london.localmean.com/dog-and-bone
dog and bone
DOG and BONE · /ˌdɒɡ ən ˈbəʊn/
Local meaning
Phone.
A classic Cockney rhyming-slang substitution for telephone or phone.
Examples in context
- Give me a ring on the dog and bone.
- He was on the dog all evening.
How it is used
Like many rhyming phrases, it may be shortened to “dog”.
Playful, nostalgic, coded.
Humour and heritage usage.
Listeners who recognise Cockney wordplay.
Do not assume younger Londoners will know it.
Spelling and scope
Traditional Cockney rhyming slang, now strongly heritage-marked.
Common search forms stay discoverable without claiming that every London community uses one spelling.
Common patterns
- on the dog
- dog and bone
- get on the dog
Read next
All words →Evidence and further reading
Sources support the definition, history, or usage layer. Local review remains welcome.
- Talking Cockney: London’s original dialectLondon Museum
London history, rhyming-slang method, changing usage, and examples.