Cockney Rhyming Slang Definition

Cockney rhyming slang, where a word is substituted with a word or, more commonly, a phrase that sounds the same, is a feature of the English spoken in London, although rhyming slang is also found in many other dialects of English.

Cockney Rhyming Slang is a specialised form of slang used in the East of London. It is a kind of antilanguage where words are replaced by phrases that rhyme (sound the same):

North and south = mouth
Adam and Eve = believe

Sometimes, the last word is dropped, which can make it very difficult to understand unless you are used to it.

Cockney Rhyming Slang is a dialect used in parts of London, where words are replaced by phrases that rhyme . In our Members' Area, we have a Slang and Idioms reference, with a glossary of Cockney Rhyming Slang, which classifies the terms as follows:

First word used
This is where only the first word is normally used:
Porkies- derived from porkie pies, it means lies, but the second word is rarely used.

Both or all words used
Tin bath- meaning laugh, it is normally used as a complete phrase. However, with many phrases where both words are used, they can be shortened on occasions.

First or second word used
Nelson Mandela- meaning Stella Artois, a Belgian lager known simply as Stella, people usually say either Nelson or Mandela, but don't use both word together very often.