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Australian Slang Sayings and Phrases






Bogan..... is Australian slang for a person whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour are considered unrefined or unsophisticated




Australian Slang Sayings and Phrases can be a complete mystery to overseas travellers visiting our fine shores.
Its funny, sometimes vulgar, but very colourful to listen too, we are a fairdinkum culture that doesnt mince words, we like to tell it as it is, and as quick as possible, without using fancy words.

We have compiled this short list, of just a few of Australian Slang Sayings and Phrases, feel free to add more in comments and i will list them here.






About as useless as tits on a bull ......... about as useless as it gets


Aerial Ping-Pong........ Australian Rules Football




A kangaroo short in the top paddock ...... not very bright , simple



All piss and wind ..... a show of bravado



All the go ....... popular



A lot on your Plate ........you have a lot to do



Ants in your pants ..... restless



Arse about face ....... back to front



Arse over tit ........ fall over


Arvo............... means afternoon  also Sarvo........ like see ya the sarvo

As mad as a cut snake ..... very angry or crazy



Av a go ya mug ! ........... 1 . an expression of annoyed encouragement often shouted during a sporting match to urge someone who has given up ... 2 .Or used to challenge a person to fight



Away with the fairies ..... day dreaming



Awning over the toy shop ....male beer belly



Back of Beyond ....a long way from suburbia



Back of Burke ..... a long way away



Bald as a bandicoot ....... hairless



Banged up ..... unmarried and pregnant



Bangs like a dunny door in a cyclone .... (derogatory) very sexually active female



Bar flies ...... usually in country towns , old men who sit outside the pub (hotel) drinking from opening to closing



Bastard of a thing ...... exclaimation of frustration at an object or situation



Beating around/about the bush ........ not getting to the point on a subject



Bend the elbow ..... drink alcohol



Bend your ear ....... talk




Better then a poke in the eye with a blunt stick ...... something is okay but could be better



Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick ..... same as above



Between a rock and a hard place ........ in a difficult or seemingly no win situation



Bet your bottom dollar ...... very sure of an outcome



Beyond the Black stump ...... a long way from anything



Blown up like a poisoned pup ...... full of food



Big note yourself ............. to say you are better or more important than you are



Blue rinse set ...... elderly ( particularly ladies )



Bobby dazzler ....... it's excellent or striking



Bold as Ned Kelly .. Ned Kelly was an Australian bushranger , made famous for the metal suit of armor he made and wore during the Kelly gangs final illfated showdown with the law at Glenrowan in Victoria , November 11th 1880 . At the time of his hanging Ned was aged 25 , his last words were "Such is life "



Boots and all ...... everything , giving something all the effort you can muster



Built like a brick sh*t house .........something or someone is built very stongly



Bust your gut ...... work extra hard , try very hard to do something



Busy as a one legged bloke in a bum kicking contest ......... doing nothing



Busy body ..... someone who is overly interested in other peoples affairs



Buzz off ....... depart



Can't kill it with an axe ........ something which appears indestructable



Can't kill it with a stick ........ as above



Carry on like a pork chop ........... make a big fuss



Chew the fat ....... discussion



Chief cook and bottle washer ....... In charge



Christmas on a stick ...... think highly of self



Chuck a reggie ......... have a tandrum



Chuck a wobbly ....... have a tantrum



Clap trap ........ utter nonsense



Clapped out .......no longer any good



Coat hanger , the .......... The Sydney Harbour Bridge



Cock and bull story ...... A tale of lies from beginning to end



Cock arse about .......... Procrastinate or back to front



Cop the crow ...... get the worst end of the deal



Come a cropper ..... have an accident



Couldn't give a rats arse .. don't care , not interested in the slightest degree



Crook as a dog ...... feeling very ill



Cunning as a dunny rat ....... astute or sly



Dead set ...... really



Dogs are biting .... sore feet



Done like a dogs dinner ...... bested convincingly



Down the Gurgler ............ something has failed



Down the plug hole ............failure , loss



Dragging the chain ........ moving or working slowly



Dressed to the nines ...... dressed and groomed to your best



Drinking with the flies .... drinking alone



Driving the Porcelain bus ........... vomiting



Eat a horse, and chase the rider ......... very hungry



Emma Chisit ........ how much is it ?



Emu parade ...... to have a clean up



Even Blind freddy could see that ! ........what someone would say to you, if you are not understanding or have missed something obvious



Fair dinkum ....... seriously , genuine or Australian



Fair crack of the whip ..... requesting someone gives a fair go , an equal chance



Fair go mate ! ........ Someone is not doing or saying the right thing



Fair suck of the sav ........someone is not letting you do or say something



Fart arse around ........ not coming to the point or doing the job



Feeling butchers .... unwell



Flash as a rat with a gold tooth ........... dressed and groomed nicely



Flash in the pan ...... one off event , out of the blue



Flat out like a lizard drinking .......... doing something very fast or very busy



Fly by nighter ....... a person or business whos intention it is to trade and then disappear quickly (often involves illegal activities )



Fiddle fart around ....... not doing the job or coming to the point

Preparing for the olympics Thorpy says... Iam as fit as a mallee bull

Fit as a mallee bull ......... very well , very fit , very strong



Full ....... drunk



Full as a fairies phone book ....... no room left



Full as a goog ........ eaten too much



Full of it ........ speaking absolute rubbish



Full of yourself ...... placing too much emphasis of your own importance



Garbage guts .... someone who eats to excess



Gave someone the razz .... stirred them up



General dogs body ....... a rousabout , lacky , a person expected to do many jobs many of them meanial



Get a grip ........... stop being overly emotional



Get a grip on yourself ...... as above



Get a wriggle on ........ hurry up



Get your arse in gear .....hurry up



Get your act together ..... be sensible



Get your rocks off ........ enjoy yourself



Give someone curry ..........give someone a piece of your mind or a hard time verbally



Give it a bash ........ try something new



Give it a burl ......... try something new



Give it a whirl ...... attempt something new



Give something the once over ,.........examining something



Glad rags ............ best clothes



God's great garden .... Australia



Go have a butchers .... go to look at something



Go butchers hook ........ be very angry



Go for broke ....... last ditched effort , bet everything



Going like a blue-tail fly ............doing something very fast



Go like the clappers....... go very fast



Gone a gutser ..... fallen over



Gone walkabout ...... wandered off somewhere or lost



Good looking sort ........ admiring a woman



Good set of snarlers ...... prominant teeth


Gotta go and lay some Telecom cable ..... going for a poo


Gutter Snipe ......... dirty child



Gutsy effort ...... tried hard



Hair pin bend ....... a very tight corner in the road which doubles back forming a U shape



Happy as Larry ........ very content



Happy as a pig in sh*t ........ very content



Happy as a sandboy ............very happy



Happy clapper ......... born again christian





Happy little vegimite ....... contented , pleased



Has to run around in the shower to get wet .......... a way of describing someone who is very thin



Have a coldie ......... drink a beer



Have a cold one ..... drink a beer



Have a cuppa ................have cup of tea or coffee



Have a go ya mug ....... telling someone to try harder (often yelled out at sporting events)



Have a go ya mug ........ a challenge to fight



Have a quiet one ..... to have an alcoholic drink



Have kangaroos in the top paddock ..... crazy



Haven't got a Brass Razoo....... No money



Haven't got 2 cents to rub together .... broke , no money



Have someones guts for garters ..... very angry



Hoe the boots in ...... in a fight and kicking



Hope your chooks turn into emus and kick your dunny down ..... a curse (immortalised in song ... who wrote that ? ... help please)



Hows Tricks ? ........... How are you ? How is everything ?



Howsit going ..............How are you ?



How ya goin ? ........... How are you ?



Hugging the toilet bowl ........vomiting



In like Flynn ..... jumped at an opportunity ( can have sexual overtones )



In the club ..... pregnant



In the lock up ..... in gaol ( jail )



It's a Broken packet of biscuits ......... looks good on the outside, but is a mess on the inside



Its a bit tricky ....... temperamental , difficult



It would kill a brown dog ....... very potent



Just down the road a bit ...... a distance from a couple of hundred metres to a couple of hundred kilometres



Keen as mustard .... very eager (Keen's is a brand name for mustard and curry powder)



Knee high to a grasshopper ..... a child , small of stature



Knocked off ...... finished work for the day



Knocked it off .....stole it



Knock one back ...... have a beer



Knock shop ..... brothel



Knuckle sandwich ...... a punch in the mouth



Like a fish on a hook ...... addicted to something , caught up in something (often illegal) , deeply involved , having someone exactly where you want them .



Like a fish out of water ....... awkward , uncomfortable , not fitting in



Like a rat up a drain pipe ........leave in a hurry



Like a shag on a rock ............ alone , out of place



Little Aussie battler ....... someone who works very hard , not earning a lot of money , shows integrity , honesty and compassion , would give to others even when there is little to give



Lower than a snakes belly .........despicable



Make a big song and dance ...... make a fuss



Missed the bus ...... to late for something



Molly Dooked ...... left handed



More arse than class ...... lucky



More arse than Jessie's bull ..... lucky



Mr Plod ..... policeman



Mutton dressed up as lamb ....... an older person trying to look very young



Need to go ...... need to go to the toilet



Nit pick .......... find fault in the smallest things



No flies on you ........ you can't be fooled



Not the full quid ....... of less than average intelligence



Not worth a Brass Razoo ........ Worthless



Not worth a pinch .......... worthless



Off the beaten track ..........on a road not used very much, a back road or track or in a remote part of Australia



Off like a brides nightie ............leave very quickly



Off like a bucket of prawns in the hot sun ..... leaving very quickly



Off like a shot ........ leave in a hurry



Old fart ........ someone a little older than yourself or an older person you do not like



Old geezer .... affectionate term for the elderly



One and a half axe handles across ...... precise measurement for the female buttocks



One armed bandit ............ poker machine



On ya ! ....... that's great , you've done well



Out the window ....... lost opportunity



Peeved ....... annoyed



Piece of piss ......... easy



Pigs ........... that's a lie



Pigs eye ..... no way , rubbish



Pissed as a nit ...... very drunk



Pissed as a parrot .........drunk



Pissed off ............very angry or annoyed



Pissing in the wind ... wasting your time , a pointless exercise



Plant someone ....... to bury a person (funeral)



Playing pocket billiards .............. male with in hand in his pocket adjusting genitals



Podgy dodger ........ cattle rustler ( thief)



Pull up Stumps ......... move house , changing address



Pull your head in !............mind your own business !



Pull the belt in ................stop spending money



Pull your socks up................try harder



Put the bite on someone ............ ask for money




Put the squeeze on someone ...... pressure them



Put up or shut up ............. back up what you are saying or keep your opinions to yourself



Put your money where your mouth is .... back up what you are saying with a bet



Quick as a flash ......... astute or fast



Rafferty's rules ........ no rules at all



Ridgey didge .......... true



Rip off .......cheat



Rip snorter ..... excellent , very funny



Sausage Short of the barbecue ........short of brains



See youse ( or yas)....... see you all later , Goodbye



She'll be apples ....... everything will be fine , no problem



Shoot through ..... leave



Shoot through like a Bondi tram .... leave in a hurry



Short arms long pockets ....... someone will not part with their money , a miser



Silly as a two bob watch ........crazy



Silly as a wheel ....... crazy



Skin flint ................. a miser



Slap dash ........ haphazard , performed below standard in a disinterested way



Slippery character ......... not to be trusted



Someone Kaks themselves ........ they are very frightened



Something got up your nose ..... annoyed or angry



Spit it out ........ come straightout and say it !




Smart arse ....... know it all person



Snag Short of a barbie............ not very smart



Snake in the grass ........ a sly person , a betrayer



Snow dropper ..... someone who steals clothes from a clothesline



Spitting chips ...... very angry



Squashed like a maggot ...... conquered



Stick in the mud .... a wowser , someone who is very staid



Stick it in the boot ...... place something in the boot (trunk) of a car



Sticky beak .... take a look or pry



Stir the possum ........ liven things up




Stone the crows !!.... exclaimation of frustration or disbelief



Sydney or the bush ...... All or nothing



Take a Leak ............. go to the toilet



Take a squizz .... have a look



Talking a mile a minute ....... talking too much or very fast



Talking on the porcelain telephone ...........vomiting into a toilet



The place is an arm pit .... it's terrible



The Pot calling the kettle black......... adverse statement made by someone in reply to a comment from a person who is in a similar or worse situation



The town bike ....... woman of loose morals



Tickled pink .......... very happy



Tough as old boot leather .......... need I say more ?



Trying one on ....... trying to get away with something



Trying to get into someones pants ............ making sexual advances



Tyre kickers ........ people who look with no intention of buying



Ugly as a box of Blowflies ..... that's about as ugly as it gets



Under the weather ...........unwell , ill



Up a Gum tree ........ in all sorts of trouble



Up and down like a whores draws ...... restless or fluctuating



Up the duff ....... pregnant



Up the spout .....pregnant



Vaccinated with a gramophone needle ....... someone who talks a lot



Well stacked ............ large breasted woman



White ants in the billy ....... crazy



Wouldn't shout if a shark bit ya ...........a person who will not take their turn buying a round of drinks



Yer bloods worth Bottling! .........someone has done something good for you.



You little Bottler ............delight, something has gone the way you want



You little ripper ....... very good , excellent



Zebra crossing ..... broad black and white lines painted on a road to mark a pedestrian crossing

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