General
feeb
What does feeb mean?
Beef. From 'beef' reversed to 'feeb', a core word of East End butchers' back-slang, the trade that gave the whole craft its name 'rechtub kelp' (butcher talk).
"Best feeb in the shop, fresh in this morning, won't last till close."
Origin
East End butchers' back-slang ('beef' reversed), part of the trade argot known as 'rechtub kelp' ('butcher talk' reversed), a 19th-century coded speech akin to the costermonger back-slang recorded by Mayhew (1851) and Hotten (1859).
Frequently asked questions
What does feeb mean?
It means beef — 'beef' spelled backwards in butchers' back-slang.
What is 'rechtub kelp'?
It's 'butcher talk' reversed — the name butchers gave their own back-slang trade language.
Why did butchers speak backwards?
To discuss quality, pricing and dodgy stock among staff without the customer understanding the conversation.
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