From ‘brass monkeys’ to ‘baltic’: These are 7 (very British) cold weather expressions

With Met Office’s recent winter weather forecast, you can certainly expect to hear a fair few annoyances about the weather coming up.

But when it comes to the most popular British slang phrases to describe the cold, what are they?

The language experts at Preply have revealed all below…

Nippy

When it comes to the British synonyms for cold, ‘nippy’ is a very popular term.

Nippy is a historical word and its original meaning is ‘to prod’.

Since the Middle English period, the word has come to be associated with something that exudes a stinging sensation, much like the feeling of cold air.

Nip in the air

As the leaves fall to the ground and the air becomes crisp, you could say that there is a certain ‘nip in the air’.

This British phrase is used to describe the mellow transition into autumn and just means that it is starting to become cold.

Freezing

We Brits like to be dramatic when it comes to describing how we feel when temperatures go just below ten degrees.
Commonly uttered in statements like, “I’m freezing”, or, “It’s bloody freezing” outside, ‘freezing’ is another exaggerated way to describe cold weather.

Brass monkeys

In terms of the more traditional ways to describe the cold, “brass monkeys” is another slang expression.
Originally, “brass monkeys” was depicted as a navy expression and earlier forms of the word include references to freezing off the tail, whiskers or ears of a monkey.

Baltic

A slang phrase particularly common in Scotland and Northern England, ‘baltic’ is a word usually saved for those bitterly cold days.
The origin of the word comes from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, also known as the Baltic countries known for their extremely cold weather.

Brisk

Although brisk is an adjective used to describe something active and energetic, the term is also another synonym for cold.
As well as being used in Britain, you may also hear the term being used in the U.S. and Australia.

Taters in the mould

Another regionally specific piece of slang, you may hear the phrase ‘taters in the mould’ being said in parts of London.
The phrase itself originates from Cockney rhyming slang in which ‘taters (short for potatoes) in the mould’ rhymes with ‘cold’.