Scouse › Scouse slang glossary
Scouse slang glossary
These Scouse words are all listed in published guides to Liverpool speech. Slang shifts from street to street, so treat the meanings as typical, not exact.
How to use this glossary
The entries below come from published guides to Liverpool slang, in particular two articles in The Liverpudlian. A fuller academic record is the Liverpool English Dictionary compiled by Professor Tony Crowley. Our wording is our own. Not every word is used by everyone, and young and older speakers differ. When a word can offend, we say so.
Everyday words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Boss | Brilliant, excellent |
| Sound | Good or great; also "sound as a pound" for agreement |
| Scran | Food |
| Clobber | Clothes |
| Baltic | Extremely cold |
| Ta-ra | Goodbye |
| Our kid | A sibling or close relative |
| Made up | Extremely happy or thrilled |
| Chucking it down | Raining heavily |
| Give us a bell | Give me a call |
| G'wed | Go ahead, go on |
| Belt up | Be quiet |
Places and things
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jigger | An alleyway or narrow passage between buildings |
| Entry | A narrow alley between terraced houses used for back access |
| Bevvy | An alcoholic drink, now used for almost any drink |
| Bifter | A quick cigarette or smoke break |
| Going the ozzy | Going to hospital |
People and moods
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bizzies | The police |
| Scally | Someone causing trouble or behaving roughly |
| Blert | A playful insult for someone being daft |
| Whopper | A light-hearted term for someone being ridiculous |
| Bevvied | Drunk |
| On the lash | Out drinking heavily |
| Devo'd | Devastated, deeply disappointed |
| Cob on | A grumpy mood |
| Antwacky | Old-fashioned or outdated |
| Jarg | Fake or broken |
| Blag | To talk your way into or out of something, or trick someone |
Words to be careful with
"Wool" and "woolyback" are used for people from outside the city of Liverpool, such as parts of the wider region. The Liverpudlian says the traditional use was for non-locals who came to work on the docks and that the modern use is a broader insult. Do not use it casually. "Plastic Scouser" (or "plazzy") is said of someone from Merseyside outside the city who claims to be from Liverpool, and can be teasing or rude depending on tone.
Shared northern words
Some words people think of as Scouse are used more widely: "gaffer" (boss or manager), "snide" (fake), "chuffed" (pleased), "swerve" (avoid) and "fuming" (very angry) are all in the second Liverpudlian list of terms visitors find confusing, though several are common outside Liverpool.
How slang gets recorded
Dictionaries of regional speech take years to compile. Professor Tony Crowley's Liverpool English Dictionary is described in a University of Leeds-hosted podcast episode as a record of Liverpudlian English, covering why the dialect is spreading despite being stigmatised and how a dictionary can capture it. Online lists are quicker but less checked, which is why we have only included words found in more than one source or described clearly by a source.
Spelling is not fixed either. You may see "g'wed" written as "gwed" or "go 'ed", and "bevvy" as "bevy". Pick whichever form you like; pronunciation matters more than spelling.
Keep going
If you are planning a trip, our phrases for visitors page puts these words into sentences. For why Liverpool talks the way it does, read about the Scouse accent.
Frequently asked questions
What does scran mean in Scouse?
Scran means food. It is one of the best-known Liverpool slang words.
What does boss mean in Scouse?
In Scouse, boss means brilliant or excellent, not a manager.
What is a jigger?
A jigger is an alleyway or narrow passage between buildings, often at the back of terraced houses. Entry is another word for it.
Is Scouse slang offensive?
Most of it is friendly. A few terms, such as woolyback, can be insulting, so avoid them unless you know the people you are talking to.