ROYAL MARINE JARGON

ABC	Abbreviation of All Been Changed; a change of detail.
ACE	Good, excellent.
Airy Fairy	A member of the Fleet Air Arm.
A1	The very best.
B
Bandie	Members of the Royal Marines Band
Banjo	A sandwich; broken or broken down.
Banyan	A picnic on a boat or beach.
Basha	Originally a temporary jungle shelter, now applied to any temporary shelter in the field.
Belay	To cease an action; to cancel.
Bimble	To walk casually; to wander.
Bish	A Naval padre.
Bite	To be drawn into an argument or be wound up.
Bivvy	A bivouac - temporary field shelter, constructed with a waterproof poncho.
Blues	The ceremonial blue uniform of the Royal Marines.
Bootie	RM and RN abbreviation of the term used for a Royal Marine (see Bootneck).
Bootneck	A Royal Marines Commando.
Bombed out	Crazy; exhausted.
Bonedome	Protective helmet, particularly applied to that worn by pilots.
Brill / Brills	Brilliant, magnificent.
Brammer	Oustandingly good.
Bronzy	Suntan.
Bronzy time	Sunbathing.
Brown Hatter	See Snapper.
Bubbled	To be found out or ‘rumbled’.
Bug - out	To conduct a military withdrawal.
Bunting tosser	A member of the RN signals fraternity. (see also ‘Flag wagger’ and ‘Sigs’).
Buzz	A rumour.
BZ	Bravo Zulu - Well done.
C
Cabin	A room, usually a bedroom.
Can spanner	A tin opener (see ‘Spanner’).
Charlie - G	The 84mm Carl Gustav anti - tank weapon.
Chin stay	The strap used to secure a cap, or helmet to the head.
Chopper	A helicopter.
Chippie	A carpenter.
Chit / Chittie	A small piece of paper.
Chuck one up	A salute.
Chuck up	a. Praise (see also ‘Recommend’). b. To smell badly.
Chuffed	Pleased.
Chunter	To mutter or mumble (see also ‘Drip’).
Church key	A device equipped with both bottle and can opener.
Civvies	Civilians / Civvian clothing.
Clear lower deck	When personnel of a unit are called together for an address by the Commanding Officer; a 100% turnout.
Cloggie	Cloggie A Dutchman.
Club swinger	A Physical Training Instructor.
Come alongside	To make the grade; to agree.
Common dog	Common sense.
Compo	Composite Rations, Ration Pack.
Crab	A member of the Royal Air Force. or Lacking in personal hygeine.
Crab Air	The Royal Air Force.
Cracked it	To achieve.
Crack - up	To lose ones patience.
Crappers	To be very drunk.
Crash out	To fall asleep.
Cream in	Collide.
Chrimbo	Christmas.
D
Dank	Miserable.
Dhobi	To wash or launder.
Dig out (blind)	To make an all out effort.
Dink	To give or receive a blow.
Dip out / dip	To come off worst in any situation.
Ditch	To throw away or discard.
Dog robbers	Jacket and tie.
Dog Watch	Two short watch periods that equalise the watch roster. Someone who has been in a ‘Dog watch’ means one who has little experience.
Donkey Wallopers	The Cavalry.
Down on your chin straps	To be exhausted.
Dregs	Ugly; unappealing.
Drip	To complain.
Drip sesh	A period organised so that complaints can be aired.
Drives	The driver of a vehicle.
Drop a sprog	To give birth.
E
Ear pounding	To give or receive a verbal warning.
Earwigging	Eavesdropping.
Eating Irons	Eating utensils.
Endex	The point an exercise ends.
Essence	Beautiful, usually applied to ones Pash or Party.
F
Fang Farrier	A dentist.
Fanny - rat	A stacks rating who is never satisfied with the Pash / Party he has.
G
Galley	The kitchen and / or dining hall.
Gannet	One with an insatiable appetite.
Gash	Rubbish, waste.
Gash Hand	Spare rank.
Gen	Genuine; the truth.
GD	General Duties rank.
Gizzit	Items that are given away, usually for public relations purposes.
Glimp	To peer or peep.
Globe and Buster	The Corps Crest (the Globe & Laurel) or the Royal Marines magazine.
Glop	To slurp or drink hurriedly.
Glophead	A habitual drunkard.
Goffer	a. A wave (sea water vareity). b. A cold drink. c. A punch (fist type not drink).
Gonk	To sleep.
Gopping	Extremely unpleasant. Usually used to describe ugly women.
H
Hand	A member of an organisation / crew. Commonly used to refer to an individual of good repute.
Hangfire	Wait a period of time.
Hanging - out	To have given 100% physically.
Harry	Superlative eg ‘Harry Crappers’.
Heads	Toilets.
Honking / Honkers	Intoxicated; smelly.
I
Icers	Very cold
Ickies	Money
Inboard	To come out on top, to succeed.
J
Jack	A member of the Royal Navy.
Jack up	To arrange or organise something.
Jenny	A member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service.
Jimpy / Jeeps	General Purpose Machine Gun.
Jolly	An easy job or organised recreatiion. (see ‘Swan’).
Jollies (HM)	Original name for citizen soldiers of the Trained Bands of London in 1664, from whose ranks Marines were first formed. Later became RN slang for a Marine, hence Kipling’s ‘HM Jollies’.
Junglies	Members of the Naval Air Commando Squadrons.
‘JWH’	Abbreviation of Jersey Wool Heavy - the issue pullover.
K
Kag / Kaggage	Unwanted or useless equipment.
Kit muster	A check, in which an individual’s complete equipment is laid out to ensure all is accounted for. The term is also used to describe the act of vomitting.
Knack all	Nil, nothing.
Knacker / fat knacker	A person who is unfit and / or overweight.
L
Lash up	To treat
Laughing kitbags	To find something very amusing.
Leg it	To run.
Limers	A soft drink.
Loafer / loafing	One who sits back and lets others do his share of the work.
Lovats	The No 2 dress uniform of the Royal Marines, lovat green in colour.
M
Magic	Marvellous.
Make ‘n’ mend	A period allocated to the maintenance of an individual’s equipment, or personal administration.
Manky	Filthy.
Maskers	Masking tape. Uses for this valuable commodity are many and varied. Also known as ‘Ha rry black’ or ‘Harry black maskers’.
Matelot	A sailor.
Mess deck dodger	The person responsible for tidying a mess deck or barrack room.
Micky duck	A cartoon film.
MOA	Abbreviation of a Marine Officer’s Attendant - the equivalent of a batman.
MOD Plod	Ministry of Defence Police.
Muscle bo’sun	One who prides himself on the strength of his body.
N
Nause	Nausea, inconvenience.
Neaters	Undiluted spirits. (Navy Rum ration traditionally was condenced)
Nine o’ clockers	Mid evening snack.
Nod / Noddy	A Royal Marines recruit. (Changed to "Wink" due to presure from the media about name calling - i.e. a Nod is as good as a Wink.
Nutty	Confectionary.
Nutty fiend	One who has a sweet tooth.
O
‘OD’	An abbreviation indicating ‘ Other Denomination’ as a persons religous conviction or commonly used as a derogatory term for someone who should know better.
Oggie	A pasty.
O Group	A meeting whereby orders for an operation are given to subordinate commanders.
Ooloo	Originally the term applied to jungle. Now sometimes given to an area of rough country or heavy vegetation.
Oppo	A close friend.. The ‘opposite number’ of a two man team; a system used to ensure maximum effectiveness in military activities.
P
Party	A female.
Pash	A female, with whom a marine has formed a more than casual relationship. A fiancee.
Percy	A soldier (see also ‘Pongo’).
Phot	A photograph or photographer.
Ping	To recognise or identify; to catch out.
Pingers	Members of the RN anti - submarine helicopter squadrons.
Pipe	To broadcast a message; usually via the public address system on board ship or in barracks.
Piso	Careful with money.
Pit	A bunk, bed or sleeping space (see also ‘Scratcher’).
Plums	Nothing. (see also ‘Dip’). Often used in the context of ‘Trapping’.
Plums rating	One who is continually unsuccessful with women.
Pole - up	To appear, to arrive suddenly.
Pom	Dehydrated mashed potato.
Pompey	Portsmouth.
Pongo	A soldier; derived from the common naval belief that soldiers never wash.
Prof	To acquire.
Provie	A member of the Provost Staff, the Regimental or Unit Police.
Pussers	Appertaining to the Service; stores and equipment issued from Service sources. Anything done unimaginatively or ‘by the book’ is done in a ‘pussers’ manner.
Pusser’s hard	Issue soap.
Pusser’s planks	Military skis.
Pusser’s red devil	The standard naval issue bicycle. Invariably painted red.
Puzzle Palace	A Headquarters building.
R
Rabbits	Gifts or souvenirs, obtained by going on a ‘rabbit run’.
Recommend	Formalised approval or praise - ‘take a recommend.
Redders	Opposite to Icers.
Rice	Effort. To ‘give it rice’ means to apply a considerable amount of effort in a direct manner.
Rig	A mode of dress. To ‘get rigged’ is to get dressed.
Rock / Rock all	Nil, or nothing.
Rock ape	RAF Regiment.
Rug rat	A baby (see also ‘sprog’).
Run	A trip or journey.
Run ashore	To leave ship or barracks for recreation or relaxation.
S
Sandies / Sandy Bottoms	The last ‘sippers of a wet’.
SB	Abbreviation for Special Boat Service. One who has joined the SBS is said to have gone SB.
Scran	Food.
Scran bag	A bag on a mess deck in which spare or damaged clothing and rags are collected. One who is untidily dressed is said to ‘look like a scran bag’.
Scratcher	A bed, bunk or bedspace (see also ‘pit’).
Scronky / Scronks	Untidy (see also ‘scran bag’).
Sea Daddy	An experienced marine or sailor who looks after a recruit to ‘show him the ropes’.
Secure	To finish; to tidy away after a job or watch.
Shave - off	An expression of exasperation; to speak out in turn.
Shreddies	Underpants.
Sigs	A radio operator.
Sin Bosun	A Naval Padre.
Sippers	A liquid measure; a sip offered from one’s own drink.
Skin	Immature or inexperienced. Lacking in facial hair.
Skin Mag	Playboy or similar magazine.
Slide	Butter or margerine (see also ‘grease’).
Smally	Small.
Snaps	A photographer (see also ‘phot’).
Sneaky Beaky	Intelligence staff or their operations.
Snurgle	To advance warily, or to crawl.
Snapper	Someone who is gay.
Sods opera	A show produced by a ship’s company or unit to entertain themselves.
Spanner	Any food or implement.
Spitkid	A waste receptacle.
Sprog	A baby, or youth lacking in experience.
Spud locker	Vegetable preparation room.
Stacks	The opposite of ‘plums’. To receive overmuch. Usually used to describe one who has great success with woman.
Stand easy	An official break in the work schedule; equates with a tea / coffee break.
Steamer	A ship.
Stick	a. Abuse. b. A grouping of manpower for amphibious operations.
Stickies	Cakes.
Swan	An easy or enjoyable journey or job, (see also ‘jolly’).
Sweating neaters	To be worried.
T
The Corps	RM and RN generic term for the Royal Marines.
Thin out	To depart.
Threaders	To be fed up, to have had enough of something.
Three Badger	A marine or sailor of low rank but great experience. Derived from the good conduct badges (chevrons) worn to denote years of service, three badges being the maximum.
Trap	To successfully attract a member of the opposite sex.
Troop bible	A book containing all the relevant details of the individuals in a sub unit.
Trough	To eat.
Turn - to	To parade or begin work.
Twos - up	To take a turn at / with something.
U
Uckers	A board game. Adult version of Ludo.
Up homers	To be invited home.
Up the line	To travel away from base, originally referring to a train journey.
V
Vittled up	To be subjected to heavy and effective gunfire.
W
Wallah	The operator of a small shop or stand, usually unofficial (eg ‘Goffer Wallah’).
Watch	Sentry Duty; male only.
Waz / wazzer	Fantastic.
Wellie	To punch or hit.
Wet	A drink of any description.
Winger / wings	A comrade or close friend (see also ‘oppo’).
Woolly pulley	Pullover (see also ‘JWH’).
Work your ticket	To arrange to leave the Service.
Y
Yaffling spanners	Eating utensils.
Yeti	A spectacular fall whilst on skis.
Yomp	To force march with a heavy load.
Z
Zap / zapped	To shoot or be shot.
Zeds	Sleep.

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