Cockney Rhyming Slang A–Z — Meanings + Print

Cockney rhyming slang replaces a word with a short phrase that rhymes with it — and often only the first half is said out loud. Below is a quick A–Z teaser of real East London classics, with plain-English meanings. For the full wall set, see the Cockney rhyming slang letterpress print, the Cockney rhyming slang word map, the Cockney sayings set of 3 prints, or browse all regional sayings prints.

Cockney rhyming slang A–Z (teaser)

• Apples and pears — Stairs.
• Barnet (Barnet Fair) — Hair.
• Boat race — Face.
• Brahms and Liszt — Drunk (“pissed”).
• China (china plate) — Mate.
• Dog and bone — Phone.
• Frog and toad — Road.
• Loaf (loaf of bread) — Head (“use your loaf”).
• Plates (plates of meat) — Feet.
• Porkies (pork pies) — Lies.
• Rosie Lee — Tea.
• Ruby (Ruby Murray) — Curry.
• Syrup (syrup of fig) — Wig.
• Trouble and strife — Wife.
• Whistle (whistle and flute) — Suit.

Printed in the UK — meanings sit beside the slang on our Cockney posters so guests can decode them at a glance.