General
lionel blairs
What does lionel blairs mean?
Flared trousers. 'Lionel Blairs' rhymes with 'flares', and is clipped to 'Lionels', dropping the rhyme.
"He turned up in a pair of massive Lionel Blairs."
Origin
Later-twentieth-century Cockney rhyming slang named for the British entertainer and dancer Lionel Blair (1928-2021), coined to rhyme with the 'flares' of 1970s fashion; celebrity-name rhymes are a modern extension of the classic Cockney device documented since Hotten 1859.
Frequently asked questions
What does Lionel Blairs mean?
It's Cockney rhyming slang for flares (flared trousers). 'Blairs' rhymes with 'flares', shortened to 'Lionels'.
Who was Lionel Blair?
A well-known British entertainer and dancer; his name was borrowed for the rhyme on 'flares'.
Can Lionel Blairs mean something else?
Yes — in some cheekier usage it also rhymes with 'hairs', but the trousers sense is the common one.
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