rouf

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English

Etymology

Backslang for four.

Pronunciation

Noun

rouf (plural roufs)

  1. (costermongers) The number four.
    • 1851, Henry Mayhew, “Gambling of Costermongers”, in London Labour and the London Poor‎, volume 1, page 17:
      The betting also began to shift. "Sixpence Ned wins!" cried three or four; "Sixpence he loses!" answered another; "Done!" and up went the halfpence. "Half-a-crown Joe loses!"—"Here you are," answered Joe, but he lost again. "I'll try you a 'gen'" (shilling) said a coster; "And a 'rouf yenap'" (fourpence), added the other. "Say a 'exes'" (sixpence).—"Done!" and the betting continued, till the ground was spotted with silver and halfpence.
    • 1978, Rose Ayers, The Street Sparrows:
      "Give me two gen, then, and take the whole bloody tol. I've walked me teef orf afore rouf this mornin', and wot 'ave I got? Two bloody yenneps! I ask yer."
    • 2011, Ian Lyall, The Street-Smart Trader, Harriman House Limited, →ISBN, page 11:
      Then the horse trading would begin with the words, from the jobber, of: "What's your size?" […] The broker might reply with the word rouf (a 4,000 share trade, which was a very small order); a score (20,000); a monkey (half a million); or a gorilla (one million shares - a very big order).
    1. (slang, crime) A prison sentence of four years.
    2. (slang, obsolete, money) Four shillings.
    3. (slang, money) Four pounds sterling.
      • 2014, David Eldridge, Market Boy, A&C Black, →ISBN, page 48:
        I don't want a cockle – I don't want a neuf – I don't want a fat lady or a nevis – I don't want an exis, a flim or a rouf – or a carpet or bottle – These green flip-flops are a phunt a pair! And they've all got to go!
    4. (slang, gambling) Odds of four to one.

Derived terms

Further reading

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʁuf/
  • Audio (Paris):(file)

Noun

rouf m (plural roufs)

  1. (nautical) deckhouse, coachroof, cuddy

Further reading

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