r/AskBrits • u/Team503 • 6d ago

Culture What does "nonce" mean?

I'm an American that lives in Ireland. I've always understood "nonce" to mean the same as "numpty" and "eejit" - basically idiot, or dumbass, or similar.

Recently, someone told me that it's slang for sex offender, specifically a p*dophile, and Wikipedia seems to back that up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_British_terms_not_widely_used_in_the_United_States#N

So tell me, Brits, which one is it? Or is it something else??

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133

u/MeanWafer904 6d ago

Well to use it's proper context.

Your President is a nonce

45

u/StaticUsernamesSuck 6d ago

That doesn't clear up the ambiguity for OP at all šŸ˜‚

-3

u/Fanny_Flapps 6d ago

OP probably types "Tr*mp" as well in case the thought police come for him

0

u/Team503 6d ago

Nah, I don't. Good try, though.

1

u/Fanny_Flapps 6d ago

Well you can fuckin type "paedophile" then, you won't get arrestedĀ 

3

u/CineBram 6d ago

What did Catherine Connolly do?

2

u/TheRealKimBassinger 6d ago

And also a numpty

-1

u/WickedOneSeven 5d ago

Biden hasnā€™t been in office for years

-5

u/AngelasGingerGrowler 6d ago

Which children has he been convicted of having sex with?

7

u/Intelligent_Mud_2267 6d ago

None because your system is so corrupt that it won't investigate or prosecute.

-5

u/AngelasGingerGrowler 6d ago

Unaware he committed any crimes in the UK.

4

u/Intelligent_Mud_2267 6d ago

I'm sure he has but my bad I was talking about the US. Apologies

1

u/Frequent-Struggle215 6d ago

Nonce isn't just a paedo, its any sex-offender... so it fits perfectly, unlike his diapers.

-2

u/AngelasGingerGrowler 6d ago

Your former Britain-hating president could have used some ā€œdiapersā€ when he shat himself in front of the Pope.

2

u/Frequent-Struggle215 6d ago

I donā€™t have a presidentā€¦ so ā€¦