AH Dictionary

Excerpts from: Riddick & Castor’s Dictionary of Contemporary British Slang

St. Andrews University Press
1993 (13th Edition)​

PWN: A root verb used to describe the carrying out of extreme right-wing Government policies such as repatriation. Corruption of the word Powellenise refering to the Premiership of Enoch Powell (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1974-1980)

See also: PWN’D

UKRAINE: Informal term for a small guitar-like instrument originating from the Khanate of the Crimea. Famous "Ukrainists" include the Wigan-born musician George Formby, writer of classic works such as “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat” *

UMBRELLA: Derogatory British term for a non-white female spouse of a white male. Originates from "Umber Eleanor", the Nubian-born wife of King Henry II

YORKSHIRE PUDDING: Term given to a small, round bowler hat, usually reinforced, traditionally worn by mine supervisors in the North of England.

*A thousand virtual pounds to whoever gets this reference!
 
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George Formby Jr. was a banjolele player, and Bob Dylan had a song about a pillbox hat. I got that from Wikipedia. I hadn't known about either of those, but Audrey Hepburn had a famous photo of her in that kind of hat.

Leopard - A person who imitates the manners and dress of King Leo II of Spain (1878-1902)

Skin - slang for the paper currency of South Africa during its civil wars and economic crisis period of 1942-1972.

Pillbox - a prison cell for minor offenders; the term became popular in London in the 18th-19th centuries.

Hat - A temporary roof or awning.

I also found this...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070228103959AAfTgZi

:D
 
George Formby Jr. was a banjolele player, and Bob Dylan had a song about a pillbox hat. I got that from Wikipedia. I hadn't known about either of those, but Audrey Hepburn had a famous photo of her in that kind of hat.

Close but no cylindrical smoking device!

A small clue, look up the "The Day Today" episodes!
 
Maybe you replied before I edited my post and added that link to answers.yahoo.com? Somebody there said there was a spoof about George Formby on "The Day Today". But I went to Wikipedia's article on the show and didn't find any reference to George Formby.
 
TELEVISOR -- A tube which magnifies and focuses objects viewed over great distances.

TELEVISION -- The act of using a televisor.

LIMERICK -- Something to be avenged, esp. unsuccessfully.

LIBERTY -- A crate designed for holding books.
 
THREAD NECROMANCY - a form of witchcraft, in which the practitioners believe they can communicate with the dead by creating a special woven cloth. They then cast a spell on a spool of thread, and use the thread to create an image of the deceased person.

ALIEN SPACE BAT - Something which US government bureaucrats came up with. Illegal or Legal Alien residents in the US are given papers which authorize them to have living quarters and an occupation at such-and-such a place for such-and-such period of time. This living space, or working space, is known as "alien space." The papers are contained for convenience in a 12-inch-long hollow tube, known as a bat; hence, "alien space bat." The bureaucrat who came up with the idea was either a rabid baseball fan, a rabid sci-fi fan, or both, or had a weird sense of humor.

TROLL - A kind of dance done in nightclubs, especially the kind supposedly typical of obese persons; a contraction of the phrase, "FA T R OCK and R OLL"

BANHAMMER - A type of hammer used in the construction industry for removing pesky nails and the like.
 
Travesty - the early evening meal eaten by the Scottish group fronted by Fran Healey.

Broken - to 'halloo' a black sibling named Kenneth.
 
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