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(M through R):
made a right tit of it - v.phrs.
- screwed it up
made redundant - v.t.
- laid off (from work)
Mars bar - n.
- candy bar of chocolate, caramel, and nougat, i.e. a Milky Way bar
mate - n.
- friend, crony
maths - n.pl.
- math; the subject or study of mathematics
mean - adj.
- stingy
mews - n.
- formerly stables built around a courtyard, now used to refer to a residential cul-de-sac.
Milky way - n.
- candy bar of chocolate and nougat, i.e. a 3 Musketeers bar
Mind the gap - v.phrs.
- Roughly translated, means "Watch your step."
This quaint announcement is heard frequently on the Tube at stations where the track is curved,
leaving a gap between train and platform. [Listen]
mini-cab - n.
- a small, independent taxi (as compared to the standard "black cab")
mod cons - n.pl.
- "modern conveniences," e.g. air conditioning.
motorway - n.
- highway
MP - n.
- a Member of Parliament (MP); roughly equivalent to "congressperson"
naff - adj.
- undesirable, yucky
nought - n.
- zero; nothing
off license - n.
- package store; liquor store
off sick - adj.
- out sick; on sick leave
O-levels - n.pl.
- exams taken by British children; "Ordinary" level (compare to "A-levels")
panto - n.
- pantomime; traditional comic play performed at Christmastime
pasty - n.
- a meat pie similar to sausage wrapped in dough. Associated with Cornwall, said to be designed to be eaten by coal miners. Note the pronunication rhymes with "nasty," not "tasty."
patch on, was not a - adj. phrs.
- was wholly inferior to
pence - n.
- plural of "penny." Historically, pence also appears in compound form (e.g., "thruppence" = "3 pence")
petrol - n.
- gasoline
pissed - adj.
- drunk
plain chocolate - n.
- dark chocolate
plaster - n.
- bandage
plummy - adj.
- good, desirable
poncy - adj.
- overly fancy
pootle - v.
- saunter, wander aimlessly
pram - n.
- baby carriage; short for "perambulator"
prawn - n.
- shrimp (of any size)
publican - n.
- proprietor of a pub [akin to a bar]
pudding - n.
- generic term for dessert; includes cake, etc.
pull - v.
- to pick up, seduce someone attractive
pull a bird - v.phrs.
- to pick up a girl
punch-up - n.
- fight
punter - n.
- customer; gambler
put paid to - v.
- finish; prevent something
Queer Street, to be in - v.phrs.
- to be in trouble
queue - v.
- wait in line
quid - n.
- slang for pound (the unit of currency in the UK). Exchange rates fluctuate, but a pound is typically worth between US $1.50 and $1.80. London is an expensive place to live; the price of many items costs as much in pounds as in dollars, i.e. is marked up roughly 60% over prices in America. Fortunately, ATM's are ubiquitous in London.
rat's assed - adj.
- drunk
reading - v.
- taking a course of study at a university.
"She did well on her A-levels, and she went on to read maths at Oxford."
return - n.
- roundtrip ticket (compare: single)
ring up - v.t.
- telephone someone
risible - v.
- laughable (not strictly a British word, but seemingly in more common usage in
the UK than in the States)
rocket - n.
- arugula. "I don't much fancy rocket or other poncy
greens."
rotter - n.
- dirty scoundrel
roundabout - n.
- traffic circle
rubber - n.
- eraser
rumbustious - adj.
- rambunctious, unruly
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