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| Learn the Lingo! |
| Dipstick - slang, originally from the U.S., meaning a stupid or contemptible person. Cited as being used in South Dakota as far back as 1968 by the Oxford English Dictionary. First cited example of the noun being used in British English is from Only Fools and Horses, according to the OED: Del: 'A lot of people told me I was a right dipstick to make my brother a partner in the business, and this only goes to show how bloody right they were.' Monkey - British and Australian slang for 500 pounds (also now used in Australia to mean 500 dollars). The OED can cite its usage back to 1832. Cushty - brilliant, fine. The OED has found citations of the adjective (also used as an adverb) dating back to 1889. It also cites Derek Trotter as using the term in 1985: Del: 'No, no! Everything's cushty.' Lovely jubbly - colloquial term meaning excellent. According to the OED, it is first cited as being used in 1989 by Derek Trotter: Del: 'Money for old rope... (rubs hands together)... lovely jubbly!' Pukka - an anglo-indian term meaning reliable or factually correct. When used in the phrase 'pukka sahib,' which was a polite term of address used by the natives of India to address an Englishman, it alludes to life in the former British Indian Empire. However, when Del uses the term 'pukka,' it relates to the more general sense of the word: Del: 'I want a pukka brief - you know black cape, crown-topper, all the Xs.' |