General
lallies
What does lallies mean?
Polari for legs. One of the body-part words from Britain's old gay slang, the kind of term you'd drop to talk shop in public without the wrong people following. Heritage slang now, kept alive by drag and queer-history nerds rather than daily use.
"Get your lallies moving, she's got the whole stage to cover before the number ends."
Origin
Polari of mid-20th-century Britain; 'lally/lallies' for legs is of uncertain origin, possibly nursery or dialectal, and is catalogued in Paul Baker's Polari glossaries.
Frequently asked questions
What does lallies mean?
It is Polari for legs; a single leg is a 'lally'.
Where does lallies come from?
The origin is uncertain — possibly a nursery or dialect word — and is not firmly documented.
How was lallies used?
Often admiringly, as in 'vada the lallies on that one', praising someone's legs.
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