list of common irish slang terms and their meanings
List of Common Irish Slang Terms and their Meanings
The Irish use a variety of slang terms, which can be very difficult to understand for someone who is not from the country. This Buzzle article gives a list of Irish slang words as well as phrases that are commonly used in Ireland.
NAME | MEANING |
Acting the maggot | Playing around with something |
Any Use? | Any good? |
Apache | Joyrider |
Ape | Fool |
Agro | Fight |
Ara be whist | Shut up |
Back | |
Babby | A baby or a little child |
Bad dose | A bad illness or disease |
Bags | A bad or messy job |
Banjaxed | Something which is broken or useless |
Be wide | Be careful |
Bird | Girlfriend, date |
Blather | To talk endlessly |
Bog | Toilet, restroom |
Bollocks | Stupid/somebody one doesn't like |
Bogey | Snot |
Bogtrotter | A country person |
Bolloxed | Very drunk |
Boozer | Pub |
Bouzzie, Bowsie* | Young good-for-nothing person |
Boyo | A young person |
Bucketing | Raining heavily |
Bushed | Very tired |
bender | A very long drinking session |
Bucket of snots | An ugly person |
Buzzies | Travelers |
Back | |
Caffler | An idiot |
Cake-hole | Mouth |
Capper | Someone who is handicapped |
Chancer | Dodgy/risky character |
Cheek | Disrespect/talk back |
Cheesed Off | To be mad at someone |
Chinwag | A chat |
Chiseler | A young boy |
Clatter | Slap |
Cod | A joke |
Cop on! | Don't be such an idiot |
Cow Juice | Milk |
Cracker | Wonderful |
Chuffed | To be pleased or happy |
Culchie | Someone from the country-side |
Cutie | A beautiful young girl |
Back | |
Da | Father |
Danny boy | Twenty pounds |
Dear | Expensives |
Diabolical | Really terrible |
Divil | Devil |
Dodder | Waste time |
Dodgy | Impaired |
Donkey's years | A long time |
Dope | An idiot |
Dosser | A lazy person |
Dote | A cute person or baby |
Dummy | Pacifier |
Dear | Expensive |
*Diddly-aye music | Irish traditional music |
Dim | Stupid |
Back | |
Eat the head off | To abuse verbally |
Eejit | Idiot |
Engaged | Busy |
Back | |
Fag | Cigarette |
Fair play | Well-done |
Fella | A guy friend or buddy |
Fib | A lie |
Fla/Flah | Someone who is attractive |
Flah-ed out | To be extremely tired |
Flitters | Shabby |
Fluthered | Extremely drunk |
Back | |
Gaff | One's home |
Gas | Something funny |
Gawk | To stare |
Get off with someone | To kiss someone |
Give out | Scold |
Gobsmacked | Amazed |
Back | |
Hames | In a mess |
Hammered | Extremely drunk |
Hard neck | Someone who lacks respect for others |
Header | A crazy person |
Holliers | Holidays or a vacation |
Holy show | An embarrassing event |
Hooley | A party |
Horse's hoof | Embellished story |
Hump off | Just leave me alone |
Back | |
In me wick | You've got to be joking |
Back | |
Jackeen | Someone who lives in Dublin |
Jacks | Restroom |
Jaded | Very tired |
Jammers | Extremely crowded |
Jammy | Very lucky |
Jaysus | Jesus |
Back | |
Kip | A dump or a dive, (also, a nap) |
Knackered | Very tired |
Back | |
Langers | Drunk |
Lashing | Raining very heavily |
Lay off | Shut up, stop it, or leave me alone |
Legging | Running very fast |
Letting on | Pretending |
Local | The nearest pub |
Locked | Very drunk |
Lawdy daw | A snob |
Longers | Long trousers |
Lose the head | Lose control |
Lush | A heavy drinker |
Back | |
Ma | Mother |
Manky | Extremely dirty |
Mary Hick | A woman who is old-fashioned |
Mentaller | One who is crazy |
Messages | Groceries |
Milling | Fighting |
Mitch | To bunk school |
Mot | Girlfriend |
Motherless | Drunk |
Murder | Very difficult |
Back | |
Naff | Uncool |
Nice one | Well done, good job |
Nosh | Food |
Back | |
Off the drink | To be abstaining from liquor |
Off your nut | To be crazy |
Ole lady/wan | One's old mother |
Ole man/fella | One's old father |
Ossified | Drunk |
Back | |
Paralytic | Drunk beyond capacity |
Pictures | Movies |
Plastered | Very drunk |
Plonker | Idiot |
Polluted | To be extremely drunk |
Pinch | Steal |
Back | |
Quare | Unusual |
Queer hawk | A peculiar person |
Back | |
Rapid | Amazing |
Reddener | Blush |
Reef | Beat up |
Root | To look for |
Ruction | A bad, loud argument |
Back | |
Sap | One who is weak and fragile |
Scab | Someone who borrows all the time |
Scalped | To get your hair cut short |
Scarlet | To blush |
Scatter | To sppedily run away from something |
Scram! | Go away! |
Scratcher | Bed |
Shattered | Tired |
Shook | To be ill or scared |
Shorts | Liquor shots |
Slagging | Making fun of someone |
Snapper | A child or a baby |
Snobby weather! | Are you ignoring me? |
Specky four-eyes | Nickname for someone who wears glasses |
Stop the lights! | Really?! |
Stocious | Very drunk |
Skint | Broke |
Skive | To evade |
Back | |
Thick | Dumb |
Throwing shapes | To show off |
Tool | Idiot |
Twisted | Very drunk |
Ta | Thanks |
Back | |
Up the yard! | Get lost! |
Up to ninety! | Ready to explode |
Back | |
Wet the tea | Make some tea |
Whist | Keep quiet |
Wind up | To make fun |
Back | |
Yonks | A long time |
Yank* | An American |
Back |