Ja
- jack
- veneral disease
rhyming slang: jack in the box for pox
- jackass ∼ jacko, jacky
- a kookaburra
Also called the laughing jackass.
aussie slang since 1850
- jackeroo ♂ ∼ jillaroo ♀
- a young person working on a station
The word has been in use since the middle of the 19th century and continues today. The alternate spelling jackaroo is used interchangeably. The first documented use was in Qld, and may have its origins in the colonial phrase jack a 'roo, which means to turn the meat on a spit.Originally they were inexperienced young men with city backgrounds from Britain or Australia, ostensibly engaged with a view to acquiring the practical experience and management skills desirable in a station owner or manager.During WWII it became necessary for women to take on traditional male‑only jobs, and this also continues today with the jillaroo. - jack jumper
- a type of aggresive bull ant
An insect whose bite can be fatal.
Known as hopper ants or jumper ants Australia-wide. tassie slang
- Jack Lang
- aussie slang
A Labor premier of NSW twice, Jack Lang governed in the 1920s and 1930s. rhyming slang: jack lang for slang
- jack of
- fed up, tired
He got jack of the place and cleared out. aussie slang since the 1890s
- jack shit
- nothing
All that work, and I ended up with jack shit. aussie slang since the 1970s
- jack the dancer
- cancer
Laconically, jack dancer rhyming slang: jack the dancer for cancer
- Jacky Howe
- a navy or black sleeveless woolen jumper
Traditionally worn by labourers and bushmen.
Named after John Robert Howe, who established a world shearing record by hand-shearing 321 sheep in 7 hours and 40 minutes at Alice Downs, Qld in 1892.
His world record stood until 1950 when it was broken by a shearer using a machine. - jack up
- 1 refuse to join in
To show disapproval, to be uncooperative.
2 to raise or increase something
They jacked up their prices. aussie slang since the 1890s
- jaffa
- a very good delivery
After the proprietory name for the orange-flavoured chocolate lollies.
cricket slang
- jaffle
- a toasted sandwich
- jam tart
- a spunky young woman
British slang that survived in Aussie up until the 1960s. rhyming slang: sweet heart for tart
- jarmies
- pyjamas
Je
- jeff
- to downsize or reduce funding, to ruin or destroy
In the manner of Jeff Kennett, the Liberal premier of Vic in 1992 – 1999.
Our hopes of getting fair wages have been jeffed. vic slang
- Jeff's shed
- the melbourne exhibition centre
Spoken of derisively, owing to the bland architecture of such a large building in a prominent position in the Melbourne CBD, on the south bank of the Yarra River. melbourne slang
- Jimmy Woodser
- drinking alone
After Jimmy Wood, in the 1892 poem by bush balladist Barcroft Boake.
Jo
- job
- to hit or punch
Watch out or I'll job you! - jocks
- male underpants
- Joe
- a military police officer or trooper
After Charles Joseph La Trobe, Lieutenant-Governer of Vic in the 1850s, whose mining regulations were enforced by the police.
On the goldfields the cry of Joe! was used to warn others of the approach of police.
Hence, any police officer. aussie slang since colonial times
- Joe Blake
- a snake
rhyming slang from 1905: joe blake for snake
- joey
- 1 a baby kangaroo , a baby koala
- 2 a disparaging term for an anglo-aussie
Used by people of other ethnic backgrounds.
Similar to but not as common as skip. - john dory
- 1 a table fish
Of excellent eating quality.
2 a story rhyming slang from 1980s: john dory for story
- John Hop
- a policeman
Sometimes pronounced jonnop rhyming slang from 1900s: john hop for cop
- Johnny Raper
- a newspaper
After the National Rugby League legend Johnny Raper. rhyming slang: johnny raper for paper
- joint
- 1 a home , a place of business , any establishment
Come round to my joint.
2 can even be used for the entire country
They come out here and act like they own the joint!
3 a marijuana cigarette - jo-jo
- bindi-eye
A lawn weed introduced from South America in the early 20th century.
Commonly shortened to bindi, with spiky seeds which stick painfully in your feet.
The word comes from Kamilaroi, a nearly extinct Aboriginal language of central and northern NSW, though it referred to another plant entirely.
In the Newcastle, NSW region it is called a joey. wa slang
- joker
- a fellow , a bloke
An aussie original, now also used in the US.
He's a funny sort of joker. recorded in the sydney gazette in 1810
- jonnic
- genuine or true
Dating back to the 1870s in Australia, originally British dialect. died out in the 1960s
- joogie
- a type of freshwater crayfish
Known also as gilgie, from the Aboriginal language Nyungar.
Also spelt jilgie, and colloqualised as joogie.
- See yabby for more information.
wa slang from an aboriginal language
- journo
- a journalist
aussie slang since the 1960s
Ju
- jug
- an electric kettle
- jumbuck
- a sheep
Formerly quite common, now virtually obsolete except for its placement in the national song Waltzing Matilda.
Originally Aboriginal Pidgin English related to the phrase jump up.
aussie slang from an aboriginal language
- jump-up
- a sharp rise in otherwise flat country
The area around Tibooburra in north-western NSW is known as
jump-up country. - jungle juice
- a strong and rough alcoholic drink
Originally made by aussie diggers in New Guinea during WWII.
Also adopted (the drink and the word) by US soldiers.