the Top Gear British phrases explanation thread

I had to google "Boffin", "Bovril" and "Marmite" :unsure:
 
Hi guys.

On S.01 E.07, on the Lotus Elise review, Jeremy says something like "this one has the full wilton (sp?)..."

What does he say exactly and what does it mean?



Thanks in advance.
Wilton is a famous make of carpet, it is also top class - not seen the clip myself but he could be referring to that.



Thank you.

On that same episode, what's the name of the Lotus test driver? I can't understand it.:sad:
 
Thanks :)
 
The "catholic 'fish on friday'" thing is actually the opposite of what you seem to think it is.

It actually came about because you're not supposed to eat meat on the fridays during the Lent season. So instead of meat, many people tend to eat fish instead.
 
The "catholic 'fish on friday'" thing is actually the opposite of what you seem to think it is.

It actually came about because you're not supposed to eat meat on the fridays during the Lent season. So instead of meat, many people tend to eat fish instead.

Not just during Lent - it used to be that no Catholic could eat meat at all on any Friday. That was changed was changed in the US, although the clergy still abstain from meat on Fridays.

In the UK, the Bishops Conference re-introduced the expectation that Catholics refrain from eating meat on every Friday, effective September 16th, 2011.
 
Hey! I've managed to figure one out all by meself!

In 12x06 in the "Did communism ever make a decent car?" bit, Jeremy describes RAF Greenham common: "Home in the 1980s to 96 US Air Force nuclear missiles and several hundred lesbians."

What he meant was the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp held outside the base in the 1980s.
 
This thread has cleared up a couple of points of confusion for me, thanks. :)
 
Guys, last ep there was an expression that has been eluding me:

What's the meaning of that "Buffeting", or "Puffeting" thing James likes so much to say when he's gaining speed on a fast car? Is it some aviation term?
 
Guys, last ep there was an expression that has been eluding me:

What's the meaning of that "Buffeting", or "Puffeting" thing James likes so much to say when he's gaining speed on a fast car? Is it some aviation term?

Turbulence + Excessive wind noise
 
Excellent, since so many outside the UK watch TG, I figured at some point, thread like this would come up since it's kinda hard to understand the specifically used british metaphors.
 
A lot of these seem to be more useful to an ESL individual, since using one's brain and knowing the context allows one to figure out most of these on their own otherwise.

That said, I did find the list of people to be particularly useful to me, and it's still helpful to have a full list like this. Thanks for all the effort!
 
My diction and vernacular has changed so much by watching top gear, that a few weeks ago during a conversation after meeting someone they asked me if I was from Belgium. Great to know I can get foreign accent syndrome by watching a show but it's off by 100 miles or so. I grew up in Oregon.
This happen to anyone else?
 
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