British Slang For Work (Helpful Content!)

The most common British slang terms for work include words like “graft” and “hustle”. These are used very commonly by people of all ages and backgrounds and are likely to be more or less universally understood. Other terms you might hear used include “toil”, “drudge” or “the 9-5”.

Work is something most of us have to put up with.

Whether we love our job or it’s just something we turn up to each day to pay the bills, there’s not much avoiding it.

With that, then, naturally comes a large variety of different slang terms for describing work, and the British are no strangers to this.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

British slang for work

What do the British call work?

The British have a variety of different terms for work.

1. Graft

Perhaps the single most widely used term is “graft”.

This can be used in a variety of subtly different ways, but in general, it refers to any kind of work done.

Usually, this is in the context of the job you’re employed in, though it could also refer to work done in the house or on a personal project of one kind or another.

It typically does refer to long hours of hard work, whether that’s in the context of a single, long shift, or many cumulative long hours over a period of time.

Example in a sentence: “He’s put in years of hard graft at college and it’s finally paying off.”

2. Hustle

Another common slang term used in Britain to refer to work is “hustle”.

This one is not quite as ubiquitous and understandably may sound like an Americanism, but even if only in the last few decades it has become one of the most common slang terms for work in Britain.

It can again have varying connotations, though it usually refers to the activity you do in the service of success.

Often, it refers to going the extra mile perhaps in an activity outside of work to make extra money.

At the same time, it could simply refer to the effort you put in at work in order to succeed.

Example in a sentence: “I’ve been really hustling for that promotion lately,”

3. Drudgery

Other, less endearing terms used to refer to work include things like “toil” or “drudge” and “drudgery”.

These are often used in the sense of the grueling day-to-day work life which never seems to end.

Most people use these, though admittedly often as a joke, to talk about being tired or exhausted, even bored or miserable, in their job.

Example in a sentence: “It’s been a nice holiday but it’s back to the drudgery tomorrow.”

4. 9-5

The “9-5” is often a catch-all term for work, too, referring to the common hours of office work.

Example in a sentence: “I’m off to the 9-5 now, see you later!”

Why do the British say “graft”?

This is a fairly old term that is widely used in Britain today, though it’s generally considered to have been more of a Northern English term at least at first.

It is first attested in 1853, where it simply meant one’s occupation.

It has, then, since broadened its meaning to encompass work and hard work in general, though obviously, your occupation is still the context in which you are most likely to use the term.

It’s not really clear where the term comes from etymologically, though.

It’s most widely thought that it derives from an identical word meaning “a ditch” or “a digging”, which was in use by the 1640s.

It’s thought that it was used by those who would dig ditches—a very common defensive strategy in the medieval and Renaissance period—would refer to the long hours of digging as “graft” in itself.

Unfortunately, we don’t know for sure, but this certainly seems like the most likely explanation for the term.

Why do the British say “hustle”?

This term, as mentioned, was originally an American English term though it quickly spread to Britain.

However, etymologically, it does seem to have originally come from Britain.

By 1891, it had the sense of “frantic activity in service of success”, largely the same meaning it has now.

Originally, though, in the 17^th Century, it had the sense of “shake to and fro”, ultimately from the Dutch word hustelen meaning to shake or toss.

In the 19^th Century its meaning slowly evolved to relate to work, and at first it just meant to bustle or work busily.

So, it went through quite a few minor changes before it arrived at its modern meaning.

What else do the British call work?

Other than the terms mentioned, you may hear the British refer to work using some different slang terms.

“Toil” and “drudgery” are perhaps the most common, understood if not used by large parts of the population.

These terms, though, are unambiguously negative, and the kind of words you would use when you are complaining about your work or how endless and exhausting it is.

The “9-5” is quite a specific term even though lots of people do work similar hours.

It’s more often used by those in office jobs, but you can hear people in general use this term just to refer to any kind of work.

The British have a few different terms for work, then, each with its own subtle connotations and differences.

Most of the British slang terms for work in this sense aren’t necessarily words lamenting how awful work is, although there certainly is a hint of that in the main words used.

British people take great pride in their work, and this is clearly shown by the slang they use.

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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