General
plates
What does plates mean?
The round weight discs loaded onto the ends of a barbell; a '45' or 'wheel' is the big 45lb/20kg plate.
"He's got four plates a side on the leg press."
Origin
The natural short form of 'plates of meat', the older full East End London rhyming term for feet. Clipping to 'plates' is standard Cockney practice — the rhyme is dropped so outsiders lose the thread.
Frequently asked questions
What does plates mean in Cockney?
It means feet. It's the shortened form of 'plates of meat', where 'meat' rhymes with 'feet'.
Why is the rhyming word dropped?
Cockney slang deliberately clips off the rhyme so people who aren't in on it can't decode what you mean.
Is 'plates' rude?
Not at all — it's just an old, informal London word for feet, often used affectionately or to moan about tiredness.
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