Cockney Rhyming Slang (CRS)

Here’s the deal, Benson had definitely spent a lifetime or two too many as a familiar of witches and wizards in London, England--particularly the east end, fondly referred to as the home of the "Cockney". This small area of London has a very particular accent and one of their more charming and a fun habit is the use of "Cockney Rhyming Slang" (CRS). It is an idiom of speech wherein there are pairs of words the second one ending with the same sound as the actual word which is meant to be said. Confusing at first off but here are some examples:

As mentioned above instead of saying "road", Benson said "frog" - that is actually a shortening of "frog and toad" which of course is the rhyme for "road".

What further complicates this is that often only the first word of the pair is used, as in "I’m just running up the apples for a mo’" Which means ’I’m running up the stairs for a moment, the ’pears’ having been dropped.

There a tons of these - some classic...everyone knows them...some newer and some you’ll be told are out right rubbish.

So have fun with this. Benson will let them drop throughout the Persy books, see if you can figure them out.

Cockney Rhyming Slang English

Aberdeen's Beans
Adam and Eve Believe
After Eight Date
Al Capone Phone
Almond Rocks Socks
Ann Murray Hurry
Apples and Pears Stairs
April Showers Flowers

Baked Beans Jeans
Barney Marlin Darling
Bo Peep Sleep
Britney Spears Ears
Butcher's Hock Look

Calvin Klein Wine
Cat and Mouse House
Cornish Pasty Nasty
Cream Crackered Knackered (tired)

Daffadown Dilly Silly
Dicky Bird Word

Fridge and Freezer Geezer

Gawd's Struth Truth

Ice and Slush Crush

Jam Jar Car
James Dean Queen
June Bride Ride
Jurassic Park Dark

Lager and Lime Time
Lee Marvin Starvin'
Loaf of Bread Head

Maurice Gibb Fib
Moriarity Party
Motor Bike Like
Mutt and Jeff Deaf

Peanut Butter Nutter
Pen and Ink Stink
Push and Shove Love

Soapy Bubble Trouble
Son and Daughter Water
Stewart Granger Danger

Town Hall Ball
Trouble and Strife Wife

Whisle and Flute Suit