What it means
A proper Geordie shout that can mean come on, hurry up, get a move on, or even pack it in, depending on how you throw it. You hear it with mates, at the match, in a bit of disbelief, or as a nudge to stop messing about. Loud little word, loads of push in it.
Usage examples
"Howay, pet, stop fannying on, the match kicks off in ten. Grab ya coat and gan, we’re not missing the kick-off like."
"Howay man, we are going to miss the kick-off."
"Howay, get your coat, the taxi is already outside."
"Howay then, man, put your phone away and get in the pub before they stop serving."
"Howay, that was never a foul and you know it, man. Stop acting robbed."
Where it comes from
Howay is a long-standing Geordie form tied to older northern speech, widely understood as a local development of come away and used for urging, rallying, or calling someone on. It’s deeply rooted in Tyneside dialect and got extra famous through football chants like Howay the Lads.
Other ways to say it
This expression also appears in
