Whether you were on the muppets (CB 27/81), mid-band (CEPT), 934MHz (did anyone have a rig up there?), low band, high band, side band, over band, under band, wombling free band... one of the things that made CB what it was, was the words and phrases used to describe everyday objects and situations, plus all imaginable aspects of the rig. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the definitive guide to CB slang in the UK! Forget your emoticons - this is how we should all be communicating!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W X Y Z
| A | |
| ace | CB operator with a high opinion of himself |
| adios | goodbye |
| advertising | police car with flashing lights and siren |
| affirmative | yes |
| air gap | transmitting in dead space |
| alice in wonderland | lost driver |
| a little help | liner amplifier |
| alligator | CB operator who doesn't reply |
| amigo | friend |
| anchor man | base station operator |
| anchored operator | base station operator |
| appliance operator | CB user who knows nothing about his rig |
| armchair | middle vehicle in CB convoy |
| art cart | customised vehicle |
| B | |
| back | replying, as in come back, bring back, etc. |
| back bender | sideband user |
| back door | last vehicle in a convoy |
| back door closed | rear of convoy covered for police |
| background | interference |
| back off | stop transmitting / slow down |
| back off the hammer | slow down |
| backside | return trip |
| backstroke | return trip |
| bad scene | crowded channel, also accident |
| bagging | police catching speeding motorists |
| ballet dancer | antenna blowing in the wind |
| balloons | tyres |
| banana skins | yellow lines |
| bangers ‘n' smash | accident |
| barefoot | using a rig legally |
| basement | channel 1 |
| base 20 | operator's home |
| bat out of hell | moving fast |
| battery acid | coffee |
| bean store | restaurant |
| bear | police |
| bear bait | speeding vehicle without CB |
| bear cage | police station |
| bear cave | police station |
| bear in the air | police helicopter |
| bear report | information on the location of the police |
| beast | powerful CB |
| beating the bushes | scout vehicle ahead of convoy going fast enough to attract police attention and draw them from concealment |
| beaver | girl |
| beaver breaker | female CB operator |
| beaver hunt | searching for beaver |
| bed bug hauler | removal van |
| beer mat | tax disc |
| better half | spouse |
| between the sheets | sleeping |
| big c | north circular road |
| big circle | north circular road |
| big dummy | fellow trucker |
| big m | M1 |
| big red one | fire engine |
| big switch | the on/off switch on a CB |
| big 10-4 | total agreement |
| binders | brakes |
| backtop | major road |
| blaster | horn / hooter |
| bleeding | transmission affecting channels either side of the actual one in use |
| blessed event | a new CB |
| blind man | car with no lights |
| blind side | passenger side of vehicle |
| blood wagon | ambulance |
| blowing smoke | loud clear signal |
| blowing the green balloon | breath teast |
| blow the doors off | overtake |
| blue arrow street | one-way street |
| bluebottles | police |
| blue light | police car |
| bobtail | arctic tractor unit without trailer |
| bodacious | loud signal |
| bone box | hearse |
| bones | doctor |
| boob tube | TV set |
| book breaker | user who modulates according to a CB reference book |
| bootlegger | operator without a licence |
| boots | linear amplifier |
| both feet on the ground | moving fast |
| boulevard | main road |
| bra buster | lady with huge norks |
| bread | money |
| breaker | CB user |
| breaking the needle | coming in loud and clear |
| bring it on | go ahead |
| bronx cheer | passing wind |
| brown bottles | beer |
| brown bottle shop | pub |
| brush your teeth and comb your hair | warning, radar ahead |
| bubble gum machine | vehicle with flashing lights |
| bubble trouble | tyre problem |
| bucket mouth | CB user who uses bad language |
| bumper lane | overtaking lane on motorway |
| bumper sucking | behind another vehicle |
| burner | linear amplifier |
| burning my ears | loud clear signal |
| burst balloon | flat tyre |
| bust | getting caught by the law |
| button pusher | CB user who presses the PTT bar but never speaks |
| buzby | radio authority monitors |
| buzby box | telephone box |
| C | |
| cabover | type of lorry with is flat-fronted |
| camera | radar |
| carrier | radio wave with no voice transmission |
| cat box | toilet |
| charlie's angel | policewoman |
| charlie brown | affirmative |
| channel hog | CB user who talks too much |
| check the seat cover(s) | look at the passenger(s) |
| checking my eyelids for pinholes | sleeping |
| chew and coke | restaurant |
| chick | girl |
| Christmas card | parking ticket |
| chugging it | driving |
| cleaner channel | channel with less interference |
| clear as a spring day | all clear |
| clothesline | power line |
| come again | repeat |
| come back | answer |
| come on | answer |
| comic book | trucker's log book |
| coming out of the windows | good reception |
| concrete jungle | city / town |
| confetti | snow |
| convoy | line of vehicles operating CB travelling together |
| cop shop | police station |
| copy | receive |
| copying the mail | listening without speaking |
| country cadillac | farm tractor |
| crazy paving | bumpy road |
| cruising | moving |
| cut the coax | turn off the rig |
| cut some z's | get some sleep |
| cradle baby | timid or new CB user |
| credit card | boyfriend |
| cutting out | leaving channel |
| D | |
| dead key | person pressing the PTT bar but not speaking |
| dead pedal | slow moving vehicle |
| deaf ‘n dumb | car without CB |
| despair box | place where spare CB components are kept |
| diarrhoea | as in verbal diarrhoea - CB user who doesn't shut up |
| diesel digit | channel 19 |
| dirt floor | unpaved road |
| dock | park |
| dogbox | gear box |
| doghouse | engine compartment |
| doing one | going off the rig, as in to do one |
| do it to me | answer |
| don't feed the bears | don't get caught speeding |
| double eighty-eights | love and kisses, oo er |
| double-up | jacknife |
| doughnut | tyre / roundabout |
| down and gone | turning off the CB |
| down and out | turning off the CB |
| down and on the side | transmission over but listening |
| do you copy? | do you understand? |
| dozing | parked |
| darktime | night |
| dragging wagon | breakdown truck |
| dressed for the ball | listening but not transmitting |
| dress for sale | prostitute |
| drop | delivery run |
| drop the hammer | accelerate |
| dynamite the breaks | stop |
| E | |
| earache | antenna problems |
| ears | CB radio |
| earwig | listening to conversation |
| easy chair | vehicles in the middle of a convoy |
| eights | goodbye, as in 88's |
| envelope | unmarked police car |
| evil knievel | policeman on motorbike |
| everyone's walking the dog | all channels are busy |
| eyeball | meeting / to look at |
| exercise machine | dog |
| F | |
| falcon | a poor quality CB transceiver |
| feed the bears | get a speeding ticket |
| fender bender | accident |
| fingers | a channel hopper |
| fishing rod | antenna |
| five | as in give me five, transmit numbers 1 to 5 for a radio check |
| five by five | perfect signal |
| flag waver | motorway maintenance worker |
| flak | interference |
| flat foot | policeman on the beat |
| flat side | sleep |
| flip | direction change |
| flip-flop | return trip |
| flop shop | hotel |
| flowerpot | police helmet |
| folding camera | visual average speed computer and recorder (VASCAR) |
| foot warmer | linear amplifier |
| for sure | agreed |
| four | yes |
| four ten | emphatically yes |
| four wheeler | car |
| foxhunt | looking for CB user |
| fresh air in the tank | no fuel |
| friend of charlie brown | someone who supports CB |
| front door | leading vehicle in a convoy |
| funny books | pornographic magazines |
| funny bunny | un-marked police car |
| funny mary | FM |
| fur-lined seatcover | female passenger |
| fuzz | police |
| G | |
| gas | petrol |
| gas stool | pass wind |
| get horizontal | go to sleep |
| gimme five | give me five, transmit numbers 1 to 5 for a radio check |
| glass | windscreen |
| glitch | indefinable defect |
| go ahead | speak |
| goalkeeper | bast station operator |
| going down | turning off CB |
| go juice | fuel |
| goldilocks | mobile businesswoman |
| good buddy | fellow CB-er |
| good lady | the same but for a girl |
| good numbers | best wishes |
| goodbye wagon | hearse |
| goon squad | group who hog calling channel |
| got a copy? | do you hear me? |
| got my eyeballs peeled | looking |
| go to 100 | head for a restroom stop |
| granny gear | low gear |
| greasy spoon | transport café |
| greenhouse | bank |
| green stamps | money |
| ground-clouds | fog |
| H | |
| haircut palace | low bridge |
| hair tonic | drink |
| hammer | accelerator |
| hammer on | speed up |
| handle | CB user's nickname |
| hang a left/right | make a left/right turn |
| hang a u-ey | make a U turn |
| hang it in your car | nonsense |
| hang ten | accelerate |
| hard to pull out | weak signal |
| harvey wallbanger | reckless or bad driver |
| hash and trash | background noise |
| headbanger | bridge |
| Henry | Ford |
| Harvey Smith | obscene gesture |
| high gear | using a linear amplifier |
| hit the hay | go to sleep |
| hit the sack | go to sleep |
| hitting the gas | fast driving |
| holding onto your mudflaps | driving close behind you |
| hole in the wall | tunnel or other area of bad reception |
| home port | home address |
| home twenty | home address |
| honeymoon | first trip in a new vehicle or with a CB |
| hood | bonnet |
| horse | engine |
| hotel oscar | the Home Office |
| hot wire | linear amplifier |
| I | |
| idiot box | TV set |
| indian | person suffering from TVI |
| instamatic | radar unit |
| invitation | speeding ticket or summons |
| iron horse | train |
| iron lung | engine |
| iron road | railway line |
| J | |
| jail bait | very young girl |
| jam sandwich | marked police traffic car |
| japanese toy | CB rig |
| jaw jacking | talking |
| juice | fuel |
| juice shop | garage |
| juice stop | stopping for fuel |
| K | |
| keep the bugs off your glass and the bears off your tail | have a safe trip |
| keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down | have a safe trip |
| keep your nose between the ditches and smokey out of your britches | have a safe trip |
| keyboard | controls on a CB rig |
| keying up | transmitting |
| keying the mike | pressing the PTT bar without speaking |
| kicker | linear amplifier |
| kicking fives | perfect signal |
| knife and fork | motorway restaurant |
| knucklebuster | fight |
| kodak | police radar |
| kojak with a kodak | policeman operating radar |
| L | |
| ladder adder | fireman |
| lady bear | policewoman |
| lame duck | broken down car |
| landline | telephone |
| land yacht | caravan |
| last ride | funeral procession |
| last year's fun on wheels | baby in a pushchair |
| lay an eyeball on | arrange a meeting |
| lemon | defective CB rig |
| let the channel roll | let others use the channel |
| lettuce | money |
| lettuce shop | bank |
| load of vw radiators | empty truck or empty container |
| long arm | police |
| lubricated | drunk |
| lumps and bumps | road works |
| M | |
| overheard conversation | |
| making the trip | getting your signal out |
| man in blue | policeman |
| maniac | garage mechanic |
| mama bear | lady police officer |
| matchbox | mini |
| mayday | internationally recognised distress signal |
| meanies | anti-CB authorities |
| meat wagon | ambulance |
| midnight shopper | thief |
| mike dust | static |
| mike | microphone |
| milk run | easy journey |
| mixmaster | motorway junction |
| mobile eyeball | check out a car or truck whilst moving |
| mobile mattress | camper |
| mobile parking lot | car transporter |
| modulate | talk |
| money eater | parking meter |
| monitoring | listening |
| monster lane | nearside lane on a motorway |
| moonshine | booze |
| motion lotion | fuel |
| m-20 | meeting place |
| N | |
| nap trap | rest area or motel |
| negative contact | no answer to a call |
| negative | no |
| negatory | no |
| nine | repeat last transmission |
| niner | emergency |
| north sea teacup | petrol tanker |
| nothing but a white line and a green light | all clear ahead |
| O | |
| oil burner | smoking car |
| on channel | on the air |
| one-eyed monster | TV set |
| one-time | short contact, also associated with the Fugees |
| on the peg | at the legal speed limit |
| on the side | monitoring the channel |
| open | on the air |
| other half | partner |
| out | transmission over |
| out to lunch | not answering |
| over | transmission over; your turn to speak |
| over-modulating | distorted signal |
| over your shoulder | behind you |
| P | |
| panic in the streets | area being monitored by the radio authority |
| panhandlers | nurses |
| pavement fouler | dog |
| pavement plodder | breaker using hand held CB |
| pavement princess | prostitute |
| peanut butter in your ears | not listening to the CB |
| pedalling with both feet | travelling at top speed |
| peeling off | leaving motorway |
| pegging it | keeping to the speed limit |
| permanently 10-7 | dead |
| picture box | radar |
| piece of paper | speeding ticket |
| pipeline | channel |
| plain wrapper | un-marked police car |
| play dead | stand by or refuse to answer |
| polaroid | radar |
| portable farmyard | cattle truck |
| portrait painter | policeman operating radar |
| positive | yes |
| pregnant roller skate | VW beetle |
| press the sheets | go to sleep |
| pressure cooker | sports car |
| pull the big switch | go off air |
| put an eyeball on | look at, meet |
| put the hammer down | accelerate |
| put the pedal to the metal | accelerate, travel flat out |
| Q | |
| QSL card | postcard sent to confirm radio contact, usually over a long distance |
| quick trip around the horn | scan all the channels for activity |
| quiz | breathalyser |
| R | |
| rabbit run | narrow country lane |
| radidio | radio |
| radio check | report on quality and strength of transmission |
| raffle ticket | police summons |
| rags | bald tyres |
| ratchet jaw | CB operator who talks too much |
| reading the mail | eavesdropping |
| read | hear, understand |
| read you in fives | perfect signal |
| reckless eric | dangerous driver |
| reefer | refrigerated trailer, also cannabis cigarette |
| relocation consultant | removal van |
| rice krispies | interference |
| ride shotgun | rise as passenger |
| rig | CB transceiver |
| ringing your bell | someone calling you |
| riot squad | neighbours suffering TVI and complaining |
| road tar | coffee |
| rock | crystal used to tune CB rig |
| roger | yes, affirmative |
| roger d | yes, affirmative |
| roger dodge | yes, affirmative |
| roger roller skate | car cutting in and out between lorries |
| rollercoaster | undulating stretch of road |
| roller skate | production car |
| rookie rig | new CB radio |
| rubberbander | novice CB operator |
| rubberneckers | sightseers |
| running barefoot | using legal power for CB |
| S | |
| sail boat fuel | wind or and empty petrol tank |
| salt mines | place of work |
| salt shaker | salt spreading vehicle |
| sardine can | coach |
| savages | breakers hogging the channels |
| scrambled ears | antenna failure |
| seat cover | passenger |
| seeing eye dog | radar detector |
| set of dials | CB rig |
| seventy-threes | best wishes, regards |
| sewing machine | engine |
| shake the trees and rake the leaves | vehicle at rear and front of convoy watching for police in wait ahead or catching up from behind |
| shaking the lights | flashing the lights |
| shaking the windows | loud and clear |
| shoeburner | pedestrian |
| shotgun | passenger |
| shoes | linear amplifier |
| shout | call |
| sick horse | slow moving vehicle |
| side door | passing lane |
| sidewinder | SSB user |
| sinking ship | vehicle low on petrol |
| sitting under the leaves | concealed police car |
| six-lane car park | motorway |
| skateboard | car |
| skating rink | slippery road |
| skins | tyres, also cigarette papers |
| sky hook | antenna |
| slammer | jail |
| slappers | windscreen wipers |
| slider | illegal device used to transmit between authorised channels |
| smokey | the police |
| smokey on rubber | police vehicle |
| smokey report | information on location of police |
| smokey with a camera | police using radar |
| smokey with ears | police with CB |
| smoking | keeping to the speed limit |
| snafu | cock-up |
| snow white and the seven dwarfs | wedding procession |
| socks | linear amplifier |
| spaghetti | Italian CB transmission |
| sparks | electrician |
| split your sides | transmit on sideband |
| squawk box | CB rig |
| stack | multi-storey car park |
| stack them eights | best regards |
| stepped on you | interrupted your transmission |
| stereo | coming in loud and clear |
| stick it in your ear | shut up |
| sticks | countryside |
| stinger | antenna, especially top-loaded variety |
| stroller | operator on foot with hand held CB |
| stop ‘n start | bus |
| strawberry cornet | traffic cone |
| square wheeled | stationary |
| sucker | CB rig in for repair |
| suicide jockey | truck driver carrying explosives or petrochemicals |
| sunbeam | witty breaker |
| Sunday driver | slow-moving vehicle |
| superskate | sports car |
| superslab | motorway |
| swansea ticket | driver's licence |
| swansea record | car loogbook |
| sweeney | unmarked police car |
| sweet thing | lady on channel |
| swindle sheet | truck driver's log book |
| T | |
| tags | car rego plates |
| tailboard artist | over confident driver |
| take care ‘cos we don't care | good riddance |
| take care ‘cos we care | goodbye |
| take in the slack | accelerate |
| take it up/down | move to a specific channel |
| taking pictures | police using radar |
| tear jerker | breaker with sob story |
| teeth | bumpers |
| teeth in the tail | driving too close |
| ten four | yes |
| ten four hundred | drop dead |
| ten hundred room | toilet |
| ten pounder | excellent radio |
| ten ten ‘till we do it again | goodbye |
| thermos bottle/flask | tanker truck |
| thin | weak signal |
| thin man | weak signal |
| thirty three | emergency signal |
| thirty twelve | yes yes yes - ten four three times over |
| throwing | transmitting |
| throwing a carrier | transmitting a carrier wave with no modulation |
| thumber | hitch-hiker |
| thunderbox | toilet |
| ticket to ride | driver's licence |
| tiger in the tank | linear amplifier |
| tighten up the rubber band | accelerate |
| tijuana taxi | marked police car with flashing lights |
| tin can | CB rig |
| toilet mouth | breaker using obscene language |
| topside | roof |
| training wheel | learner driver |
| treetop fall | good reception |
| tunnel of love | car wash |
| twenty | location |
| twig | antenna |
| twisted pair | telephone |
| two-way radar | police using radar from a moving vehicle |
| two-wheeled windmill | bicycle |
| two wheeler | motorbike |
| U | |
| ugly situation | heavy traffic |
| ulcer | traffic jam |
| W | |
| walked all over | blotted out by another transmission |
| walking tall | coming in loud and clear |
| walking the dog | talking skip |
| wallpaper | QSL cards |
| wall to wall | loud in clear |
| wall to wall bears | police everywhere |
| wall to wall spaghetti | overwhelming skip from Italy |
| wally | an idiot |
| wearing boots/socks etc… | using a linear amplifier |
| wet and wonderful | tea |
| wet confetti | sleet |
| we up we down, we clear we gone | going off the channel |
| wheels | a vehicle, also sets of wheels |
| whiteline wally | vehicle too close to the centre of the road |
| wilco | OK |
| willy weaver | drunk driver |
| window washer | rain |
| wimpeys | building workers |
| wobbler | vehicle without CB |
| word mechanic | student |
| wrapper | the colour of a vehicle, eg a red wrapper |
| wrinkle | a hitch of blank spot during transmission |
| WT | walkie talkie |
| X | |
| x-ray machine | police radar |
| XYL | wife, from Ex Young Lady |
| Y | |
| yellow eric | AA patrolman |
| yellow swan | match |
| YL | girlfriend, from Young Lady |
| you got it | the channel's yours, go ahead, agreed |
| you're looking good | all clear |
| your ‘phone is ringing | someone is calling you |
| yo-yo | vehicle varying its speed |
| Z | |
| zapping | high powered transmission |
| zoo | police station |