Dictionary

rum go en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹʌm ˌɡəʊ/ (UK)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

UK dialectal (chiefly Cockney); rum (“strange, peculiar”) + go (“incident, occurrence”).

Meanings

1. (Cockney, dated, slang) A peculiar, surprising, and/or confusing event, thing, etc.
   • There they are, Strawberry—Fledge, I should say. This is a rum go. 1955, C[live] S[taples] Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew, London: The Bodley Head, →OCLC:
   • “Well, who's a better right?” growled the gamekeeper. “A pretty rum go if squire ain't to talk for Dr. Livesey, I should think.” 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “I Go to Bristol”, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC, part II (The Sea Cook), page 55:
   • ‘Here’s rayther a rum go, sir,’ replied Sam. / ‘What?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick. / ‘This here, Sir,’ rejoined Sam. ‘I’m wery much afeerd, sir, that the properiator o' this here coach is a playin' some imperence vith us.’ 1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, chapter XXXV, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:
   • Bert: Life's a rum go, Guv'nor, and that's the truth. 1964, William Crozier Walsh et al., Mary Poppins:
   • Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’ 1991, Stephen Fry, chapter III, in The Liar, London: William Heinemann, →ISBN, page 26:

Forms

Synonyms

rum one · rum 'un · rum start

Translations (2)

hu furcsa dolog (surprising event, confusing experience) · hu fura dolog (surprising event, confusing experience)