Shebert

[Pharlap]

Whenever going for a drink my old man would say he was going for a sherbet. I presume Its cockney slang but with what?

[Buenchico]

i don't think that it's rhyming slang.

Sherbert is a non-alcoholic drink and "I'm going for a sherbert" is just one of those ways that people jokingly 'hide' their real purpose when they head for the pub. i.e. it's similar to "I'll just take the dog for a walk", "I'm off to see a man about a dog" or (with at least partial admission of their real intent) "I'm just off for a quick half".

Interestingly, this site says that 'sherbert' is cockney rhyming slang but it means a taxi:
http://www.londonslang.com/db/s/

Chris

[doglady]

My husband says he's off for a whizz. Sherbert fizz = whizz.

Maybe!!

[crete]

sherbet tab_________________

[Quizmonster]

'Sherbet' actually comes from the Arabic verb 'shariba' meaning 'to drink'. It has related words in Turkish and Persian. Like most such Middle Eastern words, it was probably brought back to Britain by soldiers serving in the Indian Army during the Raj.

[violetblue]

It's rhyming slang for taxi (taxi cab).

[dot.hawkes]

sherbert dab

[dot.hawkes]

goody goody yum yum

[Peter Pedant]

havent we had this before ?
and with all the usual suspects ?
PP

[tomtech]

when i was much younger , sherbet related to sherbet fizz, ie whizz, ie speed, ie amphetamines which is nasty gear and incedently is illegal, so i suggest you do not try it. choose life. !!!!!!

[allotment10]

hey thanks buenchico, i was just scanning through p&s when i saw your answer to pharlap giving the link to londonslang, was just about to post on q&p concerning cockney slang so you've solved my little problem :-) cheers!

[joko]

sherbert dip - nip ... nip of brandy or whtever