Guide to Cockney Rhyming Slang

Guide to Cockney Rhyming Slang
September 20, 2015 2:31 pm by London Pass Blogger
Cockney Rhyming slang is a die hard part of East End London culture that will always be
part of the fabric of the city and has been around since the mid 19th century. There are
many theories as to how it started, some say it was a lingustic mutation and accident,
others speculate that it was the result of a widespread game; some say it was devised by
criminals to trick the police; and others say that it developed as a secret language to
confuse non-locals passing through, or traders among traders to bargain without the
customers knowing.
For those unfamiliar of this dialect the language has formed through two rhyming words
with a common household word – however over time, this has mutated; so on occasion the
slang really does sound like another language!
To make it easier for you – here’s a list of the top 10 classic rhyming slang that you might
here if ever you venture East past Hackney. To practice, just watch an episode of Only
Fools & Horses, or EastEnders, to get a feel for it…
Apples and Pears = stairs
This might have roots in the traders stalls who stacked their fruit and vegetables in “steps
and stairs” in front of their stands in an arresting display.
Bees and honey = money
This is a more cryptic literal link, referring to bees which produce honey which can translate
into workers producing money – the result of both is sweet!
Bottle and stopper = copper
The copper is a slang term in itself for a policeman. In this case there are two meanings; a
bottle would hold the contents – ie, like a police would in a jail, or the stopper would prevent
someone or something from happening.
Butcher’s hook = look
The butchers hook was the double ended hook that hung up in butchers to display the
meats they had on show. This phrase probably originated in Smithfield Meat Market, near
Farringdon.
Duck and dive = hide
As a duck would dive under the surface of the water, this phrase means something the

same, as in to remove oneself from the situation and to hide.
Dog and bone = phone
We’re not sure where this one came from other than it rhymes and is a brilliant one to slip
into every day conversation!
Kettle and hob = watch
This is a confusing phrase as it doesn’t rhyme with its modern day meaning. The term
means watch, which has stemmed from a fob watch which was a pocket watch with
attached to the body with a small chain. The kettle used to boil on the hob of a stove…
hence the rhyme.
Mince pies = eyes
This is a term used widely in London even to this days, usually to describe a girls features.
Her eyes would be described as Minces, an even more slang term from the original mince
pies.
On the floor = poor
This was a colloquial term for housewives who would find themselves temporarily out of
pocket, and without any money.
Porky pie = lie


To tell a porkie is something everyone’s been accused of as a child – and perhaps even
older! A fib or a lie, to tell a pork pie means to fabricate something and has to be one of the
all-time favourite phrases in the cockney rhyming slang dictionary!
If you fancy a trip out into East London, the London Pass has got lots of great attractions
for you to visit whilst you embark on this cockney rhyming slang adventure. Why not stop
off at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford to go up the Arcelormittal Orbit, or stop off for some
shopping at Westfield.