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chancer

CHAN-sernounColloquial

A Hiberno-English slang term. Browse all Irish slang.

What it means

  1. Someone who tries it on — charges too much, promises what he can't deliver, pushes into a queue. Condemnation mixed with a certain grudging amusement.

In use

  • Forty euro for that? He's a right chancer.

  • Ah he's only chancing his arm.

Where it comes from

From 'chancing your arm', taking a risk in the hope of profit. The noun is common across Britain and Ireland but does more work in Ireland, where it sits next to 'cute hoor' as a whole moral category.