Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Australian Slang - Local Lingo

Unique Phrases - Memorable Quotes - U - V


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


UGG BOOTS - sheep skin lined boots

U-IE – to take a U-Turn when driving

ULURU - or Ayers Rock. Spectacular landmark in N.T. that stands 348 m above sea level. No longer allowed to be climbed

UMPTY-DOO - far fetched (Digger Smith, C.J. Dennis)

UNDERGROUND MUTTON - rabbit

UNDER THE WEATHER - hungover

UNCLE NED - bread (ryhming slang 1890s)

UNREAL - fantastic

UNREPRESENTATIVE SWILL - Paul Keating's description of the Senate

UP AGAINST IT - foiled, nullified, thwarted (1913)

UP A GUMTREE - means to be in a quandary

UP AND DO 'EM SPINNER - term used in two-up

UP AND JOB SOMEONE - to assault someone with the fists

UP FRONT - honest to the point of rudeness

UP HIM - to have a fight

UP SHIT CREEK - in trouble

UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE - in trouble

UP THE DUFF - pregnant

UP THE SHIT - not any good

UP THE SPOUT - gone; finished

UP THERE CAZALY - encouragement call

UP TO MUD - worthless, useless, no good; someone you don't like

UP TO ONE'S EYES IN HOCK - having used up all credit and then some

UP TO PUSSY'S BOW - couldn't eat anything more

UP TO PUTTY - no good (soldier slang WW1)

UP YOU - brush off towards another with different views

UP YOURSELF - person who has high opinion of themselves

USEFUL AS - completely useless

UTE - Utility car - designed in 1934 by Lewis Bandt at Ford in Geelong

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND - Name used for Tasmania until 1856

VEE DUB - volkswagon car

VEGANESE - Terminology sprouted by vegans to describe their moral superiority

VEGGIES - vegetables

VEGEMITE - Australian savoury spread made from yeast extract. Invented in 1923 by Dr. Cyril P Callister a leading food technologist

VEGEMITES - Aussie children

VERBAL DIARRHOEA - non stop talk

VICTA - rotary lawn mower. Invented by Mervyn Victor Richardson in 1952 - More Australian Inventions


VILLAGE BIKE - promiscuous woman

VOLLEYS - sandshoes

VON BLINKED - drunk (vin blanc corruption WW1)