Irish Slang and Phrases Americans Just Don't Understand

When in Ireland, be careful asking for a ride in a taxi. A ride is a racy term for someone hot enough to tangle with; for example, “That waiter is a total ride.” It can also refer to doing the deed.

A gaff is another word for a house. Teenagers can often be heard saying they’ve got a “free gaff,” which means their parents aren’t home and they are having a party.

After a long night out, a group of friends might hit up the local chipper – a fast food shop that sells deep-fried foods like fish and chips.

Widely used for measuring body weight, the stone, equaling 14 pounds, is a unit of measure that dates back hundreds of years and was once common around Northern Europe.. The actual weight varied, depending on the town, as the weight was originally associated with a literal stone and no two were identical.

While bold generally means courageous in the U.S., the term takes a more negative connotation in Ireland, where calling someone bold is an accusation of bad behavior.