bent as a two bob
A British and Australian simile meaning either dishonest/corrupt or — in its older, more offensive sense — homosexual.
Definitions
A British and Australian simile meaning either dishonest/corrupt or — in its older, more offensive sense — homosexual. 'Bent' is longstanding British slang for both 'crooked/corrupt' and 'gay,' and the comparison to a two-bob coin (an old two-shilling piece known to bend easily) amplifies the idea. In modern usage the 'corrupt' meaning is far more common and accepted: a bent copper, a bent deal. The homophobic usage is now largely considered offensive and dated.
Everyone on the estate knew the council inspector was bent as a two-bob — you just had to slip him something and your planning application sailed through.
Comments
(slang) bent, not lawful.
"bent as a two bob" means: bent, not lawful.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
"bent as a two bob" means: bent, not lawful.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Comments
(slang) bent, homosexual.
Comments
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