Rhyming slang forTHE SHITS UK , 2003 banana treenounthe penisUK , 1973 banana vannouna flatbed railway carriage that sags in the middle banana wagonnouna low handcart used for transporti
Trang 1bamsie mannouna male homosexualTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1996
bannouna banana Greengrocer’s familiar abbreviation, usually in
the pluralUK , 1984
banananoun1an Asian-American who rejects his Asian heritage
and seeks to blend into the dominant white culture Like a
banana, the person described is yellow on the outside, white on
the insideUS , 1970.2a Hong Kong Chinese of European or
American parentage or aspirationsHONG KONG , 1997.3a New
Zealand-born Chinese personNEW ZEALAND , 1998.4a person of
mixed race, with both black and white ancestorsUS , 1945.5a
hospital patient suffering from jaundiceUS , 1983.6in American
casinos, a £20 chip From the yellow colourUS , 1985.7the penisUS ,
1916.8a parenthesis sign ( or ) on a computer keyboardUS , 1991.
9the convex curvature of the bottom of a surfboardUS , 1965.10a
comic in a burlesque showUS , 1953.11a crazy or foolish personUS ,
1919.12a dollarUS , 1970.13an Australian £1 noteAUSTRALIA , 1953.
< off your bananamentally unstable, crazyUK , 1999
bananaverbin television and film making, to walk in a slight curve
in front of the camera to preserve focusUS , 1990
banana-balancernounan officer’s steward or cabin-handAUSTRALIA ,
1960
banana beltnickname1southeastern AlaskaUS , 1937.2the South
Orkney Islands and South Georgia, warm only in comparison with
the harsh cold of Antarctica The term has been applied to a
rela-tively less cold area in a cold region since 1898ANTARCTICA , 1958
bananabendernouna person from Queensland The Australian
state of Queensland has a large banana industryAUSTRALIA , 1964
banana boynouna young white man brought up in the
Anglo-Saxon tradition of Natal, later KwaZulu-Natal; hence a sportsman
who is resident in KwaZulu-NatalSOUTH AFRICA , 1956
banana clipnounthe curved magazine or clip for a US Army
carbineUS , 1968
banana farmnounan asylum for the insane Used among Britons
in tropical or semi-tropical countriesUK , 1976
banana hammocknouna brief male bikiniUS , 1997
banana jockeynounany person who hangs on to the side of a
truck driving a load of bananas to townGRENADA , 1996
Bananalandnicknamethe state of Queensland Named after the
banana industry thereAUSTRALIA , 1880
Bananalandernouna person from QueenslandAUSTRALIA , 1887
banana oilnounnonsense; persuasive talkUS , 1924
banana peelsnounsurplus military tyres that are worn smooth and
hence uselessUS , 1992
banana racenouna fixed horse raceUS , 1967
bananasadjectivemadly excited; mad; behaving oddly Derives from
BANANA OIL(nonsense), which abbreviates as ‘bananas’; ‘to become
mad’ is ‘to go bananas’US , 1957
banana shotnounin pool, a shot at an object ball near a cushion,
with spin imparted such that the cue ball follows through after
striking the object ball and comes to rest after bouncing off the
cushionUS , 1993
banana skinnouna potential if trivial danger that is easily avoided
when not overlookedUK , 1907
bananas on bananasnountoo much of something, even a good
somethingUS , 1977
banana splitnoun1amyl nitrite; an ampoule of amyl nitrite A
reference to the banana-like smell of the drug vapoursUS , 1968.2a
variety of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy
From the logo pressed into the pill; after the cult children’s
television programme The Banana Splits (originally broadcast
1968–70)UK , 2002
banana splitsnoundiarrhoea Rhyming slang forTHE SHITS UK , 2003
banana treenounthe penisUK , 1973
banana vannouna flatbed railway carriage that sags in the middle
banana wagonnouna low handcart used for transporting aeroplane partsUS , 1955
banana wingnounin motor racing, an aerodynamic wing shapeUS , 1908
banana with cheesenounmarijuana and freebase cocaine combined for smokingUS , 1979
bananonounmarijuanaUK , 2003
bandnounin prison, a riot squadUS , 1976
bandaged upadjectivein trucking, said of a truck with any improvised winter frontUS , 1971
bandage factorynouna hospitalUS , 1941
band-aidnoun1in trucking, an improvised winter fronting for a truckUS , 1971.2a medic During the Vietnam war, a radio call for a
‘band-aid’ was a call for a medicUS , 1991
B and B gangnoun on the railways, a building and bridge crew US , 1977
band boxnouna county jailUS , 1992
band chicknouna woman who is attracted to, and makes herself available to, musicians An early term for what would come to be known as a ‘groupie’US , 1961
B and Dadjective bad and dangerous US , 1993
B and D; B/Dnoun bondage and domination (or discipline) as
sex-ual activitesUS , 1974
B and Enoun burglary From the initials for ‘breaking and entering’
US , 1965
Band Housenicknamethe Chicago House of CorrectionsUS , 1946
bandicootnoun< as a bandicootcompletely as specified; extremely soAUSTRALIA , 1845 < like a bandicoot on a burnt ridgelonely and forlornAUSTRALIA , 1901
bandicootverbto dig out a subsoil crop, especially potatoes, without
disturbing the plant in situ, usually surreptitiously AUSTRALIA , 1896
band in the boxnounpox Rhyming slangUK , 1971
banditnoun1a petty thief, usually preceded by the object of the crime IronicUK , 1977.2an obvious homosexual An abbreviation of
ARSE/ASS BANDIT UK , 2001.3a hostile aircraftUS , 1942.4an unsolved construction problemUS , 1961
bandit oddsnounbetting odds that strongly, if secretly, favour one betting positionUS , 1977
bandit territorynounin Metropolitan Police slang, the Home Counties areas fringing London that are policed by other forcesUK , 1999
band mollnouna woman who makes herself sexually available to the members of a rock group; a groupieAUSTRALIA , 1969
band of hope; bandernounsoap Rhyming slang, based on the name of a temperance organisation founded in Leeds in 1847 The truncated variation is recorded in Australia by Sidney J Baker
in 1943UK , 1938
B and Snoun brandy and soda A popular drinker’s abbreviation UK , 1868
bandwidthnounattention span A borrowing of a technical term with a technical meaning (the volume of information that can be handled within a time unit) for a humorous, broader usageUS , 1991
bandynouna bandicootAUSTRALIA , 1953
Bandywallopnounan imaginary remote townAUSTRALIA , 1958
bangnoun1an instance of sexual intercourseUK , 1691.2pleasure, enjoymentUS , 1929.3a person judged on their sexual performance
UK , 1937.4a popular schoolgirlUK , 1971.5an injection of a narcotic
US , 1922.6the sudden effect of a drugUS , 1948.7marijuanaUS , 1993.
8a swallow of alcoholUK , 2001.9an attempt Usually in the form
‘to have a bang (at)’UK , 1948.10an exclamation point (!) From the slang of printers to the slang of computer enthusiastsUS , 1931
bangverb1to have sexUK , 1720.2to stimulate a woman’s vagina by introducing and withdrawing a finger in rapid orderUS , 1971.3to inhale or to inject a drug intraveneouslyUS , 1926.4to swallow a
Trang 26(of dance music) to have a danceable beatAUSTRALIA , 2001.7to
make a turnUS , 1969 < bang ballsto have a plan backfire
SINGAPORE , 2002 < bang goes thatused for suggesting that
something has come to an endNEW ZEALAND , 1998 < bang heads
to fightUS , 1968 < bang like a dunny door; bang like a
hammer on a nailto be an exceptional sexual partner Many
variations, including ‘bang like a rattlesnake’, ‘bang like a shithouse
door in a gale’ and ‘bang like a shithouse rat’AUSTRALIA , 1968.
< bang the crap out ofof a male, to exhaust a sex-partner by
vigorous sexual activity An intensification ofBANG(to have sex) on
the model of ‘beat the crap out of’ (to thrash)UK , 2003
bangadverbvery much, extremelyUK , 2000
bangarang; banggarangnounan uproar, a riotJAMAICA , 1943
bang-bangnounthe penisBAHAMAS , 1982
bang bellynoun1a Newfoundland boiled pudding made of flour,
molasses, soda and seal-fat or suetCANADA , 1960.2the protruding
stomach of a childJAMAICA , 1996
bang bottlenouna condomUK , 1990s
Bang-clapnicknameBangkok, Thailand During the Vietnam war,
Bangkok was a rest and recreation destination, with plenty of sex
and almost as much venereal diseaseUS , 1991
bangedadjectiveintoxicated on a drug, especially marijuanaUS , 1980
banged upadjective1specifically, being locked in a police or prison
cell; generally, imprisoned The image of a cell door having been
banged shut Closely following the verb sense which is first
recorded in 1950UK , 1990.2pregnantNEW ZEALAND , 2002
bangernoun1a sausage Perhaps from the resemblance to a
bludgeonUK , 1919.2a firework producing a loud bangUK , 1959.3a
detonatorUK , 1966.4a near-derelict motor vehicle, usually a car or
van From the back-firing of a worn-out or poorly-maintained
engineUK , 1962.5a cylinder in a car engine Usually prefaced with a
numeralUS , 1970.6a fender, especially a front fenderUS , 1976.7a
boxer who relies on brute strength and aggressive tacticsUS , 1968.
8in hot rodding and motor racing, a collisionUS , 1933.9a gang
member Shortened form ofGANGBANGER US , 1985.10a heavy metal
music enthusiast who dances with zealUS , 2001.11a hypodermic
needle and syringeUS , 1986.12a kiss, especially one that is
forcefully deliveredUK , 1898.13in pool, an unskilled if forceful
playerUS , 1990.14a billiard ball Usually in the plural, extended
from the sense as ‘testicle’UK , 1984.15in the casino game Keno,
the punch tool used to make holes in tickets showing the
numbers bet onUS , 1978
bangersnounthe testiclesUK , 1961
BangersnicknameBangkokAUSTRALIA , 1985
bangers and mashnounan act of urination Rhyming slang for
SLASH,formed from one of the great dishes of British cuisineUK ,
2003
bang gotchernounany film of the Western genre From children’s
recreation of the cowboy action in such films: firing toy (or
pretend) guns, crying ‘Bang! Got you!’ so their play-enemies don’t
miss the pointAUSTRALIA , 1953
bangingadjective1drug-intoxicatedUK , 2003.2wonderful, great,
excellent Originally recorded by Francis Grose in 1788 and possibly
anticipated two centuries earlier; in the 1990s ‘banging’ enjoyed
the wide popularity of a new coinage Also variant ‘bangin’UK , 1997
banging-offnounsexual intercourse Royal Navy useUK , 1984
Banglanouna BangladeshiSINGAPORE , 2002
bang onverb1to talk lengthily and repetitiously about a particular
topicUK , 1959.2in computing, to subject a piece of equipment or a
new program to a stress testUS , 1991
bang onadverbexactly, correct Coined by World War 2 Royal Air
Force bomber crews for ‘bang on the target’; adopted into civilian
usage as soon as the war was overUK , 1943
bang on itadjectivedrunk or drug-intoxicatedUK , 2003
bang on the latchnouna last drink after closing timeIRELAND , 2003
bang on the moneyadjectiveabsolutely correct, exactUK , 1994
bang outverb1to manufacture or produce something, especially
without care; to distribute something . to eject from a
fighter planeUK , 1991.3when freefalling from a plane, to spread your body into a wide shapeUK , 1995
bang out of orderadjective 8see:OUT OF ORDER
bang shiftnouna quick, forceful gear shift while racingUS , 1965
bang-shootnounany thing, matter or business at issue at the moment A playful variation ofSHEBANGandSHOOTING MATCH; usually heard as ‘the whole bang-shoot’UK , 1984
bangsternouna needle-using drug addictUS , 1950
bang sticknouna firearmUK , 1961
bangtailnoun1one of several inferior kinds of horse; a racehorse From the practice of bobbing the horse’s tailUS , 1921.2a return-address envelope sent with a bill, containing a product offer on a detachable portion of the envelope flapUS , 1986
bang to rightsadjective1denoting an absolute certainty that fully justifies arrest on a criminal charge, as when caught red-handed Intensifies ‘to rights’ (fairly, legally)UK , 1904.2by extension, describing a satisfactory state of affairsUK , 1962
bang-upnouna period during which a prisoner is locked in a cell From the verbUK , 2002
bang upverb1to inject a drugUK , 1982.2to prepare marijuana as a cigaretteUK , 2000.3in prison, to lock someone or be locked into a cellUK , 1950.4to end a poker gameUS , 1979
bang-upadjectiveexcellent; first-rateIRELAND , 1821
banjaxverbto batter, to beat, to destroy someone or something
IRELAND , 1939
banjaxedadjective1not in working order Given fresh impetus in the UK in the 1970s by popular broadcaster Terry Wogan, possibly from the phonetic similarity to the then unacceptableBOLLOCKSED
IRELAND , 1939.2drunk Playing on the sense ‘not in working order’,
SMASHED UK , 2002
banjonoun1a generously proportioned sandwich or filled roll In military use in forms such as an ‘egg banjo’ or a ‘chip banjo’UK ,
1961.2in prison, any food that has been acquired by illicit means
UK , 1950.3a shovelUK , 1918.4the rear end of a car or truckUS , 1971.
5in rugby, a head-high tackleNEW ZEALAND , 1998
banjoverb1to beat someone FromBANJAX(to batter)UK , 1982.2to murder someoneUK , 1999.3to force open a door or windowUK , 1981
banjoedadjectivebroken down, battered FromBANJO(to beat), ulti-mately fromBANJAX(to destroy)UK , 1987
banjo playernouna born-and-(in-)bred country-dweller Probably inspired by ‘Duelling Banjos’, a musical sequence in the film
Deliverance, 1972, in which the guitar symbolises urban America
and the banjo represents an impoverished rural existenceUK , 2001
banknoun1money; wealthUS , 1991.2a sum of money ready for immediate use, especially for gamblingAUSTRALIA , 1919.3a person who finances a gambling enterpriseUS , 1964.4a prison cell for solitary confinementUS , 1962.5a toiletUS , 1945 < on the bank
subsisting on bank loansAUSTRALIA , 1955 < take it to the bank; put it in the bankto be very sure of a factUS , 1977
bankverb1to enjoy yourself on an outing on a bank holiday
BARBADOS , 1965.2to prove someone guilty of a crimeUS , 1992.3to surround someone to beat themUS , 1997
bank banditnouna barbiturate capsule or other central nervous system depressant Possibly from the calming effect that enables criminals to overcome nervesUS , 1992
banked outadjectiverichUS , 2002
bankernoun1a usurer, an illegal lender of moneyUS , 1988.2a criminal who controls a stock of forged currency notesUK , 1966.3a person with a large sum of gambling moneyAUSTRALIA , 1979.4the operator of an illegal numbers racket or lotteryUS , 1959.5in a functionally compartmentalised illegal drug operation, the person who receives payment for drugs boughtUS , 1987.6a creek, river, etc, full to overflowingAUSTRALIA , 1848 8see:MERCHANT BANKER
banker’s bitnouna prison sentence of five to ten years A common sentence for bankers caught commiting fraudUS , 1950
banker’s rownouna line of side-by-side high-yield gold seams
Trang 3banker’s setnounin dominoes, the 3–2 piece So named because
opponents cannot score on itUS , 1959
bankingnounmasturbation FromBARCLAY’S BANKforWANK UK , 1983
bank offverbto place a prisoner in a punishment cellUS , 1981
bank repairsnouna lack of financingUS , 1954
bankrollverbto finance a project The image of a roll of banknotes
US , 1928
bank shotnouna delayed fuse shell fired by a tank in such a
manner as to bounce off an object and around a corner to
explode at or near the target Borrowed from any number of
sports and games Vietnam war usageUS , 1990
bank teller jobnounin horse racing, a bet on the surest of sure
things So certain is the bettor of winning that he could safely
borrow money from a bank one day, bet it that afternoon, and
pay it back the next dayAUSTRALIA , 1989
bank upverbto save moneyBAHAMAS , 1982
banternounslang By extension from its conventional sensesUK , 2000
banyannouna picnic on a beach, when organised from a naval
vesselUK , 1987
banzainounin drag racing, a complete effortUS , 1965
banzai!used as an expression of joy and excitementUS , 1985
bapnouna sophisticated and privileged Black American woman An
acronym, on the model ofJAP(a Jewish-American Princess) US , 2001
bapverbto shoot someone or somethingUS , 1966
baparazzinounpress photographers who specialise in catching their
subjects topless A play onBAPS(the breasts) and ‘paparazzi’UK , 2003
bapheadnouna fool Black and urban youth slangUK , 2001
bapponouna baptistAUSTRALIA , 1953
bapsnounthe female breasts After the small soft bread rolls
AUSTRALIA , 1992
baptism of firenounan inexperienced soldier’s first combat
experi-enceUS , 1990
Baptist bagnouna brown paper bag in which a bottle of beer can
be concealedUS , 1992
barnoun1a pound Directly from Romany bar, ultimately Romany
bauro (heavy or big); usually in the phrase ‘half a bar’ (until
decimalisation in 1971: ten shillings; post-decimalisation: 50p)
although inflation seems to have had an effectUK , 1911.2one
million dollarsUS , 1997.3a package of heroinUS , 1978.4a block of
cannabis resin weighing approximately a kilogramUS , 1967.5used
as a name for any variable objectUS , 1983.6an erection Especially
used in the form ‘have a bar’UK , 1961 < not stand a bar of;
not have a bar ofto detest, deny or reject someone or
something, to be unable to tolerate someone or something
AUSTRALIA , 1933
barverb1(especially in Queensland) to claim something as your
right; to reserve somethingAUSTRALIA , 1971.2to give somebody a
ride on the bars or your bicycleNEW ZEALAND , 1959
baradjectivea ‘minus’ attached to a gradeUS , 1968
barprepositionin betting, used for indicating the number of horses
excluded from the offered oddsUK , 1860
bar!used as a call in children’s games, chiefly in Queensland and
New South Wales, to indicate that one is safe from being caught
or taggedAUSTRALIA , 2003
barbnoun1a barbiturate US , 1966.2a college student who is not a
fraternity member The fraternity system is known as the ‘Greek
society’, and in Greek a ‘barbarian’ was any non-GreekUS , 1900
Barbara Huttonnounin hold ’em poker, a five and ten as the first
two cards dealt to a player Hutton (1913–1979) was heiress to the
Woolworth fortune; Woolworth was the foremost five and ten cent
store in AmericaUS , 1981
barbecuenoun1a self-immolation The term enjoyed a brief and
gruesome popularity in the early 1960sUS , 1963.2the burning of a
prisoner locked in a cellUS , 1992.3a napalm bombingUS , 1968.
4radiation treatment Medical slangUS , 1994.5a fatal overdose of
narcotics . an attractive girl or woman
barbecueverbto put someone to death by electrocutionUS , 1990
barbed wirenicknameCastlemaine XXXX beer From the resemblance of the four X’sAUSTRALIA , 1983
barbed wire citynouna military stockadeUS , 1964
barbernoun1a thief who operates by stealth Derives from the thief’s ability to ‘cut and trim’AUSTRALIA , 1938.2in pool, a close miss, usually made intentionally to avoid a scratchUS , 1993
Barbernoun< the Barberthe Greymouth wind coming across and off the Mawhera RiverNEW ZEALAND , 1998
barberverb1to rob hotel roomsAUSTRALIA , 1950.2to talk; to gossip Derives from a stereotypical barber’s inconsequential but incessant chatter with a chair-bound customerUS , 1938
barber chairnounin logging, the stump left from a poorly cut tree, which in falling leaves an upright large splinterUS , 1941
barber polenounin casino gambling, a bet comprised of various coloured chipsUS , 1980
barber shopnounin trucking, a bridge with a low clearance Citizens’ band radio slangUS , 1977
barbidexnouna combination of central nervous system stimulants and depressantsUS , 1992
barbienoun1a barbecueAUSTRALIA , 1976.2an outdoor party centred around food cooked on a barbecueAUSTRALIA , 1981
Barbie; Barbie Dollnoun1an idealised woman, one who conforms
to the role-model of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed plastic doll A generally derisory usage; from Barbie™, a manufactured doll orig-inally intended for young girls, which has become a cultural symbol Also variant ‘Barbie Girl’US , 1976.2a barbiturate capsuleUS , 1979
barbiedadjectiveused of a woman who has become subservient to a man FromBARBIE DOLL, an idealised concept of womanhood manufactured and marketed by MattelUK , 1996
Barclaycardnouna sawn-off shotgun used to shoot doors off their hinges From the credit card’s advertising slogan ‘A Barclaycard gets you anywhere’UK , 1995
Barclay’s Bank; barclaynounof a male, an act of masturbation Rhyming slang forWANK(masturbation); probably, according to most authorities, in use since the 1930sUK , 1980
Barcoo busternouna westerly gale in mid- or south Queensland The Barcoo Shire is one of the most isolated areas in Australia
AUSTRALIA , 1943
Barcoo rotnouna type of scurvy caused by a lack of fresh food
AUSTRALIA , 1870
Barcoo spewsnouna gastric disorder characterised by vomiting Named after a river in QueenslandAUSTRALIA , 1901
bareadverbvery; manyUK , 2005
bare-ass; bare-assedadjectivenakedUK , 1562
barebackverb1to engage in sex without a condomUS , 1970.2to surf without a wetsuitUS , 1991
barebackadjectivein trucking, said of a tractor without a trailerUS , 1942
barebackadverb(used of sex) without a condomUS , 1960
bareback ridernouna man who has sex without using a condom
US , 1960
barefootadjective1(of sex) without a condomUS , 1963.2(of a car or truck) lacking one or more tyresUS , 1941.3(of a citizens’ band radio) operating without a power boosterUS , 1976.4in craps, said of
a bet on the pass line without odds takenUS , 1983
barefootedadjective(of a drink) undilutedUS , 1847
barefoot pilgrimnounin the used car business, a naive, trusting, unsophisticated customerUS , 1968
barefoot ricenounplain riceBAHAMAS , 1982
bare metalnouna new computer which is not equipped with even
an operating systemUS , 1991
bare-poleadjectivenakedCANADA , 1988
bares the bare fists
Trang 4barfnounbeefUS , 1996
barfverb1to vomitUS , 1958.2in computing, to fail to operateUS ,
1983.3in hot rodding and drag racing, to damage something
completely or partially, leaving parts scatteredUS , 1993
barfbagnoun1a bag provided for airsick air passengers, to use for
vomitingUS , 1966.2by extension, a despicable personUS , 1973
barf, beer and a cigarnouna fighter pilot’s breakfastUS , 1986
barf buddynouna drinking companionUS , 1977
barficnounan unartistic computer graphic created with keyboard
charactersUS , 1995
bar-flynouna too-frequent frequenter of bars and saloonsUS , 1906
barf me out!used for expressing disgustUS , 1982
barfolaused as a general-purpose, all-round expression of disgust
US , 1985
barf whiffnounthe odour of vomitUS , 1991
barfyadjectiveunpleasant, disgustingUS , 1957
bargainnouna stroke of good luckUS , 1990
bargain daynounin a criminal proceeding, the final day before trial
when the prosecuting attorney will accept a lesser guilty pleaUS ,
1992
bargenoun1any large car A nautical comparison similar to the
more genericBOAT US , 1968.2a large, unwieldy surfboardUS , 1963.3a
large vaginaUS , 1972
bargeverbto come; to go; to leave; to arrive; to moveUS , 1929
barge inverbto intrude, to interfere, especially if rudely or clumsily
UK , 1923
barge polenouna large penisUS , 1967
bar girlnouna female prostitute who works in a barAUSTRALIA , 1988
bargoonouna mixture of meat and vegetables cooked together in a
boiling kettleCANADA , 1986
bargoonadjectivecheap; at an unusually low priceCANADA , 2002
bar-hopverbto move in a group from one bar to another, stopping
at each for a drink or twoUS , 1948
barinouna baritone saxophoneUS , 1955
bariesnounbare feetUK: SCOTLAND , 1985
barknoun1the skinUK , 1758.2moneyUS , 1973.3a coughUK , 1937
barkverb1to coughUK , 1937.2to bragUS , 1968.3to tell a lieUS , 1997.
< bark the tiresto produce a chirping sound from the tyres on
the road while shifting gearsUS , 1992
barkernoun1a person who stands at the door of a business calling
out to people passing by, trying to lure them into the businessUK ,
1699.2an unsophisticated master of ceremoniesUS , 1986.3an
antique dealer’s assistantUK , 2003.4in craps played in a casino, the
stickman The stickman controls the pace of the game and
engages in steady banter with the playersUS , 1983.5a dogUK , 1980.
6a person with a nasty cough From the verbBARK UK , 1937.7a
singerUS , 1973.8a handgunUS , 1814
barkersnounshoes An extension of the much more commonly
usedDOGS(shoes)US , 1929
barker’s eggnouna piece of dog excrementAUSTRALIA , 1985
barkey; barkie; barkynouna sailor The term appears to derive
from Italian barca (a boat), perhaps from ‘barque’ UK , 2002
barkingadjectiveraving mad Derives, in some way, from the
behaviour of a mad, rabid or over-excited dogUK , 1968
barking cockroachnounthe notional creature blamed when
someone in a crowd fartsBERMUDA , 1985
barking dogsnountired feetUS , 1960
barking spidernounthe notional creature blamed when someone
in a crowd fartsUS , 1989
Bar-Lnoun< the Bar-LHM Prison Barlinnie in the East End of
GlasgowUK: SCOTLAND , 1985
barley
barley!used as a call in children’s games Perhaps from French
parlez (to parley) Used to indicate that one is safe from being
caught or tagged Some jocular use by adultsUK , 1814
barley mo’nouna moment An elaboration ofMO, formed on Barley Mow, a popular pub nameUK , 2005
barley popnounbeerUS , 1976
barley waternounbeerUS , 1966
Barlinnie drumsticknouna weapon improvised from a length of lead pipe and a few nails Barlinnie is a Glasgow prisonUK: SCOTLAND , 1976
barmpotnouna person who is deranged, crazy or eccentric A fusion ofBARMYandPOTTY, ultimately from barm (a dialect term
for ‘yeast’)UK , 1951
barmynoun a mad or eccentric person Derives from barm, a dialect
term for ‘yeast‘ An early source remarks ‘frothing like barm hence, full of ferment, flighty, empty-headed’ It is probably relevant to note also the lunatic asylum built in 1828 at Barming Heath, Kent (now the site of Maidstone Hospital)UK , 2001
barmyadjectivemad; eccentricUK , 1851
Barmy Armynicknamefans of the England cricket teamUK , 1996
barmy wagonnounan ambulance used for the secure transport of the insane FromBARMY(a mad or eccentric person)UK , 1959
barnnoun1in trucking, a truck garageUS , 1976.2in poker, a hand consisting of three cards of the same suit and a pair
Conventionally known as a ‘full house’US , 1988
Barnaby Rudge; barnabynouna judge Rhyming slang, formed on the title of the Dicken’s novelUK , 1960
barnburnernoun1an exciting idea, event or thingUS , 1934.2a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police From an unfortunate miscalculation of force in the 1970s that led to the burning of a barn where separatists met with American Black PanthersCANADA , 1979
barnburner wizardnouna high-achieving salesmanUS , 1974
Barn dancenounthe chaotic movement of pedestrians as soon as traffic signals permit From the name of Henry Barnes, New York’s traffic commissioner in the 1960sAUSTRALIA , 1984
barndance cardnouna debriefing after combatUS , 1992
barn diseasenounthe many woes found in a motorcyle that has been left idle for several years Biker (motorcycle) usageUS , 2001
barn doornoun1the fly on a pair of trousers Used in the euphemistic warning: ‘Your barn door is open’US , 1950.2any target that is too large to missUK , 1679.3an extremely large halibut Alaskan and Canadian usageCANADA , 1989.4in stage lighting, and the television and film industries, blinders used to focus a studio lamp Conventionally known as a ‘variable mask’US , 1960.5a type
of fuel injection systemUS , 1965
barnetnounthe head FromBARNET FAIR(the hair)UK , 1994
barnet fair; barnetnounthe hair Rhyming slang, usually compressed to ‘barnet’ Barnet Fair, itself, had ceased be a major event at least 50 years before this slang was coinedUK , 1857
barneynoun1a fight or argument From British dialectAUSTRALIA ,
1858.2a police officerUS , 1976.3an unattractive, unpopular young manUS , 1987.4a new Internet user whose interest will soon lapse
US , 1997.5in the television and film industries, a noise-reducing pad placed over a cameraUS , 1977
barneyverb1to argue about somethingAUSTRALIA , 1942.2to travel in high styleUS , 1949
Barneyanonounspeech or writing in a mode of satirical truth, without avoiding anythingCANADA , 2002
Barney mokenounan act of sexual intercourse Rhyming slang for
POKE; a suggestive contrast withBARNEY(an argument) Sometimes shortened to ‘Barney’ From an earlier pickpockets’ use of the rhyme for ‘poke’ (a bag or pocket)UK , 1984
Barney’s brignounthe essence of disorder The full expression includes ‘both main tacks over the foreyard’, showing the nautical
Trang 5Barney’s bullnouna condition, especially a worthless or negative
state Originally ‘to be like Barney’s bull’ meant ‘extremely fatigued
or distressed’; Partridge noted the range extended as: ‘bitched,
buggered, and bewildered like Barney’s bull’; ‘well fucked and far
from home like Barney’s bull’ and ‘all behind like Barney’s bull’ In
2003 a quick search of the Internet revealed: ‘buggered like
Barney’s bull’ from the northeast UK; ‘more mixed up than
Barney’s Bull’ from western Canada, of Scots-Irish descent; ‘get
into more trouble than Barney’s bull’ from Australia; and ‘mad as
Barney’s bull’UK , 1908
barnienouna big fight or punch-upSOUTH AFRICA
barn moneynounin horse racing, money bet by purportedly
informed track insidersUS , 1994
barnstormverbto travel from town to town, performing, competing
or campaigningUS , 1888
barnyard expression; barnyard languagenounprofanityUS , 1968
barnyard golfnounthe game of horseshoe pitchingUS , 1925
barnyard hennouna prostitute not favoured by her pimpUS , 1957
barnyard polkanounthe elaborate, careful walk of a person trying
not to step in cow manureCANADA , 1987
bar of chocolatenounpraise, especially when given by senior
officers Royal Navy, usually phrased as ‘get a bar of chocolate’UK ,
1962
bar of soapnoun1marijuana Rhyming slang forDOPE; a bar of
cannabis may coincidentally resemble a bar of soap (see:SOAP
BAR), but the usage is simply a convenient rhyme Rhyming slang
often clips, here givingBARan alternate etymologyUS , 1940.2in
dominoes, the double blankUS , 1959
baronnounin prison, a powerful criminal whose influence is built
on illegal trading in drugs, tobacco, phone cards or money From
the conventional sense of ‘baron’ (a man of power and influence)
UK , 1950 < on the baronfree Royal Navy usageUK , 1962
barossanouna girl Rhyming slang for Barossa Pearl (a popular
white wine).AUSTRALIA , 1980
barouche; cabouchenouna car; a taxiUK , 1992
barranouna barrumundiAUSTRALIA , 1900
barrackverb1to ridicule someone; to jeer at someone Probably
from Northern Ireland dialect sense ‘to brag or boast’AUSTRALIA ,
1878.2in sport, to cheer for a team; to support a person or team;
hence, to cheer on a person The usual meaning since 1945
AUSTRALIA , 1890
barrackernounin sport, a person who ‘barracks’ for a team; a
supporterAUSTRALIA , 1889
barrack-room lawyer; barrack-lawyernounanyone unqualified
who argues knowledge of rules, regulations or law, especially in a
petty confrontation with authority; hence a generally
argumentative person of the ‘I know better than you’-type
Originally militaryUK , 1943
barracouternouna TasmanianAUSTRALIA , 1966
barracudanounan aggressive, unprincipled personUS , 1957
barrelnoun1a tablet of LSD Usually in the pluralUS , 1971.2a
perfect wave breakingUS , 1991.3a cylinder in an car engineUS , 1948.
4in pool, a betting unitUS , 1990 < have someone over a
barrelto have someone at a disadvantageUS , 1939 < in the
barrelin prison, especially in solitary confinementUS , 1992.
< right into your barrel; right up your barreldecidedly your
concern, interest, businessAUSTRALIA , 1942
barrelverb1to knock someone over; to flatten someone; also, to
beat up someone, to punch someone, to deliver a blowAUSTRALIA ,
1969.2to scold someone Prison usageNEW ZEALAND , 1999.3to hold
someone at bay; to corner someoneAUSTRALIA , 1982.4to drive at
great speedAUSTRALIA , 1977
barrel-ass; barrelverbto move rapidly, generally oblivious to any
obstaclesUS , 1930
barrel-back with barn doorsnouna 1946 Ford Monarch The
‘barn doors’ refer to the car’s wood trimUS , 1992
barreled out
barrel fevernoun delirium tremens suffered by an alcoholic US , 1949
barrelhousenounsome combination of brothel, bar and rooming houseUS , 1883
barrel rollnounthe US air campaign conducted over northern Laos
in support of the Royal Lao Government, against the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forcesUS , 1991
barrier roguenouna racehorse that is agitated by the starting bar-rierAUSTRALIA , 1982
barrier-to-boxnounin horse racing, the entire length of the race
AUSTRALIA , 1989
barrionouna disadvantaged neighbourhood Liverpool usage; adopted from conventional ‘barrio’ (a Spanish speaking neighbourhood in a US city) to give a romantic identity to an urban localityUK , 2002
barrownoun< on my barrowgiving me troubleUK , 1956 8see:
BORROW PIT
barrow wheelnouna cast-metal spoked wheelUK , 1984
barrynoun1a youth who drives up and down a Fenland village street with very loud music blaring from the car’s sound-system and, apparently, a hoe sticking out of the boot Local teen slang, probably originally mocking an actual boy called BarryUK: ENGLAND ,
2004.2something shockingly badAUSTRALIA , 1997
barryadjectivegood, excellent, wonderful Edinburgh slang, widely
used in Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, 1993, but not in the film UK: SCOTLAND , 1993
Barry Crockernounsomething shockingly bad Rhyming slang for
SHOCKER After Barry Crocker, born 1935, Australian singer and actor who, amongst other things, starred in the title role of the Barry McKenzie films of the 1970s, based on the slang-rich
cartoon script by Barry Humphries originally published in Private Eye in the 1960s AUSTRALIA , 1997
Barry McGuigan; Barrynouna notable defecation Rhyming slang for ‘big ‘un’, formed from the name of the bantam/featherweight boxer from Northern Ireland (b.1961)UK , 2003
barry upverbto enhance an (old) car in a manner designed to be noticed The identity of the Barry honoured with this coinage is unknownUK , 2005
Barry White; Barrynoun1excrement; hence rubbish
Contemporary rhyming slang forSHITE, based on the name of soul singer Barry White, 1944–2003UK , 2002.2a fright Popney rhyming slang, based on the name of soul singer Barry White, 1944–2003
Popney was contrived for www.music365.co.uk, an Internet music
siteUK , 2001
Barry White; Barryadjectiveinferior; shoddyUK , 2003
Barry-Whiternounan event that lasts all night, especially a drinking spree or a rave Rhyming slang for ‘all-nighter’; based on the name
of US singer Barry White, 1944–2003 Remembered by Jonathan
Telfer, Writers News, 2003 UK , 2003
barse-ackwardsadjectiveend-firstUS , 1975
bar stewardnouna bastard A jocular euphemism; although well known previously, widely popularised in the late 1990s as an advertising strapline for Heineken Export lager: ‘From your smooth-talking bar steward’UK , 1961
bar stoolnoun1a vehicle which is never or rarely drivenUS , 1992.
2used as a euphemism for ‘bastard’ JocularUK , 1999
bartnouna criminally-inclined youth, especially a youth gang memberUS , 1963
barterverb(among young women in Montreal) to trade sexual favours for desired giftsCANADA , 2002
Bart’snicknameSt Bartholomew’s Hospital, LondonUK , 1937
Bart Simpsonnoun1a type of LSD identified by an icon of the cartoon hero Bart Simpson, an animated character, was created by Matt Groening in 1987UK , 1996.2a variety of MDMA, the rec-reational drug best known as ecstasy, identified by the embossed motifUK , 2002.3heroinUK , 2002
bar upverb1to get an erectionAUSTRALIA , 1983.2to become excited
Trang 6basnoun a bastard, generally in its slang sense Pronounced, and
occasionally written ‘bahss’ or ‘bass’ in accordance with the full
pronuncation of ‘bastard’UK , 1977
Basconouna person of Basque extractionCANADA , 1963
basenoun1freebase cocaine; basic cocaine from which the
hydro-chloride has been removedUS , 1982.2an amphetamine, 2001
baseverb1to smoke freebase cocaineUS , 1987.2to argueUS , 1990.
3to verbally attack someone using sarcasm to convey an accurate
if cruel appraisal of them An abbreviation of ‘debase’ US , 1997
baseballnoun1homosexual activity Back formation from the use
ofPITCHandCATCHas terms meaning ‘to have the active and
passive roles in homosexual sex’US , 1989.2a defensive
fragmentation hand grenade that explodes on impact, used in
Vietnam Shaped and sized like a baseballUS , 1991.3in horse
racing, a bet on one horse in one race and all horses in another
US , 1976.4crack cocaineUK , 1998
Baseball Annienouna woman who makes herself available sexually
to professional baseball playersUS , 1949
baseball batnounthe penisAUSTRALIA , 1999
baseball bumnounin craps, the number nineUS , 1949
baseballernouna drug user who smokes freebase cocaineUS , 1992
baseball whiskersnouna sparsely bearded faceUS , 1952
base bludgernouna member of the services who is stationed at
the base DerogatoryAUSTRALIA , 1948
base camp commando; base camp desk jockeynounsomebody
with bellicose opinions about the way the war should be
conducted but no intention of leaving their post away from
combat to do it Vietnam war usageUS , 1986
base craziesnounobsessive searching behaviour experienced by
crack cocaine usersUS , 1989
base crazynouna drug user who searches on hands and knees for
cocaine or crack cocaineUK , 2002
base dealernouna card cheat who deals from the bottom of a
deckUS , 1993
based outadjectiveused of a crack or freebase addict who is unable
to control usageUK , 2002
base gallerynouna room or building where freebase cocaine users
pay to enter and then buy and smoke freebase cocaine
An extension of ‘shooting gallery’US , 1992
base headnouna regular smoker of freebase cocaineUS , 1986
base housenouna house or apartment where freebase cocaine is
sold A term and concept that all but vanished with the advent of
crack cocaine in the mid-1980sUS , 1992
basemannouna drug user who smokes freebase cocaineUS , 1992
basementnounchannel one on a citizens’ band radioUS , 1976 < in
the basementin stud poker, dealt facing downUS , 1988
base outverbto idleBELIZE , 1996
basernouna user of freebase cocaineUS , 1989
bases loadednounin craps, bets placed on every possible
combi-nationUS , 1974
base wallahnouna member of the services who is stationed at the
base DerogatoryAUSTRALIA , 1919
base wallopernouna military officer serving at a rear echelon base
NEW ZEALAND , 2002
bashnoun1an attempt, try, goUK , 1939.2a partyUK , 1901.3a drag
racing eventUS , 1960s to 70s.4a long cycle ride, especially if fast and
arduous ‘The Brighton Bash’ is from London to Brighton and
backUK , 1961.5a route march, as in ‘5-mile-bash’, etc Military
usageUK , 1984.6an act of sexual intercourseUK , 1979.7a person
judged on their sexual performanceAUSTRALIA , 1967.8marijuana
A possible pun onBANG(marijuana) or misspelling ofBUSH
(marijuana)US , 1971.9a dent put into a felt hat to make it look
better, especially an Australian Army slouch hatAUSTRALIA , 1954.
< on the bashto be working as a prostituteUK , 1936
bashverb1to criticise someone or something Often combined as a
suffix with the object of criticism . to hit someone .
3while surfing, to slam into a waveUS , 1991.4to work as a prostituteUK , 1961.5to eat with great fervourUS , 1945.6to indulge
in heavy drinkingAUSTRALIA , 1947 < bash earsto talk on the telephone Teen slangUS , 1951 < bash one out(of a male) to masturbateUK , 2002 < bash someone’s earto talk to someone
at lengthAUSTRALIA , 1965 < bash the bishop(of a male) to masturbate Based on a perceived resemblance between the erect penis and a conventional chess piece or, possibly, the helmet and
an episcopal mitre; bishops may also be ‘banged’, ‘battered’,
‘beaten’, ‘buffed’, ‘captured’, ‘flipped’, ‘flogged’ and ‘murdered’; notwithstanding, the bishop has also inspired punning variants:
‘cardinals’, ‘obsolete jesuits’, ‘pope’, ‘priests’ and ‘one-eyed monk’
UK , 1961 < bash the bottleto drink alcohol to excessAUSTRALIA ,
1971 < bash the spineto sleepAUSTRALIA , 1945 < bash wheels
in the usage of youthful model road racers (slot car racers), to race
US , 1997
basha; bashernouna makeshift temporary shelter Originally Assamese for a ‘bamboo hut’; acquired by the military and now in use among the UK homelessUK , 1961
bash artistnouna person prone to fightingNEW ZEALAND , 1998
bash downverbto record a song in one takeUK , 1983
bashedadjectivedrunkUS , 1982
bashernoun1in trainspotting, an enthusiast who will travel for as far as is possible in the train behind a specific locomotiveUK , 2003.
2a prize-fighter; a thugUK , 1937.3a physical training instructor MilitaryUK , 1943.4a fast, reckless skierUS , 1963.5in the television and film industries, a simple 500 watt flood lightUS , 1960
bashienounan impromptu partyGRENADA , 1996
bashingnoun1heavy losses Usually as ‘get a bashing’ or ‘take a bashing’UK , 1948.2a beating-up; a beatingUK , 1958
-bashingsuffixvigorous compulsory activity Military, in combination with an appropriate noun:SPUD-BASHING(potato peeling) and
SQUARE-BASHING(military parade-drill)UK , 1943
bash it up you!go away! stop bothering me!AUSTRALIA , 1953
bashmentnouna dance party; a form of reggae musicBARBADOS , 1996
bash upverb1to thrash someone, to beat someone upUK , 1954.2to construct something with haste and a lack of careNEW ZEALAND , 1999
bashyadjectiveexcellent, best Urban youth slangUK , 2005
basie; baseynoun1a person living on a military baseUS , 1993.2an Antarctica expeditioner A South African contribution to South Pole slangANTARCTICA , 1964
Basil Boli; Basilnounexcrement; an act of excretion Modern rhyming slang forTOLEY(a turd), based on French footballer Basil Boli who played for Glasgow Rangers and was not highly regarded
by the fansUK: SCOTLAND , 2002
Basil Brushnoun1marijuana From the herb ‘basil’, thus punning
onWEED(marijuana), elaborated as the name of a elevision puppet; at times shortened to a simple ‘basil’UK , 1996.2the vaginal
infection Candida albicans, commonly called thrush.
Contemporary rhyming slang, based on a puppet fox with a distinctive laugh (Boom! Boom!), popular on children’s television
in the 1960s and 70sUK , 2002
Basil Fawltynouna balti (a type of curried dish) Rhyming slangUK , 2003
basinfulnounas much as you can tolerateUK , 1935
basing gallerynouna room, apartment or house where cocaine is smoked in freebase formUS , 1995
basin of gravy; basinnouna baby Imperfectly formed rhyming slangUK , 1961
baskervillesnouna police-informer or someone who has assisted the police in some other way in the making of an arrest A play on
DOG, referring to The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan
Doyle, 1902AUSTRALIA , 1973
basketnoun1a despicable person; used as a euphemism for ‘bastard’
UK , 1936.2the male genitals as seen through tight trousersUS , 1941.3a woman’s labiaUS , 1949.4an elderly woman Disrespectful; possibly deriving from a play onOLD BAG UK , 1984.5in roulette, a bet on zero, double zero and two Sometimes expanded to ‘basket bet’
Trang 7basket!used for expressing great frustrationSINGAPORE , 2002
basketballnoun1in Vietnam, an aircraft mission to illuminate the
terrain belowUS , 1991.2a 250 mg capsule of Placidyl™ (ethchlor
-vynol), a hypnotic drugUS , 1992
basket casenoun1a person who is emotionally debilitatedUS , 1952.
2any dysfunctional organisation or entityUK , 1973
basket daysnoundays of good weatherUS , 1965
basketful of meatnouna large penis FromBASKET US , 1941
basket headnouna Vietnamese peasant Alluding to the straw hats
worn by manyUS , 1991
basket of snakesnounin a car, an exhaust system with individual
headers that intertwineUS , 1965
basketsnounthe female breastsUS , 1968
basket shoppingnounthe practice of observing the crotch of a
clothed male to gauge the size of his penis Also known as ‘basket
watching’US , 1964
basketweavenicknameHighway 401 (the Trans-Canada) across
TorontoCANADA , 2002
basket weavernoun1a homosexual male who wears tight trousers,
thus displaying the countour of his genitalsUS , 1960s.2an advocate
of simple values and an unsophisticated lifestyle Derogatory
AUSTRALIA , 2003
basking sharknouna Citroen DS or Citroen ID car Car dealers’
slang; from the shape and appearanceUK , 1981
Basra bellynoundiarrhoea experienced by travellers in the Middle
EastUS , 1976
bassnoun1one fifth of a gallon of alcoholUS , 1975.2a defiant, tough
person An abbreviation ofBAD ASS US , 2002
bassackwardsadjectivein the wrong order An intentionally jumbled
ASS BACKWARDS US quotation expert Fred Shapiro recently found
the term used by Abraham Lincoln in 1865, a substantial
antedatingUS , 1865
bastardnoun1a despised or disrespected person; a derogatory
insult or challenging form of address to someone considered
objectionable Originally, ‘a person born out of wedlock’, the value
of the insult has survived since C16 and ignored the current social
acceptance of illegitimate statusUK , 1598.2a fellow, a man With
reduction, from partial to almost full, of the negative senseUS , 1861.
3used as a term of endearment Affectionate usage with no
pejorative connotation; whilst by no means exclusive to Australia
in this sense, it is almost the defining Australian cliché; on a par
with ‘G’day’ Recorded in New Zealand: ‘You are a right bastard,
aren’t you?’AUSTRALIA , 1882.4a thing, especially one causing
problems or distressAUSTRALIA , 1915 < as a bastardused to
intensify a personal quality or conditionUK , 2002 < happy as a
bastard on Father’s Dayextremely unhappy The idea is that a
bastard does not knows their father and so cannot celebrate on
Father’s DayAUSTRALIA , 1962 < like a bastardused to intensify a
personal quality or conditionAUSTRALIA , 1962 < lonely as a
bastard on father’s dayextremely lonelyAUSTRALIA , 1981
bastardadjectivebad, unpleasant; used as an intensifierUK , 1982
-bastard-infixused as an intensifierUK , 2000
bastard ambernouna colour of lighting gel for the theatreCANADA ,
2001
bastard from the bushnouna person from the country who
comes to the city and behaves in an unmannerly way From a
bawdy ballad so titled, based on the poem ‘The Captain of the
Push’ (1892) by Henry LawsonAUSTRALIA , 1962
bastardisationnoundebasing and cruel initiation rights; hazing
AUSTRALIA , 1964
bastardiseverbto create a single motor vehicle from two others,
especially with criminal intentUK , 1996
bastardrynoundespicable behaviour; cruel punishmentAUSTRALIA ,
1945
bastardyadjectiveused as an intensifier Elaboration ofBASTARD UK ,
bastartinadjectiveused as an intensifier Glasgow slang, probably formed onBASTARD UK: SCOTLAND , 1988
bastedadjectivedrunkUS , 1928
Bastillenoun1the local police stationAUSTRALIA , 1965.2HMP Strangeways during the prison riot of April 1990 Earlier, general-ised sense as ‘a prison’ has given way to this specific, often nostalgic useUK , 1996
basuco; bazukonouncoca paste, the basic ingredient in the manufacturing process of cocaine; hence, cocaineUS , 1984
batnoun1a foolish or eccentric personUS , 1894.2an ugly womanUS ,
1972.3an extended period of drunkennessCANADA , 1977.4a drinking bingeUS , 1846.5a fat marijuana cigarette Pun on ‘baseball bat’ as
STICK US , 1975.6a shoe; a slipper Variant spellings are ‘batt’ and
‘bate’UK , 1992.7male mastubationAUSTRALIA , 1985.8in horse racing, the whip used by the jockeyUS , 1951 < at batsaid of an appearance before a judge, magistrate or parole boardUS , 1967.
< like a bat out of hellat great speedUS , 1909 < off the bat
immediately, swiftly From the speed that a ball moves when struck by a batUS , 1907 < off your own batwithout assistance, independently Usage inspired by cricketUK , 1845 < on the batto
be working as a prostitute Extended from an obsolete use of ‘bat’ (a prostitute)UK , 1984
batverbto dance on a stage Also spelled ‘batt’ or ‘bate’UK , 2002.
< bat on a sticky wicket1to contend with great difficulties From the game of cricket; the ball bounces unpredictably on a pitch that is drying outUK , 1952.2to have sex with a woman who has recently had sex with another man or other menAUSTRALIA ,
1985 < bat the breezeto talk, chat or gossipUS , 1941
bat and ballsnounthe male genitals with the penis erectUK , 2003
bat and wicketnouna ticket Rhyming slang, sometimes shortened
to ‘bat’UK , 1931
bat awayverbin a carnival, to operate swindles aggressively and without fear of arrest A term borrowed from the game of baseball
US , 1985
bat-batnounthe buttocksANTIGUA AND BARBUDA , 1996
batchnounan ejaculation’s worth of semenUS , 1973
batch; bachverbto live as a bachelorUS , 1862
batchernounsomeone who lives alone From earlier ‘bach’, ‘batch’ (to live alone); ultimately from ‘bachelor’AUSTRALIA , 1943
batch kicknounin the usage of pickpockets, the hip pocketUS , 1949
Bates; John Bates; Mr Batesnouna gullible victim of a swindle
US , 1908
bathnoun1a heavy loss in a business or betting propositionUS , 1936.
2in television and film making, any of the chemical mixtures used to develop filmUS , 1987 < be in anything except a bath
to not wash oneself very often; to have poor personal hygiene
AUSTRALIA , 1932
bath dodgernounan English person In Australian folklore the English are noted as stinting on personal hygieneAUSTRALIA , 1987
bathersnouna swimming suitAUSTRALIA , 1930
bat housenoun1a brothel A combination ofCATHOUSE(a brothel) andON THE BAT(to be working as a prostitute)AUSTRALIA , 1941.2a mental hospitalUS , 1962
bathroom locksnounlong, combed, styled, braided dreadlocks
JAMAICA , 1979
bathsnounTurkish baths where the main attraction is sex between homosexual menUS , 1968
bathtubnoun1a sedan convertible with two cross seats
Conventionally known as a ‘touring car’US , 1954.2a motorcyle sidecarUS , 1960
bathtub curvenounin computing, used as a description of a notional graph of the predicted failure rate of a piece of electronic equipment Evoking a cross-section of a bathtub as the graph – briefly high, long low, high again at the endUS , 1991
bathtub ginnounhomemade alcohol, perhaps approximating gin
US , 1974
bathtub speed