Apples and Pears

Apples and Pears (noun / UK Slang)

(Also heard as: Apples, Up the apples, Apples and pears)

Definition:

Apples and pears is Cockney rhyming slang for “stairs”. You might be told to go “up the apples” to bed, or to take something “up the apples and pears”.

Where Apples and Pears Comes From:

Rhyming slang developed in London’s East End in the 1800s, where a word is replaced by a phrase that rhymes with it. “Apples and pears” rhymes with “stairs”. The phrase became one of the most famous examples of Cockney rhyming slang and is often shortened to just “apples”.

How People Actually Use Apples and Pears:

It is mostly used humorously or nostalgically today, often by older Londoners or in jokey conversation. It appears in films, sitcoms and tourist guides to Cockney London, and people sometimes use it deliberately to sound traditionally British.

Is Apples and Pears Rude?

No. It is harmless and playful, and suitable for any situation where you are happy to be a bit cheeky or old-school.

Examples in the Wild:

• “Right, I’m off up the apples and pears.”

  Meaning: I am going upstairs to bed.

• “He fell down the apples and broke his ankle.”

  Meaning: He fell down the stairs and hurt his ankle.

• “Mind the apples, they’re steep.”

  Meaning: Watch out for the stairs, they are steep.

Similar Slang:

Bob’s Your Uncle, Geezer, Cushty, Gaff, Bloke

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