What it means
A London way of saying governor, usually shortened to guvnor or just guv. It means the boss, the bloke in charge, or sometimes just a respectful cheeky way to address a man, especially if you don't know his name. It's got that Cockney wink to it, half manners, half banter, and the tone does the heavy lifting.
Usage examples
"Ask the guvnor if we can knock off early, it is dead quiet and the rain has not let up since lunch."
"Ask the guvnor if we can knock off early, he is in a good mood since the order came through."
"Cheers, guv, the taxi driver said, pocketing the tip and pulling back into the traffic."
"Nice one, guv, I'll get that sorted before the shop shuts."
"You alright, guv, or has the Monday misery got you by the throat already?"
Where it comes from
It comes straight from governor, which in British English meant the person in charge. In London speech, especially Cockney, it got shaved down to guv'nor and then guv. From there it stuck as a worksite boss word and a cheeky respectful way to address a man without sounding stiff.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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