Green’s Dictionary of Slang

sod v.

[abbr.]

lit. to sodomize; thus fig. use, synon. with ‘to hell with’ .

1879
190019502000
2024
[UK] ‘Nursery Rhymes’ in Pearl 4 Oct. 33: But my arse he can’t sod, / Because I am troubled with Fistula.
[UK]Eng. Dial. Dict. V 605/2: Phr. sod him, may mischief befall him. W. Yks. Sod him, he can go to —.
[UK]Jennings & Madge May the Twelfth: Mass-Observation Day-Surveys 4:87: Sod the Pope and everything – if there’s one thing that maddens me it’s electric fuses.
[UK]J. Maclaren-Ross Of Love And Hunger 34: The work is hard, the pay is small, so take your time and sod ’em all.
[UK]K. Amis letter 24 July in Leader (2000) 288: D should sod up the romantic business actively.
[UK]J.R. Ackerley We Think The World Of You (1971) 147: Ah, sod ’er!
[UK]H. Livings Stop it, Whoever You Are (1962) Act I: I’ll do a full-page article on you, and sod ’em.
[UK]A. Sillitoe Start in Life (1979) 60: ‘Sod them,’ I cried, almost in tears.
[UK]T. Blacker Fixx 207: Sod the media.
[UK]A. Higgins Donkey’s Years 158: ‘Sod that for a lark!’ burst out brother Bun.
[UK]Indep. Rev. 14 Feb. 8: Sod this violin lark.
[Scot]V. McDermid Out of Bounds (2017) 103: Sod Jason, sod Dinguid and sod the lot of them.
[UK]J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 133: Fais ce que voudras - so long as you don’t get nabbed doing it [...] Sod, sod, sod anyone who tries to stop you.

In phrases

sod about (v.) (also sod around)

to mess around, to waste time; thus sodding about n.

1972
198019902000
2006
[UK]K. Bonfiglioli Don’t Point That Thing at Me (1991) 44: Come on, Charlie, let’s stop sodding about.
[UK]G.F. Newman You Flash Bastard 36: Old policemen taked about how easy it all was nowadays with the aid of xerox copiers and civilian typists, recalling those days when they had to write everything in triplicate, and sod around with carbons.
D. Smith Silver Spoon Murders 99: I can make your life a misery if you’re sodding about.
A. Moore et al. V for Vendetta 167: What was the point of all that sodding about with detection, and evidence, and proof in court.
sod off (v.) [sod off! ]

to go away, to leave.

1989
19901995
2000
[UK]T. Blacker Fixx 50: I told him to sod off.
[UK]J. Poller Reach 89: Then he sods off to Greece.
[UK]Indep. Rev. 15 Jan. 6: The older you get, the more you can tell people to sod off.

In exclamations

sod it! (also sod! soddit!)

a general excl. of exasperation, resignation, annoyance etc.

1940
1940195019601970198019902000
2008
[UK]P. Larkin letter 9 Dec. in Thwaite Sel. Letters (1992) 4: I suppose my writing is terrible. Sod & ballocks, anyway. Not to mention cunt & fuck.
[UK]K. Amis letter 1 Feb. in Leader (2000) 198: If Perón keeps on like this I suppose I shan’t get my £75, soddit.
[UK]A. Sillitoe ‘The Disgrace of Jim Scarfedale’ Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (1960) 126: Sod it, some people said.
[UK]E. Bond Saved Scene vi: Sod!
[UK]J. Rosenthal Spend, Spend, Spend Scene 74: Four quid – out of the six I’d saved up – went when the TV chap called for his arrears. So I thought ‘Sod it!’, I thought.
[UK]S. Berkoff West in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 116: Oh sod it.
[Aus]‘Thommo’ Dict. Aus. Swearing & Sex Sayings 118: SOD IT — Piss weak exclamation of annoyance.
[UK]Indep. Rev. 21 June 8: Oh, sod it. I’ll stay in tonight and have beans on toast.
[UK]Guardian G2 14 Mar. 22: ‘Oh sod!’ said Delia.
[UK] (ref. to 1971) F. Dennis ‘Old Bailey’ Homeless in my Heart 179: A con from the National Front / Snarls ‘Sod it!’, his eyes like slits.
sod off! [semi-euph. for fuck off! excl.]

go away!

1958
19601970198019902000
2003
[Ire](con. 1940s) B. Behan Borstal Boy 299: ‘Sod off!’ said the boy indignantly.
[UK]A. Burgess 1985 (1980) 181: Sod off [...] Shove your gun in your fetid left armpit and pull the trigger.
[UK]F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 35: Sod off the pair of you.
[UK]A. Bleasdale ‘Shop thy Neighbour’ in Boys from the Blackstuff (1985) [TV script] 171: Oh! Sod off, Chrissie.
[Scot]I. Rankin Wolfman 108: Sod off, you old fart.
[UK]N. Griffiths Stump 79: An I don’t give two fucks what it means so sod off an shurrup.
sod you! [semi-euph. for fuck you! excl.]

1. a general excl. of hostility, dismissal; also used with other pronouns.

1950
19501960197019801990
1999
[UK]W. Sansom ‘Impatience’ in Lehmann Penguin New Writing No. 40 31: ‘Sod you for a start,’ Sally said.
[UK]Guardian Weekend 5 June 38: They didn’t want the Ken Russell Jesus Christ. Sod ’em.
[UK]Guardian G2 24 June 9: So I thought sod you, I’m off.

2. attrib. use of sense 1.

1989
1990200020102020
2024
[UK]T. Blacker Fixx 161: A take-the-money-and-sod-the-rest-of-you-merchant to the last.
[UK]Indep. Rev. 2 June 4: A sod you, up yours attitude.
[UK]J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 839: [A]part from a sod-you yacht, a sod-you fucking chateau, a sod-you island [...] , a sod-you helicopter, a sod-you townhouse [...] and a sod-you botox doll he’s totally low profile.