how's your father
(uncountable, slang, British, euphemism) Sexual intercourse.
ˈhaʊz ˈjɔɹ ˈfɑðɚDocumented since 1910s1910sSilenthistorical83 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Etymology timeline
Born ~1910 · no dated citations yet20th centurySee decade cohort →
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(uncountable, slang, British, euphemism) Sexual intercourse.
Was this helpful?
Comments
UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
(countable, slang, British) A whatsit; a thing which the speaker is unable or unwilling to specify more precisely.
I popped round Mary's for a bit of '''how's your father'''.
Origin: A popular catchphrase of the 1910s popularised by music-hall entertainer Harry Tate, who used it for comic effect to change the subject away from one about which his character was ignorant (hence sense 1) or a taboo subject (hence sense 2). Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Was this helpful?
Comments
Used in
UK
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "how's your father".
🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "how's your father" (H)
how'llhowl onhow muchhow nohow seehow's it hanginghow's your hammer hanginghow the cow ate the cabbagehow-to-vote cardhowzitHS1HS2
Browse all slang words starting with H.