Cockney Rhyming Slang

A peculiar kind of slang, known as Cockney rhyming slang, evolved in England. Its distinguishing mark is the use of paired words, or compound phrases, in which the last word rhymes with the word that is actually meant. Thus, for instance, instead of saying "head", a Cockney might say

I hit him in his loaf of bread.

To increase the fun and confusion, once the phrase has become common, the first word of the phrase can often be used to suggest the entire phrase, and at a second level of indirection, the original word. Thus, the Cockney's victim might simply be hit "in the loaf". And what was used in the hitting? Why the Cockney's Germans - that is, his German bands - that is, his hands!

I recently heard that there had been a "translation" of the Bible into rhyming slang!

With your new found skills, you should be able to decipher much of The Rhyme of the Rusher.

Reference:

1. Bob Aylwin,
   A Load of Cockney Cobblers,
   ISBN13: 978-0717941919,
   LC: PE3724.R5.A9.
2. Julian Franklyn,
   A Dictionary of Rhyming Slang,
   Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1975,
   ISBN13: 978-0710013941,
   LC: PE3727.R5.F7.
3. Jonathon Green,
   A Dictionary of Contemporary Slang,
   Pan Books, 1992,
   ISBN: 0812830512,
   LC: PE3721.G68.
4. Jonathon Green,
   Cassell's Rhyming Slang,
   Cassell Academic, 2000,
   ISBN13: 978-0304355136,
   LC: PE3724.R5.G74.

Short	Long	Rhyme	Meaning
Adam	Adam and Eve	to leave
alans	Alan Whickers	knickers	underwear
all harbor	all harbor light	all right
almonds	almond rocks	socks
apples	apples and pears	stairs
apples	apples and spice	nice
arras/Aris	Aristotle	bottle
"arfer"	Arthur Rank	wank	to masturbate
arthur	Arthur Rank	bank
ball	ball of chalk	a walk
barnet	Barnet Fair	hair
barney	Barney Rubble	trouble
berk	Berkeley hunt		a despised person
biscuits	biscuits and cheese	knees
boiling	boiling pot	the lot	everything
boracic	boracic lint	skint	broke
bottle	bottle and glass	ass
bottle	bottle and stopper	copper	policeman
brass	brass nail	tail
bread	bread and honey	money
Bristols	Bristol Cities		breasts
Britney	Britney Spears	beers
brown	brown bread	dead
bullocks	bullock's horn	to pawn
bubble	bubble and squeak	to speak
Burton	Burton on Trent	the rent
butcher	butcher's hook	a look; a crook
Cain	Cain and Abel	a table
canov	can of oil	a boil
captain	Captain Cook; Captain Hook	a look
Chalfonts	Chalfont St Giles	piles	hemorrhoids
chalk	chalk farm	arm
cherries	cherry hogs	dogs	the dog-racing tracks
cherry	cherry hog	dog
chevy	chevy chase	face
china	china plate	mate	a friend
cobblers	cobbler's awls	balls	testicles
cow	cow and calf	a half (pound)	50p, once 10 shillings
cremed	creme crackered	knackered	exhausted
daily	Daily Mail	tail
daisies	daisy roots	boots	shoes
davy	Davy Crockett	pocket
dog	dog and bone	telephone
donald	Donald Duck		to fornicate
donkeys	donkey's ears	years
drain	drain and sink	drink
drum	drum and bass	place	home
dukes	Dukes of York	forks	fists
Dunlop	Dunlop tire	liar
dutch	Duchess of Fife	wife
dutch	dutch plate	mate	buddy
Eartha	Eartha Kitt	shit
Edmund	Edmund Ros	the boss
Edna	Edna May	on your way!
elephants	elephant's trunk	drunk
farmers	Farner Giles	piles	hemorrhoids
finsbury	Finsbury Park	arc	arc light
fish	fish and shrimp	pimp
flea	flea and louse	house
flounder	flounder and dab	cab	taxicab
flowery	flowery dell	cell
Gary	Gary Glitter	a pint of bitter	ale
Germans	German bands	hands
Gianluca	Gianluca Vialli	Charley	"C", cocaine
ginger	ginger beer	queer
grass	grasshopper	copper	policeman, informer
greens	greengages	wages
guy	Guy Fawkes	a walk
gypsy	gypsy's kiss	piss
Hampsteads	Hampstead Heath	teeth
Hampton	Hampton Rock	cock	penis
Hampton	Hampton Wick	prick	penis
haricot	haricot bean	queen	an effeminate homosexual
hit	hit and miss	a kiss
horse	horse and trap	clap	a venereal disease
Irish	Irish jig	a wig
iron	iron hoof	poof	a pooftah, a homosexual
Jack	Jack and Jill	a pill
Jacobs	Jacob's cream crackers	knackers	balls, testicles
jacks	jacks alive	five
J Arthur	J Arthur Rank	wank	masturbate
jekylls	Jekylls and Hydes	strides	pants
Jimmy	Jimmy Riddle	piddle	urinate
Jodrell	Jodrell Bank	to wank	masturbate
John	John Hop	a cop	a policeman
Jonah	Joan of Arc	a shark
kerried	Kerry Packered	knackered	worn out
Khyber	Khyber Pass	arse	ass
Kilburn	Kilburn Priory	diary
Kuwaiti	Kuwaiti tanker	wanker
lakes	lakes of Killarney	barmy	crazy
lemon	lemon squash	wash
Leroy	Leroy and Frank	to wank	to masturbate
loaf	loaf of bread	head
lolly	lollipop	shop	to turn informer
lord	Lord Mayor	to swear
a Marquess	a Marquess of Lorn	a horn	an erection
a Melvyn	Melvyn Bragg	a shag	sexual intercourse
minces	mince pies	eyes
Moby	Moby Dick	kick
mollo	molly the monk	drunk
molly	Molly Malone	phone
mutton	Mutt and Jeff	deaf
nauticals	nautical miles	piles	hemorrhoids
Nelsons	Nelson Eddy's	the readies	cash
Noah	Noah's ark	shark
oats	oats and chaff	path
oily	oily rag	a fag	a cigarette
Oliver	Oliver Twist	a fist; pissed
Oliver	Oliver Reed	speed	amphetamines
oncer	once a week	cheek	impudence
Oscar	Oscar Asche	cash
Pattie	Pattie Hearst	a first (university degree)
Peckham	Peckham rye	a tie
plaster	plaster of Paris	Aris	=Aristotle=bottle=glass=ass
pogo	pogo stick	dick	penis
pony	pony and trap	crap
porky	pork pie	lie
potato	potato peeler	Sheila	a girlfriend
potter	pot o' glue	Jew
rabbit	rabbit and pork	talk
radio	radio rental	mental	deranged
raspberry	raspberry ripple	cripple
raspberry	raspberry tart	a fart; a heart
regs	Reginald Grundies	undies	underwear
Richard	Richard the Third	turd/bird	/a girlfriend
Rosie	Rosie Lee	tea
Ruby	Ruby Murray	curry
salmon	salmon and trout	snout	the nose
saucepan	saucepan lid	quid	a pound or a pound note
sausage	sausage roll	goal
sausage	sausage and mash	cash
scapa	Scapa Flow	go
Scotch	Scotch peg/Scotch egg	leg
seppo	septic tank	yank	American
Sexton	Sexton Blake	cake, fake
shandy	chandelier	queer
sherman	Sherman tank	wank	to masturbate
Spanish disease	Spanish dancer	cancer
sky	sky rocket	pocket
stoke	Stoke on Trent	bent	homosexual
stutter	stutter and stammer	a hammer
Surrey	Surrey docks	the pox	a sexually transmitted disease
Susy	Susy Anna	a tanner	a sixpence
syrup	syrup of fig	wig
taters	taters in the mold	cold
titfer	tit for tat	hat
the Toms	the Tom Tits	the shits
tom	tomfoolery	jewelry
tumble	tumble down the sink	drink
turtles	turtledoves	gloves
twist	twist and twirl	girl
weasel	weasel and stoat	coat
West Hams	West Ham Reserves	nerves
whistle	whistle and flute	suit
Zasu	ZaSu Pitts	the shits
Zorba	Zorba the Greek	a leak	to urinate
	Adam and Eve	believe
	Adrian Quist	pissed
	after darks	sharks
	airs and graces	faces
	Al Capone	phone
	Albert docks	the pox
	alderman's nail	tail
	Alma Gray	tray	a threepenny coin
	almond rocks	socks
	Andy Cain	rain
	Andy McNish	fish
	Anna Maria	fire
	apple and banana	piano
	apple and pip	sip
	apple core	score	a twenty pound note
	apple fritter	bitter	beer
	apple pie	sky
	apple pips	lips
	April fools	football pools, stools, tools
	April showers	flowers
	army and navy	gravy
	army tank	yank	an American
	artful dodger	lodger
	Auntie Ella	umbrella
	Auntie Nellie	belly
	babbling brook	a cook, a crook
	baby pap	a cap
	bacon and eggs	legs
	bag of fruit	a suit
	the baked bean	the Queen
	baker's dozen	cousin
	band in the box	the pox	a venereal disease
	bar of soap	dope
	Barnaby Rudge	a judge
	Barry White	shite
	bat and wicket	ticket
	bath bun	sun
	battle and cruiser	boozer	a pub
	bear's paw	a saw
	Beecham's pill	a bill, a still (photo)
	Beecham's pills	the testicles
	bees and honey	money
	beggar my neighbor	on the Labor	the unemployment office
	bell ringers	fingers
	ben flake	steak
	bended knees	cheese
	big bloke	coke	cocaine
	big hit		excrement
	Billy Bunter	a punter	an average Joe
	Billy Button	mutton
	billy lids	kids
	billygoat	tote
	bird lime	time
	bird's nest	chest
	bit o' tripe	a wife
	black and white	night
	bladder of lard	a playing card
	blood and blister	sister
	Bo-Peep	sleep; asleep
	boat race	face
	Bob Hope	dope; soap
	bonny fair	hair
	bopeep	sleep
	bottle of sauce	horse
	bottle of water	daughter
	bottles of booze	shoes
	bow and arrow	a sparrow
	bowl of chalk	talk
	box of toys	noise
	boys on ice	lice
	brace and bits		breasts
	Brad Pitt	shit
	brass tacks	facts
	bread and butter	gutter
	bread and cheese	sneeze
	bread and jam	a tram
	bread and lard	hard
	Brian O'Lynn	gin
	bride and groom	a room; a broom
	brothers and sisters	whiskers
	brown bread	dead
	Brussels sprouts	scouts
	bubble and squeak	a Greek
	bucket and pail	jail
	Bugs Bunny	money
	bull and cow	row	a fight
	bull's aunts	pants
	bully beef	the chief
	burnt cinder	window
	bushel and peck	neck
	bushel of coke	bloke
	Bushey Park	a lark	fun, a whim
	Buster Keaton	meetin'
	butcher's hook	a look
	buttons and bows	toes
	by the peck	the neck
	calico yard	a guard
	Cape of Good Hope	soap
	Carl Rosa	a poser
	car park	a nark	an informer
	carving knife	a wife
	cat and mouse	a house
	cats and kitties		breasts
	cats and mice	dice
	chain and crank	bank
	chain and locket	pocket
	chair and cross	a horse
	Charing Cross	a horse
	Charlie Beck	check
	Charlie Brady	a cady	a hat
	Charlie Chalk	talk
	Charlie Friskie	whiskey
	Charlie Horner	corner
	Charlie Howard	coward
	Charlie Lancaster	a "handkercher"	handkerchief
	Charlie Mason	a basin
	Charlie Pope	soap
	Charlie Prescott	a "wescot"	a waistcoat
	Charlie Rocks	socks
	Charlie Ronce	a ponce
	Charlie Skinner	dinner
	charming wife	a knife
	Chatham and Dover	over
	cheerful giver	liver
	cheese and kisses	the missus	the wife
	cherry ripe	a pipe
	Chevy Chase	face
	chicken neck	a check
	chock and log	a dog
	Christian Slater	later
	chunk of beef	the chief	the boss
	chunk of wood	no good
	clickety clicks	knicks	underwear
	club and stick	dick	policeman
	coals and coke	broke
	coat and badge	to cadge
	cock linnet	a minute
	cock sparrow	barrow
	cocked hat	a rat	an informer
	cod's roe	dough	money
	comic cuts	guts
	con and coal	the dole
	Conan Doyle	a boil
	council houses	trousers
	country cousin	a dozen
	Covent Garden	a "farden"	a farthing
	cows and kisses	the Missus
	cream crackered	knackered	exhausted
	crust of bread	the head
	cuddle and kiss	a miss	a girl
	currant bun	the sun
	custard and jelly	the telly
	cut and carried	married
	cuts and scratches	matches
	dad and dave	a shave
	daffadown dilly	silly
	Danny Rucker	butter
	Dan O'Leary	weary
	day's a'dawning	morning
	deep sea diver	a fiver
	Derby kelly	belly
	dickory dock	clock; cock
	dicky bird	word
	dicky dirt	shirt
	didn't ought	port	wine
	dig and dirt	shirt
	dig in the grave	shave
	dime and pop	a cop
	do as you like	a bike
	dog and boned	stoned
	dog's eye	pie
	Dolly Varden	a garden
	Donald Trump	dump
	don't make a fuss	bus
	Doris Day	gay
	duck and geese	police
	Duke of Kent	rent
	Duke of York	fork
	dustbin lids	kids
	early bird	word
	earwig	to twig	to understand
	east and west	a vest
	eighteen pence	sense
	eighty six	nix	nothing
	elephant and castle	asshole
	Emma Freuds	hemorrhoids
	engineers and stokers	brokers
	Epsom race	face
	Errol Flynn	chin
	eau de cologne	phone
	Everton toffee	coffee
	far and near	beer
	feather and flip	kip	to sleep
	fiddle and flute	suit
	fiddly did	a quid	a pound
	field of wheat	street
	fife and drum	bum
	fifteen and seven	heaven
	fig and post	toast
	fillet of cod	sod	that is, a sodomite
	fine and dandy	brandy
	fisherman's daughter	water
	five to two	a Jew
	flash of light	a sight
	fleas and ants	pants
	fleas and itchers	pitchers	the cinema
	fly my kite	a light
	fork and knife	wife
	fourth of July	a tie
	France and Spain	rain
	Friar Tuck	fuck
	frog a log	dog
	frog and toad	road
	garden gate	magistrate
	garlic and glue	stew
	gay and frisky	whiskey
	Germaine Greer	ear
	ginger ale	jail
	ginger beer	ear
	Ginger Meggs	legs
	gingerbread	head
	God forbids	kids
	gold watch	scotch	whiskey
	goose's neck	a check
	grasshopper	copper
	Gregory Peck	the neck
	grocery store	door
	Grosvenor Squares	flares	flared pants
	grumble and grunt		the vagina
	Gunga Din	the chin
	hair and brain	chain
	hairy float	coat
	half a tree	crazy
	half inch	pinch	to steal
	half ounce	to bounce
	ha'penny dip	a ship
	ham and beef	the chief
	ham and eggs	legs
	hammer and tack	back
	hang bluff	snuff
	harbor light	all right
	hard and flat	hat
	hare and hound	round
	Harry Randall	a candle
	Harry Tate	late; a plate
	Harry Wragg	a fag	a cigarette
	Harvey Nichol	pickle	a predicament
	heart and lung	tongue
	heart of oak	broke
	heaven's above	love
	heavenly bliss	kiss
	here and there	a chair
	hey diddle diddle	a fiddle; to piddle
	hickory dock	a clock
	high as a kite	tight	drunk
	hit and miss	to piss
	hit and missed	pissed	drunk
	holy friar	a liar
	hook of mutton	a button
	hop o' my thumb	a chum
	horse and cart	fart
	horse's hoof	poof	a pooftah, a homosexual
	hot cross bun	in the sun
	hot "potater"	a waiter
	how d'ye do	a shoe
	hurricane lamp	a tramp
	I declare	a chair
	I suppose	a nose
	ice cream freezer	geezer
	I'm afloat	a coat
	in and out	stout
	in the sleet	in the street
	inky smudge	judge
	Irish stew	true
	iron tank	a bank
	Isle of Wight	all right
	ivory float	coat
	Jack Dandy	brandy
	Jack Jones	alone
	Jack O'Brien	train
	Jack Scratch	match
	Jack the Ripper	a kipper
	jackdaw	jaw
	jackdaw and rook	a book
	jam jar	motor car
	jam roll	parole
	jam tart	sweetheart
	Jenny Linder	a "winder"	a window
	Jerry McGinn	chin
	Jimmy Brits	the shits
	Jimmy Dancer	cancer
	Jimmy Hicks	a six
	Jimmy Hope	soap
	Jimmy Skinner	dinner
	joanna	piano
	Joe Blake	cake
	Joe Blakes	snakes	the DT's
	Joe Bonce	a ponce	a pimp
	Joe Gurr	stir	porridge
	Joe Rook	a crook
	John Bull	full	drunk
	John Cleese	cheese
	John Dory	story
	John Hop	a cop
	John Hopper	a copper
	John Major	wager
	Johnny Bliss	a piss
	Johnny Horner	a corner
	Johnny O'Brien	iron
	Johnny Rump	pump
	Johnny Russell	hustle
	jollop	stop
	just as I feared	a beard
	kangaroo	a Jew
	Kate and Sydney	stake and kidney
	Kate Karney	the army
	Kelly Ned	head
	Kennedy rot	sot
	Kentucky horn	corn
	King Dick	thick	stupid
	King Lear	ear
	kiss the cross	the boss
	kitchen range	change
	Kuwaiti tanker	wanker
	Lady Godiva	a fiver	a five pound banknote
	lard and pail	jail
	lath and plaster	master
	lean and fat	a hat
	lean and lurch	church
	left in the lurch	church
	leg rope	hope
	lemon squeezer	a geezer	a man
	lemon squeezy	easy
	light of love	guv	the governor of a prison
	Lilian Gish	fish
	linen draper	newspaper
	lion's lair	chair
	Lionel Blair	a chair
	Lionel Rose	nose
	live eel	a field
	loop the loop	soup
	Lord Lovel	a shovel
	lord of the manor	tanner	a sixpence
	lost and found	a pound
	Lucy Locket	pocket
	lump of lead	a head
	macaroni	a pony
	made mile	smile
	Mae West	best
	Maidstone jailer	a tailor
	mallee root	prostitute
	Mary Ann	hand
	merchant banker	wanker
	Mickey Mouse	a grouse; a scouse
	moan and wail	jail
	monkey's tail	a nail
	moriarty	a party
	mother and daughter	water
	moulin rouge	a stooge
	mountain passes	glasses
	mop and bucket	fuck it
	Mozart and Liszt	pissed	drunk
	mumbley pegs	legs
	Mutt and Jeff	deaf
	mystery bags	snags	sausages
	Nancy prance	dance
	nanny goat	a coat; a boat; a tote
	Ned Kelly	belly
	needle and pin	gin
	needle and thread	head
	Nelly Bligh	fly; eye
	new south	mouth
	New York City	titty
	Newgate Gaol	a tale
	Niagara Falls	balls
	Noah's ark	a park; a nark; a shark
	north and south	mouth
	North Pole	arsehole
	now is the hour	a shower
	Nuremburg Trials	piles	hemorrhoids
	oats and chaff	footpath
	ocean wave	shave
	octopus	bus
	oh heck	neck
	oh my dear	beer
	once a week	cheek
	on the floor	poor
	ones and twos	shoes
	optic nerve	perve	a pervert
	orchestra stalls	balls	testicles
	Oscar Hocks	socks
	Oscar Joes	toes
	Oxford scholar	dollar
	pair of races	braces
paraffin	paraffin lamp	a tramp
	Pat Malone	alone
	peaches and pears	stairs
	peas in the pot	hot
	pen and ink	stink
	penny stamp	a tramp
	photo finish	(a pint of) Guinness
	Piccadilly	chilly
	pie and liquor	vicar
	pig's ear	beer
	pimple and blotch	Scotch
	pint pot	sot	a drunkard
	plain and gravy	the Navy
	plates and dishes	the missus
	plates of meat	feet
	port and brandy	randy
	pot and pan	old man
	pot of jelly	belly
	potatoes in the mold	cold
	press and scratch	a match
	pride and joy	boy
	quarter pot	sot
	Queen's Park Rangers	strangers
	rabbit hutch	crutch	crotch
	rabbit's paw	jaw
	Ramsgate Sands	hands
	rattle and jar	car
	raw and ripe	pipe
	read and write	fight
	red steer	beer
	rhubarb pill	a bill
	ribbon and curl	a curl
	Richard Mary	a fairy	a homosexual
	ride plush	to hush
	rifle range	change
	rip and tear	swear
	rise and shine	wine
	River Ouse	booze
	roach and dace	face
	roasty roast	(winning) post
	rob my pal	gal
	Rob Roy	boy
	rock of ages	wages
	rocks and boulders	shoulders
	rogue and villain	a shilling
	rolley roar	floor
	Rolls Royce	voice
	Rory o' More	floor, door
	rosebuds	spuds	potatoes
	roses red	bed
	Rotten Row	a bow
	round me houses	trousers
	rub-a-dub	a pub; a tub
	ruby rose	nose
	rumble and shock	knock (on the door)
	Saint Louis blues	shoes
	Saint Martin's le Grand	a hand
	Sandy McNab	a cab
	satin and silk	milk
	sausage and mash	cash
	Scapa Flow	to go
	scarlet pips	lips
	scream and holler	dollar
	see the shine	give a dime
	sheery flips	lips
	shillings and pence	sense
	ship in full sail	pint of ale
	shovel and broom	room
	shovel and spade	blade
	sighs and tears	ears
	silk and top	cop
	silk and twine	wine
	Simple Simon	diamond
	Sir Walter Scott	a pot
	skin and blister	sister
	slick and sleeth	teeth
	slip in the gutter	butter
	smack in the eye	pie
	smear and smudge	judge
	smile and smirk	work
	smoked haddock	paddock
	snake in the grass	looking glass
	soldiers bold	cold
	sorry and sad	dad
	south of the equator	elevator
	spinning top	cop
	split pea	tea
	stage fright	light	light ale
	stammer and stutter	butter
	stand an ale	go bail (for)
	stand at ease	cheese
	stand at attention	pension
	steak and kidney	Sydney
	steam packet	a jacket
	storm and strife	wife
	strong and thin	gin
	stump the chalk	walk
	swear and cuss	bus
	sweet Margaret	cigarette
	switch and bone	telephone
	tar and feather	weather
	tarry rope	dope
	taxi cabs	crabs
	tea and tattle	battle
	tea leaf	thief
	tears and cheers	ears
	Ted Frazer	razor
	there you are	a bar
	these and those	toes
	thick and dense	expense
	thief and robber	cobber	friend
	this and that	hat
	three or four	door
	three penny bits	the shits
	three quarters of a peck	the neck
	throw me the dirt	a shirt
	tick tack	track
	tiddler's bait	late
	tin tack	the sack	dismissal
	ting-a-ling	a ring
	tip and tap	a cap
	toad in the hole	a roll (of currency)
	Tod Sloan	alone
	Tom and Dick	sick
	Tom Mix	fix	a predicament
	Tom Noddy	body
	Tom Right	night
	Tom Thumb	rum
	tomfoolery	jewelry
	Tommy Rocks	socks
	Tommy Toy	boy
	Tommy Tucker	supper
	Tony Blairs	flares	flared pants
	top j'int	a pint
	top of Rome	home
	total wreck	check
	train wreck	neck
	trams and trains	brains
	trombone	phone
	trouble and fuss	a bus
	tumble down the sink	a drink
	turtle dove	a glove
	twist and twirl	girl
	two and eight	a state	a panic
	typewriter	fighter
	umble cum stumble	to rumble	to understand
	uncle Bert	shirt
	uncle Dick	sick
	uncle Fred	bread
	uncle Mack	smack	heroin
	uncle Ned	head; bed
	uncle Wilf	the filth	the police
	uncles and aunts	pants
	unders and beneaths	teeth
	up and down	brown
	up and under	to chunder	vomit
	Vanity Fair	a chair
	Vera Lynn	gin
	very best	chest
	Vincent Price	ice
	Warwick farm	arm
	weasel and stoat	a coat
	weeping willow	a pillow
	whale and gale	jail
	whistle and toot	loot
	widow's wink		a Chinese person
	Williamstown pier	ear
	wish me luck	to duck
	wooly woofter	poofter
	worms and snails	fingernails
	you and me	tea
	you know	snow	cocaine
	young and old	cold

Thanks to Alan Mellors of the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, for telling me about the more common meaning of Arthur Rank.