General
loaf of bread
What does loaf of bread mean?
The head. 'Loaf of bread' rhymes with 'head', and is clipped to 'loaf' — the source of the common phrase 'use your loaf', meaning use your head.
"Use your loaf and lock the door behind you."
Origin
Twentieth-century East End rhyming slang on 'head'; the clipped 'use your loaf' became a national idiom and is one of rhyming slang's most successful exports, growing from the London tradition Hotten documented in 1859.
Frequently asked questions
What does loaf of bread mean?
It's Cockney rhyming slang for head. 'Bread' rhymes with 'head', shortened to 'loaf'.
Is 'use your loaf' from this?
Yes — 'use your loaf' means 'use your head', straight from 'loaf of bread' for head.
Where did loaf of bread come from?
From twentieth-century East End speech; 'use your loaf' spread far beyond London into everyday English.
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