Where "Off like a bucket of prawns in the sun" Comes From
Emerging in late 20th-century Australian speech, this delightfully vivid idiom is a classic Australian double entendre. It relies on the word "off" having two simultaneous meanings: leaving in an enormous hurry, and raw shellfish spoiling into an eye-watering, rotten stench after sitting out in 40-degree Australian summer heat!
"Don't drink that milk, it's off like a bucket of prawns in the sun."
How Aussies Actually Use It
This is a colourful way to say that something smells awful or has gone bad. Picture seafood left out on a hot day and you have the idea.
Australians also use "off" on its own for food that has spoiled, as in "this chicken is off". The longer phrase can describe a person or a deal that seems suspicious, too.
See also: Dodgy (suspicious, unreliable, poor quality), Shonky (unreliable, dubious quality).
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: OFF like a BUK-it of PRAWNZ in the SUN.
In conversation:
- That milk’s off like a bucket of prawns in the sun.
- Don’t drink that, it’s off like a bucket of prawns in the sun.
- The deal seems off like a bucket of prawns in the sun.
Good to know: It’s a cheeky, vivid way to say something smells bad or seems suspicious. It’s a good one for a laugh.
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