Street
hearts of oak
What does hearts of oak mean?
Cockney rhyming slang meaning broke, having no money.
"Payday can't come soon enough, I'm hearts of oak."
Origin
'Oak' rhymes with 'broke'; from the patriotic naval song 'Heart of Oak'.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'hearts of oak' mean?
It's Cockney rhyming slang for 'broke', meaning having no money — 'oak' rhymes with 'broke'.
Where does the phrase come from?
It borrows from the patriotic naval song 'Heart of Oak', reused in rhyming slang for the rhyme with 'broke'.
How do you use it?
You'd say 'I'm hearts of oak' to mean you're skint or out of money.
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