Crime & Trouble

Mischief, problems, police, and getting into strife

简介

从“nicking（偷东西）”到被“nicked（抓了）”，英语俚语为生活中不太光彩的一面准备了丰富的词汇。不管你是陷入“hot water（麻烦）”、做了什么“dodgy（可疑的）”事，还是在跟“the fuzz（条子）”打交道，这些表达反映了人们对犯罪、惩罚和麻烦的态度。

英国犯罪俚语深深扎根于伦敦东区的押韵俚语和地下世界的词汇。美式英语从禁酒令时期的黑帮到现代街头俚语，贡献了自己的一套有趣说法。澳式俚语则给犯罪和恶作剧带来了标志性的不正经态度。

这一章聊的是“惹麻烦”的语言——从小打小闹到严重犯罪，从被抓到全身而退。

主题

本章全部英语俚语（67）

• Nick To steal; also a police station; also to arrest.
• Pinch To steal; also to arrest.
• Swipe To steal, especially casually or opportunistically.
• The fuzz The police (dated slang).
• The filth The police (British, derogatory).
• Old Bill The police (British).
• Grass An informer; to inform on someone to authorities.
• Snitch An informer; to inform on someone.
• Rat An informer; a traitor.
• In hot water In trouble.
• Sticky fingers A tendency to steal; a thief.
• Five-finger discount Stealing (humorous euphemism).
• Caught red-handed Caught in the act of doing something wrong.
• Bang to rights Caught with undeniable evidence of guilt.
• Do time To serve a prison sentence.
• Behind bars In prison.
• In the slammer In prison.
• Porridge Prison; prison sentence (British).
• Bent Corrupt; criminal; dishonest.
• Leg it To run away quickly.
• Do a runner To leave suddenly without paying; to escape.
• Up the creek In serious trouble.
• Fit-up To frame someone for a crime they didn't commit.
• Stitch-up A conspiracy to frame someone or fix an outcome.
• Get away with murder To escape punishment for bad behavior.
• Scot-free Without any punishment or negative consequences.
• Throw the book at To give the maximum punishment.
• Do a bunk To run away or escape, especially to avoid trouble.
• Clean getaway A successful escape without being caught or leaving evidence.
• Lay low To hide or keep a low profile to avoid detection.
• Inside job A crime committed with help from someone within the organization.
• Fall guy Someone who takes the blame for others.
• Slippery customer Someone who is evasive or difficult to pin down.
• On the lam On the run from the police or authorities.
• Cop out To avoid responsibility or take the easy way out.
• Take the rap To accept blame or punishment, especially for someone else.
• In cahoots Working together secretly, often for dishonest purposes.
• Skullduggery Underhanded dealing, trickery, or dishonest behaviour.
• Dob in To inform on someone; to report them to authorities.
• Blag To steal or obtain through trickery; also an armed robbery.
• Collared Caught or arrested; grabbed by the collar.
• Hook, line, and sinker Completely and totally; entirely deceived.
• Fingered Identified or named as a criminal; pointed out to authorities.
• Crooked Dishonest, corrupt, or involved in crime.
• Clean as a whistle Completely innocent; free from guilt or wrongdoing.
• The clink Prison or jail.
• Roughed up Beaten up or physically intimidated.
• Shakedown Extortion; a thorough search; or an initial test.
• tea leaf thief
• scarper run away
• fitted up framed for a crime
• stitched up tricked or framed
• inside in prison
• bird prison sentence
• stretch prison sentence
• clink prison
• slammer prison
• collar arrest / to arrest someone
• feel someone's collar to arrest someone
• form criminal record
• rap sheet criminal record
• on the take accepting bribes
• racket illegal scheme or corrupt enterprise
• scam fraud or swindle
• con trick or swindle / convict
• bang up lock up in prison cell
• suss to figure out / suspicious