carvie-diesel

n

British

tea. The term is heard among inmates referring to the tea brewed in a prison canteen. It was recorded in the 'London Lingo' section of the Evening Standard in 1995. 'Diesel' is a mocking reference to the consistency of the brew, 'carvie' is archaic slang for a fellow inmate (itself from the earlier 'carving-china': 'friend who shares').