British English idioms or sayings for surprise

Status
Not open for further replies.

hrdsmj

New member
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Hi all,

I am looking for British idioms that express surprise at something. I am looking for something along the order of American "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle." I haven't turned up anything more than "Blimey" in my web searches, and I am hoping to find a phrase, not just one word. Any ideas out there?

Thank you in advance.:)

stephanie
 

Munch

Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Japan
Hi all,

I am looking for British idioms that express surprise at something. I am looking for something along the order of American "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle." I haven't turned up anything more than "Blimey" in my web searches, and I am hoping to find a phrase, not just one word. Any ideas out there?

Thank you in advance.:)

stephanie

Well blow me down!
related: You could knock me down with a feather!

"Heavens to Betsy!" is a fun one, but would mostly be used by older people (women?) these days.
That was the first one that came to mind but I will try to keep thinking about it throughout the day.
 
Last edited:

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
How about Gordon Bennett!
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
'Well, there's a thing!' Or there are many versions of 'I'll be blowed' - using a variety of adjectives with varying levels of social accepability. Often, what the speaker will be is unstated: 'Well I'll be...'

A rather dated one is 'My sainted aunt.'

Or a Northern one that always tickles me - though I've no idea what it means:
'I'll go to the foot of our stairs'. (I think this one has to be filed in the same inexplicable category as 'good enough for gravy' and 'daft as a brush' - similar in that they're opaque, not having the same meaning.)

b
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
With appropriate intonation, Jesus Christ or just Christ can be used to express surprise. Be careful; many Christians can be offended by what they consider to be taking the Lord's name in vain.

Similarly, with appropriate intonation, Fuck me and I'll be fucked are frequently used. These can give offence to many people, who consider them to be obscene.
 
Last edited:

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Well, I never
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
I bet you did

(added a week later) This is NOT used to express surprise. When I originally read this thread, I interpreted Tdol's Well I never as an expression of surprise at my using the F-word in a thread. My I bet you did was a facetious response to that. I have belatedly realised that Tdol was simply adding an expression of surprise to the list. Sorry if my self-centredness caused anybody to be confused.
 
Last edited:

youandcorey

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
Japan
Blimey! I just don't know.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
What the dickens!

Indeed. Thanks for that; it reminded me that what the f... should have been on my last post.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Crikey- you've got a bit of a north and south, Fivejedjon. ;-)
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Crikey- you've got a bit of a north and south, Fivejedjon. ;-)

F... off, Tdol (uttered with a jocular, slightly dismissive intonation). :roll:
 
Last edited:

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
:shocked!: Strewth

;-)
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Well I'll go to the back of our stairs.

Dated northern English expression
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
(Excuse me, what does the "north and south" comment mean?)
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
(Excuse me, what does the "north and south" comment mean?)
Cockney rhyming slang. Mouth

When Tdol accuses me of having a bit of a mouth, he is suggesting that I have a rich and colourful range of expressions, including some that might not appeal to the faint-hearted.

True cockney rhyming slang changes constantly – so that the uninitiated do not know what is being talked about. However, some expressions have become part of the informal language of some BrE speakers. I cannot say whether true cockneys still use these. Examples include:

titfer – hat (tit for tat)
plates – feet (plates of meat)
skin and blister – sister
trouble and strife - wife

I've just found this:What is Cockney rhyming slang?
 
Last edited:

timtak

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2005
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Japan
I don't know which are also US English.

Rude ones in white. Select to view.

Shiver my (me) timbers, flipping eck, flip, friken'/freaking 'eck, cor blimey, don't that just take the biscuit (or other references to the taking of biscuits for bad surprises), you've got to be joking/kidding (me), no shit, I'm flabbergasted/gobsmacked, bollocks!, strike me down, gosh, golly, well I'll be damned, seriously?, you jest, cobblers!, bugger me, sod me.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Syria
Current Location
Syria
thanks for you all
:lol:
 

birdeen's call

VIP Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
I don't know which are also US English.
I don't know about the others but you won't hear "bollocks" in the US. I think it simply doesn't exist there.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top