do a Reggie Perrin means: To fake one's own suicide.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. It touches on mental-health themes; if your teen uses it about themselves, a calm, non-judgemental check-in is worthwhile rather than a confrontation about the word itself. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
do a Reggie Perrin
(British, slang) To fake one's own suicide.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(British, slang) To fake one's own suicide.
Origin: From the name of the main character in the British sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, who faked his own suicide. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
do a Reggie Perrin means: To fake one's own suicide.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. It touches on mental-health themes; if your teen uses it about themselves, a calm, non-judgemental check-in is worthwhile rather than a confrontation about the word itself. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
do a Reggie Perrin means: To fake one's own suicide.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: fake
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "do a Reggie Perrin" (D)
do a little trollingdo a Melbado a moonlight flitdo a neverdo a perishdo a power of gooddo a runnerdobberdobbindob indo birddo bits
Browse all slang words starting with D.
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