a pipe to their recipient, where a whistle at the end of the pipe would sound to
spark attention.

"Give me a tinkle on the blower."

"Miffed"

Slightly irritated or annoyed.

 "Miffed" possibly derives from the German "muffen," meaning "to sulk."

"I was a bit miffed, I can't lie."

"On the pull"

Someone that's "on the pull" has gone out, usually on a night out, with the intention of attracting a sexual partner.

"Pull" can also be used as a verb. If you've "pulled," you've kissed someone.

"You look nice. Are you going on the pull?"

"Shambles"

A disorganised mess or chaotic environment might be described as a "shambles."

"What's happened here? This is a shambles!"

"Tickety-boo"

Something that is "tickety-boo" is satisfactory and in good order.

This classic British idiom may seem stereotypically twee, however, some sources believe that "tickety-boo" in fact derives
from the Hindu phrase "ṭhīk hai, bābū," meaning "it's alright, sir."
"Everything's tickety-boo."