Favorite Australian Slang: Phrases to Call People Unintelligent

Every culture has them – idioms that refer to people lacking a sort of mental awareness or intelligence in a funny kind of way. Think for example: “He’s a couple of fries short of a Happy Meal.” Another good one is, “He’s not the brightest crayon in the box.” Both are really good ways to talk about someone lacking brain power in a humorous tone.

Aussies are no different. I was flipping through my Aussie Slang Dictionary and came across quite a few, and here is the list:

• Brick short of a load
• Couple of pies short of a grand final – This is talking about the delicious meat pies and how they like to eat them at sporting events.
• Drives uphill with the clutch slipping
• Few ‘roos short in the top paddock
• Few stubbies short of a six pack – Stubbies is a slang word for bottles of beer, which you can read more about in my drinking terms slang article.
• Got space to sell between the ears
• If his brains were dynamite, they wouldn’t blow his hat off.
• Lift doesn’t go all the way to the top floor
• Lights are on but nobody’s home
• Nothing between the ears
• Not the full quid – A quid was the slang term for the old Aussie pound, which is now a dollar.
• Not the sharpest knife in the cutlery drawer
• Not the sharpest tool in the shed
• Out for lunch
• Sandwich short of a picnic
• Short of numbers in the Upper House
• Snag short of a barbie – A snag is a slang word for sausages, and barbie is a barbecue. You can’t have a barbie in Oz without some good sausages!
• Wouldn’t know his arse from his elbow