Health & Body

Illness, fitness, appearance, and feeling under the weather

Introduction

The body and its many states—from fighting fit to feeling rough—have inspired a rich vocabulary across English-speaking cultures. Whether you're "a bit peaky" (British for looking unwell) or "crook" (Australian for sick), these terms reveal how we talk about our physical selves.

British English particularly excels at understatement when it comes to health. You're rarely "very ill"—you're "not feeling too clever" or "a bit under the weather." This restraint contrasts with the more direct American approach, while Australian slang adds its characteristic laid-back humor to medical complaints.

This chapter covers the language of health and body—from minor ailments to serious conditions, from physical attributes to states of fitness and fatigue.

Themes

All British Slang & Idioms in This Chapter (84)

• Crook Sick or unwell (Australian).
• Gippy tummy An upset stomach, especially from foreign travel.
• Poorly Unwell or sick (British, often for children).
• Off-colour Not feeling well; also means slightly rude or risqué.
• Rough as guts Feeling very unwell; also means crude or unrefined.
• Green around the gills Looking nauseous or seasick; appearing unwell.
• Zonked Completely exhausted or very tired.
• Wiped out Completely exhausted or extremely tired.
• Dead on your feet Extremely tired while still standing or working.
• Bushed Very tired or exhausted.
• Beat Tired or exhausted (American).
• Pooped Exhausted or very tired (American).
• Tuckered out Completely exhausted (American).
• Run-down In poor health due to exhaustion or stress.
• Burnt out Completely exhausted from overwork or prolonged stress.
• Fighting fit In excellent physical condition; very healthy.
• Right as rain Completely well; in perfect health.
• In the pink In excellent health; in top condition.
• On the mend Recovering from illness; getting better.
• Picking up Recovering; starting to improve.
• Perking up Becoming more lively; recovering energy.
• Bouncing back Recovering quickly from illness or setback.
• Coming down with Starting to get ill with something.
• On one's last legs Near exhaustion, collapse, or death.
• Bonce Head (British slang).
• Noggin Head; also a small drink.
• Barnet Hair (Cockney rhyming slang).
• Mush Face; also a term of address for a man.
• Gob Mouth (British slang).
• Lug-holes Ears (British slang).
• Ticker Heart.
• Pins Legs.
• Plates Feet (Cockney rhyming slang).
• Beer belly A protruding stomach, stereotypically from drinking beer.
• Spare tyre A roll of fat around the waist.
• Love handles Fat deposits on the sides of the waist.
• Pot belly A round, protruding stomach.
• Lanky Tall and thin, often awkwardly so.
• Built like a brick outhouse Very solidly built; muscular and sturdy.
• Skinny as a rake Extremely thin.
• Beanpole A very tall, thin person.
• Having a lie-down Taking a rest by lying down (British).
• Forty winks A short nap.
• Kip Sleep or a place to sleep (British).
• Crash To sleep suddenly or stay somewhere overnight.
• Out like a light Fell asleep instantly.
• Snooze A light sleep or nap.
• Hit the sack Go to bed.
• Turn in Go to bed for the night.
• Hit the hay Go to bed.
• Sleep like a log Sleep very deeply and soundly.
• Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Alert, energetic, and enthusiastic.
• Full of beans Lively and full of energy.
• aches and pains minor physical discomforts
• fit as a fiddle in excellent health
• splitting headache severe headache
• clean bill of health official confirmation of good health
• run down exhausted and susceptible to illness
• sick as a dog very ill, especially with vomiting
• off colour looking or feeling unwell
• knocked for six severely affected or overwhelmed by illness
• burning up having a high fever
• come down with to catch an illness
• go private use private healthcare instead of NHS
• waiting list NHS queue for treatment
• on tablets taking prescription medication
• see the quack visit the doctor
• black and blue badly bruised
• in agony in extreme pain
• out of sorts feeling unwell or irritable
• at death's door extremely ill, near death
• pull through survive a serious illness
• go downhill deteriorate in health
• bed rest staying in bed to recover
• take a turn sudden change in health condition
• touch and go uncertain whether someone will survive
• given the all-clear declared free of illness or risk
• on your last legs near exhaustion or death
• take it easy rest and don't strain yourself
• sick note doctor's certificate for work absence
• signed off given medical leave from work
• chunder to vomit
• technicolour yawn vomiting
• sickbed bed where someone is ill