History BritishEnglish / EnglishSlangMToR

* '''''Paki''''': An ''extremely'' offensive term for people of South Asian descent [[note]] it gets used on South Asians, West Asians and North Afticans too [[/note]], comparable to "nigger"; one survey ranked it as the most offensive word in British English. Tends to cause [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage trouble]] when Americans believe that it's merely the short version of "Pakistani". [[CanadaEh Canadians]] in Britain don't realise the local term for a place to buy beer to consume at home is an '''off-licence''' and inquire, innocently, about the location of the nearest ''packie''.

Return to the main page [[UsefulNotes/BritishEnglish here.]]
* [[BritishEnglish/EnglishSlangAToF A to F]]
* [[BritishEnglish/EnglishSlangGToL G to L]]
* [[BritishEnglish/EnglishSlangSToZ S to Z]]
* BritishEnglish/CockneyRhymingSlang

* '''''-pudlian''''': A suffix for those from places ending in "-pool"; the most famous examples are probably Liverpool, Blackpool, and Hartlepool, which contain Liverpudlians, Blackpudlians, and Hartlepudlians respectively. Although people from Blackpool (because it's ''the'' major Northern seaside resort) prefer to be called "Sandgrown'uns".

* '''''Noughts and Crosses''''': TabletopGame/TicTacToe. (0s and Xs, get it?) Still, Americans call their "noughts" in Tic Tac Toe after the letter "O".

* '''Peanut-smuggler''' - the female version of a '''Budgie-smuggler'''. This denotes a woman in a swimming costume which is tight over the bust and giving a very good idea as to what is underneath it. If her nipples are visibly aroused ('''pokeys'''), then she can be described as ''smuggling peanuts'''.

* '''''Oriental''''': Adjective for an ethnically East Asian person or people. Possesses no negative connotations, unlike in American English.

* '''''Paki''''': An ''extremely'' offensive term for people of South Asian descent, comparable to "nigger"; one survey ranked it as the most offensive word in British English. Tends to cause [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage trouble]] when Americans believe that it's merely the short version of "Pakistani". Oer else [[CanadaEh Canadians]] in Britain don't realise the local term for a place to buy beer to consume at home is an '''off-licence''' and inquire, innocently, about the location of the nearest ''packie''.

* '''''Nonce''''': Slang term for child molester ([[AllGaysArePedophiles or gay man]]), of uncertain origin [[labelnote:more]]It has been creatively suggested to originate from prison officer slang for a sex offender who was kept in segregation for their own safety and is thus '''N'''ot '''O'''n '''N'''ormal '''C'''ommunal '''E'''xercise, but such acronymic etymologies are almost always spurious -- compare "Ship High In Transit", "Fornication Under Command of the King" etc. It's more likely to derive from the word "nonce" (stupid person, from "nonsense") or "nance" ("nancy boy", homosexual)[[/labelnote]]. It is now a general purpose insult, though it retains its connotations of paedophilia.

* '''''Manor''''': In addition to meaning a big house with extensive grounds, "manor" is sometimes used to indicate either a policeman's area of beat or someone's turf: "[[LondonGangster Frankie Fraser]] reckons he can do over the Alliance & Leicester on main street. Not on my manor!" Originally a London-based term, it is now spreading thanks to shows like ''Series/{{Eastenders}}.''

* '''''Manky''''': Filthy, disgusting. One unintentionally funny consequence of this comes about when you realise that there's a Pokémon called Mankey...

* '''''Naff''''': Garbage, useless, worthless, pointless. Popularised by ''Series/{{Porridge}}'', which used it as a [[InformedObscenity placeholder for more serious profanity]]. Said to be derived from NAAFI, the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, by implying the low quality of the merchandise sold by said body.
** Can be used, and has been used by annoyed royalty, in the pejorative ''Naff Off!" Interestingly, Afrikaans has a similar-sounding expletive imperative. So ultimately derived from Dutch?

* '''''Pants''''': As a noun, refers to underwear, either male or female, i.e short for 'underpants'. For the things Americans call 'pants', see '''trousers'''. The difference is the source of much British humour at American works: just consider the difference in meaning of "pulling his pants down" on either side of the Atlantic.

* '''''Poof''''' or '''''poofter''''': a gay man, generally a derogatory term, but mild. Slightly outmoded now and usually encountered in vintage Tv and radio comedy such as ''Radio/RoundTheHorne'', dating from TheSixties. Usually implies some level of CampGay-ness.
** Not to be confused with the older word Pouffe, meaning a cushioned footstool, or very rarely a low seat with no back. Naturally, the two words are pronounced identically, so context clues are critical in determining whether "Do put your feet up on the poof" is an invitation to relax, or to engage in a sexual fetish. "Puffy", used elsewhere on [=tvtropes=] to denote [[GiantPoofySleeves a fashion style involving exaggerated sleeves as for example on a prom dress]], has provoked double-takes from British readers who didn't realise the specific American usage.

** Can also mean 'insane' when used as an adjective, as in "Have you gone potty?", or else for [[Creator/MichaelBentine a zany and surreal TV show in TheSixties]], but this is becoming obsolete.

** Not to be confused with the older word Pouffe, meaning a cushioned footstool, or very rarely a low seat with no back. Naturally, the two words are pronounced identically, so context clues are critical in determining whether "Do put your feet up on the poof" is an invitation to relax, or to engage in a sexual fetish. "Puffy", used elsewhere on [=tvtropes=] to denote a fashion style involving exaggerated sleeves as for example on a prom dress, has provoked double-takes from British readers who didn't realise the specific American usage.

** Not to be confused with the older word Pouffe, meaning a cushioned footstool, or very rarely a low seat with no back. Naturally, the two words are pronounced identically, so context clues are critical in determining whether "Do put your feet up on the poof" is an invitation to relax, or to engage in a sexual fetish. "Puffy", used elsewhere on [=tvtropes=] to denote a fashion style involving exaggerated sleeves, has provoked double-takes from British readers whi didn't realise the specific American usage.

** Can also mean 'insane' when used as an adjective, as in "Have you gone potty?", but this is becoming obsolete.

** Not to be confused with the older word Pouffe, meaning a cushioned footstool, or very rarely a low seat with no back. Naturally, the two words are pronounced identically, so context clues are critical in determining whether "Do put your feet up on the poof" is an invitation to relax, or to engage in a sexual fetish.

* '''''Poof''''' or '''''poofter''''': a gay man, generally a derogatory term, but mild. Slightly outmoded now and usually encountered in vintage Tv and radio comedy such as ''Radio/RoundThehorne'', dating from TheSixties. Usually implies some level of CampGay-ness.

* '''''Poof''''' or '''''poofter''''': a gay man, generally a derogatory term, but mild. Slightly outmoded now. Usually implies some level of CampGay-ness.