A dated British and general English euphemism for being gay or homosexual, used in contexts where speakers wanted to avoid direct language — whether out of discomfort, politeness, or discretion. 'Is he like that?' or 'you know, like that' functions as a knowing wink between people who understand the code. The phrase belongs to an era of greater social taboo around sexuality, and while it still surfaces in period drama, memoir, and older speech, it has largely been replaced by more direct and affirming language.
Back then nobody said it outright — you'd just say he was like that and everyone understood.
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(idiomatic, euphemistic) Gay; homosexual.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.