Australian Slang - Local Lingo
Unique Phrases - Memorable Quotes - N
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
NACKAROOS - North Australia Observation Unit (NAOU), nicknamed the Nackeroos or ‘Cowboys, was created in mid-March 1942. They were given the task of patrolling northern Australia to look for signs of enemy activity (AWM)
NAILROD - a coarse dark tobacco smoked by bushment (Morris 1898)
NAIPOO - no way (WW1)
NAME IS MUD - utterly discredited; of no account whatever
NAPOO - almost done with, finished (1918)
NARKED - to be angered or foiled
NARKY - irritable
NASHO - person who underwent compulsory military training
NATIVE SLOTH - koala (Whitney 1895)
NEAR AND FAR - bar
NECKLACE - garrotter (criminal slang 1940)
NEDDY - early name for tucker bag which was attached to a swag at the front
NED KELLY - Australian bushranger
NEENISH TART - small cream pastry with icing on top
NELLY - cheap wine
NEVER BE AFRAID TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF, AFTER ALL YOU COULD BE MISSING OUT ON THE JOKE OF THE CENTURY - Dame Edna Everidge
NEVER GIVE UP; JUST ABSOLUTELY NEVER GIVE UP - Shane Warne quote
NEVER LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY - embellish a story with a lie
NEVER NEVER - Queensland was known as the Never Never country
NEVER NEVER - the outback; back of beyond (from Aeneas Gunn's 'We of the Never Never' c. 1908)
NEVER NEVER - unrealistic utopian future
NEVER SEE A NEED WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT - said by Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint
NEWBIE - new person at work
NEWCASTLE EARTHQUAKE - On 28 December 1989 an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hit Newcastle
NEWCASTLE FLYER - Passenger express train connecting Newcastle and Sydney that operated from November 1929 until April 1988
NEW CHUM - a young man sent out to Australia to gain some experience of life in the colonies. Sometimes used with contempt
NEW HOLLAND - historical European name for mainland Australia, first used in 1644 by Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman
NICK - steal
NICK OFF - go away
NICKY NU - naked
NIGEL - someone who has no friends
NIGGLE - irritable
NINCOMPOOP -fool
NINE O'CLOCK BREEZE - cooling summer night breeze, Emerald, Central Queensland
NINETY TO THE DOZEN - constant and fast talking
NING NONG - Sometimes abbreviated to nong - someone who has done something stupid or clumsy
NIPPER - local name in Sydney for a species of prawn (Morris 1898)
NIPPER - young surf life saver
NIT-KEEPER - someone who keeps a watch out while illegal activity is afoot; also cockatoo
NIT WIT - silly person
NOAH'S ARK - shark; also a fool
NOAH'S DOVES - reinforcements who were at sea on their way to war zone when armistice was signed (WW1)
NOBBLER - a glass of spirits in a public house (Morris 1898)
NOBBY - In the navy anyone surnamed Clarke is nicknamed Nobby
NOBBYS - formerly also known as Whibayganba and Coal Island ; a headland located on the southern entrance to Newcastle Harbour that was once an island; first connected to the mainland by Macquarie Pier in 1846. Later the pier was replaced by a breakwater
NO BUTS ABOUT IT - no dispute
NO DRAMA – No problem / it’s ok
NOD THE NUT - plead guilty before a Magistrate (criminal slang 1950s)
NO FLIES ON - quick-witted person
NOGGIN - head
NO GOOD TO GUNDY - ruined; unpleasant
NO HOPER - someone who will never do well; a loser
NONG - a simple person
NO HIERARCHY OF DESCENT, NO PRIVILEGE OF ORIGIN - On 26 January 1988, Prime Minister Bob Hawke launched the nation's Australia Day celebrations with these words about the Australian identity: " We are, and essentially we remain, a nation of immigrants a nation drawn from 130 nationalities in Australia there is no hierarchy of descent: there must be no privilege of origin. The commitment is all. The commitment to Australia is the only thing needful to be a true Australian."
NO WELCOME TO COUNTRY - In April 2023 academic and activist, Marcia Langton promised/threatened Australian Voice 'NO' voters by predicting the consequences of a failed 'Yes' vote using the following words - "How are they going to ever ask an Indigenous person, a traditional owner, for a welcome to country? How are they ever going to be able to ask me to come and speak at their conference?."If they have the temerity to do it, of course the answer is going to be no."
NORKS - breasts
NORM - initially for a fitness campaign c. 1970 s. Depicted an unfit, beer drinking male
NOSH - food
NOSY PARKER - sticky beak
NOT A DROOB - no money at all (criminal slang 1950s)
NOT BACKWARD IN COMING FORWARD - confident, brash person
NOT FEEL TOO CLEVER - to feel terrible
NOT FOR ALL THE TEA IN CHINA - not at any price
NOT HAPPY JAN - Displeased with another person's incompetence. Yellow pages advertisement
NOT IN THE RACE - no hope
NOT MUCH CHOP - not much good, or no good at all - Such is Life, 1904
NOT ON - not having it; its not going to happen
NOT ON YOUR NELLIE - under no circumstances
NOT PLAYING FOR SHEEP STATIONS - don't take competition so seriously
NOT REAL FLASH - feeling pretty sick
NOT THE FULL QUID - lacking in intelligence
NOT WANT A BAR OF - to want nothing to do with
NOT WHAT IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE - disappointing
NOT WITHIN COOEE - figuratively a long way
NOT WORTH A CRACKER - of no value
NOUGHT - zero
NOT WRONG - absolutely correct
N'OUBLIONS JAMAIS L'AUSTRALIE ["Let us never forget Australia"] - words emblazoned on plaques in Villers-Bretonneaux, France in remembrance of the re-capture of the town by Australian soldiers in April 1918
NO WORRIES - A quintessential Australian phrase meaning "No problem, it’s ok"
NO WORRIES, MATE - "no problem" or "you're welcome"
NO WUCKERS - phrase progression from no worries = no f.ckin worries = no wuckin forries = no wuckers - means no problems, it's ok
NUDDY – Naked
NUGGETT - small piece of tobacco cut from figs (1852)
NUGGETT - small compact livestock eg. a nugget of a bullock (1852)
NUGGETT - handy name for someone (soldier slang WW1)
NUGGETTY BLOKE- man with a short stocky build
NUKE - microwave
NULLA-NULLA - aboriginal name for a battle club
NUMBER CRUNCHER - accountant
NUT OUT - to work out a problem
NUTTER - NUTTY AS A FRUIT CAKE - crazy
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