17 Phrases That Only Make Sense To Scousers

To most of us, Scouse is like a completely different language altogether. Liverpudlian slang does have its charms though, so make sure you swat up on these key Scouse sayings ahead of your next visit to Liverpool, alright lid?

Alright lid?

Originating from the rhyming slang of ‘bin lid’ – meaning ‘our kid’ – this is a typically Scouse phrase that’s used in day-to-day life.

‘You alright lid?’

G’wed

‘G’wed lad’

Going down the ozzy

No, not Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath fame. In Liverpool, ‘Ozzy’ means ‘hospital’.

‘I’m off down the ozzy for me check up’

You’re a wool

You’re likely to get called a ‘wool’, or a ‘woolly back’, if you’re from the surrounding areas of Liverpool like the Wirral or St. Helen’s.

‘I wouldn’t trust him la, he’s a wool’

Bifter

Slang for a cigarette or a joint.

‘Gis a bifter!’

Jib ‘em off

To jib, or jibbing, is Scouse slang for standing someone up or not going somewhere with someone.

‘Me ma wants me to meet her at the Asda but I’m gonna jib her off’

New webs

If you’ve just bought some new trainers, In Liverpool they’re likely to be called ‘webs’ or ‘trabs’.

‘Ey la, where did ya get yer new webs from?’

That’s boss

If you ever hear someone from Liverpool describing something as ‘boss’ it means they really like it.

‘The Beatles are boss!’

Plazzy

If something is described as ‘plazzy’ in Liverpool, it means it’s fake, or not true to its word.

‘Don’t listen to them plazzy wools la’

Me ma / da

One of the easier ones to decipher; ‘ma’ means mum and ‘da’ means dad.

‘Tell me ma I won’t be home for tea’

Me head’s chocka

For someone’s head to be ‘chocka’ it means they’re feeling stressed out.

‘Give it a rest la me head’s chocka’

Scran

Scran is Scouse slang for food.

‘I’m starvin’, got any scran?’

Kecks

‘Kecks’ are known as pants or trousers in Liverpool.

‘I watched tha new horror film at the pictures last night la, pure browned me kecks’

Going to town

While going to town might mean going in to the town or city centre in other places, in Liverpool it often means telling someone off.

‘He was going to town on him!’

Bevvy

‘Bevvy’ is short for beverage, often of the alcoholic kind.

‘Can’t wait to go down Goodison and have a few bevvies tonight la’

On your bill

‘On your bill’ is similar in meaning to ‘on your tod’ – meaning being on your own.

‘Where are ya? I’m on me bill!’

Clobber

Clobber is Scouse for ‘clothes’.

‘Where did ya get that clobber from lid?’

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