London Slang - Notes
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Idiom, phrasal verb or slang |
The situation |
Jack Kane's definition |
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Do me a lemon |
Someone keeps asking you annoying questions |
This is like "do me a favour", but emphatic; not a request for an actual favour, but more along the lines of stop bothering me, go away, stop being stupid, etc. |
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You're 'avin a larf |
"I want to be a brain surgeon when I grow up." |
You're talking rubbish, you're trying to do something for which you lack the ability, you are in danger of crossing the line. |
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He/she/they etc. couldn't run a whelk stall |
The
government is ruining our economy |
They are not capable of successfully carrying out the simplest of tasks (this is a well-established phrase, and is used in literature of politicians, etc.) |
| D'you like hospital food? | A gangster is talking to someone who owes him money | If continue to harass me, i will severely injure you. |
| 'ave a word with yourself | Someone is complaining repeatedly about something very unimportant | Take yourself in hand/desist from irritating me/be aware that you are commiting a faux pas of some sort. |
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And now test yourself... |
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