British Slang For Argument (7 Examples!)

Arguments are, for better or worse, a universal part of the human experience.

Some of us are better at dodging conflict than others, but inevitably we can’t all avoid it forever.

Given this, it’s unsurprising that most regional dialects, including British English, have a great many different slang terms for the act of arguing.

Today, we’re going to look at a few of the most common ones used in Britain today, so let’s get started.

In This Article

Argy-bargy

First, we have “argy-bargy”, which might sound a bit strange if you’re not that familiar with British slang.

It can also be spelled “argie-bargie”.

This slang expression refers to a loud, lively and energetic argument, though typically something a bit more reserved than what you might seem outside the clubs at 3am on a Saturday morning.

It’s particularly used in big crowds, though, when people aren’t giving each other much space and it’s causing problems.

“There was a lot of argy-bargy in the queue for the chippy,” for example.

This one is used throughout Britain today but is actually Scots in origin.

It’s a simple rhyming jingle based on argument, in which you add a kind of nonsense word to make it rhyme.

Our oldest written examples come from the late 19^th Century, so they may predate that in the vernacular by some time.

Row

Next, we have “row”, which is a very common slang expression for argument used at all levels of British society.

Broadly speaking, a row is just a heated argument, in a domestic setting one which might include shouting, screaming, and a generally highly heated environment.

On the other hand, the term is also very commonly used by the British press to describe ongoing scandals.

“Everyone is interested in the row over MPs’ expenses,” for example.

It’s not completely clear where or when this one originated, but it most likely derives from the archaic term “carousal”, which meant a big session of drinking with many people.

As you might expect, this is exactly the kind of scenario that can lead to many arguments.

Barney

Next, we have Barney, a more regionally specific British slang term that you might not hear everywhere.

It tends to be used more commonly in parts of London and the south of England than anywhere else, although British people more generally will likely understand it. “The wife and I had a bit of a Barney last night,” for example.

It’s often erroneously said to be Cockney rhyming slang with the word “trouble” and “Barney Rubble,” the character from The Flintstones.

In fact, its origin is not known, though it seems to have come into use in the 19^th Century.

Kerfuffle

Next, we have kerfuffle, a quintessentially British piece of slang for argument.

This one is perhaps a bit more complicated than just being any kind of argument.

That said, different people use it in subtly different ways, and so many may indeed use it as slang for any kind of argument.

Similarly to “argy-bargy”, though, it usually refers to crowded, busy environments where arguments are likely to break out.

“There was a bit of kerfuffle at the end of the night as everyone was trying to get out,” for example.

This one has a complex etymological history.

The Scottish Gaelic car meant to twist or bend—the archaic English term “fuffle” meant to disorder something.

These were combined to become “curfuffle” similar to the Irish slang term coir thual, which meant confusion and disorder.

By the late 19^th Century, the modern meaning and spelling of “kerfuffle” had come into being.

Lock horns

“Lock horns” is another common British slang expression meaning to argue, and has many similar cognates in other English speaking dialects.

The meaning is probably something you’re familiar with, deriving from the way that many kinds of horned—or antlered—animals will lock horns with each other when fighting over mates.

This one, then, is usually used to refer to two individuals arguing. “Those two have locked horns ever since that first meeting,” for example.

The earliest written example we have of this expression comes from a poem from 1865.

Given how long domestic goats have been around, though, it’s likely this one is far older than that.

At each other’s throats

Another way to say that two people are constantly bickering or arguing is to say that they are “at each other’s throats”.

This one is very commonly used in Britain again to talk about when two people don’t get on and are always arguing, usually in a professional environment.

“Dave and Charlie are always at each other’s throats in meetings,” for example.

This one is not clear in origin, though the meaning is fairly plain.

It refers to the notion of being at one’s throat with something sharp ready to kill them.

Of course, it shouldn’t be taken literally today, though!

Scrap

Finally, we have “scrap”, a very common British slang expression meaning a fight or argument.

This one, it’s important to note, can mean both a physical fight and a verbal argument.

Depending on where you are in Britain, one use might be more common than the other.

But it can certainly have both meanings where ever you are. “They’re going to get into a scrap over the taxi later, I just know it,” for example.

The modern sense comes to use from the 19^th Century, where it may have originally been a dialectal variant of “scrape”.

This word meant an “abrasive encounter” of some kind or another, and thus has come down to use today largely unchanged—an argument is certainly an abrasive encounter!

While your best bet is to do all you can to avoid a scrap or a row in the first place, they do happen.

If you’re in Britain and you hear someone talking about a kerfuffle, or argy-bargy or a “Barney”, then you’ll know what everyone’s talking about.

Some of these are definitely more common than others, but virtually all of them are still in use somewhere by some part of the population.

More in British Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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