Many slang words or terms have appeared in the British comic strip Andy Capp, some of which are unfamiliar to readers in the United States, Canada, or other parts of the English-speaking world. The following is a glossary of those words and terms, with appropriate explanations about their origins and/or context.

Many of them are indigenous to the "Geordie" dialect spoken in the setting of the strip, Hartlepool, England, a town located on the North Sea shore in the northeastern part of the country; still others are colloquial British English used throughout the United Kingdom. Strip creator Reg Smythe generally used these heavily in the cartoon's early years in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the main audience was readers of the Daily Mirror newspaper, before beginning to replace them with standard English, especially when the strip became popular in the U.S. By the late 1980s, most of them had been discontinued; the current artists for the strip, Roger Mahoney and Roger Kettle, seldom if ever use them today, except for the ubiquitous "pet".

A

afore (conjunction)--corruption of before.

about (adv., general British)--synonym for around in North American usage; e.g., Andy: "I thought I'd 'ang 'about a bit in case the barmaid needs a lift 'ome."

B

balmy/barmy' (adj.)--strange, eccentric, crazed, out of one's mind.

big (h)ead (n.)--proud, arrogant, cocksure, insensitive to other's people's feelings or opinions; e.g., Flo to Andy: "Yer a right 'big head, lad, you are. Can't yer say anythin' to me Mum without sneerin' at 'er?".

bloke' (n., general British)--man, especially someone not an acquaintance; e.g., Flo to Andy: "The 'bloke from the coal company wants 'is money, pet, or 'e'll bring winter 'ere early."

C

carry on' (v., general British)--go forward, make progress.

champion (adj.)--very well, great; especially someone's state of health.

clip (n.)--a strike or blow to someone's face, nose, or ears, as in fighting; e.g., Andy to Flo: "Now, yer watch yerself, lass, or I'll give yer a 'clip across y'chops."

costume' (n.)--clothes in general, not just special or theatrical attire, as in American usage.

crib (n.)--cribbage.

cuein(g) (n.)--aiming a billiards cue, either in gameplay or practice.

D

daft (adj., general British)--silly, nonsensical, stupid.

disgustin(g) (adj.)--degenerate, morally offensive behavior, usually related to and/or caused by public intoxication. It describes the condition Andy and his friends usually are found in on a nightly basis.

distemper (v.)--to paint with a mixture of water and adhesives.

the dogs/horses (n.)--greyhound or horse racing.

double top (n.)--darts scoring terminology; see related article.

dustbin (n., general British)--garbage can.

F

fancy (v., general British)--to desire, want to do something.

flippin(g) (adj.)--intensive used in the Tyneside region of northeast England in place of bloody or bleeding elsewhere in the U.K.; e.g., Flo to Andy: "Now look, mate, why don't yer get off yer back and get yerself a 'flippin job? The collectors could take away everythin' any day now." Probably the second-most frequently used colloquial word in the strip, behind pet.

G

'give over (v.)--stop, cease from doing something.

H

(h)ard lines (n.)--bad results from gambling, especially off-track horse betting; e.g., Flo to Andy: " ard lines again at the 'orses today, pet?"

(h)old with (v.)--approve of; e.g., Andy to bartender: "Y'know, mate, I don't old wi this price increase on crisps."

(h)oliday (n., general British)--vacation, time off from work.

I

idle (adj.)--lazy, shiftless; mainly used by Flo to describe or castigate Andy; e.g., Flo to Ruby: "That man o'mine is so flippin' 'idle that 'e breaks out in 'ives when 'e has to bring the washtub in 'imself."

K

knock about' (v.)--to fight or beat up; mainly used in the strip to describe Andy's domestic violence towards Flo.

L

lad (n., general British)--friendly or affectionate address toward males, sometimes used sarcastically; equivalent of North American son.

lass (n., general British)--friendly or affectionate address toward females, sometimes used sarcastically; equivalent of North American girl.

lot (n., general British)--a number of things or people.

M

mangle (n.)--clothes wringer used by housewives such as Flo who do not have washing machines.

me (possessive)--Geordie rendering of my; e.g., Andy to bartender: "I want 'me money back, gaffer. I ordered bitter, and this is stout!"

missus'--wife or any middle-aged or older woman; e.g., Andy: "Me 'missus won't let me stay out all night usually, but sometimes she does."

O

off (one's) rocker' (phrase)--crazy, senseless, silly, mad.

P

pet (n.)--dear, darling. The most commonly used colloquial word in the strip, a term of affection indigenous to the Tyneside region.

pig-(h)eaded (adj.)--obstinate, arrogant, unwilling to listen. Roughly equivalent to big-head (see above).

plastered (adj.)--drunk, inebriated.

proper (adv.)--truly, honestly, quite; e.g., Flo to Andy: "The police are 'proper tough in this patch these days, pet. Why don't yer 'old yer singin' on the way 'ome to a whisper tonight?"

puffed' (adj.)--exhausted, tired, worn out.

S

shurrup (v.)--corruption of shut up, often used with a raised voice in anger.

snooker (n.)--popular British billiards game, which Andy and his friends usually play in pubs or amusement halls.

solo (n.)--any card game where one person competes against two or more others.

summat (n.)--something, anything; e.g., Andy to barmaid: "Say 'summat, lass, I've been waitin' on me beer for ages now."

sup' (v.)--drink; e.g., Andy to Chalkie: "Relax, mate, I 'aven't 'supped but five (beer pints) yet."

T

ta-ta' (exclamation)--farewell, good-bye. Mostly used by Flo and other female characters.

tanner (n., currency)--six pence; used prior to 1971 decimalisation.

telly (n., general British)--television.

W

washin(g)-up (n.)--dirty dishes.

whist drive (n., general British)--whist game.

wrap up (v.)--be quiet; shut up; e.g., Flo to Andy: "Why don't yer 'wrap up, mate? Mum'll be gone in a few minutes."

Sources

Andy Capp strips, 1957-1985.<BR>
American Heritage Dictionary: Second College Edition, Houghton Mifflin, 1985.