OffensiveUS, 1923.2the vaginaUS, 1969.3syphilis, especially in its second stageUS, 1982 boogieverb1to dance, especially with abandonUS, 1947.2to go, especially in a hurryUS, 1970.3to hav
Trang 1boogienoun1a black person OffensiveUS, 1923.2the vaginaUS, 1969.
3syphilis, especially in its second stageUS, 1982
boogieverb1to dance, especially with abandonUS, 1947.2to go,
especially in a hurryUS, 1970.3to have sexUS, 1960
boogie boxnouna large portable stereo system associated,
stereotypically, with black youth cultureUS, 1987
boogie-joogieverbto fool aroundUS, 1968
boogie man; boogy mannouna mythical demon, used to frighten
childrenUS, 1905
boogie packnouna pocket-sized portable cassette-player with
lightweight headphonesUK, 1982
boogie partynouna party held to raise money to pay the rentUS,
1982
boohongedadjectivedrunkUK, 2003
boohooverbto cry loudlyUK, 1840
boo hooused ironically for pretending sorrow Echoic of genuine
weepingUK, 2001
boojienouna middle-class person A refinement of ‘bourgeois’ and
not used with kindnessUS, 1970
booknoun1in horse racing, the schedule of a jockey’s riding
assignmentsUS, 1976.2a betting operationUS, 1917.3in sports, the
collective, conventional wisdom in a given situationUS, 1985.
4collectively, the mares bred with a single stallion in a yearUS, 1997.
5ten thousand doses of LSD soaked into paperUS, 1999.6one
pound of drugsUS, 1976.7half a kilogram of drugsUS, 1976.8a
hard-working, focused, serious studentUS, 1968 < do the book (and
cover)to serve a life sentence in prisonUS, 1976 < get the book
1in prison, to be reprimandedUK, 1996.2to become religious The
book is the Bible but other works could apply equally well UK, 1996.
< make bookto betUS, 1962 < on the book1used of a
high-security prisoner who must constantly be identified by a small
official book and photographUK, 1996.2in the theatre, working as a
prompter The book in question is a play’s textUK, 1964.3on credit
UK, 1984 < the bookthe unwritten code of style and conduct
observed by pimpsUS, 1972 < throw the book at; give the
bookto sentence someone to a maximum penalty allowed by law
US, 1908
bookverb1to studyUS, 1968.2to realise; to see and understandUK,
1970.3to assume somethingUK, 1999.4to depart, usually hurriedly
US, 1974 < book a party of twoto arrange for oral sex to be
performed on two male prisonersUS, 1989 < book the actionto
accept a betUS, 1980 < book your seatto pad the seat of your
trousers with newspaper or a book before going to be caned
Schoolboy usage, post World War 2 until the 1970s when corporal
punishment was outlawedUK, 1961
bookadjectiveacceptable, agreeable Derives from texting, in
particu-lar from the predictive text facility: when attempting to text the
wordCOOLthe word ‘book’ may be offeredUK, 2005
book-beaternouna serious, hard-working studentUS, 1945
book ’em, Dannoused for humorous suggestion that somebody
has been caught in an improper act From the US television series
Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980), in which Detective Steve McGarrett
would order Detective ‘Danno’ Williams to arrest a suspectUS, 1968
bookendverbin twelve-step recovery programmes such as
Alcoholics Anonymous, to speak with a fellow recovering addict
both before and after confronting a difficult situationUS, 1998
booketnouna woman who receives a cunnilinguist’s attention West
Indian patois for ‘bucket’UK, 2002
book gooknouna diligent, socially inept student Teen SlangUS, 1951
bookienouna bookmaker Sometimes spelt ‘booky’UK, 1885
bookie’s chancenounin horse racing, a horse with high odds
(12–1 or higher) that bookmakers deem the favouriteAUSTRALIA,
1989
bookmannouna prisoner serving a life sentenceUS, 1949
booksnoun1used as a figurative description of membership in a
criminal organisationUS, 1964.2employment documents that are
returned to a dismissed workerUK: SCOTLAND, 1988 < do booksto
steal or forge official benefit books, such as child benefit .
< in someone’s bad booksin disfavourUK, 1861.
< in someone’s good booksin favourUK, 1839
book upverbto studyUS, 1975
boola-boolaadjectivecharacterised by extreme boosterism and spirited support of an institution The song ‘Boola Boola’ has been one of Yale University’s football fight songs since 1901 when it was written by Allan M Hirsh, who explained the meaning of the word
as follows: ‘It is interesting to note that many people have asked
us what the word "Boola" meant, and we said it was Hawaiian and meant a joy cry We stuck to this for several years until someone came along and pointed out to us that there was no B in the Hawaiian language and therefore Boola could not possibly be Hawaiian So the fact remains that we do not know what it means, except that it was euphonious and easy to sing and to our young ears sounded good’ The song was an ‘adaptation’ of an 1898 ‘La Hoola Boola’ performed by Bob Cole and Billy JohnsonUS, 1900
boolhippernouna black leather jacket with a belt in the backUS, 1970
boolumnouna boaster or an intimidating braggart From the Irish
buaileam sciath IRELAND, 2000
boomnoun1potent marijuanaUS, 1946.2fake crack cocaineUS, 2001.
3the erect penisUS, 1958
boomadjectivefashionable, pleasingCANADA, 1993
boom!used for expressing enthusiasmUS, 2002
boom and zoom; b and zverbin air combat, to use a relative altitude advantage to attack an opponent (to boom) and then return to a superior position out of danger (to zoom)US, 1986
boombasticadjectiveexcellent; also (of music) resounding Elaboration of conventional ‘boom’ (a booming sound) orBOOM
(pleasing), informed byBOOM(marijuana)CANADA, 1991
boom-boomnoun1sex From Asian pidgin Major use in Vietnam during the warUS, 1964.2the buttocksBAHAMAS, 1982.3an act of defecation Children’s bathroom vocabularyUS, 1960.4live music
US, 2003.5a pistolUS, 1945.6a cowboy or Western filmUS, 1947
boom-boomverbto copulateUS, 1971
boom boom!used for signalling or accompanying the punch-line of
a joke, especially a bad or corny joke Coined as a catchphrase for children’s television puppet Basil Brush, first seen in 1963UK, 1963
boom-boom girlnouna prostitute Vietnam usageUS, 1966
boom-boom house; boom-boom parlornouna brothelUS, 1966
boom-booms-a-gogonouna unit of quad-fifty machine guns Korean war usageUS, 1982
boom boxnouna large, portable radio and tape playerUS, 1981
boom boynouna marijuana userUS, 1992
boom bye; boom bwoynouna homosexual male Jamaican patois rendering ofBUM BOY JAMAICA , 2002
boomernoun1a large example of somethingAUSTRALIA, 1843.2a large kangarooAUSTRALIA, 1830.3a powerful, hard-breaking waveAUSTRALIA,
1942.4a nuclear submarine armed with missilesUS, 1976.5a member of the baby boom generation, born between roughly
1945 and 1955US, 1982.6a worker who travels from job to jobUS,
1893.7during aerial refuelling, the boom operator on the fuelling planeUS, 1986.8in trucking, a binder used to tie down a loadUS, 1971
boomer!excellent!AUSTRALIA, 1998
boomerangnoun1a young person who moves back in with their parents after moving outUS, 1997.2a repeat offender, a recidivist
US, 2002.3a plane flight that returns without reaching its destination because of poor weatherANTARCTICA, 1994.4a man with more than one girlfriend In West Indian and UK black useUK, 2002.
5in television and film making, a device that holds a filter in front
of a lightUS, 1987
boomerangverbto return to prison shortly after being releasedUS, 1992
boomersnounLSDUK, 2004
booming excellent
Trang 2boom outverbto go to the US to workCANADA, 2002
boomps-a-daisy!used as a childish catchphrase or light-hearted
response to trivialise a minor physical accident Blending
WHOOPS-A-DAISY!with ‘bump’ ‘Hands, Knees and Boomps-a-Daisy!’ was a
popular song and ‘The Boomps-a-Daisy’ a popular dance in the
1930sUK, 1961
boomsnoundrumsUS, 1960
boom squadnounthe group of prison guards who are used to quell
disturbancesUS, 2000
boom wagonnounin trucking, a truck hauling dynamiteUS, 1942
boomyadjectiveemphasising low frequencies, producing poorly
defined sound Used in television and film makingUS, 1987
boonnouna black person Possibly reduced fromBOON COON(a good
friend)US, 1967
boonadjectiveclose, intimateUS, 1969
boonanoun< give it the full boonato hold nothing back From
boona, an Indian dish which, when served in some Glasgow Indian
restaurants, is available as a ‘half boona’ or a ‘full boona’UK:
SCOTLAND, 1988
boon coonnouna very close friendUS, 1958
boondaggernouna lesbian with overtly masculine mannerisms and
affectationsUS, 1972
boondienoun1in Western Australia, a rock Probably from an
Australian Aboriginal languageAUSTRALIA, 2002.2in Western Australia,
a piece of conglomerated sand used by children to throw at one
another in playAUSTRALIA, 1952
boondockverb1in trucking, to drive on back roads, avoiding major
motorwaysUS, 1971.2to drive off-road through a remote areaUS,
1993.3in tiddlywinks, to send an opponent’s wink a long way away,
especially out of the playing area After USBOONDOCKS(an isolated
region)UK, 1980.4in tiddlywinks, to shoot from a position far from
the actionUS, 1977
boondockernouna party held in the countryUS, 1966
boondockersnounmarine-issued combat bootsUS, 1942
boondocksnounthe remote end of nowhereUS, 1909
boondogglenouna business trip or venture designed for the
enjoyment of those involved, not for its stated purposeUS, 1935
boonernoun1a talent scout An allusion to American frontier
pioneer Daniel BooneUS, 1981.2an unrefined and loutish person
from a lower socio-economic areaAUSTRALIA, 1996
boongnounan Aboriginal person; hence, any other dark-skinned
person From the Australian Aboriginal language Wemba, meaning
‘person’ Used disparagingly by white people Now strongly taboo
AUSTRALIA, 1924
boonganouna Pacific Islander or any other dark-skinned personNEW
ZEALAND, 1957
boong mollnouna prostitute who serves dark-skinned men A
com-bination ofBOONG(an Aboriginal or dark-skinned man) andMOLL
(a prostitute)AUSTRALIA, 1953
boongynounthe buttocksBAHAMAS, 1995
boonie hatnouna fatigue hat, made of cotton canvas with a brim
around, that kept the sun and rain off the heads of American
soldiers in VietnamUS, 1972
boonie ratnouna soldier serving in the jungle or other remote area
US, 1967
booniesnouna remote rural area An abbreviation ofBOONDOCKS US ,
1956
booooo!an exclamation of approval The difference with ‘boo’ (an
unlexicalised verbalisation of disapproval) is essentially one of
intentionUK, 2005
booorrringadjectivevery boring Slang by drawn out pronunciation
From popular entertainmentUS, 1981
boo outverbto leaveUS, 1959
boopsnouna man who supports a woman with whom he lives
boopsienouna woman supported by a man with whom she lives without the benefit of marriageJAMAICA, 1996
boo-reefernounmarijuanaUS, 1972
booshwaynoun the boss A slurring of the French bourgeois CANADA, 1952
boostnoun1a theft, especially a car theftUS, 1995.2in poker, an increased or raised betUS, 1988.3a background player in a large confidence swindleUS, 1985.4crack cocaineUK, 2003 < on the boostengaged in shopliftingUS, 1962
boostverb1to steal, especially (in the US) to steal a car or to shopliftUS, 1928.2to illegally open a lock using force, skill or tech-nology From the sense ‘to steal’UK, 2001.3in poker, to increase the amount bet on a handUS, 1967.4to inject a drug intravenouslyUS,
1998 < boost oneto defecateUS, 1992
boosternoun1a thief, especially a shoplifter or car thiefUS, 1908.2a full-time, career thiefUS, 1977.3a criminal who specialises in selling stolen goodsUS, 1985.4a confederate of a cheat who lures players
to a card game, carnival concession or other game of chanceUS,
1906.5an additional dose of a drug taken to prolong intoxication
US, 1970
booster foldnouna special inside jacket pocket used by shoplifters
US, 1972
booster pillnouna central nervous system stimulantUS, 1971
booster sticknouna tobacco cigarette that has been enhanced with marijuana or marijuana extractUS, 1973
boosting bennouna special overcoat used by shopliftersUS, 1950
boosting bloomers; booster bloomersnoununderwear designed for concealing merchandise that has been shopliftedUS, 1972
bootnoun1dismissal from employment or other engagement The image of being kicked awayUK, 1881.2a black personUS, 1954.3a newly enlisted or drafted recruit in the armed services, especially the marinesUS, 1911.4in the US Army, a second lieutenantUS, 1966.
5amusement or pleasureUS, 1979.6a bootleg productUS, 1999.
7while injecting a drug intravenously, the drawing of blood into the syringe to mix with the drugUS, 1987.8any central nervous system depressantUS, 1992.9a bag of heroinUK, 1996.10a cigarette
US, 1996.11a woman, especially an unattractive womanUK, 1983.
12an error, especially in sportsUS, 1913.13a cash incentive designed to improve a business dealUS, 1997.14a linear amplifier for a citizens’ band radioUS, 1976.15a condomUS, 1966.16in television and film making, a tripod coverUS, 1987 8see:OLD BOOT.
< stick the boot in; put the boot into kick a prostrate foe; hence, figurative usage ‘to kick someone when they’re down’; (po-litical and commercial) to take an unnecessary advantage, to betray someone In widespread usage since mid-C20; the figurative sense has been known from the mid-1960sUK, 1916 < the boot
is on the other foot; the boot is on the other legthe balance of power or responsibility has shifted to the opposing partyUK, 1866
bootverb1while injecting a drug, to draw blood into the syringe, diluting the drug dose so as to prolong the effect of the injection
US, 1952.2to kick something, literally or in the slang sense of
‘breaking a habit’US, 1877.3to dismiss someone from employment
UK, 1988.4to walk; to patrol on foot Vietnam war usageUS, 1905.
5in horse racing, to spur or kick a horse during a raceUS, 1951.6in
a game, to misplay a ballUS, 1976.7to vomitUS, 1971.8in Alberta,
to purchase alcohol or tobacco illegally for a minorCANADA, 2001.
< boot and rallyto continue drinking after vomitingUS, 1989.
< boot the gongto smoke marijuana A play onKICK THE GONG
whereGONGis ‘opium’UK, 1998
bootalizeverbto have sexBAHAMAS, 1982
boot-and-shoeadjective(used of a drug addict) desperately addicted
US, 1936
bootboynouna member of the youth fashion and gang movement that was synonymous with and then succeeded the skinheads Characterised by heavy lace-up boots (Doc Martens), tidy hair and smart utilitarian wear; as a group, boot boys are associated with aggressive behaviour, especially football hooliganismUK, 1972
bootedadjectiveintoxicated by marijuana, or another narcotic drug
Trang 3booternouna jockey with an inclination to spur his mount
incessantlyUS, 1959
boothnouna room, especially a bedroomUK, 2002
booth bimbo; booth bunnynounan attractive, well-built,
sometimes scantily clad woman hired to work in a company’s
booth during a trade showUS, 1989
bootiesnoun1rubber surf bootsUS, 1987.2in electric line work,
meter clip insulatorsUS, 1980.3boots, especially knitted boots for a
babyUS, 1965
boot it!; boot it baby!used as an exhortation to continueUS, 1968
bootlacenoun< not be someone’s bootlaceto not come close
to equalling another’s achievementsAUSTRALIA, 1959
bootlegnoun1a pirated and illegally marketed recording In the
1960s and 70s only dedicated music fans were really aware of such
product The bootlegs of Bob Dylan’s music easily outnumbered
his official releases so, in 1991, his record company began to
release ‘The Bootleg Series’ As ever, other artists followed where
Dylan led Alas many use it as an excuse to release material that
may otherwise not be of sufficient quality ‘Bootleg’ has always
implied a lesser quality of recording, now it’s officialUK, 1951.
2illegally manufactured alcoholUS, 1898
bootlegverb1to manufacture or provide something illegallyUS, 1928.
2to manufacture or distribute illegal alcoholUS, 1922.3in roller
derby, to deviate from the scripted game planUS, 1999
bootlegadjective1smuggled; illegally copied; unofficial; counterfeit
Derives from the practice of carrying a flat bottle of alcohol hidden
in a boot legUS, 1889.2imitationUS, 1893.3inferior, shoddyUS, 2002.
4(used of an action paper) unofficial, advanceUS, 1986
bootleggernouna manufacturer or a dealer in illegally
manufactured alcoholUS, 1890
bootlegger turnnouna 180-degree turn executed while driving fast
accomplished by a combination of spinning the wheel, shifting
down the gears and acceleratingUS, 1955
bootleg toolnouna tool that is used by workers despite the fact
that it has not been approved by tooling inspectorsUS, 1955
bootlickverbto seek favour through obsequious behaviourUS, 1845
bootlickernouna person who seeks favour through obsequious
behaviourUS, 1848
boot moochnouna person who is always asking others for a
ciga-retteUS, 1996
bootneck; bootienouna Royal MarineUK, 1925
boot partynouna senseless beating, initiated for the sheer joy of
the beatingCANADA, 2002
boot pienouna series of kicks delivered in a scuffleUK, 1983
boot restnounan accelerator pedalUS, 1976
bootsnouna tyreUS, 1948 < put the boots to1to have sex with
someoneUS, 1933.2to kick someone, especially when they are on
the groundUS, 1894
-bootssuffixa person, when combined with a trait Found in terms
such asBOSSY-BOOTS, ‘lazy-boots’,SLY-BOOTSand ‘smooth-boots’UK,
1599
boots and alladverbenthusiastically, in a totally committed way
AUSTRALIA, 1953
boots and socksnounsyphilis; hence any sexually transmitted
infection Rhyming slang forPOX UK , 2003
boot scootverbto dance side-by-side in a line to country and
western musicUS, 1991
bootstrapsnoun< pull yourself up by your bootstraps; raise
yourself by your own bootstrapsto try harder, to improve
yourself within a given areaUK, 1936
boot suppositorynounany strong measure taken to encourage an
obnoxious patient to leave a hospital An image based on a ‘kick
in the ass’US, 1994
bootsynounin a small hotel, a boots (the servant who was
employed to clean guest shoes) also working as a porter In 1957,
character called Bootsy; this workshy character, played by Alfie Bass
(1921–87), proved so popular that Bootsy and Snudge, a spin-off,
was aired The elaboration of conventional ‘boots’ was not a great leapUK, 1966
bootsyadjectivebad, unpleasantUS, 2003
boot upverbto prepare for a fightUS, 1998
bootyadjectiveunpleasant; unattractiveUS, 1997
booty; bootienoun1the buttocksUS, 1928.2the vaginaUS, 1925
booty banditnounan aggressive, predatory male homosexualUS, 1962
booty bumpverbto ingest drugs, usually methamphetamine, diluted in an enemaUS, 2002
booty callnouna date made for the sole purpose of engaging in sex
US, 1997
booty cheddarnounnonsenseUS, 2003
booty-danceverbto shake the buttocksUS, 2003
booty droughtnouna sustained lack of sexUS, 1989
booty juicenounthe drug MDMA, the recreational drug best known
as ecstasy, dissolved in any liquidUS, 1997
bootyliciousadjectivesexually attractive, especially with reference to the buttocks A compound ofBOOTY(the buttocks) and ‘delicious’
US, 2001
boo-yah!; booyaka!; boo-yakka!used for registering delight Echoic of gun use West Indian and UK blackUK, 1994
booyakasha!; boyakasha!used for registering delight An elabor-ation ofBOO-YAKKA!; similarly echoic of gun use Popularised in the
UK in the late 1990s by Ali G (comedian Sacha Baron-Cohen)UK, 2001
boo-yakkaverbto shoot OnomatopoeicUK, 1994
boozenoun1alcoholic drink of any kind In Australia generally referring to beerUK, 1859.2a drinking-bout; drinkingUK, 1864 < on the boozeengaged in a period of hard drinkingNEW ZEALAND, 1850
boozeverbto drink alcohol, especially immoderatelyUK, 1325
booze artistnouna habitual drinker; an alcoholicAUSTRALIA, 1940
booze bagnouna blood alcohol measuring device of the early-type that required a suspected drinker to blow into a bagUK, 1969
booze balloonnouna heavy drinker’s protruding stomachUS, 1979
booze bellynounthe protruding stomach of a drunkardUS, 1970
booze cruisenoun1a return Channel-crossing from England to France for the purpose of buying and importing cheaper (less heavily taxed) alcoholUS, 1979.2in Scotland, a pleasure cruise on the Clyde, or on a loch or canal, during which the main pleasure and purpose is heavy drinkingUK: SCOTLAND, 1996.3a drive while drinkingUS, 1992
boozed; boozed upadjectivedrunk First recorded by amateur slang lexicographer Benjamin Franklin in 1737; obsolete, perhaps, but not forgottenUS, 1737
boozehoundnounan alcoholicUS, 1911
boozernoun1a drinker of alcohol; a habitual drinker; an alcoholic
UK, 1606.2a place where alcohol is served; a public house or barUK, 1895
boozeroonoun1a drinking spree or partyNEW ZEALAND, 1908.2a pub
NEW ZEALAND, 1963
booze-roosternouna heavy drinkerUS, 1962
booze snoozenouna nap taken in anticipation of a night of drinkingUS, 2004
booze-upnouna drinking boutUK, 1947
boozlenounsexual intercourseUK, 1960
boozoriumnouna bar-room, especially in a hotelCANADA, 1975
boozynouna drunkardIRELAND, 1977
boozyadjectivemildly drunkUK, 1536
bopnoun1a dance; any dance to popular music Derives from bebop (a jazz genre first recorded in 1945) . a dance party
Trang 4US, 1973.3liveliness, spirit, rhythmUS, 1997.4a blow; a punchUS,
1932.5a member of a youth gangUS, 1958.6nonsenseUS, 1973.
7phencyclidine, the recreational drug known as PCP or angel dust
US, 1995
bopverb1to dance to popular or rock music Abbreviated and
adapted from bebop (a jazz genre first recorded in 1945)UK, 1978.
2to move with rhythmUS, 1959.3to have sex with someoneUS,
1974.4to engage in gang fightingUS, 1950.5to hit someone, to beat
someoneUK, 1928.6to murder someoneUK, 1999.7in team
gambling, to move to a card table identified by a confederate
counting cards there to be primed for better-than-average oddsUS,
1985.8to leave Black urban youth slangUK, 2006 < bop the
baloney(of a male) to masturbateUS, 1983
bo peepnouna look or polite searchAUSTRALIA, 1941
Bo Peep; Little Bo Peepnounsleep; a sleep Rhyming slang,
formed from the name of a nursery rhyme character (who should
have been counting sheep)UK, 1960
bop glassesnounhorn-rimmed eye glasses From the style favoured
by bop jazz musiciansUS, 1958
bop ’n slopverbto lose your inhibitions and enjoy yourself at a
partyUS, 1968
bop offverbto leaveUS, 1959
boppernoun1a fighter, especially a gang fighterUS, 1958.2a song in
the style of bebop jazzUS, 1965
boppersnounshoesUS, 1975
boppyadjectiveaffected gang mannerismsUS, 1967
boracicnounsmooth, insincere talkUK, 1950
boracic lint; boracic; brassic; brassickadjectivehaving little or no
money, penniless Rhyming slang forSKINT(penniless)UK, 1959
Boraxnounany low quality retail merchandise that is impressive on
first glanceUS, 1929
bordernoun1a capsule of a noncommercial barbiturate compound
US, 1971.2a woman’s pubic hair A cultivated variation of the
GARDENthemeUK, 2001
border worknounsubtle markings on the printed edge of the back
of a playing card for identification of the card by a cheatUS, 1988
boreverb< bore the pants offto bore someone utterlyUK, 1954.
< bore the twat offto bore someone utterlyUK, 1993
bore it upverbto attack someone; to harangue or verbally abuse
someoneAUSTRALIA, 1951
borernouna knifeUK, 2002
boressnouna practical jokeUS, 1958
Boris Beckernounthe penis Rhyming slang forPECKER, formed
from the name of the German tennis player (b.1967)UK, 2003
born-againnouna devout, conservative Christian who professes to
have been born again in a religious sense Often uttered without
sympathyUS, 1986
born-againadjectiveused derisively to describe anyone who
expediently and enthusiastically adopts, or is re-associated with, an
earlier belief or stance A satirical adoption of a fundamental
Christian tenetUS, 1977
born in a trunkadjectiveborn into a family in show businessUS, 1981
Boronouna Marlboro™ cigaretteUS, 1996
boro-borosnounold clothes worn for dirty tasks Hawaiian youth
usageUS, 1981
borrownounan act of borrowing Especially in the phrase ‘can I
have a borrow?’UK, 1999 < on the borrowon the scrounge,
cadgingUK, 1937
borrowverb1to stealUS, 1821.2to arrest someone Metropolitan
Police slang; a narrow sense of conventional ‘borrow’ (to take
tem-porary possession)UK, 1970
Borrowersnoun< the Borrowersthe UK armed forces This
nickname, used by the US armed forces of their UK allies, mocks
the paucity of basic supplies such as toilet paper that force the UK
influenced by The Borrowers, Mary Norton, 1952, and the 1998
Hollywood film versionUS, 2003
borrow pit; barrow; bar pitnounin rural western Canada, the pit from which earth is being removed for construction purposes
CANADA, 1987
borsch!used for expressing disgustUS, 1968
Borscht Beltnouna group of resort hotels in the Catskill Mountains
of the eastern US with a primarily Jewish clientele Alluding to the cold beet soup ‘borscht’ because of the eastern European heritage
of many of the Jewish guestsUS, 1941
Borscht circuitnounthe Borscht beltUS, 1936
boryadjective1big, large English gypsy use, from Romany bawro UK,
2000.2pregnant English gypsy use, from the previous senseUK, 2000
bo selecta!used in approval of a dance music DJ’s performance or
technique Bo Selecta! was used as the title of a Channel 4
television comedy programme first broadcast in 2002UK, 1999
boshnounnonsenseUK, 1834
boshverb1to swallow drugs, especially in tablet-form; to inhale drug-smokeUK, 1996.2to put an end to something An extension of
‘put theKIBOSHto’US, 1997
boshadjectiveperformed quickly and without great thoughtUK, 2000
bosh!used for registering a humorous victory or triumphant action Echoic of a comedy sound effectUK, 1998
boskeradjectivesplendidAUSTRALIA, 1904
bosonounused as a term of address to a male whom the speaker deems socially superiorFIJI, 1993
bosonnounin computing, an imaginary concept, the smallest poss-ible unit measuring the bogus content of somethingUS, 1997
bossnoun1used as an informal address or reference to the officer
in commandUK, 1987.2the commanding officerAUSTRALIA, 1988.3a marine drill instructorUS, 1991.4a prison guard or officialUS, 1970.
5the owner or man in charge of a large rural propertyAUSTRALIA,
1902.6the bestUS, 1878.7in poker, the best hand at a given momentUS, 1990.8pure heroinUS, 1961.9the penis Either a male coinage or heavily ironicUS, 2001.10in carnival usage, a person whom thieves use to estimate the value of articles that they have stolenUS, 1981 < the bossyour wife Jocular, probablyAUSTRALIA, 1984
Bossnoun< the Bosssongwriter and musician Bruce Springsteen (b.1949)US, 1980
bossadjectivevery good, excellent The word was around for 70 years before taking off; it was popular beyond description in 1965 and
1966US, 1873
bossused as a sentence-ending intensifierSINGAPORE, 2002
boss Charleynouna white person or white people collectivelyUS, 1967
boss cockynoun1an owner of a rural property who employs labour
AUSTRALIA, 1879.2a self-important person in authority; one who lords it over othersAUSTRALIA, 1902
boss-eyedadjective1having only one eye; having only one good eye; having a squint, cross-eyedUK, 1860.2lopsided, skewed; wrong
UK, 1898
boss gamenouna highly developed, status-conscious sense of style
US, 1975
boss (her)verbin trucking, to back a tractor and trailer into position
US, 1971
boss hossnounan admired, popular manUS, 1968
bossin’adjectiveexcellent Youth slangUK, 2000
bossmannouna male leader Elaboration ofBOSS US , 1934
BosstownnicknameBoston, Massachusetts The nickname and the presumed rock and roll genre of the ‘Bosstown Sound’ were largely the artificial engineerings of a record company executive trying to convince the record-buying world that groups such as Ultimate Spinach, Bagatelle, Beacon Street Union and Earth Opera were worth their record-buying dollarsUS, 1982
bossy-boots
Trang 5Boston coffeenoun1tea A historical allusion to the Boston Tea
PartyUS, 1960.2coffee with a lot of cream or milkUS, 1958
Boston Globnickname the Boston Globe newspaper US, 1981
Boston marriagenounan arrangement in which two women live
together in an outwardly platonic relationshipUS, 2001
Boston quarternouna tip of five or ten cents A jab at the
parsimony of New EnglandersUS, 1942
Boston screwdrivernouna hammerUS, 1969
Boston StatesnounNew England, from the Maritime Provinces
perspectiveCANADA, 1948
Boston tea partynouna sexual fetish in which the sadist defecates
or urinates on the masochistUS, 1967
botnoun1the buttocks, the bottom Also spelt ‘bott’ UK, 1961.2an
on-line software agent that performs a specified task Short for
‘robot’ US, 1996.3a habitual cadger From the sense as ‘a parasitic
worm, a maggot’AUSTRALIA, 1916
botverbto cadge somethingAUSTRALIA, 1921
-botsuffixused in combination with a noun or abbreviated noun to
create a robotic entity or creature with mechanical characteristics
From ‘robot’ US, 1978
botanistnouna physician who views his patients as having
plant-level intelligenceUS, 1978
Botany Bayverbto run away Rhyming slang Botany Bay was the
name given to the original penal settlement in AustraliaAUSTRALIA,
1945
Botchnicknamethe Canadian Basic Officer Training CourseCANADA,
1995
bothernountroubleUK, 1834
botherverb< bother your arse; bother your shirt; bother
your bunnit; bother your puffto make an effort Glasgow slang
UK: SCOTLAND, 1985
bother!; bother it!used for registering annoyanceUK, 1840
botherationnounannoyance; nuisance Often used as an
exclamation of annoyanceUK, 1797
bothered!used sarcastically for expressing a lack of care or interest
in something that has just been spoken ofUK, 1937
both-eye principlenounthe careful surveillance of company
oper-ations, in a large family businessCANADA, 2002
both waysnoun1a wager that a selected horse, dog, etc will finish
a race in the first three Also heard as ‘each way’UK, 1869.2a bet in
craps both that the shooter will win and that the shooter will lose
In craps, gamblers can bet that the shooter will win, that he will
lose, or bothUS, 1950 < go both ways1to be willing to play both
the active and passive role in homosexual sexUS, 1972.2to be
bisexualUS, 1988
botraynouncrack cocaineUK, 1998
Botties; Botanicalsnicknamethe Royal Botanical Gardens in
Sydney, AustraliaAUSTRALIA, 1981
bottlenoun1courage, nerve, spirits A figurative sense of the
rhyming slangBOTTLE AND GLASS, (ARSE) If you lose your nerve you
are said to ‘lose your bottle’ (to lose control of your arse), literally
‘to defecate uncontrollably as a result of fear’UK, 1958.2a dose of
crack cocaine, whether or not it is actually in a small bottleUS, 1992.
3a small container of amphetamine or methamphetamine in
liquid formUS, 1980.4in betting, odds of 2–1UK, 1991.5in electric
and telephone line work, any glass insulatorUS, 1980 < on the
bottleengaged as a pickpocket From rhyming slangBOTTLE OF
FIZZforTHE WHIZand thus a direct translation fromON THE WHIZ UK ,
2003 < the bottle, big house, or boxin twelve-step recovery
programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous, used as a description
of the three options for an addict who does not recover from their
addiction – a return to drinking, prison and deathUS, 1998
bottleverb1to attack someone with a bottle, especially in the face
UK, 1984.2to lose your nerve, to back down A contraction of
BOTTLE OUT; a contradiction ofBOTTLE(nerve) Often in the
expression ‘bottle it’UK, 1999.3to have anal sex, especially with a
.
man, to have sex with a woman; to impregnate a womanUK, 1961.
5to lick someone’s anus Homosexual use; from rhyming slang
BOTTLE AND GLASS(ARSE)UK, 1984.6to smell badly, to stinkUK, 1979.
7in prison, to conceal articles such as drugs or money in the rectum From rhyming slangBOTTLE AND GLASS(ARSE)UK, 1996
bottle and glassnoun1quality; elegant behaviour Rhyming slang forCLASS, usually as a negativeUK, 1959.2the backside; the anus Can be shortened to ‘bottle’ Rhyming slang forARSE This rhyme extends toAPRIL IN PARIS UK , 1930
bottle and a halfnounin betting, odds of 5–2 In bookmaker slang
BOTTLEis 2–1, here the addition of a half increases the odds to 2½-1 or 5–2.UK, 1991
bottle and stoppernouna police officer Rhyming slang forCOPPER Sometimes shortened to ‘bottle’US, 1928
bottle babynounan alcoholicUS, 1925
bottle blondenouna person whose blonde hair is the result of bleach, not natureUS, 1972
bottle-cap colonelnouna lieutenant colonel in the US Army Vietnam war usage From the insigniaUS, 1986
bottle clubnouna business disguised as a club in an attempt to circumvent alcohol lawsUS, 1951
bottle dealernouna drug dealer who sells pills in large quantities
US, 1971
bottle-fedadjectivesaid of a car engine that is being tested with petrol fed from a bottle through a rubber hoseUS, 1992
bottle mannouna drunkardUS, 1944
bottle merchant; bottlernouna coward, someone who loses nerve FromBOTTLE(nerve) andBOTTLE OUT(to lose your nerve)UK, 2000
bottlenecknoun1a style of guitar playing in which a smooth piece
of metal or glass is moved smoothly up and down the fretboard creating a glissando effect The original device was, in fact, the neck of a bottle worn over the fingerUS, 1973.2a marijuana pipe made from the neck of a beer or soft drink bottleSOUTH AFRICA, 2004
bottle of beernounthe ear Rhyming slang, always used in fullUK, 1961
bottle of fizzverbto work as a pickpocket; to steal something quickly as an opportunity arises Rhyming slang forTHE WHIZZ
(pickpocketing)UK, 1938
bottle of scentnouna male homosexual Rhyming slang forBENT
UK, 2003
bottle of waternouna daughter Rhyming slangUK, 1961
bottle-ohnouna person who collects and sells used bottles
AUSTRALIA, 1898
bottle outverbto lose your nerve FromBOTTLE(nerve), a contraction of ‘bottle fallen out’UK, 1979
bottlernoun1a man who takes the active role in anal sex Extended from the verbBOTTLE (to have anal sex)UK, 1961.2someone or something that is excellent Origin unknownAUSTRALIA, 1855.3a collector of money for a street-entertainer Used by showmen and buskersUK, 1935 8see:BOTTLE MERCHANT
bottler; bottlingadjectivesuperlatively good, excellentAUSTRALIA, 1959
bottletopnounsomething gained; a thing of some value Rhyming slang onCOP(to obtain) but used as a noun; sometimes abbreviated to ‘bottle’UK, 1974
bottle topverbto catch, gain or understand something Rhyming slang on various senses of the verbCOP Sometimes heard as an abbreviated ‘bottle’UK, 1974
bottle to the fieldnounin racing, bookmaker’s odds of 2–1UK, 1967
bottle upverbto repress or contain your feelingsUK, 1853
bottle up and goverbto leaveUS, 1947
bottleyadjectivenervous FromBOTTLE(courage, nerve, spirits)UK, 2000
bottomnoun1the buttocks A colloquial usage, delightfully defined
in the Oxford English Dictionary as follows: ‘The sitting part of a
man, the posteriors, the seat’UK, 1699.2the submissive partner in
a homosexual or sado-masochistic relationship
Trang 6BottomnicknameMiami, FloridaUS, 1991
bottom bitchnounthe pimp’s favourite of the prostitutes working
for him; the leader of the prostitutesUS, 1967
bottom burp; botty burp; burp; botty bangernouna fartUK, 1984
bottom dollarnounyour last dollar Heard in the context of betting
your ‘bottom dollar’US, 1954
bottom endnounin drag racing, the portion of the track just after
the starting lineUS, 1960
bottom feedernoun1a despised person of low-status who grasps
any opportunity or means of survival An allusion to the
underwater lifestyle of certain fishUS, 1980.2in poker, a low-betting
player who tries to eke out meagre winnings against unskilled
playersUS, 1996
bottom fishernouna stock investor looking for stocks with a poor
recent showingUS, 1988
bottom girlnounthe pimp’s favourite of the prostitutes working for
him; the leader of the prostitutesUS, 1973
bottom linenounthe final analysisUS, 1967
bottom mannounthe passive partner in a homosexual relationship
US, 1972
bottomsnoun1dice that have been marked to have two identical
facesUS, 1962.2the worstUS, 1955
bottom’s upnouna common position for anal and/or vaginal sex, in
which the passive partner lies on their stomachUS, 1960
bottoms up!used as a toast From drinking by upturning a glass or
a bottleUK, 1917
bottom weighta minimum amountUK, 1962
bottom womannounthe pimp’s favourite of the prostitutes
working for him; the leader of the prostitutesUS, 1969
Botts’ dotsnounsmall bumps delineating lanes on motorwaysUS,
1971
botty; bottienounthe human bottom Originally of a baby’s or
child’s posterior; now less specific but usage is generally childish
UK, 1874
botzelbaum pienounan upside-down pie Used in Mennonite
Waterloo County, OntarioCANADA, 2001
boubounouncrack cocaine A possible play onBEBE,BOULYAor
BOULDER(crack cocaine)UK, 1998
bouchernoun in Franco-Ontario, a fiddle player Boucher is French
for ‘butcher’, and is applied to fiddle playing from the fact that the
player ‘saws and saws’ to make musicCANADA, 1969
boudoirnounan army tentUS, 1945
bougie; boujiadjectivebourgeoisUS, 1975
boulder; bouldersnouncrack cocaine; a piece of crack cocaine
Built on theROCKmetaphorUS, 1998
boulder babynouna crack cocaine addict From theROCKmetaphor
US, 2002
boulder-holder; over-the-shoulder boulder-holdernouna
brassiereUK, 1970
boulevardnoun1a long, straight hallwayUS, 1965.2in trucking, a
major motorwayUS, 1986
boulevard boynouna young male prostitute in an urban settingUS,
1987
boulyanouncrack cocaine A possible play onBOULDER(crack
cocaine)UK, 1998
bouncenoun1a brainstorming sessionUS, 1984.2a jail or prison
sentenceUS, 1957.3an air-to-air attackUS, 1943.4in horse racing, a
poorly run race followed by a well-run raceUS, 1997 < on the
bounceconsecutively, one after the otherUK, 2001 < the bounce
bouncers, door-security, collectivelyUK, 2005
bounceverb1to maintain order in a bar or nightclub, ejecting
people from the premises if necessaryUS, 1874.2(of a cheque) to
be returned as worthless by the bank with which it has been
drawnUS, 1936.3to leaveUS, 1996.4(used of a message sent
US, 1991.5to pay; to provide without chargeUS, 1970.6to activate a car’s suspension system so as to cause the car to bounce up and downUS, 1980
bounce backnounthe return of an overdraftUS, 1949
bounce backverbto recover or return from a setbackUK, 1950
bouncernoun1a person, usually a strong man, employed to maintain and restore order in a bar, restaurant, club or perform-ance In the UK, ‘bouncers’ collectively areTHE BOUNCE.US, 1883.
2the female breast Obvious imagery and, equally obvious, usually
in the pluralUK, 1972.3a brakevan (caboose)US, 1946
bounce shotnounin a dice game, a type of controlled shot by a skilled cheatUS, 1950
bouncing Bettynouna land-mine first used in World War 2, preva-lent in Vietnam, that bounces waist-high and then sprays shrapnel when triggeredUS, 1943
bouncing powdernouncocaineUS, 1971
bouncy-bouncynounsexual intercourseUS, 1960
boundernounsomeone whose manners or company are unacceptable; hence a vulgar and unwelcome pretender to polite society; a nuisance Survives in ironic usage, often applied to inanimate objectsUK, 1889
boungy; bungynounthe anusBAHAMAS, 1982
bountynouna black person who sides with the white authorities Derives from ‘Bounty’, a chocolate and coconut confection that is brown on the outside and white on the insideUK, 1996
Bounty barnounan Indian person who is considered to have exchanged heritage and community values for acceptance by white society After the chocolate coated coconut branded confectionery British Indian (Hindi) urban slang.UK, 2006
bouquet straightnounin poker, a sequenced hand comprised of all red or all black suits, but not a flush It looks impressive, but is worth no more than any non-flush straightUS, 1996
bourbon bibbernounan oil worker from KentuckyUS, 1954
Bourke showernouna dust storm Bourke is an inland town in New South Wales Other locations similarly used by nature, weather and irony: Bedourie, Bogan, Cobar, Darling, Wilcannia and WimmeraAUSTRALIA, 1945
Bournville Boulevardnounthe anus, the rectum Cadbury’s chocolate is made in Bournville, in Birmingham; a UK version of
HERSHEY HIGHWAY UK , 1997
Boutros Boutros Ghali; boutrosnouncocaine Rhyming slang for
CHARLIE(cocaine), formed on the name of the Secretary General of the United Nations, 1992–1996UK, 2003
bovinanounin homosexual usage, a woman, especially one with large breastsUS, 1980
bovvernountrouble, fighting, violent behaviour, especially when associated with skinhead culture From a London pronunciation of
‘bother’UK, 1969
bovver bootnouna heavy-duty boot used as a kicking-weapon, stereotypically worn by a skinheadUK, 1969
bovver boynouna member of a hooligan gang, generally character-ised as a skinhead, and therefore associated with extreme right-wing, racist violence Extended fromBOVVER(trouble) and very rarely seen in the singularUK, 1970
bownounthe elbow Elbows used to establish position are a key part
of the anatomy in basketballUS, 1980 < on the bowgratis; scrounging From an earlier, related sense (without paying)UK, 1938
bowverbto perform an act of oral sex From the conventional sense (bending at the waist)JAMAICA, 1995
bow and arrownoun1a native American Indian; Indian ancestryUS,
1930.2a sparrow Cockney rhyming slangUK, 1931
bow-and-arrowadjectivenot armed with a pistolUS, 1984
bow and quivernounthe liver, especially in contexts of irritability or liverishness Rhyming slangUK, 1961
bow-catnouna man who fellates A combination ofBOW(oral sex)
Trang 7bower birdnounan avid collector of many and various things From
the mating habit of certain male bower birds which collect
coloured items to make a display for femalesAUSTRALIA, 1926
bowlnoun1a pipe for smoking marijuana, hashish or crack cocaine
US, 1974.2an approximate measure of marijuana, between one
thirtysecond and one sixteenth of an ounce The amount needed
to fill a pipeUS, 1972.3in cricket, a period of bowlingUK, 1961
bowl bashernounthe active male in anal sexAUSTRALIA, 1985
bowl brandynounfaeces, excrementUK, 2002
bowleggedadjective(of prison sentences) concurrentUS, 1990
bowlernounan ugly girl Uncertain origin, possibly from ‘bow’,
abbreviated fromBOW-WOW, with the suffix-ER IRELAND , 2003
bowling greennouna fast stretch of railway lineUK, 1970
bowl it aroundverbto strut and posture in an unsubtly masculine
way Teen slangUK, 2003
bowlodromenouna bowling alleyUS, 1953
bowlsternouna bowlerUS, 1953
bowsnoun< take bowsto falsely take credit for somethingUS, 1997
bowsernoun1a dogUS, 1965.2by extension, an ugly personUS, 1978.
3a petrol pumpAUSTRALIA, 1918
bowser bagnouna container used by restaurants to package
unfinished meals to be taken home by diners A variation on the
more commonDOGGY BAG US , 1965
bowsienouna disreputable drunkard, a lout, a quarrelsome drunkard
IRELAND, 1990
bowspritnounan erect penis It does not take much imagination to
see the comparisonUK, 1741
bow tienoun1a married woman’s loverNEW ZEALAND, 1948.2a
Chevrolet carUS, 1993
bow-wownouna ’dog’, literally and in its slang sensesUS, 1935
boxnoun1the vagina; a womanUK, 1605.2the posterior, the
buttocks Originally black, then gay usageUS, 1965.3a jail or prison
Usually heard as ‘the box’US, 1995.4a secure prison cubicle for a
one-to-one visitUK, 1978.5a cell used for solitary confinementUS,
1976.6a safeUS, 1902.7in a court of law, the witness boxAUSTRALIA,
1973.8approximately 20 one-kilogram plates of pressed hashish
CANADA, 2002.9a small amount of marijuana, approximately
enough to fill a matchboxUS, 1967.10a guitar May also refer to a
banjoUS, 1911.11a pianoUS, 1908.12a record playerUK, 1924.13a
large, portable radio and tape player A shortenedGHETTO BOX US ,
1985.14television Usually after ‘the’US, 1950.15a polygraph
machineUS, 1997.16an old and inferior carUS, 1973.17a new car
showroomUS, 1989.18a coffinUK, 1864.19in bar dice games, a
leather or vinyl cup used to shake dice before spilling them outUS,
1976.20in horse racing, a combination bet that covers many
differ-ent possible outcomesUS, 2001.21in horse racing, a horse stall
AUSTRALIA, 1989.22a pool table, especially a large oneUS, 1990.23in
the sport of fencing, an electric recording apparatusUK, 1988.24a
reinforced item of underwear designed to protect a sportsman’s
genitalsUK, 1961.25a person who is profoundly out of touch with
current trends A three-dimensionalSQUARE US , 1976.26in the Royal
Air Force, an aircraft cockpit simulatorUK, 1984.27in the Vietnam
war, an aerial target zone approximately 5/8 of a mile wide by 2
miles longUS, 1988.28a submarine’s main batteryUK, 1979 < in
the box1engaged in vaginal sexUS, 1972.2dealing drugsUS, 1997.
< off your box; out of your box1drunk or drug-intoxicated
UK, 1981.2mentally disturbed; behaving erratically Perhaps an
allusion to the Greek myth of Pandora’s box and the evils it
containedUK, 2000 < out of the boxin motor racing, exactly as
produced by the manufacturer, without any modificationsUS, 1993.
< put someone in the boxto kill someoneUS, 2000 < take a
boxto defecateIRELAND, 1995 < take someone out of the box
to kill someoneUS, 1995
boxverb1to confirm the death of a hospital patientUS, 1977.2to die
US, 1994.3in an illegal lottery, to bet on a group of related numbers
rather than a single numberUS, 1974.4to make a mistake; to
muddle things Originally referred to mixing flocks of sheep
AUSTRALIA, 1873 < box cleverto use your wits; to behave shrewdly
< box the foxto steal apples Origin obscure
1976 < couldn’t box chocolates; couldn’t box kippersto be a poor quality boxer Punning on conventional senses of ‘box’UK, 1936
Box 100nounthe notional repository for information given to police
by informantsUS, 1979
box bagnounthe amount of marijuana (the bag) which can be bought for a carton of cigarettes (the box)US, 1992
box boynouna DJ’s assistant who has the responsibility for the DJ’s boxes of recordsUK, 2001
boxcarnoun1any four-engine bomberUS, 1946.2a prison cellUS, 1982.
3an amphetamine or central nervous system stimulantUS, 1992
boxcar numbersnouna lot of moneyUS, 1950
boxcarsnoun1in horse racing, high odds From the high numbers used to identify railway carriagesUS, 1934.2in a game of dice, a roll
of two sixesUS, 1949.3in poker, a pair of sixes or three sixes A borrowing from the game of crapsUS, 1988.4any large number; a long prison sentenceUS, 1950
boxcar touristnouna hobo travelling by freight trainUS, 1946
boxedadjective1marijuana-intoxicatedUS, 1958.2muscular, well-tonedUS, 1997.3incarceratedUS, 1970
boxernoun1an urban youth with a large and loud portable radio and tape playerUK, 1983.2a person running a game of two-up
AUSTRALIA, 1911.3a railway boxcarUS, 1977
boxesnounin craps, a roll of two foursUS, 1983
Box Five; Box Six; Boxnicknamethe UK secret intelligence services
UK, 2002
boxfreshadjectiveof shoes, especially trainers, unwornUK, 2003
boxienouna person with bleached blond hairUS, 1987
boxiesnounmen’s boxer shorts, 2001
boxing glovenouna condom Playing onBOX(the vagina; the male genitals; sexual intercourse), withGLOVE(a condom)UK, 1998
boxing JoshnounmasturbationBAHAMAS, 1982
box-itnouna mixture of cheap wine and ciderUK, 1982
box-kickernouna supply clerk in the US MarinesUS, 1998
boxlanounbox lacrosse Lacrosse, an Indian game, was played practically without side boundaries and with goals as much as a half mile apart Box lacrosse introduced side boards and a playing surface the size of a hockey rinkCANADA, 1958
box lunch; box lunch at the Ynounoral sex on a woman The character Y resembles a woman’s groin; plays onBOX(the vagina)
US, 1964
box mannouna criminal who specialises in breaking into safesUS, 1902
box of birds; box of ducksnouna state of great contentmentNEW ZEALAND, 1943
box of fruit; bowl of fruitnouna suit Rhyming slangNEW ZEALAND, 1963
box of Lnouna box of 100 ampoules containing methamphet-amine hydrochloride (trade name Methedrine™), a central nervous system stimulantUS, 1973
box of sharksnounused for expressing great surprise, in phrases such as: ’she nearly gave birth to a box of sharks’CANADA, 1984
box of tricks; bag of tricksnouna tool box, or any similar receptacle; a notional repertoire of tools and skills needed for any purposeUK, 1953
box-onnouna fight, a struggleAUSTRALIA, 1919
box onverbto continue fighting; to persevere with anything import-ant or strenuousAUSTRALIA, 1919
box on wheelsnouna hearseUS, 1976
box screwnouna bank guardUS, 1949
box seatnounthe most advantageous area off a beach for a surfer
to catch a waveAUSTRALIA, 1965
box shotnounin a dice game in which the dice are rolled from a cup, a controlled shot