noun General Slang

Ruby Murray

/ˌruː.bi ˈmʌr.i/ · noun · slang

Cockney rhyming slang for a curry — shortened to 'a ruby'.

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Definitions

1

A curry, the takeaway kind. 'Ruby Murray' rhymes with 'curry' and shortens to 'a ruby'.

“Fancy a ruby tonight? I'm thinking a vindaloo.”
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2

The whole tradition of a Friday-night Indian takeaway, deeply British.

“Curry house was rammed, everyone out for their Friday ruby.”
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3

Used as a verb-ish suggestion to go and have an Indian meal.

“Let's get a ruby down the high street, my treat.”
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Ruby Murray In A Sentence

Six pints and a ruby, the perfect Friday night out.
Ordered the ruby an hour ago and it's still not here, starving.
Nothing beats a ruby and a naan after a long week.

Origin & Usage

Named after Ruby Murray, a hugely popular 1950s Irish singer whose name rhymes with 'curry'. The slang spread through Britain alongside the post-war boom in Indian restaurants.

Variants ruby
Tags #cockney#rhyming#british#uk#london

People Also Ask

What does ruby mean in British slang?

It means a curry. It's short for 'Ruby Murray', Cockney rhyming slang named after the 1950s singer, which rhymes with 'curry'.

Who was Ruby Murray?

She was a chart-topping Irish singer in the 1950s whose name became rhyming slang for curry because it rhymes.

What does 'going for a ruby' mean?

It means going out for or ordering an Indian curry, usually a takeaway, in British slang.

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