noun General Slang

Hampstead Heath

/ˌhæmpstɛd ˈhiːθ/ · noun · slang

Cockney for teeth — 'Hampstead Heath' rhymes with teeth, clipped to your 'Hampsteads'.

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Definitions

1

The teeth. 'Hampstead Heath' rhymes with 'teeth', and the phrase is shortened to 'Hampsteads', dropping the rhyme.

“Get your Hampsteads round that, it's a lovely bit of steak.”
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2

Used of false teeth or a striking grin alike.

“Granddad takes his Hampsteads out at night.”
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3

Clipped to 'Hampsteads', one's teeth, especially when smiling, eating, or in need of the dentist.

“He's off to get his Hampsteads seen to.”
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Hampstead Heath In A Sentence

Brush your Hampsteads before bed, you've had sweets all day.
She's got a lovely set of Hampsteads on her.
I cracked a Hampstead on a bit of toffee.

Origin & Usage

Late-Victorian or early-twentieth-century East End rhyming slang naming Hampstead Heath, the well-known north London open space; place-name rhymes are a hallmark of Cockney coinage in the period following Hotten's 1859 dictionary.

Variants Hampsteads
Tags #cockney#rhyming#british#uk#body

People Also Ask

What does Hampstead Heath mean in Cockney?

It means teeth. 'Heath' rhymes with 'teeth', and it's shortened to 'Hampsteads'.

Why use a London place name?

Cockney slang loves local place names for rhymes; Hampstead Heath was famous to every Londoner, making it an easy, vivid choice.

Is Hampstead Heath still heard?

Yes, 'Hampsteads' for teeth remains one of the better-known surviving rhyming-slang terms.

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