General
custard and jelly
What does custard and jelly mean?
The television. 'Custard and jelly' rhymes with 'telly', and is clipped to 'custard', dropping the rhyme.
"Stick the custard and jelly on, the match is starting."
Origin
Twentieth-century East End rhyming slang on 'telly', coined after the television set became a fixture of the working-class front room; the homely pudding pairing is typical of food-based Cockney rhymes within the tradition Hotten first recorded in 1859.
Frequently asked questions
What does custard and jelly mean?
It's Cockney rhyming slang for telly, the television. 'Jelly' rhymes with 'telly', shortened to 'custard'.
Where did custard and jelly come from?
From twentieth-century East End speech, after the telly became a fixture of the front room; the pudding pairing gave an easy rhyme.
Is custard and jelly still used?
It survives in pub and family patter, though it's more heritage than everyday now.
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