Table of contents
QuickRef 10
A very short dictionary of Australian slang
People
| Word/Phrase |
Meaning |
|---|---|
| a guy, a bloke |
a man; a male |
| a dude |
male or female |
| a chick (sheila) |
a girl, a female |
| a bogan |
a person who is not very smart or stylish |
| a dag |
a person who is a bit of a 'character' or unusual |
| a rager |
a person who loves going out very late at night to clubs and discos etc. and having a 'good time' |
| a whinger, a sook |
a person who complains about everything. |
| a sleaze |
a person who is unpleasant, or makes unwanted sexual advances (usually male) |
| a slime (bag/ball) |
a person who tries excessively to please and is probably untrustworthy. |
| a wimp |
a weak person unwilling to take a risk or get involved. |
| a chicken | a person lacking courage to do something |
Adjectives
| Word/Phrase |
Meaning |
|---|---|
| cool |
Describes something very fashionable, up to the minute. Can also signal approval/agreement. |
| unreal, ace, sweet |
Describes something highly enjoyable/attractive. |
| slack |
Describes someone who is lazy. |
| suss |
Short for suspicious. Describes something not reliable, or questionable in value. |
| gross |
Describes something unpleasant, awful or bad. |
| pissed off |
Describes someone who is angry or upset about something. |
| awesome, mad, crazy, wicked, choice |
Really good |
| sick, fully sick |
good, really good, the best |
| crap |
worthless, no good |
| gutted, maggoted, para, blind, slaughtered, pissed off his/her head |
drunk |
| off your rocker |
crazy, abnormal behaviour |
| hyper |
over-stimulated, nervous (hyperactive) |
Expressions
| Word/Phrase |
Meaning |
|---|---|
| No worries; no problems |
There is nothing to worry about; it's okay. |
| She'll be right |
It will be all right or We can fix it. |
| Good on ya |
Well done. |
| No kidding? |
Is that true? Is that right? |
| You're joking! |
Do you really mean what you say? |
| Get real! |
Don't be so naive (unrealistic). |
| Give me a break! |
I don't believe you or Leave me alone. |
| No way! |
That's not true! or I won't do it. |
| What's happening? |
What have you been doing? or What are you going to do? |
| It stinks. |
I really don't like it. I think it's very bad. |
| Hey, you guys, yo... |
Hey, you (males and/or females). |
| Hang on |
Can you wait a minute? |
| Pull your head in | Mind your own business. |
Leisure
| Word/Phrase |
Meaning |
|---|---|
| pub |
A bar; a hotel. |
| booze; grog |
Alcohol; beer; wine. |
| footy |
Football, especially Australian Rules. |
| barbie |
Barbeque (BBQ) |
| BYO |
'Bring your own' usually drinks, sometimes food too. |
Other useful resources
Aussie Slang 2005, ASA group 
Macquarie Australian slang dictionary 2004, J. Lambert (ed.) Macquarie Library, Macquarie University NSW.
Oxford advanced learner's dictionary 2005, 7th Edn, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Hunter, J (ed.) 2004, The true blue guide to Australian slang, New Holland Publishers, Frenchs Forest, NSW.
Boyer, S 1998, 2000, Understanding Everyday Australian Book 1 and Book 2, Boyer Educational Resources, Glenbrook, NSW.
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