Meaning & use
trouble and strife
Last updated
Meaning
nounsingularBritishinformalhumorous
A humorous British slang expression for a man's wife, formed because strife rhymes with the word wife.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase with a possessive: my trouble and strife.
Patterns
- my trouble and strife
- someone's trouble and strife
I had better phone the trouble and strife and say I'll be late.
He took his trouble and strife to Spain for their anniversary.
Mick's trouble and strife runs the village shop.
Common combinations
- my trouble and strife
- My trouble and strife wants us to redecorate.
- ask the trouble and strife
- I will have to ask the trouble and strife about the weekend.
- meet the trouble and strife
- Come round and meet the trouble and strife.
- rhyming slang
- Trouble and strife is classic rhyming slang from London.
Synonyms and how they differ
- missus
- Missus is an informal British word for wife, but unlike trouble and strife it is not a rhyming-slang joke.
- better half
- Better half is affectionate and can be used about either partner, while trouble and strife is cheekier and about a wife.
- old lady
- Old lady is informal and can sound rude, while trouble and strife is playful.
- wife
- Wife is the neutral standard word suitable in any situation.
Word family
Commonly confused: trouble and strife or in trouble?
trouble and strife vs in trouble
In trouble means facing problems or punishment, and does not refer to a wife.
Practice
A Londoner says, 'I'm taking the trouble and strife out for dinner.' Who is he taking out?
Choose one answer.
Trouble and strife is rhyming slang for wife. The other options are people the phrase never refers to.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “trouble and strife”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.