Skip to main content
sod

sod

12 9.3
A man often spoken about in a friendly but slightly annoyed way
  • noun
  • /sɒd/
  • UK
translation icon : tipo
  • Did they stand in solidarity with all the poor sods in West London who stand to be affected by a possible third runway?
  • poor sod
  • old sod
  • silly sod

Examples

  • What a miserable sod.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Thanks for the reply; yeah, poor sod; poor us.

    Blog text (33)
  • Poor sod, she thought, rather him than me.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • I hope she does, as it might make her a bit easier on the poor old sod.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Poor sod, eh?

  • How nice the silly sods now scuffle.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • - Look at those drunken sods, not a penny to their names.

  • Grandad, you've had too much to drink, you drunken old sod.

  • You soppy sod.

  • That poor sod has been working overtime without a break.

Synonyms

guy
vssod
  • Informal
1.0

An informal word for a man or boy

is used with mild affection, pity, or disparagement
hombre
vssod
  • Slang
20 8.4

A man who seems tough and cool

is more general and can be affectionate, pitying, or mildly disparaging
so-and-so
vssod
  • Offensive
9 8.4

A person who is annoying or rude

is sometimes affectionate or pitying rather than only negative
bod
vssod
  • Slang
5 9.8

A person mentioned informally when their name is not known or important

is used for males and carries affection or mild disparagement

Compounds

sod house
  • Archaic
1 8.4

A house made from blocks of earth and grass cut from the ground

Fresh grass cut into rolls that you lay on bare soil

How Affectionate

mate
  • UK
213 5.3
sod
  • UK
12 9.3
chap
  • UK
83 5.6

Surface Forms

sod singular
sods plural

Etymology

Sod as a casual British word for a man began as a rude short form of sodomite, but over time it came to be used more lightly for a 'fellow' who is unlucky, cheeky, or annoying, as in 'lucky sod'.