Abbadabba (n.): nonsense; meaningless language. ‘I couldn’ make ‘ead ner tail o’ that feller, e guv me a lotter abbadabba’ (Lane 1966: 1). *NR; the nonsensical form mimics the meaning.

Abnabs (n.): sandwiches. ‘Sarneys, abnabs. Sandwiches’ (Shaw et al. 1966: 39). ‘“Abnabs” are sandwiches’ (Channon 1970: 102). ‘Abnabs Sandwiches (juvenile, now rare)’ (Spiegl 2000b: 123). *NR; derivation unknown.

Ace (adj.): excellent, outstanding; good man. ‘It was really ace the way the place burnt’ (Murari 1975: 126). ‘All right, ace’ (Bleasdale 1985: 250). ‘Think about how ace the day will be’ (Griffiths 2003: 6). Recorded as an e.20c. Americanism; from the high value of the ‘ace’ in cards; ‘ace’, ‘important or outstanding person’, was the slightly earlier usage.

Ackers (n.): money, cash. ‘Ackers, money’ (Shaw 1963a: 6). ‘Money: Readies, Poke, Bran Mash, Ackers’ (Minard 1972: 89). ‘It brings in the ackers’ (Graham 1988: 38). Recorded as First World War Forces’ usage; from Arabic ‘akka’, ‘Egyptian piastre’ (a small coin).

Act soft and I’ ll buy you a coal yard (phr.): directed to someone pretending to be less intelligent than they are; a warning that being silly will gain nothing. ‘Liverpudlians sarcastically say to someone pretending to be “thick” – “G'wan, act soft and I'll buy yuh a coal-yard”’ (Shaw 1959a: 40). There were other versions of this saying: ‘act soft and I'll buy you a tin whistle/drag you to the grotto/you can have a ride on my back step’ (Lane 1966: 1).

Afeared/feared (adj.): afraid. ‘But, oh, I'm so afeard’ (Hocking 1966 [1879]: 90). ‘He beat her senseless then cos he was a-feared’ (Hanley 2009 [1958]: 51). ‘You mustn't lose him because you're feared’ (Bainbridge 1973: 89). Recorded from Old English; glossed as ‘chiefly regional and non-standard’.