Why do they say cut the mustard?
Possibly derived from the idiom ‘to pass muster’, an expression for assembling military troops for inspection. A troop who has achieved excellent performance in, for example, a room inspection, is allowed to skip, or “cut” having to stand a formal muster or formation and go on liberty early, etc.
Why do Cockneys call a watch a kettle?
Kettle and hob = watch This is a confusing phrase as it doesn’t rhyme with its modern day meaning. The term means watch, which has stemmed from a fob watch which was a pocket watch with attached to the body with a small chain. The kettle used to boil on the hob of a stove… hence the rhyme.
Why do we say Bloody Nora?
Bloody Norah was originally called Norah and the maid for the wealthy Duke Wodingtonshire in the 17th century. She earned the name Bloody Norah after she killed a servant of the duke with a stick of celery. After a long struggle Norah escapes and leaving the Battered Duke cussing to himself “Bloody Norah!”.
What do they call the bathroom in England?
In British English, “bathroom” is a common term but is typically reserved for private rooms primarily used for bathing; a room without a bathtub or shower is more often known as a “WC”, an abbreviation for water closet, or “loo”.
Is Cockney derogatory?
The word Cockney has had a pejorative connotation, originally deriving from cokenay, or cokeney, a late Middle English word of the 14th century that meant, literally, “cocks’ egg” (i.e., a small or defective egg, imagined to come from a rooster—which, of course, cannot produce eggs).
What is Adele’s accent?
British accent
Why is Cockney dialect ashamed?
Answer. Explanation: It even says that the native may even speak in a provincial or cockney dialect of which he is a little ashamed and this may even prevent him from obtaining some employment which is open only to those speaking correct English.
What’s the poorest part of London?
The most concentrated areas of high poverty are in areas such as Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham, and the north east of London. There are also noticeable pockets of high poverty rates in areas in west London, such as in Brent and the north ends of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster.
Which is the richest city in England?
London