Also known as ‘big tiger’US , 1963 big Charlienoun1a CH-3C helicopter used during the Vietnam war for counterinsurgency airliftsUS , 1985.2an important white manUS , 1968 big cheesenount
Trang 1big-assedadjectivelargeUS , 1945
Big BnicknameBerlinUS , 1944
big bagnouna large bag of heroin; heroinUS , 1969
big ballnoun1in pool, an object ball that can be hit either directly
or on the rebound off a cushion Because there are two ways to
hit it, it is a bigger target, hence a ‘big ball’US , 1913.2in bowling, a
roll that forcefully hooks into the standing pinsUS , 1962
big ballernouna big spenderUS , 2001
big bangernouna motorcyle with a large one-cylinder engineUS ,
1965
big beastnounan important, powerful personUK , 2000
big bellynouna B-52 bomberUS , 1986
Big Bennoun1ten; ten pounds Rhyming slangUK , 1960.2the new,
large design hundred-dollar note minted in the late 1990s The
‘Ben’ is an allusion to Benjamin Franklin, the C18 slang
lexicographer whose portrait graces the noteUS , 1996.
3Benzedrine™ (amphetamine sulphate), a central nervous system
stimulantUS , 1966.4in craps, a roll of ten Rhyming slangUS , 1999.
5a prison siren that announces an escape or riotUS , 1950.6the
penis A visual pun from the London landmarkUK , 2001
Big Bennicknamethe USS Franklin (heavily damaged off Japan on
19th March 1945, repaired and mothballed); the USS Bennington
(commissioned in 1944, decommissioned in 1970) The
Bennington was featured in the opening scene of the CBS
television programme Navy Log in 1956 and 1957 US , 1954
Big Berthanounan over-sized slot machine used as a promotion
for hotel guests and to lure prospective gamblers into a casinoUS ,
1984
Big Berthanicknamethe Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey
CircusUS , 1973
big bikkiesnouna large amount of money FromBICKY, a
diminuitive form of ‘biscuit’NEW ZEALAND , 1980
big billnouna $100 noteUS , 1961
big birdnouna long prison sentence A play onBIRD(LIME) (time
served in prison) and ‘Big Bird’ a large puppet featured on Sesame
Street, a children’s television programme since 1969 UK , 2000
Big Birdnounin homosexual usage, a man with a large penis An
allusion to a character on the children’s television programme
Sesame Street US , 1980
big bitchnounthe prison sentence given to habitual criminalsUS ,
1962
big blokenouncocaineUS , 1959
big blownouna hurricane Used by Australian fishermen and sailors
AUSTRALIA , 1944
Big Blue 82nouna 12,540-pound BLU-82 bomb A vicious
anti-personnel weapon, developed for vegetation clearing in Vietnam,
used again in the Persian Gulf war and AfghanistanUS , 1991
big blue binnounthe outdoors, when surplus grain is stored there
CANADA , 1987
big-boobedadjectiveof a female, having generously proportioned
breastsUS , 1970
big booknounin twelve-step recovery programmes such as
Alcoholics Anonymous, the book Alcoholics Anonymous, first
published in 1939 and still the central document of the recovery
movementUS , 1998
Big BoppernicknameJ P Richardson (1930–59), a Texas disc jockey
in the early years of rock and roll whose hit recording of ‘Chantilly
Lace’ propelled him into performing stardom, which in turn
placed him on the small aeroplane ‘American Pie’ that carried
Buddy Holly and him to their deathUK , 1982
big bossnounheroinUS , 1972
big boxnouna large chain of shops featuring a single type of
merchandiseUS , 1993
big boynoun1a tank Vietnam war usage The bigger the tank and
the more weapons mounted on the tank, the more likely it was to
.
big brothernoun1the penis, especially a large penisUS , 1965.2the erect penisUS , 1967
Big Brothernounused as the personification of all-encompassing
government authority From George Orwell’s 1949 novel 1984 UK , 1949
big brown eyenounthe female breastUS , 1971
big browniesnounMDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy A variation ofBROWNIE(amphetamine or MDMA) that dis-tinguishesSPEEDfromECSTASY UK , 1998
big budnouna very popular variety of marijuana with heavy buds
UK , 2004
Big Cnoun1cancerUS , 1964.2cocaineUS , 1959.3commitment to a relationship seen as something to be feared or avoidedUK , 2003.
4in citizens’ band radio slang, applied to many UK towns beginning with C, specifically Caernarfon, Carlisle, Chichester or Chippenham This logic is continued throughout the alphabet, e.g
‘big B by the sea’ (Brighton), ‘big D’ (Dorchester), ‘big W’ (Worthing); also, villages beginning with C become ‘little C’ or, in Scotland, ‘wee C’UK , 1981.5a female as an sexual object A hint of
CUNT US , 1963.6a railway conductorUS , 1968
big cagenouna prisonUS , 1949
big car, small dick; BCSDused for insulting someone who has a large or expensive car Used proverbially: a car is a phallic symbol
UK , 1999
big casinonoun1the best that you can do; your greatest resource
US , 1922.2cancerUS , 1951.3any sexually transmitted infectionUS ,
1948.4capital punishment, the death penaltyUS , 1960
big catnoun1a Jaguar carUK , 1981.2in poker, a hand comprised of five cards between eight and king and no pairs among them Also known as ‘big tiger’US , 1963
big Charlienoun1a CH-3C helicopter used during the Vietnam war for counterinsurgency airliftsUS , 1985.2an important white manUS , 1968
big cheesenounthe most important person in a given organisation
or enterpriseUS , 1914
big chicken dinnernouna bad conduct discharge Playing with initials: armed forces usageUS , 1991
big chiefnounthe hallucinogenic drug, mescalineUS , 1971
big conk, big cockused as a summary of the folk wisdom that there is correlation between the size of a man’s nose and the size
of his penisUK , 1961
Big Dnoun1deathUS , 1977.2LSDUS , 1966.3the penis D as inDICK
US , 1998
big Dnickname1Dallas, TexasUS , 1930.2Detroit, MichiganUS , 1961.
3Denver, ColoradoUS , 1967
big dadnouna senior drill instructor Vietnam war usageUS , 1991
big daddynoun1an immense waveUS , 1977.2an important and influential manUS , 1948
Big Daddynickname1Jesse Unruh (1922–1987), a Democratic politican of great influence in CaliforniaUS , 1962.2Ed Roth (1932–2001), the hot rod artist most famous for creating the Rat Fink character in the early 1960sUS , 1968.3Don Garlits (b.1932), the dominant drag racing driver in the US from the early 1960s to 70sUS , 1965.4the Federal Communications CommissionUS , 1976
big dagonouna sandwich made on Italian breadUS , 1960
big dance in Newarknounin circus and carnival usage, a jocular explanation for a small audienceUS , 1981
big daynounvisiting day in prisonUS , 1949
big dead onenicknamelater in the Vietnam war, the First Infantry Division A sad play onBIG RED ONEafter heavy attrition through casualtiesUS , 1991
big dealnouna major issue; often ironic, occasionally as an exclamation, used to dismiss such an issue as of little or no importanceUS , 1943
big Dicknoun1in craps, a roll of ten Often embellished to ‘big Dick from Boston’, ‘big Dick from Battle Creek’, and ‘big Dick the
Trang 2ladies’ friend’ Gambling slang authority, the late Thomas Clark,
theorised that ‘dick’ came from the French dix Another popular
folk etymology is that the original Big Dick was Boston dice
cheater Richard Mantell who was shot to death as he switched
dice while trying to shoot a ten The addition of ‘the ladies’ friend’
leaves little doubt as to the most probable etymology – ten inches
would indeed be bigUS , 1904.2a 14-inch rocketUS , 1946
Big Dignouna massive public works project in Boston,
Massachusetts, replacing an existing six-lane central arterial
motorway with an eight-to-ten lane underground expressway
directly beneath the existing roadUS , 1988
big ditchnicknamethe Atlantic Ocean A refinement ofDITCH US , 1909
big dognounin poker, a hand comprised of five cards between nine
and ace and no pairs among themUS , 1963
big dollarnouna great deal of money in any currencyUK , 2000
big drinknounan ocean, especially the Atlantic Ocean The term
was first used to mean the Mississippi River; by the time it was
applied to the ocean, the river sense had recededUS , 1883
big drivenouna powerful injection of a drugUS , 1949
big ducknounin trucking, a Republic moving vanUS , 1976
big dukenounin poker, especially hold ’em poker, a strong handUS ,
1981
Big Enoun1a dismissal, a rejection The first letter ofELBOW(a
dismissal)UK , 1982.2a railway engineerUS , 1977
Big Enicknamethe USS Enterprise Two aircraft carriers carried the
name Enterprise and the nickname ‘Big E’, the first commissioned
in 1936 and the second in 1961US , 1942
big earsnounin the language of paragliding, an intentional
collapsing of both tips of the wing to increase speedUS , 1992
Big EasynicknameNew Orleans, LouisianaUS , 1970
big eat; big heapsnouna feast; a great mealTRISTAN DA CUNHA , 1964
big eightnounin poker, four twos A borrowing from the game of
crapsUS , 1988
big eights; big 8’sgood wishesUS , 1976
big enchiladanounthe supreme leader A term coined and
popularised by the Nixon White House during the Watergate
scandalUS , 1973
big endnoun1in drag racing, the end of the quarter-mile race
course where highest speeds are attainedUS , 1960s to 70s.2top speed
Biker (motorcyle) usageUS , 2001
big-endianadjectivein computing, denoting computer architecture
in which the most significant byte is found in the lowest address
US , 1991
big eyenoun1a high-powered telescope, especially the one located
on Palomar Mountain, CaliforniaUS , 1949.2a Lockheed EC-121
Warning Star aircraft Deployed in Vietnam to provide early
warning and communication relay; later redesignated theCOLLEGE
EYE US , 1991.3insomnia A common condition in Antarctica
because of the wild swings in daylight hoursANTARCTICA , 1959.
4avariceBAHAMAS , 1982
big Fthe word ‘fuck’, in all usesINDIA , 2002
big fatnouna large marijuana cigaretteUK , 2001
big fat onenouna large marijuana cigaretteUK , 2001
big-feelingadjectiveinordinately proudCANADA , 1988
big fellanounthe penis An obvious, perhaps boastful, variation of
OLD FELLOW UK , 2001
big fellownouna law enforcement official of the US federal
governmentUS , 1974
big fishnouna very important person or thingUS , 1836
big fish, little fish, cardboard boxnounthe hand movements
that characterised techno-style dancing in the early 1990sUK , 2001
big flakenouncocaineUK , 1998
big footnoun1a prominent, highly visible journalist or columnist,
especially one covering politicsUS , 1980.2an inflammation of the
big foot countrynounthe deep, rural south of the USUS , 1974
big fours; big 4’syes, emphatically Citizens’ band radio slangUS , 1976
big friendnouna bomber aircraftUS , 1946
big fucking dealnouna major issue An elaboration ofBIG DEAL.
Often used to dismiss something as not being a major issueUS , 1977
big fullnounin poker, a hand consisting of three aces and two kings This hand represents the best possible variation of the hand conventionally known as a ‘full house’US , 1978
big GnounGodUS , 1981
big generalnounin a bar dice game, a first roll showing five dice of the same denominationUS , 1974
Big Georgenouna twenty-five cent pieceUS , 1973
biggienoun1a big deal; something of consequence or difficulty Often in the negative: ‘no biggie’US , 1945.2an important person
US , 1926.3a big-name actor who can be counted on to draw a large audienceUS , 1926.4an act of defecation Children’s vocabularyNEW ZEALAND , 1994.5marijuanaUK , 2003.6a 26-ounce bottle of rum
GUYANA , 1978
big girlnounan effeminate, weak and/or cowardly maleAUSTRALIA , 1986
big girl’s blousenounan effeminate, weak and/or cowardly maleUK , 1969
big girls’ boardnounthe London variety of dartboard Used with derision by Manchester board playersUK , 1980
biggityadverbin a haughty, arrogant or conceited wayUS , 1880
big greennounin sporting and music events, corporate sponsorsUS , 1992
biggumsadjectiveoverweightUS , 1994
big gunnouna large surfboard designed for big-wave conditions
AUSTRALIA , 1963
biggunnounanything big A shortening of ‘big one’; either deliberately jocular or matter-of-factlyUK , 1971
Big HnounheroinUS , 1953
big hairnounan extravagant, large-sized hairdoUS , 1978
Big Harrynounheroin An elaboration ofHARRY(heroin) on the model ofBIG H(heroin)US , 1975
big hatnouna local state trooper From the wide-brimmed hats formerly worn by many state troopersUS , 1967
big hat, no cattleused for describing someone who appears the part but has no substanceUS , 1977
big headnoun1a conceited, arrogant or haughty personUS , 1846.
2arrogance, excessive prideUS , 1992
big-headedadjectiveconceited, arrogant, haughtyUS , 1967
big heapsnouna large mealANTARCTICA , 1964
big hitverbto defecate Rhyming slang forSHIT AUSTRALIA , 1960
big hitternoun1an important, influential or powerful person From the sporting senseUK , 2002.2a sportsperson who strikes a ball especially hard with a bat, club or racket, etcUK , 2002
big holenoun1the emergency stop position on a railway air brake
US , 1931.2in trucking, the position of the gear shift with the most gear combinationsUS , 1942
big hooknouna wrecking craneUS , 1929
big housenoun1a prison Usually follows ‘the’US , 1913.2a crown courtUK , 1996.3a mental hospital; any large, impersonal, threatening institution Extended from an earlier usage (a workhouse)UK , 1984
Big Housenoun< the Big HouseNew Scotland YardUK , 2001
big Huey; big Huey Longnouna long prison sentence An allusion
to Huey Long, former governor of Louisiana reputed to have advocated harsh prison sentencesNEW ZEALAND , 1999
big ideanouna bad ideaUS , 1960
Big Inchnicknamea pipeline from east Texas to the northeast states, built 1942–43 The success of the project – and its
Trang 3sounding nickname – gave birth to the ‘Little Big Inch’ (Texas to
New Jersey, 1943–44) and ‘Big Inch-by-Inch’ (Edmonton to British
Columbia, 1951–53)US , 1947
big ironnoun1a large carUS , 1975.2a large, powerful, fast, expensive
computerUS , 1991
Big JnicknameJuarez, MexicoUS , 1970
big jobsnounan act of defecation; excrement Thus ‘to do big jobs’;
childishUK , 1971
Big Joenouna novice, especially a military recruitUS , 1947
Big Joe from Bostonnounin craps, a tenUS , 1957
big Johnnouna police officer, the police; used mainly by black
teenagersUS , 1980
Big Johnnicknamethe John Hancock Center, Chicago, IllinoisUS , 1997
big juicernouna powerful, all-night AM radio stationUS , 1976
Big KnicknameKoreaUS , 1970
big kahunanouna top leader From a Hawaiian term for ‘priest’ or
‘wise man’US , 1990
Big Lnoun1loveUS , 1987.2a loserUS , 1984
Big Lnickname1Lubbock, TexasUS , 1976.2the federal penitentiary in
Leavenworth, KansasUS , 1970.3the offshore ‘pirate’ radio station,
Radio London, that broadcast off the Essex coast from 1964 until it
was forced off the air on 14th August 1967UK , 2004
big-leagueverbto associate with important, influential, connected
or rich peopleUS , 1999
big-leagueadjectivepowerful, influential, importantUS , 1919
big leaguesnouna high level in any field Also used in the singular
US , 1941
big legsnouna generous spenderUS , 1987
Big Mnoun1morphineUS , 1959.2a million pounds Dates from a
time in the C20 when a million pounds was less commonplaceUK ,
1978.3marriageUS , 1966
Big MnicknameMemphis, TennesseeUS , 1976
Big Macnouna large area of grazed skin Skateboarders’ slang; from
the similarity of appearance to a branded hamburgerUK , 1998
big mamanounthe oceanUS , 1991
Big MannounGodUK , 2002
big man on campusnouna socially prominent student Initially
used with respect, but often in later years with irony, if not scorn
US , 1930s to 70s
big meeting in the skynounheaven as characterised by those who
are part of twelve-step recovery programmes such as Alcoholics
AnonymousUS , 1998
Big Monicknamethe USS MissouriUS , 1945
big mothernouna Sikorsky SH-3 helicopter used by the US Navy in
Vietnam for search and rescue missionsUS , 1990
big mouthnounan indiscreet, boastful or overly verbose person; a
quality of indiscreet talkativenessUS , 1889
big movernouna person who is, either consistently or on a specific
occasion, highly successfulAUSTRALIA , 1969
Big Muddynickname1the Mississippi RiverUS , 1846.2the Missouri
RiverUS , 1825
big nickelnounfive hundred dollarsUS , 1961
big noisenoun1an important and influential personUS , 1906.2in
poker, the alpha player at a tableUS , 1996
big-noteverbin betting, to exaggerate your status or bankroll
AUSTRALIA , 1989
big-noternouna zealous horse racing fanAUSTRALIA , 1967
big-note yourselfverbto overstate your importanceAUSTRALIA , 1953
bignumnounany very large number, especially if greater than
2,147,483,648US , 1983
big numbernounin drag racing, 200 miles per hour, first officially
big NUMBER-ohnouna birthday ending with a zero, especially 30,
40 and 50 For instance, 50 is the ‘big-five-oh’,US , 1980
Big Onoun1an orgasmUS , 1968.2opium; heroinUS , 1957.3a railway conductor From the labour organisation name ‘Order of Railroad Conductors’US , 1930
Big Onickname1Okinawa, JapanUS , 1972.2Omaha, NebraskaUS , 1976
big onadjectiveespecially enthusiastic about something; considering something to be particularly importantUS , 1864
big onenoun1one hundred dollarsUS , 1961.2one million dollarsUS ,
1967.3one thousand dollarsUS , 1863.4in prison, one pound (£1)UK ,
2000.5World War 2US , 1971.6in horse racing, the race on a given day with the highest prize moneyAUSTRALIA , 1989.7the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey circusUS , 1973.8a substantial lieUK , 1984
big orange pillnounduring the war in Vietnam, the anti-malarial pill taken once a week in addition to the daily medication Chloroquine-primaquine was taken weekly in the form of a large, orange-coloured pillUS , 1991
bigotnounin computing, a person who is irrationally attached to a particular operating system or computer languageUS , 1991
big ouchnouna serious injuryUS , 1962
big outpatient department in the skynoundeathUS , 1989
Big Owenicknamethe Olympic Stadium in Montreal, built for the
1976 GamesCANADA , 2002
big oxnounon the railways, a freight train conductorUS , 1977
big pondnoun1the Atlantic Ocean An ironic understatement of the distance between the UK and the US; ‘great pond’, an earlier variation, is recorded from 1641US , 1833.2during the Vietnam war, the Pacific Ocean Playing on the use of the term since the 1830s
to refer to the Atlantic OceanUS , 1991
big PX in the skynoundeath Vietnam war usage, grim humour based on many cheerful euphemisms for death as a ‘big [fill in the blank] in the sky’US , 1991
Big Qnicknamethe San Quentin State Prison, California Just north
of San Francisco, San Quentin houses California’s death chamber
US , 1961
big quidnouna great deal of money Pre-1966, a ‘quid’ was a one-pound note; its usage did not change with the change to Australian dollars, referring to money in generalAUSTRALIA , 1989
Big Rnoun1during the Korean war, rotation home Distinguished from the conventionalR AND R(rest and recreation)US , 1960.2in trucking, a Roadway Express truckUS , 1976
big rednoun1secobarbitol, a sedative-hypnotic drug marketed under the brand name Seconal™US , 2001.2adriamycin, an extremely toxic agent used in chemotherapyUS , 1994.3in craps, a one-roll bet on a seven If the shooter rolls a seven, he loses; ‘big red’ thus serves as a diplomatic way to bet that the shooter will lose on the next rollUS , 1981.4the desert sunUS , 1991
Big Red Onenicknamethe First Infantry Division, US Army The Division’s patch is a big red number oneUS , 1970
big red wrenchnounin hot rodding and motor racing, an oxyacetylene cutting torchUS , 1993
big rignouna large tractor trailer with eighteen or more wheelsUS , 1986
Big Rocknicknamethe US federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco BayUS , 1970
big rushnouncocaineUK , 1998
bigsnoun1in pool, the striped balls numbered 9 to 15US , 1990.
2cigarettesUS , 1997
bigs-and-littlesnounin hot rodding, the combination of large rear tyres and small front tyresUS , 1993
big shitnoun1an important person, if only in their own eyesUS ,
1934.2an important event or thingUS , 1960
big shot
Trang 4big shotgunnouna 106 mm recoilless rifle, developed during the
Korean war and used extensively by the US Marines in VietnamUS ,
1991
big-six talknountalk unsupported by actionUS , 1990
big sleepnoundeath; capital punishmentUS , 1951
big slicknounin hold ’em poker, an ace and a king as the first two
cards dealt to a playerUS , 1981
Big Smokenoun1any large city or town Originally Australian
Aboriginal pidginAUSTRALIA , 1848.2any city in British Columbia
CANADA , 1989
Big Smokenickname1the city of SydneyAUSTRALIA , 1959.2Pittsburgh,
PennsylvaniaUS , 1930
big snipnouna vasectomyCANADA , 2002
big sparknounan electric shock administered in a hospital to a
patient whose heart has failed in an attempt to revive the heartUS ,
1994
big spit; long spitnounthe act of vomiting; vomitAUSTRALIA , 1967.
< go for the big spitto vomitAUSTRALIA , 1964
big sticknounthe large aerial ladder used by firefightersUS , 1963
big stuffnoun1any very important or influential personUS , 1911.
2artillery, artillery fire Vietnam war usageUS , 1991
big-styleadverbvery much; completely, absolutelyUK , 1999
big tendernouna scene in a pornographic film when the
partici-pants hug each otherUS , 1991
big-ticketadjectiveexpensive; representing a major purchaseUS , 1945
big timenoun1the highest level of achievement in a field
Originally theatricalUS , 1910.2a long sentence to state prisonUS ,
1939.3heroinUS , 1971 < get big timeto put on airs, to assume a
‘posh’ accent Used by a Midlands professional man, in a BBC
Radio 4 programme on class distinction, 4th February 1980UK , 1980
big-timeverbto show offUS , 1957
big timeadverbvery much, entirely, utterly The term got a big
boost in the US during the 2000 presidential election when
Republican vice-presidential candidate Dick Cheney concurred with
candidate Bush’s assessment of a New York Times reporter as a
‘major-league asshole’ by mumbling ‘Yeah, big time’ at a
campaign stop in Naperville, Illinois, on 4th September A live
microphone picked up the insults, giving ‘big time’ its fifteen
minutes of fameUS , 1957
Big Tomnounin a carnival ball-throwing game, a big stuffed cat
target that has been weighted and is thus hard to knock downUS ,
1981
big topnouna prison, especially a maximum-security state prisonUS ,
1955
Big T-Owenicknamethe sports stadium in downtown Toronto, which
loses moneyCANADA , 2002
big trainnounin horse racing, a great racehorseUS , 1951
big tripnouna holiday to Britain and Europe For many Australians
such a holiday is only taken once in a lifetimeAUSTRALIA , 1978
big truckadjectiveof lesbians, ‘manly’, masculine Probably inspired
byDIESEL(a ‘manly’ lesbian)UK , 2003
big Turknounan ostrich Circus and carnival usageUS , 1981
big twentynouna 20-year career in the armed forcesUS , 1991
big twistnounan occasion for celebration; an outstanding success
AUSTRALIA , 1959
Big TwonicknameWorld War 2US , 1961
big upnoun1very positive agreementUK , 2002.2a socially prominent
personBARBADOS , 1996
big upverbto boost, to promote something, to show off; to praise
somethingUK , 1994
big-upadjectivepregnantBAHAMAS , 1995
Big Vnouna vasectomyCANADA , 2002
Big VnicknameVietnamUS , 1972
big wheel
big white chief; great white chiefnounyour boss; a person of importance in a superior or most superior position A casually racist, supposedly jocular usage, modelled on Native American Indian speechUK , 1937
big white telephonenounthe toilet bowl when vomiting into it
AUSTRALIA , 1985
big whoop!used to mock the importance of what has just been saidUS , 1981
bigwignouna person of high rank or position or moneyUK , 1731
big winnouncomplete luckUS , 1991
big yardnounthe main yard in a prison where the general popu-lation mingles for recreationUS , 1987
bijouadjectivesmall, as a positive characteristic Adopted from
French bijou (small); used widely of houses and other buildings,
and with greater variation in homosexual societyUK , 1860
bijouxnoun jewels Directly from French bijoux UK , 1992
bikenoun1a promiscuous woman Suggests ‘easy availability for a ride’ Often in compound as ‘office bike’, ‘school bike’, ‘town bike’, ‘village bike’, etc.; occasionally, if reputation demands, ‘the bike’AUSTRALIA , 1945.2a motorcyle police officerUS , 1958.3in harness racing, a two-wheeled horse drawn vehicle for one person, used for training or for racingUS , 1994.4in lowball poker, a sequence from five down to aceUS , 1978
bike chemistnouna person who uses his knowledge of chemistry
to manufacture illegal drugsUS , 1992
bike docnounin mountain biking, a bicycle mechanicUS , 1992
bikernouna person who rides a motorbike In Australia generally used as distinct from ‘bikie’ (a member of a motorcycle gang)US , 1968
bike spacenounthe vagina From the phrase ‘I knowWHERE I’D LIKE
TO PARK MY BIKE’, said by a man considering a woman as a sexual objectUK , 2001
bikienouna member of a motorcyle gangAUSTRALIA , 1967
bikie chicknouna female member, or associate of a member, of a motorcycle gangAUSTRALIA , 1994
bikini barnouna sex club where the dancer strips down to her bikiniUS , 1988
bikini waxnounan application of hot wax to remove a woman’s pubic hairUS , 1982
bilgedadjectiveworn out, tiredUS , 1968
bilingualadjectivebisexualUS , 1964
billnoun1a dollarUS , 1915.2one hundred dollarsUS , 1929.3the nose
US , 1952 8see:BILLY WHIZZ < do a billto spend one hundred dollarsUS , 1974 < the billthe police Abbreviated fromOLD BILL; can also be used of a single police-officer in the sense of representing the whole organisation Widespread usage popularised
since 1985 by UK television police drama The Bill UK , 1969 8see:
OLD BILL
Bill!used as a warning that police are nearUS , 1998
billabongnoun< on the billabongunemployed and camped by a waterhole, especially in Western Australia and the Northern TerritoriesAUSTRALIA , 1978
billabongernounan unemployed, homeless person who camps by
a waterhole, especially in Western Australia and the Northern TerritoriesAUSTRALIA , 1978
billardsnounthe testiclesAUSTRALIA , 1988
Bill Blassnouncrack cocaine Quite why the name of American fashion designer Bill Blass (1920–99) should be used for this drug
is uncertainUS , 1998
Bill Clintonnounan act of oral sex on a man In the late 1990s the
US Presidency of William Jefferson Clinton (b.1946) was nearly brought down by a sex scandal that involved the President with Whitehouse intern Monica Lewinsky Bill Clinton denied ‘sexual relations with that woman’ but eventually admitted that fellatio had occurred and ‘a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not
Trang 5Bill Daleynoun< on the Bill Daleyin horse racing, having taken
the lead at the start of the race and held it for the entire raceUS ,
1932
billfold biopsynouna hospital’s analysis of the ability of a patient
seeking admission to pay their billUS , 1986
Bill from the Hillnicknamethe Notting Hill police An elaboration
ofTHE BILL(the police)UK , 1996
Billie Hokenouncocaine A personification based onCOKE US , 1959
billies; billysnounmoneyUS , 1982
billsnoun1moneyUS , 1997.2the game of poolUS , 1993
bill shopnouna police station FromTHE BILL(the police)UK , 1977
bill stickersnoununderpants Rhyming slang for ‘knickers’,
sometimes shortened to ‘bills’UK , 1992
Bill Wyman; bill; wymannounthe hymen Rhyming slang, based
on the name of Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman (b.1936)UK , 2002
billynoun1a metal pail with a handle used for boiling water, making
tea, cooking, etc, over a fire when camping or in the bush A
quintessential item of the Australian bush Scottish English had
(c.1828 Scottish National Dictionary) ‘billy-pot’ as ‘a cooking
utensil’ and this is probably the origin Not, as variously
conjectured, from French bouilli ‘boiled’, nor Wiradjuri (an eastern
Australian Aboriginal language) billa ‘water’, nor the proper name
BillyAUSTRALIA , 1849.2a police officer’s blackjack or club, a
truncheonUS , 1850.3a warning signalIRELAND , 1976.4a bong (a
water-pipe) for smoking marijuana A play on ‘billabong’ (a water
hole)AUSTRALIA , 1988 8see:BILLY WHIZZ < boil the billyto stop
for a break and make tea in a billy Occasionally used to mean to
make tea not in a billy but an electric kettle or the likeAUSTRALIA ,
1867
Billy Bowlegnounthe personification of a Seminole IndianUS , 1982
Billy-boy; billynicknamea Protestant, especially a supporter of
Glasgow Rangers football club This goes back to William of
Orange, and is now most familiar from the song (to the tune of
‘Marching Through Georgia’) which is used as a football
battle-hymn: ‘Hurrah! Hurrah! We are the Billy Boys; / Hurrah! Hurrah!
We make a lot of noise; / We’re up to here, we never fear – we all
are Billy’s sons, / We are the Glasgow Billy Boys / We belong to
Glasgow, we’re Orange and we’re true / Scotland is our country,
our colours white and blue, / We’re Protestants and proud of it ,
we’re known near and far, / Glasgow Billy Boys they call us.’UK:
SCOTLAND , 1935
Billy Bragg; billynoun1an act of sexual intercourse Rhyming
slang forSHAG, formed from the name of the UK singer and
politi-cal activist (b.1957)UK , 2003.2stolen goods Rhyming slang for
SWAG, formed from the name of the UK singer and political activist
(b.1957)UK , 2004
Billy Bunter; billynoun1a customer, especially of discreet or illegal
services Rhyming slang forPUNTER; from the fictional schoolboy
created by Frank Richards (Charles Hamilton 1876–1961)UK , 1992.
2a shunter Hauliers’ rhyming slangUK , 1951
Billy Buttonnounany foolish person who works without assurances
that he will be paid for his workVIRGIN ISLANDS, U.S , 1996
billy cannoun1a can used for making coffeeAUSTRALIA , 1885.2a
metal pail with a handle used for boiling water, making tea,
cooking etc, over a fire when camping or in the bushAUSTRALIA , 1870
billy cartnouna child’s toy racing cart From ‘billy’ as ‘a male goat’,
originally billycarts were hitched to goats and racedAUSTRALIA , 1923
Billy Furynouna jury Rhyming slang, formed from the name of the
popular UK singer, 1940–83UK , 2004
billy goatnoun1a tufted beard From the similarity between the
wearer’s facial hair and that of a male goatUK , 1882.2in horse
racing, the totalisator Rhyming slang for ‘tote’AUSTRALIA , 1989.3in
trucking, the 318 horsepower Detroit diesel engineUS , 1971
Billy Guyattnouna diet Rhyming slang, sometimes shortened to
‘Billy’AUSTRALIA , 1989
billy lidnouna kid Rhyming slangAUSTRALIA , 1988
Billy No-Birdnouna man who is characteristically without a
Billy No-Matesnouna friendless personUK , 2003
billyonoun< like billyoat great speedUK , 1885 < to billyoto hell; to blazesAUSTRALIA , 1939
Billy Oceannounsuntan lotion Rhyming slang, formed from the name of popular Trinidad-born singer (b.1950)UK , 2003
billysnoun 8see:BILLIES
Billy’s Sloughnicknamea town named Williams Lake in British ColumbiaCANADA , 1989
billy teanountea made in a billyAUSTRALIA , 1890
Billy Whizz; Billy Whiz; billy; billnounan amphetamine.WHIZZ
(amphetamine) disguised as cartoon strip character Billy Whizz,
whose adventures started in the Beano in 1964 UK , 1985
billy willynouna symptomatic reduction in the size of a penis caused by amphetamine use A combination ofBILLY(WHIZZ) (amphetamine) andWILLY(the penis)UK , 2003
bimnoun1a shortened form of ‘bimbo’US , 1925.2a police officerUS , 1971
Bim and Bamnountwo inseparable friendsTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1987
bimbettenouna young, mindless, attractive woman A diminuitive
of the more widely knownBIMBO US , 1982
bimbleverbto wander without purpose A variation of ‘bumble’ (to idle), perhaps with reference toBIMBO(‘a dupe’, hence ‘mindless’)
UK , 1987
bimbonoun1a well-built, attractive, somewhat dim woman An offensive termUS , 1920.2a dupeUK , 2002
bimphnountoilet paper A variation on ‘bumph’ (paperwork) which
is derived fromBUM FODDER UK , 2002
binnoun1a pocketUK , 1936.2a hospital or other institution for the treatment of psychiatric problems and mental illness Abbrevation
ofLOONY BIN UK , 1938.3a cell in a prison or a police stationUK , 1977.
< the binsa Goodwill Industry’s used clothing store, where used clothing is sold by the poundUS , 1997
binverb1to throw something away Reduced from the sense ‘to throw in the rubbish bin’UK , 1991.2to finish with a friend or a lover From the sense ‘to throw away’UK , 2001.3to dismiss someone or something; to abandon someone or somethingUK , 1995
bindnouna bore, a nuisance Originally Royal Air Force useUK , 1930
bindersnounbrakes Used in many contexts, from military transport
to trains to drag racingUK , 1942
bindi-eye; bindiinounany of various native spiny Australian plants;
also, the introduced South American plant, Solvia sessilis, a
common lawn weed having sharp prickles; hence, one of these prickles The word comes from the Australian Aboriginal languages Kamilaroi and YuwaalaraayAUSTRALIA , 1896
bindlenoun1heroin From an earlier sense a (portion of drugs)UK ,
2003.2a portion or packet of drugs After an obsolete term for ‘a vagrant’s bundle’US , 1934
bindle stiffnouna migratory worker; a trampUS , 1897
binenouna cigarette; an act of smoking a cigarette Shortened from the brand name Woodbine™ but used genericallyUK , 1975
bingnoun1jail, especially solitary confinement in jailUS , 1932.2an injection with a hypodermic needle and syringeUS , 1918.3crack cocaine; a piece of crack cocaineUS , 1994
bing!used as a sound effect for something that happens instantly Probably echoic of a bellUK , 2001
bingenouna period of heavy drinking or drug-taking; a drinking spree From dialect sense ‘to soak’UK , 1854
bingeverb1to eat or drink to excessUK , 1854.2to use crack cocaine heavily From the sense ‘to drink heavily’UK , 1998
bingernoun1a deep inhalation of marijuana smoke filtered through
a water-pipeUS , 1998.2a drug addict, especially of crack cocaine Extended fromBINGE(to heavily use crack cocaine)UK , 1998.3a losing bet Glasgow slangUK: SCOTLAND , 1985
bingey; bingy; binghi; binjeynounthe stomach, the belly Of
Trang 6binglenoun1a motor accident causing only minor damage and not
resulting in injuryAUSTRALIA , 1970.2a dent or crack in a surfboard
AUSTRALIA , 1966
bingonoun1a cheap wine The exclamation ‘bingo’ alludes to the
sudden effect of the drinkCANADA , 1963.2a prison riotUS , 1992
bingoverbto inject a drug intravenouslyUS , 1992
bingoadjective(of a plane’s fuel tank) with just enough fuel to reach
home baseUS , 1956
bingo!used for emphasis or for registering pleasurable surprise,
success, excitementUK , 1927
bingo boynouna young alcoholicUS , 1946
bingo wingnouna pendulous spread of flabby upper arm that is
characteristic of some older womenUK , 2002
bingsnouncrack cocaineUK , 1998
binkynoun1a baby’s dummy (pacifier) that a heroin user has
converted into a squeeze bulb for injecting a dose of heroin
through an eye dropper and needle into the vein From the
common childrens’ nickname for a dummyUS , 1989.2marijuana; a
marijuana cigaretteUK , 2003
binocsnounbinocularsUS , 1943
bin offverbto set something aside, to discard something Teen
slangUK , 2002
binosnounbinocularsUS , 1976
bin ratnouna supply clerk in the Royal Canadian Air ForceCANADA ,
1995
binsnouna pair of spectacles, glasses; binoculars; hence, the eyes
Abbreviated from ‘binoculars’; also variant ‘binns’UK , 1958
bintnoun1a girlfriend, a young woman From Arabic bint (a
daughter), often combined with a critcal adjective to derogatory
effectUK , 1855.2a promiscuous woman DerogatoryUK , 1855
bionouna biographyUS , 1947
bioadjectiveexcellentUS , 1984
bio breaknouna visit to the toilet A euphemism popular with the
more jargon-friendly computer-users, 1998
biognouna biographyUS , 1942
biologistnouna person whose interest in companionship is
primar-ily sexualUS , 1973
biopicnouna biographical filmUS , 1951
bipnounthe head; the brainUS , 1947
bipverb1to break into a house while the housewife is outside
hanging laundry on the line to dry An abbreviation ofSCALLYBIP US ,
1972.2to simultaneously take heroin and cocaine into the body
through the nose, 2002
bipeverbto break and enter the dwelling of another while they
sleep, with the intent of stealingUS , 1990
bippynounused as a jocular euphemism for ‘ass’ Coined and
popularised by Rowan and Martin on the television programme
Laugh-In (NBC,1968–73); a wildly popular word for several years,
the key word in the title of the 1969 Rowan and Martin film The
Maltese Bippy, and then abandoned on the junk heap of slang US ,
1967
birdnoun1a young woman; a sweetheart First used in C14; not
considered a slang term until C19 when it also meant ‘a
prostitute’ (obsolete by 1920) Primarily a British term, but briefly
popular in the US in the late 1960sUK , 1838.2the vaginaUS , 1963.
3an ordinary fellow Also known as an ‘old bird’US , 1839.4the
penisUS , 1969.5a homosexual manUS , 1956.6a 25-cent pieceUS ,
1949.7a surfer who uses any bird or wings as his surfboard logoUS ,
1988.8a police informer From the sense ofSTOOL PIGEONandSING
CANADA , 2002.9a certainty A shortening ofDEAD BIRD AUSTRALIA , 1941.
10in horse racing, a horse that as seen as likely to win a race
AUSTRALIA , 1989.11a twenty-five cent betting tokenUS , 1974.12a
gesture of the middle finger, meaning ‘fuck you’US , 1961.13an
amphetamine tabletUS , 1992.14a kilogram of cocaineUS , 2002.
15Wild Turkey™ whiskyUS , 1984.16an aeroplaneUS , 1918.17a
Firebird carUS , 1976 8see:BIRD LIME < for the birds1no good, shoddyUS , 1944.2trivial; not worthy of intelligent interestUS , 1951.
< out of your birdinsaneUK , 2001 < the bird1negative criticism Originally theatrical; now usually phrased ‘get the bird’
or ‘give the bird’UK , 1884.2a vocal demonstration of complete disapprovalUK , 1952
BirdnicknameCharlie Parker (1920–1955), the jazz legend credited as
an originator of bebop, the jazz style that followed the big band swing eraUS , 1946
bird banditnouna womaniserUK , 1984
birdbathnoun1a cursory washing of the body using little waterUS ,
1953.2the area in a military motor pool where vehicles are washed Coined in VietnamUS , 1980
birdbrainnouna human who gives the impression of possessing a bird-size brain; a foolUS , 1933
bird-brainedadjectivefoolish; not-clever-enough; stupidUK , 1922
birdcagenoun1the anusUS , 1972.2a used car lot, especially one surrounded by chicken wireNEW ZEALAND , 1998.3a mounting enclosure at a racecourse So named as it is often surrounded by a wire mesh fenceAUSTRALIA , 1893.4in harness racing, the enclosure where horses are paraded before eventsUS , 1997.5an air control towerUS , 1965.6a railway lanternUS , 1945.7a Volvo carUK , 1981.8in motor racing, a chassis made of many small pieces of tubing or a tubular roll bar structureUS , 1965.9a box used for storing diceUS , 1962
Birdcagesnoun< the Birdcagesthe first legislative buildings in Victoria, British Columbia So described because of their gimcrack architectural elaboration; now all obliterated.CANADA , 1968
bird circuitnouna prolonged group tour of gay bars; the bars themselvesUS , 1956
bird colonel; full-bird colonelnounin the US Army, a full colonel From the eagle insigniaUS , 1946
bird coursenounan easy course in universityCANADA , 2002
bird dognoun1a scoutUS , 1929.2in professional sports, a talent scout or a scout’s associates who let him know about players who may be prospects for professional playUS , 1950.3a person who provides information about potential victims to a thief or group of thievesUS , 1977.4a person who solicits players for gambling, whether in a casino or a private poker gameUS , 1949.5in the used car business, either a customer who has been referred to a salesman or the person doing the referringUS , 1975.6in a two-car police speed-monitoring unit, the car that chases down speeding cars or trucks based on radar readings in the second carUS , 1971.
7a navigational device in planes that points in the direction of a radio signalUS , 1956
bird-dogverb1to flirt with another’s dateUS , 1941.2to look for, find and return with someone or somethingUS , 1948
bird eggnounan amphetamine tabletUS , 1993
bird feedernounin trucking, the air-intake pipeUS , 1971
bird foodnouninferior quality marijuanaUS , 2001
bird headnouna type of LSDUK , 2003
bird housenouna jail or prisonUS , 1949
birdienoun1a passive, effeminate male homosexualUS , 1921.2a bird, especially a small bird ChildishUK , 1792.3an aircraft Used by the Australian Army in Korea, 1951–53AUSTRALIA , 1958
birdie powdernounany powdered drug, such as heroin or cocaine
US , 1992
bird in a cagenounthe rank of Specialist 5 in the US Army From the eagle under a curved stripe on the chevronUS , 1968
bird lime; birdnoun1a sentence of imprisonment Rhyming slang forTIME The abbreviation is used especially in ‘do bird’ (to serve a prison sentence)UK , 1857.2by extension, a personal history of imprisonment Rhyming slang forTIME UK , 1857
birdmannouna prisoner A combination ofBIRD(LIME) (a prison sentence) and ‘man’, playing on famous convict ‘the Birdman of Alcatraz’UK , 1996
bird nest
Trang 7bird of paradisenounthe US armed forces insignia designating
honourable dischargeUS , 1946
bird sanctuarynounany institution where traffic violators who are
under pursuit are free from further pursuit once they pass the
gatesUS , 1962
birdseednoun1nonsenseUS , 1909.2a small amount of moneyUS ,
1982
bird’s eyenouna small dose of heroinUS , 1973
bird shitnouna paratrooper From the jocular tease that only two
things fall from the sky, paratroopers and bird shitUS , 1991
bird’s nestnoun1pubic hair that can be seen to extend from the
crotch to the navel; pubic hair Homosexual use; tangled imagery
US , 1972.2in the Royal Navy, a WRNS’ cabin A member of the
Women’s Royal Naval Service is popularly known as a Wren, hence
this pun; remembered from World War 2 but not recorded until
1984UK , 1984.3the chest, especially (of a man) if hairy Rhyming
slang, but also partly from the imagery.UK , 1970.4a hole in the
upholstery of the driver’s seat of a car from long use and too
much weightUS , 1992
bird speedadverbextremely fastBARBADOS , 1965
bird-turdverbto disparage someone or something; to speak with a
lack of sincerity A close relation ofCHICKENSHIT US , 1947
bird watchernouna man given to the practice of watching girls go
by A pun onBIRD(a young woman)UK , 1984
bird watchingnoun(used of young males) looking sensually and
whistling at passing young womenTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1995
birdwoodnouna cigaretteUS , 1944
birdybacknouncontainers or trailers shipped by air A poor
borrowing fromPIGGYBACK US , 2003
birinoun 8see:BEEDI
birknouna mentally slow personUS , 1976 8see:BERK
birlingadjective drunk From Scottish dialect birl (to spin) UK:
SCOTLAND , 1988
bironouna ballpoint pen used as an improvised means of injecting
drugs From the conventional generic sense of ‘biro’ as ‘a ballpoint
pen’UK , 1996
birth control enginenouna large locomotive which could burn up
to five tons of coal per shift Firing them up in the early morning
was said to make a man impotent for weeksUK , 1970
birthday cardnounin poker, the one card needed and drawn to
complete an unlikely good handUS , 1996
birthday presentnounin tiddlywinks, a stroke of good luckUS , 1977
birthdaysnoun< think all your birthdays have come at once
to be overjoyed or overwhelmed, especially from something
unexpectedAUSTRALIA , 1957
birthday suitnouna state of nudityUK , 1771
biscuitnoun1a good-looking member of whatever sex attracts you
US , 1990.2a promiscuous womanUS , 1993.3the buttocksUS , 1950.
4the headUS , 1934.5a watchUS , 1905.6a phonograph recordUS ,
1950.7in the context of live rock and roll, a deep bass note when it
is felt as well as heard A term especially but not exclusively
applied to the bass playing of Phil Lesh of the Grateful DeadUS ,
1997.8a white tablet of methadone, a synthetic narcotic used to
treat heroin addictsUS , 1972.9fifty rocks of crack cocaineUS , 2003.
10a tablet of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy
UK , 2002.11the hallucinogenic drug, peyoteUS , 1992.12a handgun
US , 1962.13a black prisonerUS , 1976.14a can of c-rations Vietnam
war usageUS , 1991.15used as a euphemism for ‘bitch’US , 1999.16a
fool, an idiotSOUTH AFRICA , 2004
biscuitadjectiveeasyUS , 1997
biscuit bitchnouna female Red Cross volunteer Vietnam war
usage; less common than the more popularDOUGHNUT DOLLY US ,
1983
biscuit boxnouna Ford Transit van, or other vehicle of similar style
When struck, an unladen van has a similar tonal quality to an
biscuit classnouneconomy class air travel on a small route A playful allusion to ‘business class’ travel and the biscuits given to economy class passengersNEW ZEALAND , 1987
Biscuit Foot McKinnonnicknameused as a nickname for a stereotypical Cape Bretoner Because of the large Scottish settle-ment of this part of Nova Scotia, many people have the same last name: MacDonald, McKinnon, and so forth Nicknames are common to distinguish family members with the same first name, too.CANADA , 1999
biscuitsnoun1moneyUS , 1977.2crack cocaine FromBISCUIT(a measure of crack)UK , 2003
biscuits and cheesenounthe knees Rhyming slang, remembered
in use during World War 2, sometimes shortened to ‘biscuits’UK , 1960
biscuit snatchernounthe hand; a fingerUS , 1953
bi-sexnounbisexual sexUK , 2003
bishnoun a bishop UK , 1937
bish, bash, bosh; bish-bash-boshadjectiverough and ready; also used in a semi-exclamatory sense as an echoic representation of anything swiftly expeditedUK , 2000
bishopnoun1the penis Used in a variety of expressions that refer
to male masturbationUS , 1916.2a private investigatorUK , 1972
bishop’s bashnounof a male, the act of masturbation From the verbal idiomBASH THE BISHOP UK, 2005
bissom; besomnouna slovenly woman DialectUK: SCOTLAND , 1911
bistonouna fart From the advertising slogan ‘Aaah Bisto ’ savouring the aroma of a branded gravyUK , 2004
bitnoun1a prison sentenceUS , 1866.2an interest; an affected mannerism; a roleUS , 1955.3a woman, especially when regarded sexuallyUK , 1923.4sexual intercourseAUSTRALIA , 1945.5an activityUS ,
1968.6used as a meaningless embellishment of the preceding noun, as in ‘Let’s do the lunch bit’US , 1955.7twelve and a half centsUS , 1821.8twelve dollars and fifty centsUS , 1929.9your home
or home areaUK: SCOTLAND , 1988.10a bulletUK , 2001 < champ at the bit; chomp at the bitto be enthusiastically eager From a horse’s characteristic behaviourUK , 1645 < pull a bitto serve a prison sentenceUS , 1969 < take the bit out ofto exhaust someoneUK: SCOTLAND , 1988 < wee red bitthe glowing end of a cigarette, especially when used as a means of lighting another cigaretteUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
bitanouna bit of Reflecting a lazy pronunciationUK , 1999
bitainenouna prostituteUK , 2002
bit bashingnounlow level, tedious computer programmingUS , 1991
bit bucketnounin computing, the mythical place where lost infor-mation goesUS , 1983
bitchnoun1a woman Although Grose considered it ‘the most offensive appellation that can be given to an English woman,’ it is used in this sense with no derogatory intent; it is dismissive or patronising, based on gender rather than the unpleasant and lewd characteristics of earlier and concurrent usages Comedian Richard Blackwood (b.1972) used ‘bitch’ in this sense, referring to Queen
Elizabeth II, during an edition of BBC television’s Have I Got News
For You in October 2000 Six viewers complained to the
Broadcasting Standards Commission The BBC argued ‘Richard Blackwood was using the term as it is currently used, for example,
in British and American Rap Music simply to mean "woman", and not as a term of abuse’ The complaints were not upheldUK , 1713.
2a despicable womanUK , 1400.3the person taking the passive role
in a male homosexual relationship; a feminine or weak manUS ,
1923.4a sexual submissive of either gender in a sado-masochistic relationship Generally attached to a possessive pronounUK , 2002.
5a remarkable person or thingUS , 1943.6something that is difficult or unpleasantUK , 1814.7in the youth trend for ‘souped-up’ motor-scootering, a driver’s scooterUK , 2004.8in a deck of playing cards, any queen; in the game of hearts, the queen of spadesUS ,
1900.9in chess, the queenUS , 1971.10a complaint; an extended period of complainingUS , 1945.11a crude candleCANADA , 1961.12a
.