Wayne’s Word – Blimey

It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.

If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord

Today’s word is BLIMEY.

Moving on from my previous post on “flabbergasted”, today’s word continues that same sense of surprise and disbelief – BLIMEY!

Blimey is a wonderfully British exclamation used to express shock, amazement, or even mild frustration. It’s a softer, more good-natured way of saying “Wow!” or “I can’t believe it!” The word actually comes from an old phrase, God blind me, which over time was shortened and softened into the more playful blimey.

What makes blimey such a great word is its character. It’s expressive without being harsh, old-fashioned yet still charming, and it rolls off the tongue with that unmistakable dash of British flair. You can almost hear it said with raised eyebrows or a chuckle, “Blimey, that was unexpected!”

It reminds me of good old slapstick British humour, like Fawlty Towers (if you have ever seen it), full of exaggerated expressions and moments of delightful chaos. You can easily imagine Basil Fawlty shouting it in disbelief as everything goes wrong around him.

Interestingly, blimey is not a word you will often hear in Northern Ireland but we are aware of it. It’s more commonly used in England, particularly down south. While people in Northern Ireland would know what it means, they are more likely to say things like “boys-a-dear,” “catch yourself on,” “dead on,” or “that’s mad!” to express surprise or disbelief.