Australian Slang - Local Lingo
Unique Phrases - Memorable Quotes - D
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
DAD AND DAVE FROM SNAKE GULLY - radio drama series based on the On Our Selection stories of Steele Rudd
DAG – Someone who’s a bit of a nerd or unfashionable.
DAG - in rural areas: a wag or an amusing person; in cities, a dull or boring one
DAG - a wag in the crowd (WW1)
DAGGY - unfashionable
DAGGING - cutting away the flyblown wool from a sheep's backside
DAGWOOD DOG - frankfurter on a stick that is battered and deep-fried
DAISY CUTTER - anti-personnel bomb (WW1)
DAISY ROOTS - boots
DAKS– Trousers
DAME NELLIE MELBA - the first Australian to win international fame on the stage
DAMPER - bushman's bread made of flour and water; cooked on campfire as thin cakes in a frying pan or on a flat stone in wood ashes
DANCING - method of robbery at the goldfields
DANDER - anger
DARBY KELL - cockney slang - darby kelly - belly
DARLING SHOWER - dust storm in the Riverina
DARLO - the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst
DARLO DROP - police brutality towards prisoners
DART - a scheme or racket; also known as a rort or lurk
DARWIN STUBBY - Northern Territory. Introduced by Carlton & United in 1958 with an 80 fluid ounce (2,270 ml) capacity
DAWN SERVICE - first commemorative event of Anzac Day is the Dawn Service at 4.30 am. This is about the time men of the ANZAC approached the Gallipoli beach 25 April 1915
DAZZA - nickname for Darren
DAZZLER - good looking person
DEACON SKINNER - dinner (soldier slang WW1)
DEAD BEAT - a derelict, a man down on his luck, stone-broke, beaten by fortune
DEAD-BIRD - meaning "a certainty", from pigeon-shooting, where the bird being let loose in front of a good shot is as good as dead
DEAD CENTRE OF AUSTRALIA - Geographic centre of mainland Australia - the Lambert Centre
DEAD CERT - a certainty; a sure thing
DEAD HEAD - a good for nothing
DEAD HEAD - one who stands about a bar to drink at the expense of others (Qld 1891)
DEAD HEART - The centre of Australia (from Ernest Giles' book of that title 1906)
DEAD HEART OF AUSTRALIA - Memoirs written by J.W. Gregory referring to Lake Eyre
DEAD LURK - to rob a house while the occupants were at church
DEADLY - excellent; strong
DEAD MEAT TICKETS - identification discs (soldier slang WW1)
DEAD NARK - unsatisfactory; or having a bad temper
DEAD NUTS ON - very fond of (Leland 1897)
DEADSET – true; exactly
DEADSET - an expression of wonderment; is that right?
DEAD RINGER - exactly the same
DEAD TO THE WORLD - sound asleep
DEAF AS A POST - hard of hearing
DEANER (DEENER) - A shilling (WW2); superceded by ten cent piece in 1966
DEAR - expensive
DEAR AUNTIE - a phrase signifying utter weariness or disgust (soldier slang WW1)
DEATH ADDER - machine gun (WW2)
DEBIL DEBIL - also Devil Devil - evil spirit at the bottom of a creek or waterhole
DECORATED PRIVATES - N.S.O.'s (soldier slang WW1)
DEEPSINKER - the largest sized tumbler or the long drink served in it, from deep-sinking a mining shaft (Morris 1898)
DEEP THINKER - reinforcement soldier who arrived late in the war (soldier slang WW1)
DEMOCRACY SAUSAGE - a colloquial name given to the sausages cooked and eaten as part of the Australian tradition of holding a fundraising sausage sizzle at polling places on election day.
DEMONS - prison slang for police
DERO - derelict homeless person
DERRICK'S SHOW - final assault on Sattelberg, New Guinea during WW2 became known as Derrick's Show after Victoria Cross recipient Tom Derrick's bravery during the battle
DERRY - to have a grudge; a feud. The phrase 'to have a down' on is sometimes varied to have a derry on (Morris 1898)
DERWENTER - ex convict from the River Derwent, in Tasmania
DESERT RATS - Rats of Tobruk. Australian Army soldiers who served in North African campaign WW2
DEUCE - sentence to jail for two months (criminal slang 1950s)
DEUCER - a shearer who can shear 200 sheep in a day
DEVIL-ON-THE-COALS - bushman's name for a small and quickly baked damper (Morris 1898)
DEVON - luncheon meat; called Fritz in S.A.; Polony in W.A.
DEVVO – Devastated
DIAL - face
DIBBER DOBBER - telltale; a person, often a child, who reveals secrets
DICE IT - throw it out!
DICKEN - disgust; doubt or disbelief (1921)
DICKHEAD - an idiot
DICKERY DOCK - clock
DICKY - something of low quality or broken
DIDDLE - to cheat
DIDGERIDOO - a wind instrument that was originally found only in Arnhem Land in northern Australia
DIDN'T BAT AN EYELID - gave no reaction to news
DIDN'T COME DOWN IN THE LAST SHOWER - not easily duped
DIGGER - Australian soldier ; also gold digger
DIGGINGS - residence; probably originated in the gold fields days
DIGS - the place you live
DILL - a simpleton or trickster's dupe. First used by C.J. Dennis in Sentimental Bloke
DILL BRAIN - idiot
DILLYBAG - Aboriginal term; small bag
DINGBAT - annoyed; crazy
DINGBAT - an army batman
DINGBATS - delerium tremens (DT's) (c 1920)
DING DONG - fine, swell (WW2)
DINGO - native dog that cannot bark; thus a treacherous man; a coward c. 1908
DINGO - compulsory trainee in the Militia (WW2)
DINGO'S BREAKFAST - no breakfast at all
DINGO FENCE - longest fence in the world. South Australia. Finished 1885
DINKUM - also fair dinkum; genuine; real; also hard work (an hour's hard dinkum - from Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms 1882)
DINKUM OIL - authenticated news; the straight truth (WW1)
DINKY DI - genuine, authentic
DINKY RIDE - double up on a bike. Passenger
DINNER - lunch
DINTY - Is that not correct?
DIP OUT - be unsuccessful
DIPSTICK - loser; fool
DIRTY - angry about an injustice
DIRTY BIG - enormous. eg. dirty big truck
DIRTY STOP OUT - person who stays out all hours having a good time
DISH IT OUT - to serve roughly
DIVVY - divide into portion
DIVVY - The Store's famous dividend rewarded members for buying goods. Newcastle NSW
DO A HAROLD HOLT - bolt
DO A MELBA - make repeated farewell performances
DOB - report someone to police etc
DODGER - bread (soldier slang WW1)
DODGIE - poor quality
DOE RAY ME - money
DOESN'T MISS A TRICK - doesn't miss an opportunity for advantage
DOG - detective (criminal slang 1940)
DOG ACT - cowardly, treacherous behaviour
DOG AND BONE - phone (rhyming slang)
DOGGED IT - didn't show up
DOGGEREE - Go on; go straight ahead (soldier slang WW1)
DOGLEG - primitive kind of fence made of rough timber (Morris 1898)
DOG ON THE TUCKERBOX - Historical monument located at Snake Gully, five miles from Gundagai
DOG'S BREAKFAST - a total mess; disorganised
DOG'S EYE - meat pie
DOG'S LEG - Stripe (Army 1945)
DOG WATCH - nightshift
DOING THE CLOCK - serving five years imprisonment in Long Bay Gaol
DOING IT COLD - serving a sentence for a crime of which you are innocent
DOING IT TOUGH - gaol term for having a difficult time of it
DOING SOL - solitary confinement (1893)
DOING THE LOT - also a full hand as in a full hand in poker - a sentence of life imprisonment (1946)
DOLE - unemployment payment
DOLE BLUDGER - on who is content to live off social security payments in contrast with one who is genuinely unemployed
DOING A BRADBURY - winning something against the odds, after Steve Bradbury's win at the Winter Olympics
DOING A BUNK - running away
DONAH - female companion; girlfriend
DONE A GINGER - robbed someone (criminal slang Sydney 1950s)
DONE HIS DASH - finshed up; lost opportunity
DONGA - Temporary shelter
DONKEY VOTE - ballot cast in an election where a voter ranks candidates based on the order they appear on the ballot paper
DONKEYS YEARS - a long time
DONE LIKE A DINNER - finished, over with, completed
DONNYBROOK - a fight (origin Irish)
DON'T COME THE RAW PRAWN WITH ME - Don't try to fool me (WW2). Attributed to Roy Rene (also known as 'Mo' of theatre partnership Stiffy and Mo)
DON'T GET YOUR KNICKERS IN A KNOT - don't get upset
DON'T KNOW THAT PERSON FROM A BAR OF SOAP - don't know them at all
DON'T PUT ON A PERFORMANCE - don't make a fuss
DON'T PUT ONE FOOT ON THE STICKY PAPER BECAUSE PRETTY SOON YOU WILL END UP WITH TWO FEET STUCK - Queensland Premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
DON'T SLEW YOUR BREW - keep your mouth shut and don't do your block when in police custody (criminal slang 1950s)
DON'T THROW THE PAST AWAY. YOU MIGHT NEED IT SOME RAINY DAY - Peter Allen
DON'T YOU EVER LET A CHANCE GO BY, OH LORD - line from Bob Hudson's 1975 hit
The Newcastle Song
DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT - catch cry of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
DONUTS - black circles on road made by vehicle
DOORSTOPPING - practice by journalists of conducting a brief interview of politicians at the entrance to a building
DOOVERLACKIE - referring to something you don't have a name for
DORA GREY - threepenny piece
DOROTHY DIXER - parliamentary question asked by a colleague to give the Minister the opportunity to deliver a prepared reply
DOSS - to sleep
DOUBLE BANKING - hooking on one or more additional bullock teams to assist in crossing a bog
DOUBLE D - short for double dissolution, the simultaneous dissolution of both houses of a parliament preparatory to an election
DOUBLE DUTCH - children's skipping game using two ropes
DOUGH - money
DOUGHY - soft; slow witted; slow to catch on; not very knowledgeable
DO THE DIRTY - do the wrong thing
DOVER - ration of bread (prison slang c 1893)
DOVER - a clasp knife by a maker of that name, once much used in the colonies (Morris 1898)
DOWN - a prejudice against, hostility to (Morris 1898)
DOWN - To come, or be down, is the phrase used in Aust. Universities for failing an exam (Morris (1898)
DOWN ON - angry with
DOWN THE CHUTE - to be found guilty in court (criminal slang 1950s)
DOWN THE GURGLER - wasted money, opportunity or effort
DOWN THE STREET - shopping street
DOWNUNDER - coming from Australia
DO YOUR BLOCK - lose your temper
DO YOUR DASH - go too far; lose out
DO YOUR LOLLY - lose your temper
DO YOUR NANA - lose your temper
DRAFT - to separate and sort cattle (Morris 1898)
DRAFTER - man engaged in drafting cattle
DRAG - sentenced to three months in jail (prison slang 1893)
DRAG THE CHAIN - lag behind
DRAW (to) - to vex, to infuriate
DRAWING A POSSUM - sending in a dog to draw a possum out of hiding
DREADNOUGHT - a shearer who can shear more than 300 sheep in one day
DRIBS AND DRABS - a little bit at a time
DRINK WITH THE FLIES - to drink alone in a pub
DRIP - fool
DRIZA BONE COAT - Unique Australian coat
DROGO - rookie (WW2)
DRONGO - loser, no-hoper; slow witted
DRONGO - name of a race horse that never won a race in 37 starts. 1920s
DROP - to have the drop on is to forestall, gain advantage over esp. covering with a gun (Morris 1898)
DROP A CLANGER - say something embarrassing or inappropriate
DROP BEAR - hoax featuring carnivorous version of a koala
DROP KICK - an idiot; not very smart
DROP THE BUCKET - to put the entire blame for an offence on someone else (criminal slang 1950s)
DROP YOUR BUNDLE - give up hope; surrender
DROVER - an experienced stockman, who moves sheep, cattle, and horses over long distances
DROVER'S DOG - one who owns no respect
A DROVER'S DOG COULD LEAD THE PARTY TO VICTORY - Bill Hayden after losing labour leadership
DROVING - driving or moving a herd or flock over a long distance.
DRUM - a brothel
DRUM - a bundle carried by a swagman as a roll strapped over the right should and under the left arm
DRUMMER - a lazy shearer; in the old days they used to be drummed out of the shed
DRUNK AS CHLOE - very drunk (1946)
DRUNK AS A SKUNK - blind drunk
DRY AS A DEAD DINGO'S DONGA - thirsty for alcohol
DRY-BLOWING - Western Australian term in gold mining (Morris 1898)
DRY HASH - tramp; sundowner(1887)
DRY HASH - one who will not shout for drinks (c. 1895)
DUCKBILL - platypus; sometimes also called Duckmole (Morris 1898)
DUCKS AND DRAKES - shakes (rhyming slang) - after a long drinking sessions
DUCKS ON THE POND - warning to men that women are around and to refrain from swearing, used in shearing sheds
DUCK THE SCONE - plead guilty before a Magistrate (criminal slang 1950s)
DUCO - paintwork on a car
DUD - a failure
DUDS - trousers
DUFF - to steal stock and alter the brand
DUFFER - a fool
DUFFER - unproductive shaft in gold mine
DUFFER - cattle duffer = cattle rustler
DUGONG OIL - oil obtained by boiling the superficial fat of a dugong. A substitute for cod-liver oil (Morris 1898)
DUG OUT - protective hole dug out of the sides of trenches (WW1)
DUKE - hand (prisoner slang c 1893)
DUMMY - pacifer for baby
DUMMY - selector used by squatters to acquire land (Morris 1898)
DUMMY - colloquial name for the grip-car of the Melbourne trams (Morris 1898)
DUMP - centre struck out of the holey dollar. The holey dollar was worth five shillings, and the dump fifteen pence
DUMP - to press closely; applied to wool. Bales were often marked not to be dumped (Morris 1898)
DUMPER - large strong wave in surf that pushes the surfer to the bottom
DUNGAREE-SETTLER - poor Australian settler so called from their frequently clothing themselves and families in blue Indian cotton known as Dungaree (Morris 1898)
DUNNY - outside toilet in a small outhouse at the back of the house used before the septic system
DUNNY MAN - council worker who collected toilet pans and transferred them on his shoulder to the dunny truck
DUNNY ROLL - toilet paper
DUNNO - don't know
DURREY - a cigarette you roll yourself
DUST - slang for flour (Morris 1898)
DUST-DEVIL - small whirlwind; also called willy-willy and cock-eyed bob
DUST UP - a fight
DUTCH PEGS - legs (rhyming slang 1900s)
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