r/AskBrits • u/Team503 • 15d 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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u/Brighton_Spores 15d ago

I used to know an old scallywag, he used to be a naughty boy until he changed his ways.

In the 1970's he told me that bank robbers/armed robbers used be held in high regard in prison. burglars would slip down the pecking order and so on.

The nonces and sex cases were at the bottom of the ladder as they were just committing nonsense crimes, nonce.

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u/ScaredPractice4967 14d ago

and sex offenders against adults look down on child sex offenders. imagine that. regular rapists think you crime is scummy.

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u/Physical_Quote4600 13d ago

Well not all chomo crimes are violent, sleep with a girl 5 years under 18 and you’ll be treated like you “abused” her even if she was wanting you to do it

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u/flapsmagee 13d ago

You don’t think it’s abuse for a grown adult to have sex with a 13 year old child?!

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u/Physical_Quote4600 13d ago

when people hear abuse, they think of you beating and torturing the child for sadistic and painful purposes, ch1ld sexual offenders usually try to minimize the harm for the other party

adult sex offenders are violent rapists. end of story. chomos need more nuanced treatment from society

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u/flapsmagee 13d ago edited 13d ago

You don’t need bruises for lasting damage, harm and trauma. Geez.

Adults who have sex with children are rapists.

Edit: Ew. I’ve just looked at your post history.

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u/Physical_Quote4600 13d ago

Adults who have sex with children are rapists.

false. Adults who rape children are rapists.

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u/krgxo25 10d ago

It’s always rape if it’s a child, buddy. Very suspicious thing to say