British English idioms or sayings for surprise

[hrdsmj]

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]

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.

 

[Tdol]

How about Gordon Bennett!

 

[sunnyday2410]

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

It can be used for all situation ?

 

[BobK]

'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]

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.

 

[Tdol]

Well, I never

 

[5jj]

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.

 

[youandcorey]

Blimey! I just don't know.

 

[Tdol]

What the dickens!

 

[5jj]

What the dickens!

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

 

[Tdol]

Crikey- you've got a bit of a north and south, Fivejedjon. ;-)

 

[5jj]

Crikey- you've got a bit of a north and south, Fivejedjon. ;-)

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

 

[Tdol]

:shocked!: Strewth

;-)

 

[5jj]

Well I'll go to the back of our stairs.

Dated northern English expression

 

[Barb_D]

(Excuse me, what does the "north and south" comment mean?)

 

[5jj]

(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?

 

[timtak]

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.

 

[yousef4english]

thanks for you all
:lol:
​

 

[birdeen's call]

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.