British slang examples8/12/2023 ![]() That said, we aren’t certain that this is the term’s origin.Īnother simple and catch all expression indicating surprise in British English is “gosh”.Īgain, this one is by no means exclusive to Britain but it has its very own British character. This one also derives from the 19 th Century, and was first attested in 1838.Īlso like “blimey”, it probably derives from contemporary religious expressions and was a substitute for the word “Christ”.Īt the time, when Christianity was more widespread, outright saying “Christ” in this way would have been taking the Lord’s name in vain, and thus not socially acceptable. “Crikey, is that all the food that’s left?” for example. It’s perhaps a bit more widespread than “blimey”, though both are equally well understood.Ĭrikey is used mostly in England, though the Welsh and the Scottish will definitely understand what this means. The word itself, though, is first attested in a slang dictionary which simply defines it as a term of abuse.Īnother, very similar slang term you’ll hear used in Britain for expressions of surprise is “crikey”.Īgain, this one is often used as a term of reaction that many will not even think about, it will just come out. This obviously has religious and scriptural connotations. Most agree it is probably a corruption of the now archaic phrase “God blind me!” which would have at the time been used as an expression of surprise. This word was in use by 1889, though the precise origin is not clear. “Blimey, I didn’t realize how high up we were!” for example. It’s a kind of knee-jerk, in-the-moment term that many British people use without even thinking about at all.Īgain, you’ll hear it throughout Britain, though it is perhaps more common in the north of England. However, more often, it is a term people in Britain use when they are surprised by something. This can have a few different senses and might more generally be used as an expression of exasperation. It certainly can still have this sense today, but our modern sense of the term probably relates more to the sense that arose in the mid-19 th Century of “scandalized”.Īnother term you might hear used when someone is surprised in Britain is “blimey”. In the 1590s, it meant to be amazed or in a state of wonder. The term is a fairly old one and has had some subtly different senses over the years. “Can you believe that? I’m shocked,” for example. It is a good deal more common in everyday speech in British English, though, so definitely a good one to have in your repertoire. You’ll hear this one everywhere, and certainly it is not limited to Britain-you could hear this one anywhere in the English speaking world. Next we have a simple one which is, perhaps for the very reason of its simplicity, one of the most commonly used slang terms for surprised in Britain. It may have been dialectical as “flabbergast” was recorded as part of Sussex English later on in 1823, or it may have related etymologically to words like “flabby” or “flapper” and “aghast”. However, we don’t know precisely where it came from. The term is mentioned in a magazine article of 1772 as a new word that was in vogue at the time. “You look completely flabbergasted,” for example. More often, though, it’s simply an expression of surprise and is used throughout Britain. It might also have the sense of being at a loss at what to do about a particular situation. It means to be entirely aghast and surprised. ![]() However, it’s highly informal at least and colloquial at most, so today it certainly still qualifies as slang in most places it’s used. Next we have “flabbergasted”, tentatively recognized by some as a standard term and thus not really slang. The idea, perhaps, is that that’s what you look like when you’re “gobsmacked” with surprise! To be “gobsmacked” meant, literally, to be smacked in the mouth. It is meant to be amazed and astounded and comes from another piece of British slang: gob, meaning mouth. The phrase has been in use since at least 1936, this year being the first written attestation we have of it. “I was absolutely gobsmacked when he said that,” for example. This one is used throughout Britain, whether you’re in England, Scotland, or Wales, everyone will understand what you mean. To be gobsmacked is to be very surprised, to the point that it may even have shown very clearly on your face. It is very simple in terms of its meaning, and can just be substituted directly for the word “surprised” with perhaps some slight syntactical changes. First up we have gobsmacked, probably the most quintessentially and uniquely British slang term meaning you are surprised. ![]()
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