Derives fromBITCHto complain as this is the time when tempers are shortest, 1963 bitch kittynounan excellent instance of, or example of, something US , 1944 bitch lampnounan improvised l
Trang 11989 < put the bitch on someoneto file criminal charges
accusing someone of being a habitual criminalUS , 1972
bitchverb1to complainUS , 1918.2to inform on someoneUK , 2000.
3to identify and punish someone as a habitual criminalUS , 1976.
4to ruin somethingUK , 1823
bitch aboutverbto be unreliable and troublesome; to change or
renegotiate arrangementsUK , 1959
bitch-assadjectiveweak, effeminateUS , 2002
bitch-ass nigganouna weak or effeminate black maleUS , 1995
bitch barnounanything that serves as a hand grip for a motorcyle
passenger Biker (motorcyle) usage, alluding to a female passenger
US , 2000
bitch basketnouna Volkswagen CabrioletUS , 1997
bitch bathnouna cleaning of the body using little water, powder or
other odour-masking agentsUS , 1953
bitch blownouna violent blowBAHAMAS , 1982
bitch boxnouna public address loudspeaker systemUS , 1945
bitchcakesadjectiveaggressiveUS , 2004
bitchen; bitchingadjectiveexcellentUS , 1957
bitchen twitchenadjectiveexcellentUS , 1982
bitchernouna habitual criminalUS , 1963
bitches’ ChristmasnounHalloween A glorious homosexual holiday,
erotic and exoticUS , 1964
bitch fightnouna quarrel between ostentatiously effeminate male
homosexualsUS , 1964
bitch fitnouna temper tantrumUS , 1969
bitch hooknounan all-purpose quick-release hook for use with a
tractor and chainCANADA , 1992
Bitchin’ Bettynounin the Canadian Air Force, an automatic
audible vocal warning system of dangerCANADA , 1995
bitchingnounthe act of complaining about or disparaging someone
or something From the verbBITCH(to complain)US , 1953
bitchingadjectiveused as a negative intensifier An abbreviation of
‘son-of-a-bitching’US , 1928
bitching weeknounon an Atlantic weather ship, the third week of a
four week tour of station Derives fromBITCH(to complain) as this
is the time when tempers are shortest, 1963
bitch kittynounan excellent instance of, or example of, something
US , 1944
bitch lampnounan improvised lampUS , 1960
bitch moneynounearnings from prostitution and pimpingUK , 2001
bitch offverbto irritate someoneUS , 1975
bitch on wheelsnouna person, especially a woman, with a truly
nasty dispositionUS , 1966
bitch outverbto criticise someone harshlyUS , 1986
bitch padnouna small seat mounted behind the regular seat on a
motorcyleUS , 1992
bitch pienouna pizza with pepperoni, mushroom and sausage The
initials of the toppings – PMS – suggest a cranky womanUS , 1996
bitch pissnounbottled alcopop (branded alcoholic beverage with
the characteristics of a soft drink) or other alcoholic drinks
deemed to be for feminine consumptionUK , 2002
bitch sessionnouna group airing of complaintsUS , 1960
bitch slapverb1to slap someone full across the faceUS , 1995.2by
extension, to soundly defeat or better someone or somethingUS ,
2002
bitchsplitternounthe penis Used on-air in the telling of a joke by
syndicated US broadcaster Mancow Muller, adopted as a name by
a Canadian death metal bandUS , 2003
bitch titsnicknamean overweight maleUK , 2005
bitch upverbto spoil or ruin somethingBARBADOS , 1965
bitch with a capital Cnouna truly hideous person A suggestion of
bitchyadjectivemalicious, spitefulUS , 1925
bitenoun1a small meal or a snackUS , 1899.2the portion of the money bet by gamblers taken as the share for the establishment sponsoring the gamblingUS , 1988.3a priceUS , 1958.4in motor racing, traction between the tyres and trackUS , 1970.5something that is very disagreeableUS , 1951 < put the bite onto extort
AUSTRALIA , 1919
biteverb1to copy or steal another person’s style, especially to copy
a breakdancing move, or to plagiarise a rap lyricUS , 1979.2to ask someone for a loan of moneyAUSTRALIA , 1912.3to be taken in, to
be duped A figurative use of the literal ‘take the bait’UK , 1987.4to
be unfair or extremely distastefulUS , 1971.5to itchBARBADOS , 1965.
6to flex, and thus contract, the sphincter during anal sexUS , 1972.
< bite feathersto lie on your stomach, especially in antici-pation of anal sexUS , 1964 < bite itto dieUS , 1977 < bite off more than you can chewto be unable to complete a task that
is too great for your ambitionsUS , 1878 < bite the bagin computing, to fail, especially in a dramatic fashionUS , 1983 < bite the big oneto dieUS , 1979 < bite the brownto perform mouth-to-anus sexUS , 1972 < bite the dustto go down in defeat
US , 1982 < bite the pillowto take the recipient role in anal sex
AUSTRALIA , 1987 < bite to the boneto punish someone with all the severity allowed under the lawUS , 1962 < bite your lipsto smoke a marijuana cigaretteUS , 1959
bite and a buttonnouna negligible priceUK , 2003
bite in the britchesnounin trucking, a speeding ticketUS , 1976
biternoun1a copier of breakdance moves; a plagiarist of rap lyrics
US , 1999.2the vaginaUS , 1998.3a toothUS , 1946
bit hurtnounthe agony of withdrawal from a drug addictionUS , 1990
bit muchnounused to describe, or in response to, anything that is excessive, too demanding, arrogant, objectionable, etcUK , 1974
bit ’na half peoplenouna family that is just above the poverty line In colonial British Guiana currency, a ‘bit’ was a silver coin valued at 8 cents; 12 cents was a popular retail food-price marker for items of poor fare in marketsGUYANA , 1996
bit ofnounused to stress an affection or sympathy for the noun it describesUK , 1808
bit of a buggernouna nuisance; a difficultyUK , 2003
bit of alright; bit of all rightnoun1a sexually attractive person
UK , 1898.2something excellent, especially an unexpected treat or a stroke of good luck Sometimes also a ‘little bit of all right’UK , 1907
bit of blacknouna black person objectified sexuallyUK , 1974
bit of bodnounthe body as an object of sexual interestUK , 1970
bit of Braillenoun1sexual fondling and groping The Braille alphabet is read with fingertips – hence the image of feeling and touchingAUSTRALIA , 1984.2a racing tip Designed for the blind, the Braille alphabet is read by feeling; in horse racing gamblers mainly decide on bets by ‘reading’ form or because they have ‘a feeling’
AUSTRALIA , 1961
bit of brushnouna woman regarded and categorised as a sexual object; the act of sexAUSTRALIA , 1965
bit of bumnounfrom a male perspective, sex with another person; the person so desired objectified in a purely sexual contextUK , 1984
bit of cracklingnouna woman regarded as a sexual objectUK , 1949
bit of cuntnouna woman regarded and categorised as a sex object;
an act of sexual intercourseUK , 1984
bit of dirtnouna farmNEW ZEALAND , 1987
bit of ebonynouna black woman regarded as a sexual categoryUK , 1984
bit of elasticnounthe penisUK , 1999
bit of fluffnouna woman, especially when regarded sexuallyUK , 1847
bit of hardnoun1an erectionUK , 1978.2in homosexual sexual relations, a male partnerUK , 2002
bit of hodnouna promiscuous, or potentially promiscuous, girlUK ,
Trang 2bit of kitnounan item of equipment, especially mechanical or
electricalUK , 2000
bit of messnouna prostitute’s lover who is neither ponce nor client
UK , 1977
bit of nonsensenounan easily achieved criminal actUK , 1968
bit of poshnounan upper-class or socially superior young woman
regarded as a sexual objectUK , 1977
bit of roughnouna male lover, categorised as of a lower social
status, or a rougher background than the partner The relationship
defined may be homo- or heterosexual Original usage described a
female but from the mid-C20 the male predominatesUK , 1985
bit of skinnouna woman viewed as a sex objectAUSTRALIA , 1962
bit of skirtnouna woman viewed as a sex objectAUSTRALIA , 1904
bit of slap and ticklenoun1kissing and cuddling; sexual petting
which may be considered as foreplay by one participantUK , 1984.
2sexual intercourse An extension of the previous senseUK , 1984
bit of sparenounanyone providing sexual favours, even on a
short-term or occasional basis; an unattached woman, especially at a
club, party or any place where men may be expected to look for a
sexual companion or conquest ‘Bit of’ plus conventional use of
‘spare’ (available)UK , 1977
bit of straynouna casual sexual acquaintance, usually femaleUK ,
2001
bit of tailnoun1a woman regarded as a sexual objectUK , 1984.2an
act of anal intercourse; an act of sexual intercourse where the
male partner enters the female from behindUK , 1984
bit of the othernounsexual intercourseUK , 1984
bit of ticklenouna woman regarded as a sexual object; sexual
intercourseUK , 1984
bit of titnouna woman regarded as a sexual object; sex with a
womanUK , 1984
bit of worknouna crime; a robberyUK , 1996
bit on the sidenouna secret lover in addition to your regular
partner; a love affair; extra-marital sexUK , 1977
bitsnoun1the male genitals Sympathetically of a baby boy,
jocularly of a manUK , 1976.2in betting, odds of 11–10UK , 1991.
< in bitsemotionally distraught; tearfulUK , 1999 < to bits(of a
specified emotion) extremelyUK , 1964
bits and batsnounknick-knacksUK , 1961
bits and bobsnounmiscellaneous small articlesUK , 1896
bits and titsnounthe controlsAUSTRALIA , 1962
bits of kidsnounyoungstersUK , 1999
bits on the ear’olenounin betting, odds of 13–8 From the
TICK-TACKsignal used by bookmakers, an elaboration ofEAR’OLE(6–4)
UK , 1991
bit spitnounany electronic communicationUS , 1997
bitsyadjectivesmall, tinyUS , 1905
bitter-mouthverbto speak harshlyUS , 1947
bit twiddlernouna computer operatorUS , 1974
bittynouna girlUS , 1962
bittyadjectivetiny A corruption and shortening ofITSY-BITSY US , 1905
bitty boxnouna small computer, especially a single-tasking-only
machineUS , 1991
bitumen blondenounan Aboriginal womanAUSTRALIA , 1985
bitzer; bitser; bitzanouna dog of mixed breed A shortening of
the phrase ‘bits of this and bits of that’AUSTRALIA , 1936
biz; bizznoun1businessUS , 1861.2the syringe and other equipment
used by intravenous drug usersUS , 1949.3a small amount of a drug
US , 1971 < do the bizzto engage in sexual activityIRELAND , 1995.
< in the biz bagin trouble with police managementUS , 1994.
< the bizthe ‘profession’, loosely the entertainment, theatre or
film making business An industry coinage that lends dignity to
bizarronouna bizarre person Influenced by, if not directly descended from, ‘Bizarro’ a comic-book villain who first challenged Superman in the late 1950sUS , 1980
bizarroadjectivebizarreUS , 1971
biznatch; biznitchnounused as a euphemism for ‘bitch’ in any sense From rapper JayZUS , 2002
bizoticadjectiveunexpected, out of the ordinaryUS , 1984
bizzazznoun 8see:BEZAZZ
bizzies; busiesnounthe police From the plural ofBUSY(a detective,
a CID officer), but all distiction of rank is lostUK , 1948
bizzingnounsliding on an icy road while hanging onto the rear bumper of a car A verbal noun with no recorded use of ‘bizz’ as a verbUS , 1969
bizzlenouna brother, in the sense as male companion, especially in the phrase ‘fa’ shizzle my bizzle’ (emphatically yes) A hip-hop, urban black coinage, formed as a rhyming reduplication ofSHIZZLE
(sure, yes), after ‘fa’ shizzle my nizzle’ (yes my nigger) London rapper Maxwell Ansah recorded under the name Lethal Bizzle in
2002US , 2002
bizzonoun1businessAUSTRALIA , 1969.2an ill-tempered woman A corruption or evolution of ‘bitch’US , 2001
bizzurdadjective bizarre and absurd Derived by ellipsis Hip-hop,
urban slang; noted in connection with a legal dispute over rap
lyrics by BBC News, 6th June 2003 UK , 2003
bizzynoun 8see:BUSY
BJ; bjnounan act of oral sex, a blow jobUS , 1949
B jointnouna bar where women coax customers to buy drinksUS , 1993
BJsnouncrack cocaineUK , 2003
BK Loungenouna Burger King™ fast food restaurant Mocking attribution of classUS , 1985
BK’snounBritish Knight™ shoes Favoured by members of the Crips youth gang, for whom the initials also stand for ‘Blood Killer’US , 2000
blabverbto inform on someone, to reveal something while speaking
UK , 1583
blabbernouna very talkative hospital patientUS , 1994
blacknoun1hashish An all-purpose abbreviation for strains of dark-coloured cannabis resin, e.g.PAKISTANI BLACK US , 1975.2a black amphetamine capsuleUK , 2003.3nightUS , 1947.4in American casinos, a $100 chipUS , 1980 < in the blackfinancially solvent From the pre-computer practice of recording credit items in black inkUS , 1928 < on the blackengaged in black-market activitiesUK ,
1961 < the black1blackmail; the information held by a blackmailer Hence, ‘put the black on’ (to blackmail)UK , 1970.2the black market During the war in Vietnam, the term referred specifi-cally to the black market which flourished on Le Loi Street, Saigon
UK , 1961
blackverb to blackmail someone An abbreviation of the
conven-tional activityUK , 1928
blackadjective1secretUS , 1965.2extremely crowdedIRELAND , 1998.
< it’s a black thing; it’s a black thangused for identifying a behaviour or sensibility that is associated with black peopleUS , 1993
black acidnounLSDUS , 1970
black actionnouncasino betting in $100 incrementsUS , 1991
blackamoornouna black Angus or Friesian cowNEW ZEALAND , 1956
Black and Deckernounthe penis Rhyming slang forPECKER(the penis) In its many slang manifestations the penis appears as all kind of tools, here it is formed on a manufacturer of power tools
UK , 1998
black and tannoun1a drink of porter or stout mixed equally with ale (pale or brown)UK , 1889.2a capsule of Durophet™, trade name for a combination of central nervous system stimulants and depressantsUK , 1978
black and tanadjectivecatering to both black and white customers
Trang 3black and whitenoun1a police car From the traditional colours of
police cars in the USUS , 1958.2an amphetamine capsule, especially
Durophet™ From the colours of the capsuleUK , 1978.3a capsule
containing both a central nervous system stimulant and a
barbitu-rateUS , 1971.4a soda fountain drink made with chocolate syrup,
seltzer and vanilla ice-creamUS , 1947.5night Rhyming slang, always
spoken in fullUK , 1937
black and white fevernounan aversion to policeUS , 1970
black and white minstrelnounan amphetamine tablet
(Durophet™) An elaboration ofBLACK AND WHITE, used especially in
the plural, based on The Black and White Minstrel Show, a 1960s
television programmeUK , 1996
black and whitesnounthe black trousers or skirt and white shirt
worn by American casino dealersUS , 1961
black and white taxinouna police carUS , 1962
black artnounin computing, an array of techniques developed and
discovered for a particular system or applicationUS , 1991
black ashnounmarijuana London pronunciation of ‘black hash’UK ,
1991
black assnouna car without working rear lightsUS , 1962
black as the ace of spadesadjectiveutterly black or, of skin, deeply
blackUS , 1882
black bagnouna brown-haired prostituteUS , 1960
black bag jobnouna burglary, especially one committed by law
enforcement or intelligence agentsUS , 1966
black Bartnoundark hashish A generic term for ‘marijuana’;
connotes a romantic view of the drug’s illegal status by association
with the C19 US outlawUK , 1998
black beautynoun1a black amphetamine capsuleUS , 1969.2a
capsule containing both barbiturate and amphetamineUS , 1973
black beltnoun1a neighbourhood of black families that circles a
city or areaUS , 1951.2in the US Army, a senior drill instructor Not
a reference to martial arts, simply to the uniform Vietnam war
usageUS , 1991
black bessyes Rhyming slangUK , 1992
black Bettynouna van for transporting prisonersUS , 1965
blackbirdnoun1a black person A US mass murderer believed that
among the secret messages hidden in the music of the Beatles
were references to a coming black uprising in the song ‘Blackbird’
US , 1832.2an unmarked military aircraft, such as a C-123 or C-130
Used by the Studies and Observations Group (SOG) in Vietnam,
the highly secret, elite, unconventional warfare component of the
US military presence in Southeast AsiaUS , 1991.3an amphetamine
capsuleUS , 1972.4LSDUK , 2003
black blizzardnouna black prairie soil dust stormCANADA , 1962
black Bombaynounhashish, potent and dark in colourUS , 1993
black bomber; bombernounany central nervous system stimulant,
especially a capsule of diethylpropion (Durophet™), an
amphet-amine-like stimulantUK , 1963
black booknoun1a corporation’s plan for battling a hostile
takeoverUS , 1988.2in a casino, a list of persons to be excluded
from the casinoUS , 1991.3a graffiti artist’s notebook containing
ideas, outlines, sketches and plans for future graffiti piecesUS , 1997
black bottomnouna neighbourhood where most of the population
are poor black peopleUS , 1915
black boxnoun1in an aeroplane, the container and equipment
used for the automatic recording of all flight data and cockpit
conversation A specialised use of Royal Air Force slangUK , 1964.
2the notional container in which proprietary technical
infor-mation is secured in dealings over industrial property rightsUS ,
1974.3any high technical piece of electronics equipmentUS , 1945.
4a hearseUK , 1981.5a linear amplifier for a citizens’ band radio
Sometimes embellished as ‘little black box’US , 1976
black Cadillacnounan amphetamine capsuleUS , 1980
black capnicknamea member of the New Zealand international
men’s cricket team
black Christmasnouna snow-free Christmas A forced allusion to the famous ‘White Christmas’US , 1938
black-coated worker; black-coated workman; little black workernouna prune From the appearance and the work done during the digestive process Remembered, in 1970, as being used
by Lord Hill ‘The Radio Doctor’ during World War 2 Noted in
Manchester in Daltonian, December 1946, then generally in the
Midlands and LondonUK , 1946
black crownounduring the Vietnam war, a long-range ignition detector Highly effective from the air in locating enemy convoys; used in conjunction with a beacon tracking systemUS , 1991
black-dogadjectivemelancholic, depressedUK , 1826
black dominanoundark hashish An allusion to the sexual domination of a black mistressUK , 2002
black dotnouna type of LSD From the appearanceUK , 1996
black eaglenounheroinUK , 2003
black-enamelledadjectivedark-skinned Military, intended as jocular
UK , 1984
blacketeernouna black market racketeer A World War 2 coinage, possibly journalisticAUSTRALIA , 1953
blackfellow’s delightnounrum A disparaging view of Aboriginal Australians’ drinking habitsAUSTRALIA , 1953
black fevernounsexual attraction felt by a white person for black peopleUS , 1977
black forestnounthe female genitals This pet name for a vagina describes its location in a straightforward simile for the pubic hair,
ostensibly punning on the Schwarzwald region of southwest
Germany Derived possibly as a reference to Black Forest gateaux (sticky, chocolatey, cherry-laden cakes; a cultural-icon in the UK since the 1970s), the cake imagery suggesting an oral-sex dimension to the usage Also note ‘A Walk In The Black Forest’ by Horst Jankowski, a popular instrumental recording in the 1960s; a satisfying metaphor for sexual activityUK , 2001
black Fridaynounthe day after ThanksgivingUS , 1975
black gangnoun1collectively, a ship’s engineer’s departmentUS ,
1895.2an aviation mechanics team The source of the term is likely to be their black overallsCANADA , 1997
black ganjanounhashish, dark in colour The term is heard and seen with all the possible variant spellings ofGANJAfound at that entryUS , 1978
black goldnoun1oil An outsiders’ term, not used by those in the businessUS , 1910.2highly potent marijuana Derived from the pre-vious sense, punning on the richness and the colour of the hashishUS , 1946.3distilled, concentrated heroinUS , 1987
Black Handnouna secret criminal organisation composed of first-generation Italian immigrants to the USUS , 1898
black hashnounhashish mixed and darkened with opiumUS , 1975
black hatnoun1in a drama, or in life viewed as a drama, the villain
US , 1964.2a computer hacker with no honourable purpose Sometimes embellished to ‘black hat hacker’US , 2001.3a member
of Pathfinder platoon, dropped behind enemy lines to make deep reconnaissance patrols and to establish landing zones for the initial helicopter wavesUS , 1982.4a US Army drill instructorUS , 1986
blackheadnouna black person Derogatory, unless ironically self-descriptive Otherwise a ‘blackhead’ is a skin blemishUK , 2000
black heartnoundepressionUK , 1996
black holenoun1the vagina Originally a reference to ‘the black pit
of hell’ Now a ‘black hole’ is widely known to be a celestial phenomenon into which anything may be sucked to disappear without traceUK , 2001.2in computing, the notional place where e-mail that is sent but not received disappearsUS , 1991
black horsenicknamethe US Army’s 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment So named because of the Regiment’s insigniaUS , 1991
black-is-whiteadverbcompletely, thoroughly Collected by Richard AllsoppTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1998
black jacknoun1the penis of a black man Homosexual usageUS ,
. a fifty-ton Santa Fe Railroad coal hopper
Trang 4Black Jacknickname1black-labelled Jack Daniels™ whiskyUS , 1982.
2US General John J Pershing (1860–1948)US , 1951
blackjack missionnounduring the war in Vietnam, an operation
carried out by a mobile strike force The mobile strike forces were
light infantry battalions equipped and trained to operate in remote
areas without any significant logistical requirements or supportUS ,
1991
Black Jeffnouna waspBAHAMAS , 1982
black lightnounan ultraviolet light, under which fluorescent paint
glowsUS , 1971
Black Lionsnicknamea navy fighter squadron formally identified as
VF-213, commissioned in 1955US , 1990
black magicnoun1the M-16 rifle, the standard rifle used by US
troops in Vietnam after 1966US , 1991.2in computing, a technique
that works without any apparent reason for its successUS , 1991
Black Magic boxnouna police van Plays onBLACK MARIA(a police
van) and Black Magic™ chocolatesUK , 1981
black man kissed hernouna sister Rhyming slang from the early
part of C20 which appears to have all but died out by 1948 when
Carribean immigration began in earnest and revived usage Noted
as coming back into currency by 1960UK , 1960
black man’s wheelsnouna BMW carUK , 1999
Black Marianoun1a police wagon or van for transporting those
who have been arrested The etymology is uncertain beyond the
colour blackUS , 1843.2in a deck of cards, the queen of spadesUS ,
1988.3highly potent marijuanaUK , 2001
black marketeernounan unlicensed bookmaker quoting his own
prices and oddsAUSTRALIA , 1953
black micronouna variety of LSD in tablet formUK , 1996
black mo; black moat; black motenounhighly potent, dark
coloured marijuana resinUS , 1972
black mollynoun1a black amphetamine capsuleUS , 1970.2a
bar-biturate capsuleUS , 1973
Black Mondaynoun128th May 1962 The date of a dramatic stock
market crashUS , 1962.219th October 1987 The date of the
greatest single-day stock market crash in the US since the
DepressionUS , 1987
black moneynouncash that is not accounted for in the financial
records of a businessUS , 1963
black oilnounhashish oilUK , 1977
black on blacknouna car with a black exterior and black
upholstery Black teen slangUS , 1980
black-outnouna very dark-skinned black personUS , 1947
black pearlnounheroinUS , 1994
black pennouna parole reportUK , 1996
black peternounin prison, a punishment cell An elaboration of
‘peter’ (a cell)AUSTRALIA , 1953
black pillnouna pill of opium; heroinUS , 1969
Blackpool rocknounthe penis Rhyming slang forCOCK;a visual
pun on a long pink sweet that is made to be sucked Similarly
sweet references to the male anatomy can be found at
ALMONDROCK, BRIGHTON ROCKandSTICK OF ROCK Probably inspired or
influenced by the innuendo-laden song ‘With My Little Stick of
Blackpool Rock’ by George Formby, 1937UK , 1992
black powdernounground hashish and opium An explosive
mixture named after an early form of gunpowderUS , 2001
black powernicknamea Maori gang or member of the gangNEW
ZEALAND , 1978
black Protestantnoun1used as a term of contempt for Protestants
in Ireland This term appears to have become diluted over the
yearsIRELAND , 2001.2a non-observant Protestant or one prejudiced
against Roman CatholicsUS , 1969
black rainnounrain that has been contaminated by smoke from oil
field fires Gulf war usageUS , 1991
Black Ratsnicknamethe Traffic Division of the Metropolitan Police
black rocknouncrack cocaine An elaboration ofROCK(crack cocaine) which has more to do with the drug’s reputation than colour, 2003
black rovernouna Metropolitan Police warrant card This card auth-orises free travel throughout the London Transport system and thus plays on a London Transport Red Rover ticket which allowed the purchaser unlimited travelUK , 2002
black Russiannoun1blackened opiumUS , 1969.2dark hashishUS ,
1969.3marijuana resin mixed with opiumUS , 2001
black shoenounan officer in the US Navy other than an aviator Aviation officers wore brown shoesUS , 1950
blacksmithnounan incompetent sheep station cookNEW ZEALAND , 1941
black snakenouna freight train composed entirely of coal tenders
US , 1938
Black Soxnicknamethe New Zealand international men’s softball teamNEW ZEALAND , 2000
black starnouna type of LSDUK , 1998
blacksticknouna clarinetUS , 1937
black strangernouna complete strangerIRELAND , 1962
Black Streetnounthe notional location of a clinic treating those with sexually transmitted infections EuphemisticUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
black stuffnounopium; heroinUS , 1936
blackstuffnountarmacadamUK , 1982
black stuffnicknameGuinnessIRELAND , 2000
Black Stumpnounused as an imaginary marker for a remote place Often used in phrases such as ‘this side of the black stump’, ‘out near the Black Stump’, ‘the other side of the Black Stump’ or
‘beyond the Black Stump’ From a fire-blackened tree stump used
as a marker for navigation in the countryAUSTRALIA , 1957
black sunshinenounLSDUK , 1998
black tabsnouna type of LSDUS , 1982
black tarnouncrude, impure, potent heroin from MexicoUS , 1986
black tar blanconounheroinUK , 2002
black tidenounan oil slick on the ocean surfaceUS , 1991
black-tieadjective1calling for formal dressUK , 1933.2said of an event
in Antarctica in which those in attendance are not wearing red clothes issued by the US National Science FoundationANTARCTICA , 1991
black typenounin horse racing, a horse that has won or been placed in a stakes race Bold face type is used in a sales catalogue
to identify horses that have won or been placedUS , 1997
Blackusnounused as a term of address for a dark-skinned person
BAHAMAS , 1982
black velvetnoun1sexual relations with Aboriginal or other dark-skinned womenAUSTRALIA , 1899.2a black woman’s vaginaUS , 1967.
3a drink of stout mixed with champagne From the colour and texture An economical variation is poor man’s velvet (stout and cider); sometimes shortened to ‘blackers’UK , 1937
black waternoun1coffee, especially when weakUS , 1850.2sewage Euphemism used in recreational vehicle campingUS , 1993
black whacknounphencyclidine, the recreational drug known as PCP or angel dustUS , 1994
black widownoun1a black amphetamine capsule; Benzedrine™ (amphetamine sulphate), a central nervous system stimulantUS ,
1972.2a capsule containing both barbiturate and amphetamineUS ,
1973.3an M-16 rifle equipped with a night scopeUS , 1991.4a limited edition, fuel-injected 1957 Chevrolet 150 sedan, built strictly for racing but then banned from stock car racingUS , 1992
black wingsnounoral sex with a black womanUS , 2000
blacky; blackienouna black person Derogatory, but not necessarily deliberately soUK , 1815
blacky carbonnounin drag racing, petrolUS , 1965
blacky-white; blackie-whitenounan Anglo-Indian half-casteINDIA ,
Trang 5bladdernoun1a balloon Circus and carnival usageUS , 1981.2a
collapsible drum for holding liquidsUS , 1991.3a local newspaper
Derives from a less-than-favourable description of its contentsUK ,
1970
bladder birdnouna tanker aircraft used for aerial bulk fuel delivery
Vietnam war usageUS , 1991
bladder boatnounan inflatable rubber boat Vietnam war usageUS ,
1991
bladder-busternouna very large beverage containerUS , 1997
bladderedadjectivevery drunkUK , 1997
bladenoun1a knifeUS , 1896.2a surgeonUS , 1974.3a manUS , 1948.4a
Cadillac car, especially a Coupe de Ville or Fleetwood Black teen
slangUS , 1980.5a type of expensive chrome car wheel rimUS , 1998.
6a mopedBERMUDA , 1985.7a dollarUS , 2002
bladeverbto skate on rollerbladesUS , 1997
bladernouna rollerbladerUS , 1989
blade-runnernounsomeone who transports stolen goods or
contraband Taken from the science-fiction film Blade Runner,
1982, based on Philip K Dick’s cyberpunk novel Do Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep?, 1968 UK , 2001
bladingnounthe act of using rollerbladesUS , 1995
blagnoun1a robbery, especially an armed robbery; a bank or
post-office robbery Probably an abbreviation of ‘blackguard’UK , 1885.2a
piece of persuasive bluffUK , 1962.3used as a term of abuse Usage
appears restricted to northern grammar schools deriving, perhaps,
from a shortening of ‘blaggard’ (a blackguard)UK , 1963
blagverb1to hoax or deceive someone; to bluff someone; to
persuade someone; to wheedle something; to scrounge
something From French blaguer (to joke), possibly informed by
conventional English ‘blaggard’UK , 1958.2to successfully persuade
another person into having sex with youUK , 2002.3to rob
something, especially with violenceUK , 1933
blagardverbto talk profanely or obscenely According to one source,
this term is in use with this meaning in Nova Scotia’s South
Shore It derives from the French blague (chaff, humbug, hoax, fib)
but may also derive from an English gang of blacking boys and
torch-carriers in London known for their scurrilous language In
the form ‘blackguarding’, it is in use in parts of the US with the
same meaning as in Nova ScotiaCANADA , 1988
blaggernoun1a robber who will use violence as necessary In The
Lag’s Lexicon, 1950, Paul Tempest noted the term was ‘used very
occasionally’; during the 1970s usage proliferated through the
agency of television programmes like The Sweeney UK , 1950.2a
persuasive person who is employed to attract customersUK , 1963.
3a persuasive criminal, a confidence tricksterUK , 1966
blaggingnouna robbery, especially with violence Derives, possibly,
from ‘blackguard’UK , 1933
blag merchantnouna pay-roll bandit, an armed robber Combines
BLAG(a robbery with violence) with the colloquial use of
‘merchant’ (a man)UK , 2000
blahverbto say empty and meaningless things, to talk without
saying anything worth sayingUK , 2004
blahadjectivewithout energy, without spark, unmotivatedUS , 1922
blah; blah blah; blah blah blahnounempty and meaningless talk;
so on and so forth; used for implying that what is being said is
not worth the saying or has been said too often already Echoic of
nonsense speech, possibly German blech (nonsense); synonymous
withRHUBARB(nonsense) which may also be repeated two or three
times for emphasisUK , 1918
blahsnouna minor illness; a feeling of ennuiUS , 1968
blair; blareverbto criticise, humiliate or mock someone or something
Possibly from conventional ‘blare’ (to shout); probably predates Tony
Blair’s rise to political and media prominence, although current usage
is certainly informed by his Prime MinistershipUK , 1998
blaknounblack Fashionable misspellingUK , 2002
blamverbto slam loudlyBARBADOS , 1965
blamed; blameadjectiveused as a euphemistic intensifier replacing
‘damned’ An equivalent to
blancasnounamphetamines or other central nervous system stimu-lants Border Spanish used in English conversation by Mexican-Americans; from the Spanish for ‘white’US , 1967
blanconounheroin; cocaine Spanish for ‘white’US , 1973
blanknoun1a packet of non-narcotic white powder sold as narcotics
US , 1966.2a worthless person or thingUS , 1950.3in a carnival, a bad day, a bad engagement or a bad customerUS , 1985.4in poker, a useless card in the dealt handUS , 1992.5the top of a skateboardUS ,
1976.6a refusal of paroleUK , 1996.7a tablet of AspirinUS , 1990.
< give someone the blankto ignore someoneUK , 1999
blankverb1to ignore someone Any response is ‘blanked out’UK ,
1977.2to forget somethingUK , 1996.3to erase something An abbreviated variation of the conventional ‘blank out’UK , 1981
blank; blankety; blankety-blankused as a self-censored deletion
of an expletive, regardless of part of speech Written more often than spoken, but not without uses in speechUK , 1854
blank canvasnounthe body of a person who is about to get their first tattooUS , 1997
blanketnoun1a cigarette paperUS , 1925.2a marijuana cigarette
Perhaps because it is shaped like a blanket roll US , 1935.3any sandwichUS , 1960.4an overcoat; a top coatUS , 1925.5in the US military, a beretUS , 1992.6in trucking, a parking lotUS , 1976 < on the blanket1used of prisoners who refuse to wear a uniform as
a means of protest and are thereby wrapped in a blanket Originating with republican prisoners making a political protest in the Maze Prison in Belfast in the mid-1970sUK , 1979.2(of an Indian) used for describing someone who has been aggressive but has stoppedCANADA , 1959
blanket-assnouna native American Indian DerogatoryUS , 1973
blanket crapsnounan informal game of craps with the shooter acting as bankerUS , 1977
blanket drillnounsex in bedUS , 1964
blanket finishnounin horse racing, a close finish between several horses So called because the horses contending for the lead could all be covered by a single figurative blanketUS , 1951
blanket gamenounin the circus or carnival, a private gambling game for employees only, played on a blanketUK , 1980
blanket harbournounbedCANADA , 1998
blanket partynouna ritual in which the offending person is covered with a blanket, which prevents identification of the wrong-doers, and then beatenUS , 1969
blanket rollnouna controlled roll of the dice by a skilled cheat, best made on a blanket spread on the groundUS , 1950
blankety; blankety-blank 8see:BLANK
blarneynoun1honeyed flattery, pleasant talk that seeks to deceive; hence plausible nonsense A fine example can be found at
www.blarneycastle.ie in the gentle assertion that ‘the term
"Blarney" was introduced into the English language by Elizabeth I
of England[.]’IRELAND , 1766.2an Irish accent The Blarney stone is incorporated into the battlements of Blarney Castle – eight miles north of Cork city in southern Ireland Familiar legend holds the promise that whoever kisses this stone will receive the gift of eloquence, hence ‘blarney’ (pleasant talk), here considered to be speech with an Irish liltUK , 2000
blarneyverbto talk flatteringly or persuasivelyUK , 1803
blarneyingadjectiveof a manner of speech, persuasive, flatteringUS , 1869
blarryadjective 8see:BLERRY
blartverbto talk compulsively, especially about emotional upheaval
A combination of conventional ‘blurt’ andBLAB (to talk) or blub (to
cry)UK , 2001
blasé blaséand so on and so on An embellishment of the more expectedBLAH BLAH BLAH US , 2002
blasé queennouna characteristically up-market homosexual male
UK , 2002
blastnoun1an extremely enjoyable timeUS , 1950.2a party, especially
Trang 64cocaine; any drug with a powerful effectUS , 1992.5a taste or a
portion, especially of alcoholic drinkUK , 1988.6a parachute jump
Vietnam war usageUS , 1991.7an escapeUS , 1970.8a stern
admonishment; a severe rebukeUS , 1874
blastverb1to use a drug, especially to smoke marijuanaUS , 1943.
2to criticise someone or something severely Mainly journalistic
UK , 1953.3to reprimand someoneUK , 1984
blast!used for expressing disgust or dismayUK , 1634
blastedadjective1cursed, damned; often used as a euphemism for
‘bloody’UK , 1750.2highly intoxicated on any drug or alcoholUS , 1928
blasternoun1a gun, especially a pistolUS , 1964.2a powerful,
hard-breaking waveUS , 1964
blast from the pastnouna song that was popular in the past and
is still popular with those who were young when the song was
popularUS , 1965
blasting oilnounnitroglycerin, used by criminals to blast open safes
US , 1949
blast offverb1to leave Borrowed with great fervour from the
language of space travelUS , 1954.2to use and become intoxicated
by a drugUS , 1961.3of a car, especially a racing car, to drive off at
speed Uses a rocket launch as a metaphorAUSTRALIA , 1984
blast partynouna gathering of marijuana smokersUS , 1958
blastyadjectivein Newfoundland, used of a dead, dry branch, good
for kindlingCANADA , 1980
blatnouna short journey, usually for pleasure Used by late
1980s-early 90s counterculture travellersUK , 1999
blatverbto fire a gun Probably derived from a comic strip
represen-tation of a weapon in action: ‘Blat! Blat! Blat!’UK , 1995
blatantadjectiveexcellent Recorded in use among young urban
blacksUK , 1999
blatheredadjective drunk From the dialect word blather (to talk
nonsense)UK , 2002
blatherskite; bletherskite; bletherskatenouna person who talks
too much or too offensively Originally Scottish dialectUS , 1791
blatsnouncash, money In Royal Air Force useUK , 2002
blattedadjectivedrunkUK , 2003
blaxploitationnounthe exploitation of black culture and imagery
for commercial gain, especially in filmsUS , 1971
blazenoun1in a card game with five cards per hand, a hand with
five face cardsUS , 1962.2in a deck of playing cards, a face cardUS ,
1987.3marijuanaUS , 1998
blazeverb1to leaveUS , 1983.2to move quicklyUS , 1996.3to have sex
US , 1997.4to light a marijuana cigarette or other drug-smoking
conveyance Also expressed as to ‘blaze up’US , 1985
blazedadjectivedrug-intoxicatedUK , 1998
blaze fullnounin poker, a hand consisting of three cards of one face
card rank and a pair of another The ‘full’ is drawn from the
con-ventional name for the hand, a ‘full house’US , 1968
blazernouna big diamondUS , 1949
blazesnounthe flames of hell Used in comparisons and as a
euphemism for ‘hell’UK , 1818
blazingadjectiveexceptionally attractiveUK , 1864
blazingadverbused as an intensifier Generally euphemistic for
BLOODY US , 1855
bleachverb1to spend an extended period of days and nights in
nightclubsUK , 2000.2to soak and flush a hypodermic needle and
syringe with bleach to prevent transmission of HIVUS , 1989.3to lie
awake at night with a sense of impending doomJAMAICA , 2003
bleacher bumnoun1a loud, rowdy sports fan who favours the
inexpensive bleacher seatsUS , 1981.2a fan of the Chicago Cubs
professional baseball teamUS , 1998
bleach tabsnounsterilising tablets issued to drug addictsUK , 1996
bleatnoun1in prison, a petition to the Home SecretaryUK , 1950.2a
feeble complaintUK , 1916
bleat to complain . to repeatedly deny guilt
bleednounin pinball, a ball that leaves play having scored few pointsUS , 1979
bleedverb1to extort money from someoneUK , 1680.2to dilute a drugUS , 1992.3to be showing lipstick on your face or clothesUS ,
1968 < bleed someone dry; bleed someone whiteto drain a person or other resource of all money or value The image of draining a life’s bloodUK , 1982
bleedernoun1a personUK , 1887.2a contemptible personUK , 1887.3a casino employee or executive who worries extensively about money being lost to gamblersUS , 1974.4in poker, a player who methodically if undramatically drains money from the game by conservative, steady playUS , 1988.5a boxer who is prone to bleedingUS , 1975
bleedingadjectiveused as an intensifier Originally replacedBLOODY ,
then used in its own right or as a substitute for less acceptable intensifiers; not necessarily intended as euphemisticUK , 1858
bleedingadverbused as an intensifierUK , 1884
bleeding deaconnouna person with an over-inflated sense of importance to an organisation Usually used in the context of self-help recovery groups such as Alcoholics AnonymousUS , 1988
bleeding edgenounthe absolute forefront of technology A punning combination of ‘leading edge’ and ‘cutting edge’US , 2000
bleeding heartadjectivesensitive to the plight of others, anguished Disparaging, often as ‘bleeding heart liberal’UK , 1958
bleeding obviousnounanything that really shouldn’t need saying
Usually construed as the bleeding obvious In 2003 the British
satirical website ‘University of the Bleeding Obvious’ was one of the most popular comedy sites on the InternetAUSTRALIA , 1996
bleeding spotnounan oil leak on an asphalt roadUS , 1962
bleeding welladverbcertainly, definitelyUK , 1884
bleepverbto superimpose an electronic noise over expletives in a television or radio broadcastUS , 1966
bleepused as a euphemistic replacement for an expletive, regardless of part of speechUS , 1968
bleezinadjectivedrunkUK , 2002
blemnouna pimple A shortened form of the conventional English
‘blemish’US , 1968
blenchadjectiveused approvingly to describe a muscular personUK , 2005
Blenheimersnounmemory loss due to wine consumption Named after a wine brandNEW ZEALAND , 1998
blerry; blarry; blirryadjectiveused as an intensifier A variation of
BLOODYreflecting Afrikaans pronunciationSOUTH AFRICA , 1920
blertnouna fool Liverpool usageUK , 2002
blessverbto approve the forwarding of a proposed action Military usageUS , 1986
blessused ironically, as if patronising a child An abbreviation of the prayer: ‘God bless’, often preceded with a cod-sympathetic ‘aah!’
UK , 1999
blessed sacramentnounmarijuanaUS , 2001
blessingnouna harsh rebukeBAHAMAS , 1982
bless your cotton socks; bless your little cotton socksused for registering gratitude or affection A catchphrase favoured by the middle-classes Considered to be archaic when first recorded how-ever the phrase has survived into C21UK , 1961
bless your pea-pickin’ heartsused for expressing thanks A
catchphrase television sign-off on The Ernie Ford Show (NBC,
1956–61), a music variety programme Repeated with referential humourUS , 1956
bletch!used as an all-purpose, potent expression of disgust From
the German brechen (to vomit) US , 1981
bletcherousadjectivein computing, poorly designed, dysfunctional
US , 1981
blew-itnouna Buick carUS , 1997
blighternoun1a despicable maleUK , 1896.2a man From jocular use of the previous sense
Trang 7BlightynicknameBritain; England Originally military, from
Hindustani bilayati and Arabic wilayati (foreign, especially
European)UK , 1915
bliksemnouna despicable person, a contemptible fool From
Afrikaans bliksem (lightning) SOUTH AFRICA , 1950
bliksemverbto smack, punch or beat up Probably a reduction of
the earlier South African ‘to donner the bliksem out of’ (to beat
the lights out of )SOUTH AFRICA , 2004
blimnouna small crumb of cannabis resinUK , 1996
blim burnnouna scorch mark or a tiny burn-hole as a result, when
smoking hashish, of burning particles; a small burning cinder of
cannabis resinUK , 2003
blim burnverbto mark or burn something with a blim burnUK , 2004
blimey!; blime!used for registering surprise or shock An
abbrevi-ation ofCOR BLIMEY!(God blind me!)UK , 1889
blimey O’Riley!; blimey O’Reilly!used for registering surpriseUK ,
1987
blimmin’; blimmin’ welladjectiveused as a euphemistic intensifier
Possibly derived fromBLIMEY!orBLOOMING UK , 1984
blimpnoun1in necrophile usage, a corpse with a distended
abdo-menUS , 1987.2an obese personUS , 1934.3in the television and film
industries, a camera’s sound-proofing housingUS , 1977.4a busUS ,
1990.5a private inter-personal signalUK , 2000
blimpishadjectivevery conservative or reactionary After Colonel
Blimp, a reactionary manUK , 1938
blimp out; blimp upverbto put on weight, especially if such
growth is rapid or dramatic From the shape of a conventional
‘blimp’US , 1979
blindnoun1a legitimate business used to conceal an illegal oneUS ,
1929.2an area in prison where guards cannot easily see what is
going onUS , 1989.3a baggage carriage, usually immediately behind
the engine of a passenger trainUS , 1893.4a wallet or purse
Pickpocket useUK , 1977 < make the blind seeto perform oral
sex on an uncircumcised manUS , 1981
blindverbto curse, to swear The meaning survives inEFF AND BLIND
UK , 1943 < blind by scienceto defeat brawn with brains
According to one source ‘it arose when the scientific boxers began,
ca 1880, to defeat the old bruisers’AUSTRALIA , 1937 < blind with
scienceto confuse or convince someone by superior, inventive or
nonsensical argument, explanation or vocabulary Synonymous
variation of earlier ‘dazzle with science’UK , 1948
blindadjective1an intensifier, a euphemism for ‘bloody’ or
‘bleeding’UK , 1959.2very drunkUK , 1630.3highly drug-intoxicated
From an earlier alcohol senseUS , 1952.4(used of a car) stripped of
headlightsUS , 1977.5(used of a bet) placed before seeing the cards
being bet onUS , 1963.6uncirmcumcisedUS , 1925.7nasty, cruel
SOUTH AFRICA , 2004 < like blind cobbler’s thumbsdescribes
thickly swollen nipplesUK , 2001 < not take a blind bit of
noticeto utterly ignore or disregard someone or something, to be
oblivious to someone or somethingUK , 1961
blind batnounan AC-130 aircraft used for night flare missions in
Vietnam between 1964 and 1970 Bats are not, of course, blind;
they see at nightUS , 1971
blind blastnouna parachute jump at night in enemy territory
Vietnam war usageUS , 1991
blind countrynounclosed-in country of the colourless type and of
little worthAUSTRALIA , 1959
blind drunkadjectivevery drunkUK , 1959
blindedadjectivedrunkUS , 1984
blindernounanything excellent, or something excellently
well-performed From the ‘dazzling’ nature of anything so-calledUK , 1950
blind fencenouna person who unknowingly buys stolen goodsUS ,
1949
Blind Freddy; Blind Freddienounan imaginary blind man Used
as a type for an inability to see the obvious The existence of a
real person nicknamed ‘Blind Freddy’ has not been confirmed
blindingadjectivegreat, excellent, terrific, etcUK , 1985
blindinglyadverbexcellently, wonderfully, stupendouslyUK , 1999
blindjaretnouna cigaretteJAMAICA , 1985
blind linknounon the Internet, a link that is misleading or false, taking you somewhere other than where you expect to go Common on pornography websitesUS , 2000
blindman’s buffnounsnuff Rhyming slang, noted by Red Daniells,
1980UK , 1980
blindman’s snownouna late spring snowfall, supposed to have curative properties for the eyes and feetCANADA , 1988
blind mulletnouna piece of excrement floating in the water
AUSTRALIA , 1987
blind pignoun1a speakeasy, where alcohol is served illegallyUS , 1886.
2in poker, an unskilled but lucky player From the adage that even
a blind pig will find an acorn over timeUS , 1996
blind pigeonnounstuffed cabbageUS , 1997
blindsnoun1dark glassesBERMUDA , 1985.2among bus-spotters, a bus’s roller display of desinationsUK , 2003
blindsideverbto hit or attack someone without warning Originally
a term from American football, and then extended as a metaphor
US , 1968
blind tigernounan illegal drinking establishmentUS , 1909
blindzanounmoneyBARBADOS , 1984
blingnouna vulgar or ludicrously ostentatious display of wealthUS , 2003
bling-blingnoun1wealth, especially as manifested in expensive, if tasteless, jewellery Coined by hip-hop rapper B.G and appearing
in his 1999 ‘Chopper City in the Ghetto’US , 1999.2ostentation A generalised sense that derives from the previous senseUK , 2003
bling-blingverbto be successful, especially in hip-hop; hence, to be ostentatious; to make moneyUS , 2003
bling-blingernouna successful or established member of the hip-hop community From theBLING-BLINGworn as an ostentatious symbol of statusUS , 2000
blinged; blinged outadjectiveostentatious; expensively bejewelled, especially if a tasteless display FromBLING-BLING(ostentatious jewellery)US , 2000
blingingadjectiveostentatious and expensive Derives from BLING-BLING(ostentatious jewellery)UK , 2003
bling it upverbto have an ostentatiously expensive lifestyle; to tem-porarily lead such a life Extended fromBLING-BLING(wealth, tasteless ostentation)UK , 2003
Blinglishnouna slang and black patois-rich form of English, especially when used by white urban youths Extended fromBLING
UK , 2005
bling-tasticadjectiveextravagantly ostentatiousUK , 2002
blinknouna hiding placeUS , 1949 < on the blink1broken, not functioningUS , 1899.2without fundsUS , 1949
blinkverbto miss seeing a fight, attack or other cause of excitement
US , 1976
blinkenlightsnoundiagnostic lights on the front panel of a computerUS , 1991
blinkernoun1a quadriplegic Vietnam war gallows humour, suggesting that a quadriplegic is capable only of blinking his eyes
US , 1980.2an eyeUK , 1809.3a police helicopterUS , 1980
blinkeynoun1a vehicle with one headlight not workingUS , 1976.2a timing light at the finish line of a drag stripUS , 1968
blink-eyedadjectivecross-eyedUS , 1969
blinkingadjectiveused as a mild intensifier; a euphemisim for
’bleeding’ The term probably derives from ‘blank’, an obsolete euphemism forDAMNEDwhich stresses the fact of euphemism – the blank space – as much as the object of intensificationUK , 1914
blinkus of the thinkusnouna momentary loss of concentrationUS ,