Street
sweeney
What does sweeney mean?
The shortened form of 'Sweeney Todd', Cockney rhyming slang for the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad.
"The Sweeney turned up mob-handed and nicked the lot of them."
Origin
Clip of 'Sweeney Todd' ('Todd' rhymes with 'Squad'); cemented by the 1970s TV series 'The Sweeney'.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'the Sweeney' mean?
It's Cockney rhyming slang for the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad, clipped from 'Sweeney Todd' ('Todd' rhymes with 'Squad').
Where does 'the Sweeney' come from?
From the rhyming slang 'Sweeney Todd', the fictional demon barber. It was cemented in popular use by the 1970s TV cop show 'The Sweeney'.
How is it used?
To refer to plain-clothes police or the Flying Squad, e.g. 'the Sweeney turned up mob-handed and nicked the lot of them'.
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