Quirky British Idioms
In Girl in the Glass, Declan encounters an Englishman and struggles to understand his more whimsical British expressions. Below are the idioms and sayings most perplexing to a non-Briton.
1. “You’re daftly underdressed, it’s brass monkeys out here,” the stranger said, his refined accent and vernacular suggestive of the Queen’s English.
This British expression means it’s extremely cold. This idiomatic phrase comes from the British Navy. Cannon balls were stored on a brass rack called a “monkey,” and when the temperature dropped, the brass would contract, spilling the cannonballs. When the cannonballs fell off the brass monkey, you knew it was cold!
2. “Ah, good, you understand English. I’m chuffed to bits.”
"Chuffed to bits" is a British phrase meaning one is extremely pleased or happy. It’s an informal expression of feeling highly satisfied or delighted about something.
3. “You’re really out of sorts,” the Brit replied. “Perhaps a few sandwiches short of a picnic.”
This British idiom describes someone who is not very bright, or who is a bit silly or crazy. It implies they are missing some essential mental capacity, like a few essential sandwiches are missing from a picnic. It’s equivalent to the American expression, “Not playing with a full deck.”
4. “So, you’re a Yank, eh?” mused the Brit. “And you weren’t wrong, your story is quite a load of bollocks.”
British phrase expressing that something is nonsense, rubbish, or untrue. It can be used to dismiss a statement, an idea, or even a situation. While the word "bollocks" by itself refers to testicles, this phrase is a more general term of derision and considered vulgar.
5. The Brit stared intently at Declan. “What barmy game are you playing?”
In the United Kingdom, "barmy" is slang for crazy or silly, often used to describe something eccentric or unconventional.
6. “I thought we could be friends, but you insist on feeding me porkies.”
The phrase is British slang for telling lies. It originates from Cockney rhyming slang, where "pork pie" rhymes with "lie". The phrase later shortened to "porkies," meaning lies. It is a less direct way of accusing someone of dishonesty, often used humorously, as a way to politely question an explanation.
