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Rosie Lee

(Cockney rhyming slang, originally, military slang) (“(uncountable) a drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant () in hot water; (countable) a cup of this drink”).

ˌɹəʊzi ˈliː152 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(Cockney rhyming slang, originally, military slang) (“(uncountable) a drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant () in hot water; (countable) a cup of this drink”).

I’ll put the kettle on and make us a cup of Rosie Lee.
Origin: [[File:OstfriesischeRose Tee.jpg|thumb|A cup of Rosie Lee or tea.]] From , chosen for its rhyme with tea. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"Rosie Lee" means: (“(uncountable) a drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant () in hot water; (countable) a cup of this drink”).. 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.

For ESL learners

"Rosie Lee" means: (“(uncountable) a drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant () in hot water; (countable) a cup of this drink”).. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (Cockney) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. 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

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For specific readers

"Rosie Lee" means: (“(uncountable) a drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant () in hot water; (countable) a cup of this drink”).. 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.

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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🇬🇧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.

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