Sick (adjective / UK & global slang)
(Also heard as: Proper sick, Bare sick, Fully sick)
Definition:
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Extremely cool, impressive, high-quality, or exciting.
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Deranged, twisted, or morally disgusting (depending on the tone of voice).
Pronunciation: /sɪk/
Where It Comes From: Flipping negative words to mean something good is an old trick (think of bad, wicked, or naughty).
Skater and surfer subcultures in the US and Australia in the 1980s started using “sick” to describe crazy stunts or huge waves that defied common sense. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, UK garage, grime MCs, and skateparks picked it up across the country. It rapidly replaced wicked and cool in British schools and never really dropped out of everyday speech.
How People Actually Use It: Context and tone do all the heavy lifting here.
If your mate scores a volley from 30 yards out or buys a clean pair of trainers, you shout “that’s sick!” to show pure respect. But if someone describes an awful car crash or behaves like a lunatic, saying “that’s sick” with a flat, disgusted face flips the meaning straight back to twisted or repulsive.
Examples in the Wild:
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“Have you heard that new drill track? The bassline is proper sick.”
Translation: “Have you listened to that new song? The production is outstanding.”
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“He bought an old BMW and threw custom alloys on it—looks sick now.”
Translation: “He modified his car and it looks genuinely impressive.”
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“Taking money out of a charity tin is just sick, mate.”
Translation: “Stealing charitable donations is morally reprehensible.”
Similar Slang: Mad, Cold, Unreal, Fire, Elite, Naughty, Wicked
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