Meaning of Rosie Lee | Babel Free

Definitions

Synonym of tea (“(uncountable) a drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) in hot water; (countable) a cup of this drink”)

Cockney, slang, uncountable, usually

Examples

“I’ll put⟳ the kettle on and make⟳ us a cup of Rosie Lee.”

“"'Ow about a drop o' Rosie Lee?" said Mr. Joby Jackson. He was very found of this queer rhyming slang, most of which must be omitted from any record⟳ of his talk⟳ because it is incomprehensible to ordinary people. Even Mr. Oakroyd, […] was sometimes puzzled. But he was not bewildered, of course, by any mention⟳ of the famous Rosie, and he was more than ready for a drink⟳ of tea.”

“Commandos march⟳ better on tea than on water. This fact has been demonstrated by an official test⟳ recently carried out in Great Britain. […] The "water platoons" made good use⟳ of their water bottles, but the "tea platoon" was the only one to finish⟳ the course intact. Which only goes to show⟳ that there must be something in the soldier's traditional liking for "a cup of rosie lee."”

“'Sit⟳ in here a minute,' he says to them. 'I'll go and make⟳ the Rosy Lee.' When he had made the tea he brings it in, gets out the cards, and they start⟳ to play⟳, carrying on until it is about half past three.”

““[…] Nice cup of Rosie Lee?” he asked, using the Cockney tradition of rhyming slang.”

“They all nodded sagely in agreement and carried on puffing away on their fags and drinking their Rosie Lees.”

“Seated at our map-covered dining table, Vicks and I drank umpteen cups of Rosy Lee as we worked out the best route to take⟳ me across seven provinces in Canada and through twenty-six US states, following the coastline as much as possible.”

CEFR level