Street
trouble
What does trouble mean?
The shortened form of 'trouble and strife', Cockney rhyming slang for wife.
"Me and the trouble are off to Margate for the weekend."
Origin
Clip of 'trouble and strife'; the rhyming word 'strife' dropped in normal speech.
Frequently asked questions
What does "trouble" mean in Cockney slang?
It means wife, clipped from "trouble and strife," the full rhyming-slang phrase.
Why is a wife called "trouble and strife"?
"Strife" rhymes with "wife"; as with most Cockney slang, the rhyming word is dropped so only "trouble" is said aloud.
Is calling your wife "the trouble" offensive?
It's meant cheekily and affectionately rather than seriously, though the joke does lean on the old stereotype of marital nagging.
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