The Illustrated Dictionary of Australian English

U

• u

uggies

sheepskin boots
Ugg boots, popularised originally by surfers, is a proprietary name used generically.

uey

a u-turn
Pronounced you–ee.
Chuck a uey at the end of the street.

Uluru ∼ Great Pebble

the worlds's biggest rock or monolith
Formed 600 million years ago from arkose, a type of sandstone that contains feldspar which glows a fiery red at sunrise and sunset. Known as Ayers Rock from 1872, it was re-named Uluru in 1985 and returned to the ownership and care of the local Aboriginal people, the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, who consider the area sacred.

It is located within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park about 450 kms south-west of Alice Springs, and is classified as a World Heritage site.

aboriginal australia

umpie

an umpire
sporting slang since the 1960s

uni

university

unit

flat, apartment
A contraction of home-unit

unco

uncoordinated
aussie youth slang since the 1980s

undies

underpants

underdaks

men's underpants
From daks meaning pants.
Also called underchunders or underdungers.

unreal

excellent, unbelievably wonderful
It's been so unreal seeing you again.
aussie youth slang since the 1970s

up oneself

to have a high opinion of oneself
That new bloke is really up himself.

up somebody

to rebuke somebody
The boss got up me for being late

up the creek

to be ruined, finished
Now we're really up shit creek without a paddle.

up the duff

to be pregnant

up there Cazaly!

a cry of encouragement in aussie rules football
Originally directed at Roy Cazaly, a VFL legend.

Roy Cazaly played 99 games for St Kilda between 1911 and 1920 before going on to make a further 99 appearances for South Melbourne where, if anything, he became even better known.

aussie rules

up to scratch

to be fit for the purpose at hand

up you!

damn you!
Commonly written and pronounced upya, the plural being upyas.
aussie slang since the 1940s

usual

one's customary drink
You qualify as a local when you can walk into your favorite bar and have your usual placed before you without a word being said.
However, when you want another one, don't ask for the same again. Barstaff can be linguistic purists, and will remind you that you can't have the same again because you've already had it!
They'll give you something similar.

ute

a utility truck
An open-back work vehicle, known elsewhere as a pickup truck.
With two doors, two seats, and a V8 donk, it is the de-facto aussie sportscar.