Here’s your SSR Book Club Challenge: Dictionary of Lost Words — a playful and meaningful collection of quirky, regional, and culturally rich expressions, created by us!
Where possible, I’ve included definitions, origins, and anecdotal context. It's a celebration of how language reveals who we are — perfect for us book lovers exploring The Dictionary of Lost Words.
Thanks for participating in this fun activity!
👑 British, Cockney & Commonwealth Classics
👟 Gormless
Meaning: Foolish, lacking sense or initiative.
Origin: Northern England. "Gorm" once meant "sense." If you're gormless… where did your gorm go?
👟 Or-wah!
Meaning: Exclamation of surprise or disbelief.
Origin: Possibly regional British vernacular or phonetic slang.
👟 Stop grousing
Meaning: Stop complaining.
Origin: British military slang from WWI.
👟 Pit toilets / Long-drops
Meaning: Basic outdoor toilets.
Origin: Common across rural UK, Canada, Australia.
👟 Git
Meaning: A foolish or unpleasant person.
Origin: Possibly from a mispronounced "get."
👟 Daft apeth
Meaning: A silly or foolish person.
Origin: Northern England. “Apeth” = halfpenny.
👟 You haven't got the sense God gave geese
Meaning: You’re seriously lacking in common sense.
Origin: Humorous, folksy British idiom.
👟 Davenport
Meaning: A sofa or couch.
Origin: North America; originally a brand name.
👟 Dungarees
Meaning: Overalls or jeans.
Origin: From Hindi dungri, a tough cotton fabric.
👟 My giddy ‘arn!
Meaning: An exclamation like “Well, I’ll be darned!”
Origin: British colloquialism.
👟 Bob’s your uncle
Meaning: There you have it!
Origin: British. Often humorously paired with “And Fanny’s your aunt!”
👟 Bockerty
Meaning: Wobbly or off-kilter.
Origin: Likely Irish or Scottish dialect.
👟 Blinkin’ Nora / Blinkin’ hell
Meaning: Mild exclamations of exasperation.
Origin: British euphemism.
👟 Bog
Meaning: Toilet.
Origin: UK and Australia slang.
👟 Gobsmacked
Meaning: Speechless from surprise.
Origin: British. "Gob" = mouth.
👟 Useless as a chocolate teapot
Meaning: Completely useless.
Origin: British idiom.
👟 Tow head
Meaning: A child with very pale blond hair.
Origin: From “tow,” a pale flax fiber.
👟 I’m so pissed!
Meaning: (UK) Drunk. (US) Angry.
Origin: Divergent usage between British and American English.
👟 Chuffed / Dead chuffed
Meaning: Very pleased.
Origin: British slang.
👟 Elevensies
Meaning: Morning teatime/snack in England.
Rhyming Cockney Slang:
👟 “Up the apples and pears” = stairs
👟 “On my tod” = on my own (from Tod Sloan)
👟 “Ball of chalk” = walk
👟 "Dad and Dave" = shower and Shave
👟 "Al Capone" = Telephone
👟 "Dog's Eye" = Meat Pie
👟 “Pay the Duke of Kent” = rent
👟 “Skin and blister” = sister
Origin: Rhyming Cockney slang from East London. The first word rhymes with the intended meaning; the second word is often dropped.
🦘 Australian & New Zealand Gems
👟 Fair dinkum
Meaning: Genuine, honest, or “Are you serious?”
Origin: Australian English.
👟 On ya, mate!
Meaning: Well done! Thanks!
Origin: Aussie slang.
☘️ Irish Expressions
👟 Craic
Meaning: Fun, entertainment, good times.
Origin: Irish Gaelic. “That was great craic!”
👟 Flahoolock
Meaning: Someone wasteful or overly generous with money.
Origin: Irish slang.
🍁 Canadian & French-Canadian Favourites
👟 Coudon
Meaning: Expression of surprise or impatience.
Origin: French Canadian.
👟 Attache ta tuque!
Meaning: Brace yourself! Hold on to your hat!
Origin: French Canadian.
👟 Chesterfield
Meaning: A sofa or couch.
Origin: Popular term in Canadian English.
✡️ Yiddish Words in English Vernacular
👟 Schlep
Meaning: To lug or drag something with effort.
Origin: Yiddish.
👟 Chutzpah
Meaning: Boldness or nerve (sometimes admirable).
Origin: Hebrew via Yiddish.
👟 Kvetch
Meaning: To complain, often habitually.
Origin: Yiddish.
👟 Mensch
Meaning: A person of integrity and decency.
Origin: Yiddish.
🦅 Southern USA & Common English Idioms
👟 Y’all
Meaning: You all (plural of “you”).
Origin: Southern U.S.
👟 I’m fixin’ to
Meaning: I’m about to do something.
Origin: Southern U.S.
👟 Get lost
Meaning: Go away!
Origin: 20th-century American slang.
Language is more than communication—it’s connection. The culturally rich words we gather from our families, regions, and roots carry with them a lifetime of memories, values, and humor. Whether shouted from a back porch, muttered in exasperation, or lovingly passed down through generations, these expressions tell the stories of who we are and where we come from. They may seem small or silly, but they anchor us to a place, a people, a feeling.
By collecting and sharing these "lost" or borrowed words, we celebrate more than vocabulary—we celebrate identity, belonging, and the beautifully tangled web of our shared human story.
So go on… use your gorm, schlep your Chesterfield, and tell your skin and blister: Bob’s your uncle!
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