As is the case with most diminuitives, used with affection; coined by Yiddish speakers in AmericaUS , 1951 boyfnouna boyfriendUK , 2003 boy-galnouna male homosexualUS , 1990 boy-girlnoun
Trang 1box sluggernouna criminal specialising in breaking into safesUS ,
1970
box someone’s earsverbto hit someone round the headUK , 1601
box toolnounany tool used for breaking into a safeUS , 1972
box-upnouna mix-up, a confusion Also used a verb and, as
‘boxed-up’, an adjectiveAUSTRALIA , 1945
boynoun1heroinUS , 1953.2the penisIRELAND , 1992.3a male friend
Connotes affection and loyaltyUS , 1997.4a homosexual male
prostituteUS , 1971.5a lesbianUS , 1997.6a boxer or wrestlerUS , 1977.
7in a deck of playing cards, a jack or knaveUS , 1967.8in horse
racing, a jockeyUS , 1951.9a dollar; moneyUK , 1780
boy beavernounthe male sex organs and pubic hairUS , 1987
boychiknouna boy or young man Also variant ‘boychick’ As is the
case with most diminuitives, used with affection; coined by
Yiddish speakers in AmericaUS , 1951
boyfnouna boyfriendUK , 2003
boy-galnouna male homosexualUS , 1990
boy-girlnouna young, effeminate, male homosexualUS , 1952
boy-holenouna young and passive homosexual male Sexual
objectificationUS , 1997
boy in the boatnounthe clitorisUS , 1916
boykie; boytjienouna boy, a youth; used as an admiring form of
address to a man An Anglo-Afrikaans diminutive of ‘boy’SOUTH
AFRICA , 1974
boynohelloUK , 2002
boyonoun1used as a good-humoured form of address to a man
An elaboration of ‘boy’, stereotypically Irish or WelshIRELAND , 1898.
2a Welsh man Somewhat patronising; after what is thought to be
a stereotypically Welsh form of addressUK , 1953
boyoadjectivemildly pornographic, featuring naked menUS , 1970
boy! oh boy!used for registering shock, surprise, satisfaction, etc;
also used to emphasise or draw attention to the statement that
followsUS , 1917
boysnoun1the male genitals From Seinfeld (NBC, 1990–98) Both
Seinfeld and his wacky neighbour Kramer (Michael Richards)
referred to their genitals as ‘my boys’ Repeated with referential
humourUS , 1998.2a group of homosexual male friends; collectively,
the male homosexual communityUS , 1972.3racketeersUS , 1979.
4used by professional wrestlers to refer to other professional
wrestlersUS , 1990.5sledge dogsANTARCTICA , 1966 < do the boysto
engage in homosexual activityUS , 2002
boys and girlsnounheroin and cocaine, mixed and injected
togetherUS , 1993
boy scoutnoun1a state trooperUS , 1973.2a person who is
extremely, and usually distressingly, sincereUS , 1997
boyshapenouna boyfriend Teen slangUK , 2003
boysienounused as a term of address to a boy or manAUSTRALIA , 1929
boys in bluenounthe police; sailors; US Federal troops Rarely, if
ever, occurs in the singular Derives from the colour of the
uni-form; sometimes heard as ‘men in blue’ or ‘gentlemen in blue’
UK , 1851
boys of Baghdadnounduring the Gulf war, reporters for the Cable
News NetworkUS , 1991
boys on the hillnounthe members of New Zealand’s parliament
NEW ZEALAND , 1984
Boy’s Townnouna city neighbourhood dominated by homosexual
men A play on Father Flanagan’s Boys Home, a home for
delin-quent and homeless boys in Omaha, NebraskaUS , 1984
boys’ toy; big boys’ toynounany automotive, mechanical or
elec-tronic piece of technology designed to appeal to men, especially
an unnecessary one; a gadgetUK , 2000
boy toynouna young, attractive woman or man who is the object
of sexual desire of their elders, homosexual or heterosexualUS , 1989
boy wondernouna man not held in high esteem An ironic usage
bozacknoun1sex Usually heard as ‘do the bozack’US , 1989.2the penis; the entire male genitalia Sometimes shortened to ‘zack’US , 1990
bozonoun1a buffoon In the US, the older sense of ‘bozo’ as ‘a fellow’ was supplanted by the figure Bozo the Clown, who first appeared on record in 1946 and then became a fixture on local television programmes throughout the US beginning in 1949US ,
1916.2heroinUK , 1998.3an ounce of heroinUS , 1992
bozoticadjectivein computing, ridiculousUS , 1991
BPnoun1in blackjack counting teams, the player who places the large bets based on cues from other members of the team who
have been counting cards at a particular table An intialism for ‘big player’ US , 1991.2in American casinos, a serious gambler The
initials stand for ‘big player’ US , 1985.3a young prostitute An
abbreviation of ‘baby pro’ US , 1971
BPOMnounin homosexual shorthand usage, a man with a large
penis, a big piece of meat US , 1979
BPSnouna wooden stick used by police for probing a corpse New
York police slang; an abbreviation of ‘brain-picking stick’ US , 1997
BQnouna male homosexual who favours anal sex An abbrerviation
ofBROWNIE QUEEN US , 1964
BRnoun1a bankrollUS , 1915.2money From the term ‘bankroll’US ,
1915.3in carnival usage, any hyperbolic story An extension of the
‘bankroll’ sense, the roll of money used by the operator of a rigged game to distract and divert the attention of a player from how the game is riggedUS , 1985.4Banana Republic™, a chain of shops selling casual clothingUS , 1997
branounused for addressing a friend Phonetic abbreviation of
BROTHER(a fellow)UK , 1968
braceverbto apprehend someone; to arrest someone; to accost someoneUS , 1889
brace and bit; bracenoun1the equipment needed to prepare and inject a drug Rhyming slang, fromOUTFIT NEW ZEALAND , 1999.2the female breast Rhyming slang forTIT;usually in the plural Sometimes shortened to ‘brace’US , 1928.3an act of defecation Rhyming slang forSHIT Sometimes shortened to ‘brace’UK , 2003
brace facenounany person wearing an orthodontic braceUS , 1991
bracelet playnounin poker, an exceptionally crafty play An allusion
to the ‘bracelet prize’ in the World Series of PokerUS , 1996
braceletsnounhandcuffsUK , 1661
bracernounany strong alcoholic drinkUS , 1830
brace-upnouna prison- or police-cellUK , 1974
brace worknounpoorly executed markings on the back of cards by card cheatsUS , 1961
bra chutenouna type of parachute malfunctionUS , 1982
bracketnounan unspecified part of the body Usually as part of a threat; ‘a punch up the bracket’; probably coined by scriptwriters Ray Galton and Alan SimpsonUK , 1984
Bradman pillsnounin horse racing, diuretic pills used by jockeys to lose weight An allusion to cricket legend Donald Bradman; if you take enough diuretics, you will make a hundred runs before lunch
AUSTRALIA , 1989
Brad Pitt; bradnounan act of defecation Rhyming slang forSHIT
formed on the name of American film-actor Brad Pitt (b.1963)UK , 1998
bradsnounmoneyUK , 1812
Bradynouna theatre seat reserved for a friend of the theatre management An allusion to William Brady (1863–1950), American impresarioUS , 1981
braffadjectiveworthlessUK , 2005
braggadocious; bragadociousadjectiveboastfulUS , 1956
brag-ragnouna military decoration in the form of a ribbonUS , 1960
brahnounused as a term of address, young surfing male to young surfing male A surfer’s ‘brother’US , 1981
brahma; Brahmanouna pleasing thing From Hindu mythology
Trang 2Brahms and Liszt; Brahmsadjectivedrunk Rhyming slang for
PISSED(drunk)UK , 1978
braidnouna prison warden or other officialUS , 1950
brainnoun1oral sex performed on a male An extension ofHEAD US ,
1998.2a smart personUK , 1914.3a dumb personUS , 1981.4the
penis Derisive usageUS , 2001 < get something or someone on
the brainto become obsessed by something or someoneUK , 1989.
< out of your braindrunk or drug-intoxicatedUK , 1973
brainverbto hit someone on the headUS , 1938
brain bagnounin trucking, anything used by a trucker to store
maps, permits, and other paperworkUS , 1971
brain bendernouna strenuous, rowdy partyUS , 1966
brain bleachnounLSD A variation on the conventional ‘brainwash’
UK , 2001
brain-boshingadjectiveintoxicating Extending fromBOSH(to take
pills)UK , 2002
brain boxnoun1the head; the mindUK , 1823.2a person of above
average intelligenceUK , 2000
brain boynounin oil drilling, an engineerUS , 1954
brain bucketnouna safety helmet Coined in the US Air Force,
adapted to drag racing and then to a variety of sportsUS , 1955
brain burnernounan intravenous injection of amphetamine or
methamphetamineUS , 1992
brain candynounan insignificant entertainment or diversion as
opposed to something that requires thoughtUS , 1981
brain crampnouna mental errorUS , 1982
brain damagenounheroinUK , 1998
brain-damagedadjectivein computing, clearly wrongUS , 1983
brain derbynouna test or examinationUS , 1961
brain donornounan idiot The image of an empty head.UK , 1981
brain drainnoun1the large-scale migration of talented and
intelligent people from and/or to somewhere According to William
Safire, probably coined in 1963 to describe the exodus of British
scientists to the USUK , 1963.2forensic scientists; a forensic science
department Police term, used ironicallyUK , 1971
brain fadenouna momentary mental lapseUS , 1980
brain fart; mind fartnouna temporary mental lapse Probably a
jocular derivation fromBRAINSTORM US , 1983
brain freezenouna searing headache experienced when eating
frozen food or drinksUS , 1993
brainfuckernounan idea that is difficult to comprehendUK , 2002
brainiacnouna very intelligent personUS , 1986
brainlessadjective1very drunkUK: SCOTLAND , 1985.2good, excellent
UK , 2002
brain pillnounan amphetamine tabletUK , 2003
brain platenounon the railways, a conductor’s cap badgeUS , 1975
brainsnoun1oral sex In the progression ofHEADto ‘skull’ to ‘brains’
US , 2000.2a railway conductor Often after ‘the’US , 1946
brain screwnouna prison psychological counsellorUS , 1951
brainstormnouna sudden, good ideaUS , 1925
brain surgeonnoun1a poker player who over-analyses every
situ-ationUS , 1982
brain surgerynounany difficult, demanding work Used in contrast
to the job at handUS , 1980
brain ticklernouna tablet or capsule of amphetamineUK , 1998
brain trainnouna school busUS , 1976
brain trustnouna group of expert advisors Although found at least
as early as 1910, not popularised until 1933 in association with US
President Franklin Roosevelt’s advisorsUS , 1910
brainwashverbto convince someone systematically and in a
manipulative manner that something they do not believe is true
Although the term was coined to describe the actions of
of ‘brainwash’ in the US was by George Romney, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1968, who claimed that he had been brainwashed to support the US war against VietnamUS , 1951
brainyadjectiveintelligent, cleverUK , 1845
brake fluidnounany medication used to sedate an unruly prisoner
US , 1991
brake padsnounthe condition that exists when a tight-fitting pair
of trousers, shorts, bathing suit or other garment forms a wedge between a woman’s labia, accentuating their shape A visual image
US , 2002
brakernouna railway brakemanUS , 1977
brakienouna brakeman on a freight trainUS , 1887
bramnouna small party with dancingBARBADOS , 1965
Brambladesh; Bramistannicknamethe Brampton region of TorontoCANADA , 2002
brammeradjectiveexcellent, outstandingly good Derives from
BRAHMA(something good)UK , 1987
branchnouna matchUS , 1973
Branchernicknamea member of the Special Branch of the Irish police forceIRELAND , 1997
branch outverbto become fatAUSTRALIA , 1953
Brandon Blocknounthe penis; a fool Rhyming slang forCOCK; formed from the name of a London-born dance music DJUK , 2003
brand Xnoun1marijuanaUS , 1980.2a marijuana cigaretteUS , 1992.
3in trucking, a small and unknown trucking companyUS , 1976
brandynounlubricant applied to the anus in preparation for anal sex
UK , 2002
brandy and rum; brandynounthe buttocks, the posterior Rhyming slang forBUM UK , 1993
brandy latchnouna toilet A combination ofBRANDY(AND RUM) (the posterior) and ‘latch’ (a lock)UK , 2002
brandy snapnouna slap Rhyming slangUK , 2003
brannigannouna brawl, literal or figurativeUS , 1940
brapadjectiveexcellentUK , 2005
brap! brap!: brap! brap! brap!used for expressing pleasurable excitementUK , 2005
brasconouna toilet Origin unknown.AUSTRALIA , 1955
brassnoun1in the military, high-ranking officers as a collective entityUS , 1864.2money, cashUK , 1598.3in carnival usage, fake jewelleryUS , 1981.4brass knucklesUS , 1980 8see:BRASS NAIL, TOP BRASS
brassverbto rob a person of their money by deception; to con someoneAUSTRALIA , 1939 < brass it outto brazen it out From the conventional use of ‘brass’ (effrontery or impudence)UK , 1969
brassadjectivefashionable, smartUK , 1968
brass bandnoun1the hand Rhyming slangUK , 1952.2a back-up military unit sent to help a small, outnumbered unitUS , 1991
brass buttonsnouna police officer; the police in generalUS , 1974
brass collarnounrailway managementUS , 1977
brassed off; brassedadjectivedisgruntled Originally military slang
UK , 1942
brasser; brazzernouna female of dubious sexual moralsIRELAND , 1991
brass fartnouna thing of negligible value Probably a convenient shortening ofBRASS FARTHING UK , 1996
brass farthingnouna trivial sum of money, or lessUK , 1642
brass-happyadjectiveextremely anxious to be promoted within the officer corpsUS , 1946
brass housenouna brothel, a whorehouse Where aBRASS(NAIL) (a prostitute) worksUK , 2001
brassies
Trang 3brass mannouna confidence trickster From earlier ‘brass’ (a
horse-racing confidence trick)AUSTRALIA , 1953
brass monkeynounused in a number of figures of speech,
especially as a basis for comparisonUS , 1857
brass-monkeyadjective(of weather) bitterly cold May be of nautical
origin but the popular etymology involving powder monkeys and
cannon balls remains unproven Usually as ‘brass-monkeys’ or
‘brass-monkey weather’; from the phrase ‘cold enough to freeze
the balls off a brass monkey’UK , 1857
brass nail; brassnouna prostitute Rhyming slang forTAIL(a
woman sexually objectified), also punning on something you buy
‘to bang’UK , 1933
brass razoonouna small amount of moneyAUSTRALIA , 1941
brass ringnounan elusive but valuable prizeUS , early 1950s
brass tacksnounthe basic facts; the basic reality Rhyming slang for
‘facts’US , 1895
brass upverb1to pay moneyUK , 1898.2to rebuke someone
BARBADOS , 1965
brassyadjective(of a woman) ostentatious, cheap but flashy;
prostitute-like A variation of an earlier, obsolete sense (impudent
and shameless); probably fromBRASS(NAIL) (a prostitute), but note
the bright appearance of polished brass, a relatively cheap metal
UK , 1937
bratnoun1a child, especially a troublesome junior; a baby Possibly
from Scottish dialect bratchart UK , 1505.2a young and/or weak man
used as a passive homosexual partner, especially in prisonUS , 1961
brat packnicknamea group of young film actors who played roles in
John Hughes films of the 1980s Frequently mentioned as
members of the group included Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio
Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringold, Rob Lowe and
Ally Sheedy A play on the Sinatra-centric Rat Pack of the 1950s
and 60sUS , 1985
bravonouna soldier in the US infantry Vietnam war coinage and
usageUS , 1980
bravo deltanouna nonfunctioning piece of hardware A
phonetic-alphabet euphemism for ‘broke dick’ US , 1988
brawlnouna rowdy partyUS , 1927
brazilverbto decline to pay interest on an existing loanCANADA , 1989
Brazilian landing strip; Braziliannounthe trimming of a
woman’s pubic hair such that only a narrow strip remains; the
result thereofUS , 2001
Brazil waternouncoffeeUS , 1949
BRBused in computer message shorthand to mean ‘be right back’
US , 1991
breanounheroinUK , 2003
breachnoun< in the breachin poker, first to act in a given
situ-ationUS , 1988
breadnoun1money The term was used at least as early as the
1930s, but it did not gain wide acceptance until the 1960sUS , 1935.
2ship’s biscuitsTRISTAN DA CUNHA , 1910
bread and breadnouna homosexual couple; more generally, any
dull combination of two similar thingsUK , 1984
bread and butternoun1a livelihood, the means of living; a basic,
motivating interestUK , 1837.2used by bookmakers to describe bets
by inexperienced, unskilled bettorsAUSTRALIA , 1989.3a crazy person
Rhyming slang forNUTTER UK , 1992
bread and butter!used as a charm when two people who are
walking side-by-side are momentarily separated by a person or
objectUS , 1939
bread and cheeseverbto sneeze Rhyming slang also used as a
nounUK , 1938
bread and jamnouna tramAUSTRALIA , 1902
bread and lardadjectivehardUK , 1961
bread and pointnouna meagre meal, mainly bread Another
surviving, related expression is ‘bread and pullet’ or ‘pull-it’CANADA ,
breadbasketnounthe stomachUK , 1785
bread boxnoun1the stomach A lesser-known cousin of
BREADBASKET US , 1919.2a safe that is easily broken intoUS , 1949
breadedadjectivewealthy Formed onBREAD[money]UK , 2005
breadfruit swoppernouna conventional if cheap personBARBADOS , 1965
bread hooksnounthe fingers, the handsCANADA , 1973
bread knifenouna wife Rhyming slangUK , 2003
breadsnounmoneyBAHAMAS , 1982
breadwinnernounthe person responsible for supporting a family Drawn fromBREAD(money)UK , 1821
breaknoun1in hip-hop culture, an instrumental section from any recorded source that is mixed with other similar selections to make a new piece of musicUS , 1993.2a piece of luck, good unless otherwise qualified, e.g ‘bad break’US , 1926.3a break-in, or illicit entry, into a buildingUK , 1959
breakverb1to escape from prisonUK , 1996.2in blackjack, to exceed
21 points, losing the handUS , 1991.3to run awayUS , 1993.4in theatrical use, to stop work during or at the end of rehearsal, e.g
‘the cast broke for tea’UK , 1984.5of money, to change a coin or a note into coins or notes of smaller denominationsUK , 1844.6to steal somethingUS , 2003.7to do something to excessUS , 1989.
< break badto act in a threatening, menacing mannerUS , 1997.
< break campto leave Military or Western overtonesUS , 1986.
< break fivesto shake handsBARBADOS , 1965 < break his (or her) cherry(used of a racehorse) to win the first race in a racing careerUS , 1951 < break illto make a mistake, to blunderUS , 1989.
< break it bigto win a great deal of moneyAUSTRALIA , 1954.
< break it downto stop, to cease; as an imperative, stop talking!
AUSTRALIA , 1944 < break luck(of a prostitute) to have sex with the first customer of the day or nightUS , 1969 < break out into assholesto become deeply frightenedUS , 1982 < break out the ragto lose your temper after losing a gameUS , 1971 < break someone’s ballsto harrass, to nag someoneUS , 1970 < break someone’s chopsto give someone a hard time, to harass someoneUS , 1953 < break starchto put on a fresh uniform
US , 1968 < break stick in earsto ignore advice or counsel
GRENADA , 2002 < break tapeto fire your weapon Vietnam war usageUS , 1991 < break the bankto divide the winnings up among members of a blackjack counting teamUS , 1991 < break the housein gambling, especially an illegal gambling enterprise,
to win a great deal of money from the houseUS , 1989 < break the nightto stay up all nightUS , 1989 < break the sealto urinate for the first time in a serious bout of drinking Subsequent visits to the toilet will occur with urgent regularity after ‘breaking the seal’UK , 2002 < break the sound barrierto fart Probably dating to the late 1960s when the test-flights of supersonic airliner Concorde first made the potential simile widely-knownCANADA , 1984.
< break watches(of a racehorse) to run very fast during a morning workoutUS , 1951 < break weakto back down from a confrontationUS , 1992 < break wideto leaveUS , 1992 < break wind1to fartUK , 1606.2to drive in the lead position in a group of trucks travelling along a motorway together Citizens’ band radio usageUS , 1977
breakagenounin horse racing pari-mutuel betting, the change left over after paying off bets to the nearest nickel, dime or dollarUS , 1947
break a leg!to an actor, good luck! Theatrical superstition con-siders a wish of good luck to be tempting fate Folk-etymology offers the example of American actor John Wilkes Booth who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln The assassin jumped on stage and broke his leg Unlikely It is remembered in use in the 1930s, and is suspected to be of English origin; it is certainly widely used in the UKUS , 1973
breakawaynoun1any piece of equipment or clothing that will tear free from a police officer’s body during a fightUS , 1962.2in television and film making, a prop designed to break easily upon impactUS , 1990
breakbeatnounin contemporary dance culture, a sampled beat that
is looped to create a rhythmic pattern; hence, a musical styleUS ,
Trang 4breakdancer; breakernouna dancer who finds expression in the
rhythms of hip-hop musicUS , 1984
breakdancingnounan energetic dance improvised to the rhythms
of hip-hop; often danced competitively The origin of hip-hop is
credited to New York DJ Kool Herc who mixed in rhythmic
‘breakdown parts’ which dancers then interpreted US , 1983
breakdownnoun1a shotgunUS , 1994.2a noisy, rowdy partyJAMAICA ,
1996
break downverbto explain somethingUS , 1965
breakernoun1a citizens’ band radio user Usage extended from the
announcement of a citizens’ band radio user’s presence on a
wavebandUS , 1976.2in horse racing, a horse that starts a race with
a great burst of speedUS , 1982
breaker!; break!used for announcing your presence on citizens’
band radio Literally announcing someone who wishes to ‘break-in’
to the airwaves, often formulated with information on direction,
radio channel, road number or type of contact soughtUS , 1976
breakersnounin certain games of poker, cards that qualify a player
to open bettingUS , 1988
breakers ahead!used as a general purpose warning of impending
problems Of obvious nautical origin, from the cry of the
masthead lookoutUS , 1963
breakfast burritonounthe penisUK , 2003
breakfast clubnouna nightclub operating after other clubs close at
2am, staying open until the early morning when breakfast is
servedUS , 1954
breakfast of championsnoun1simultaneous, mutual oral sex
AUSTRALIA , 1985.2crack cocaine A new, ironic application for the
slogan used by Wheaties™ since the 1930s; adopted as the title of
a 1973 novel by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, and released as a film in 1999
UK , 1998.3beerUS , 1976
breakfast of losersnounmethaqualone, the recreational drug best
known as Quaaludes™ Punning on the slogan of a popular cereal
brand – ‘breakfast of champions’US , 1987
breakfast timenoun< to breakfast timeto eternityAUSTRALIA ,
1969
breakingnounbreak dancing, especially its gymnastic and acrobatic
aspectUS , 1984
break in the weathernounin betting on horse racing, a change of
luckAUSTRALIA , 1989
break intoverbto achieve an entrance into an occupation or
activityUS , 1899
break it off!give me your money!US , 1997
break looseverbin drag racing, to lose traction and spin the wheels
without movingUS , 1970
break-lucknouna prostitute’s first customer of the dayUS , 1993
break mannouna prison guard who orchestrates the opening of
cells in the morningUS , 1977
break outverbto leaveUS , 1997
breakupnounin Alaska, the season between winter and summerUS ,
1904
break upverbto cause someone to laugh uproariouslyUS , 1895
break your duckverbto do something for the first time A
figurative application of the cricketing term (to score at least one
run)UK , 1998
breast checknouna walk through a crowd in search of attractive
female breastsUS , 1995
breast jobnounsurgery to alter a woman’s breast sizeUS , 2002
breathenounin poker, to pass without bettingUS , 1988
breathernoun1in sports, a game against a weak opponent From
the conventional sense (a rest)US , 1945.2the noseUS , 1973.3a
person who derives sexual pleasure from telephoning someone
and breathing heavily when they answer the phoneUS , 1986.4in
trucking, the air intake pipe
breather crimpnouna virtually undetectable bend or crease put onto a playing card by a cheat or a conjuror, 2003
Breather Unounany college with a poor sports programme Humourous to those who attach importance to a college’s sports programmeUS , 1988
breath of Godnouncrack cocaineUS , 1997
brecknounbreakfastUS , 1983
breckonounbreakfastAUSTRALIA , 1983
breddanoun1a brother, a fellow black person Phonetic spelling of West Indian pronunciation West Indian and UK black, 1992.2a boy
JAMAICA , 2000
bredgienouna friend Originally black usage, now youth slangUK , 2002
bredren; bredrinnouna man’s friend; friends; a fellow youth gang member Conventional ‘brethren’ (‘brothers’, with religious and political overtones) adopted for everyday use by the West Indian and UK black communitiesUK , 1994
breenouna young womanUS , 1992
breednoun1a person of mixed ancestry, Indian and non-Indian
CANADA , 1956.2a person who is not whiteUS , 1992
breedverb< breed a scabto create troubleUS , 1941
breedernoun1from the homosexual point of view, a heterosexual Usually used as an insultUS , 1979.2any food that is believed to render a man potent and fecundJAMAICA , 2003
breezenoun1something that is achieved easily and quicklyUS , 1928.
2in horse racing, an easy pace during a workout or raceUS , 1951.
3an escape from prisonUS , 1948.4a prison sentence that is nearly completedUS , 1962.5a calm, collected personUS , 1992.6the air used in air brakesUS , 1939.7(of a car) powerUS , 1955.8used as a term of addressUS , 1966 8see:BALMY BREEZE
breezeverb1to move or go quickly; to move or go casually or without effort Generally before ‘along’,‘in’, ‘off’, ‘through’, etcUS ,
1907.2to succeed in achieving something without making a great effortUK , 2004.3to escape; to goUS , 1913.4in pool, to only barely glance the object ball with the cue ballUS , 1990
breeze offverbto stop working and relax in the shadeBELIZE , 1996
breezernoun1a fartAUSTRALIA , 1973.2a despised personUK , 2003
breezewaynounthe area in a prison where the most derelict of the convicts gatherUS , 1984
breezynouna young womanUS , 2004
breid and watternountalk, speechifying Glasgow rhyming slang forPATTER, on the Scottish pronunciation of ‘bread and water’UK , 1988
brekker; brekkersnounbreakfastUK , 1889
brekkie; brekkynounbreakfast ChildishUK , 1904
Brenda Bracelets; Brendanouna police officer; the police An example ofCAMPtrans-gender assignment, in this case as an alliterative play onBRACELETS(handcuffs) as stereotypical police equipmentUK , 1992
Brenda Frickersnounknickers Rhyming slang, formed on the name of the Irish actress (b.1945), best known for her film work
UK , 2003
Brenda skunk; Brendanouna hybrid variety of potent marijuana, 2002
brernouna fellow black man Old contraction of ‘brother’UK , 2000
bresslesnounpubic hairNORFOLK ISLAND , 1992
brewnoun1beer; a glass, bottle or can of beerUS , 1907.2a cup, mug
or pot of tea Tea is brewed by immersing tea leaves (loose or
bagged) in boiling waterAUSTRALIA , 1905.3an illicitly made alcoholic beverageAUSTRALIA , 1950.4a stewAUSTRALIA , 1957.5used as a male-to-male term of addressBERMUDA , 1985.6a Jewish person An abbrevi-ation of ‘Hebrew’US , 1997 8see:BURROO
brewverbto make and heat an injectable solution of heroin and waterUK , 1996
brewdog
Trang 5brewedadjectivedrunkUS , 1986
brewernouna prostitute who will allow sexual intercourse without a
condomUK , 1997
brewer’s droopnouna temporary inability to achieve an erect penis
caused by drinking too much alcohol, especially beerAUSTRALIA , 1970
brewhanouna glass, bottle or can of beerUS , 2001
brewski; brewskynounbeer; a serving of beer Mock PolishUS , 1978
brewsternouna beerUS , 1986
Brewster’snouna great deal of money; a fortune A reference to
Brewster’s Millions, 1945, remade 1985, a comedy flim about huge
amounts of moneyUK , 2001
brew upverbto make teaUK , 1916
briarnouna hacksaw bladeUS , 1950
briar patchnouna female’s pubic hairUS , 1967
bribenounin marketing, the initial, attractive offer to join a book or
music clubUS , 1986
bricknoun1a good man A term of approvalUK , 1840.2someone
with exceptionally good creditUS , 2001.3a person lacking social
skillsUS , 1968.4a profit made fraudulentlyUK , 1979.5a sentence of
ten years in jailAUSTRALIA , 1944.6a street tough personAUSTRALIA ,
1840.7a die that has been shaved on one faceUS , 1950.8in poker, a
drawn card that fails to improve the handUS , 1996.9ten cartons of
stolen cigarettesUS , 1982.10a carton of cigarettesUS , 1906.11a
kilogram of, usually compressed, marijuana, or, less commonly,
another drugUS , 1967.12marijuana From the sense as a
measure-ment of the drugUK , 1996.13crack cocaineUS , 2003.14an Australian
ten pound note; the sum of ten pounds From the colour of the
note After the introduction of decimal currency in 1966 the
meaning changed to either ‘twenty dollars’ (an equivalent value)
or, most commonly, ‘ten dollars’ (numerically the same) Neither
of the new notes were brick coloured and the term has all but
died outAUSTRALIA , 1914.15a pound sterling (£1)UK: SCOTLAND , 1988.
16a four-man infantry patrol Used by the British Army in
Northern IrelandUK , 1995.17an abandoned, partially consumed can
or bottle of beerUS , 2002
bricknicknamethe British Columbia Resources Investment
Corporation A near-abbreviationCANADA , 1979
brickverb1to have sex leaning against a brick wall for balance and
purchaseUK , 2001.2to cheat or defraud someoneUK , 1979.3to fail
to deliver as promisedUS , 1993.4to hurl bricks, rocks or other hard
objects A word commonly used in the 1960s in American cities
during events called ‘riots’ by the dominant power and ‘uprisings’
by leftistsUS , 1972.5to miss a shot; to failUS , 2001 < brick your
pantsto soil your underwear as a result of fear; to be very afraid
UK , 2005
brickedadjective1drug-intoxicatedUS , 1992.2in a court of law,
having an unsigned police statement used against youAUSTRALIA ,
1977
brickerverbto steal; to shopliftUK , 1970
brick gumnounheroinUK , 1998
brickhousenounin poker, a full house that is not the best hand An
allusion built on ‘brick’ as a ‘useless card’US , 1996
brick itverbto be very nervous or worried; to be thoroughly
frightened Variation ofSHIT IT UK , 1996
bricksnounin prison, the world outside the prison wallsUS , 1976.
< hit the bricks1to leave, especially to leave prisonUS , 1931.2to
go on strike; to be on strike Also variants ‘on the bricks’or ‘pound
the bricks’US , 1938 < to the bricksextremely, utterly, completly
US , 1928
bricks and clicksnouna business that combines trading from
tra-ditional business premises with e-commerce and Internet-only
customUK , 2000
bricks and mortarnoun1a house; houses, property Usually in
phrases like ‘his money’s in bricks and mortar’UK , 1855.2a
daughter Rhyming slangUK , 1960
brick shithousenouna woman, or rarely a homosexual man, with a
curvaceous figure; a powerfully built man Sometimes euphemised
bricktopnouna red-haired personUS , 1856
BricktopnicknameAda Smith de Conge, a singer, actress and Paris nightclub hostess (died 1984)US , 1952
brickweednounmarijuana that has been compressed into a brick for transportationUK , 2004
bricky; brickienouna bricklayerUK , 1880
Brickyardnicknamethe Indianapolis speedway The speedway was once faced with bricksUS , 1958
bridal suitenoun1a two-man prison cell A frank allusion to homo-sexual sex in prisonNEW ZEALAND , 1999.2a room where police assigned the late night shift can sleepUS , 1994
bridenoun1a model of good behaviourBARBADOS , 1965.2a prostitute
UK , 1981
bride’s nightienoun< like a bride’s nightieused as the epit-ome of quicknessAUSTRALIA , 1984
bride’s slidenounin backgammon, the customary play with a first roll of 6–5: moving a back man 11 pointsUS , 1976
bridgenoun1a holder for a marijuana cigarette A common term in the 1950s, largely supplanted byROACH CLIPin the 1960sUS , 1955.
2a slightly curved playing card, altered by a cheat to manipulate the cutting of a deckUS , 1991.3a pickpocket who reaches around the victim to pick their pocketUS , 1949.4a group of four in a restaurant or soda fountain An allusion to a bridge partyUS , 1967.
< under the bridgein a smuggling operation, across a border
US , 1956
bridge and tunneladjectivesaid of a resident of New Jersey who commutes to New York DisparagingUS , 1984
bridge bendernouna motor vehicle manufactured by VauxhallUK , 1981
bridge jumpernounin horse racing, a person who regularly bets on favourites and is distraught if the favourite does not winUS , 1951
bridge monkey; bridge stiffnounon the railways, a bridge construction workerUS , 1977
Bridge of Sighsnicknamean overpass connecting the New York City jail with the criminal court building A borrowing from Venice’s Ponte de Sospiri, romanticised by Lord ByronUS , 1955
bridgesnounbridge tolls for which a truck driver is paid in advance
or reimbursedUS , 1963
briefnoun1a solicitor, a barrister or other legal representative of an accused person From an earlier sense (the legal case presented to
a barrister)UK , 1977.2a warrant to search or arrest someone; a Metropolitan Police warrant-cardUK , 1970.3a ticket for any purpose
UK , 1937.4a playing card that has been trimmed slightly so that a cheat can locate it within a deck by feelUS , 1988
brignouna Brigadier; also, until the rank was abolished, a Brigadier General MilitaryUK , 1899
briggityadjectivearrogant, vain, stubbornUS , 1884
brightnoun1morningUS , 1941.2a light-complexioned black person
US , 1976
brightadjective(of skin) light-colouredBAHAMAS , 1982
bright and frisky; bright ’n’ frisky; Brightonnounwhisky Rhyming slang, probably as a deliberate variation of the earlier ‘gay and frisky’ reflecting the shift in the meaning of ‘gay’; it is interesting to note therefore that the contraction ‘Brighton’ also has rhyming slang noun and adjective senses (homosexual), and that Brighton is regarded as one of the UK’s centres of homosex-ual cultureUK , 1969
bright diseasenounthe condition of knowing too much for your own goodUS , 1953
bright-eyed and bushy-tailedadjectivealert and enthusiastic, lively
US , 1942
bright eyesnoun1a lookout during a criminal ventureUS , 1956.2the high beam setting on headlightsUS , 1977
brightlight teamnounin Vietnam, a small group from the special forces sent to rescue American prisoners of war
Trang 6Brighton bucketnoun< like a Brighton bucketwithout
recognising someone when you pass them in the street An image
of the pitch buckets on a conveyor system at the Brighton pier,
passing each other on beltsTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1987
Brighton pierverbto disappear Rhyming slangUK , 1998
Brighton pier; brightonadjective(especially of a man) homosexual
Rhyming slang forQUEER(homosexual) Earlier use of the same
rhyme meant ‘unwell’ or ‘peculiar’, the meaning shifting with the
sense of ‘queer’; possibly also influenced by the reputation of
Brighton as a centre for gay society and cultureUK , 1960
Brighton rocknounthe penis Rhyming slang forCOCK, and a visual
pun on a long pink sweet that is made to be sucked Similarly
sweet references to the male anatomy can be found atALMOND
ROCK, BLACKPOOL ROCKandSTICK OF ROCK UK , 1992
brightsnounwhite socksUS , 1969
Bright’s DiseasenicknameBright’s Wine™, a brand of cheap wine,
grown and processed in Niagara, OntarioCANADA , 2001
bright sparknouna cheerful, energetic personNEW ZEALAND , 2002
bright spotnounin oil drilling, an area that has indications of a
pro-ductive fieldUS , 1997
bright, white and dead whiteadjective 8see:LIGHT, BRIGHT,
DAMN NEAR WHITE
brightyadjectivevery smartUS , 1945
brig ratnouna prisonerUS , 1942
brill; brillsadjectiveexcellent, marvellous An abbreviation of
‘brilliant’; also used as exclamation Military usage possibly
pre-dates modern slang by several decadesUK , 1979
brilliantadjectivewonderful, excellentUK , 1979
brimnoun1any hatUS , 1965.2a straw hatBAHAMAS , 1982
brimsnounidentical hats worn by members of a youth gangUS , 1982
brimsonnouna braggart; a fantasist English gypsy useUK , 2000
bringverbto compel someone to do something.US , 1972 < bring it
inin poker, to make the first bet of a handUS , 1990 < bring it on
used for challenging an opponent to begin a competitionUS , 1998.
< bring peeto frighten someone severely Vietnam war usage
US , 1966 < bring smoke1to call for an artillery barrageUS , 1990.
2by extension, to reprimand someone in harsh, profane tonesUS ,
1968 < bring someone to bookto bring someone to account;
to cause someone to face authority, investigation or judgementUK ,
1804
bring-a-plateadjective(of a party or the like) partially self-catered
AUSTRALIA , 1979
bringdownnounan event or person that discourages or depresses
youUS , 1939
bring downverbto depress someone, to deflate someoneUS , 1935
bring it awayverbto effect an abortion The ‘it’ in question is the
foetusUK , 1984
bring it, don’t sing it!used to invite action instead of wordsUS ,
1998
bring offverb1to achieve an intended outcome, to be successful in
making something happenUK , 1928.2to induce and achieve an
orgasmUK , 1984
bring onverbto excite someone sexuallyUK , 1961
bring on the dancing girls!a facetious call for an exciting
spectacle that is used as a register of boredomUK , 1984
bring outverbto introduce someone to homosexuality, to awaken
in someone their homosexualityUS , 1941
bring upverb1to vomitUK , 1719.2to try someone on a criminal
chargeUS , 1823
brinnynouna stone, especially a small stone or pebble that is used
for throwing Probably from an Australian Aboriginal language
AUSTRALIA , 1943
Bris; Brissie; Brizzienoun Brisbane AUSTRALIA , 1945
BrishadjectiveBritish From a drunken slurring; especially in Sydney
brisketnounthe female breast A butcher’s pun describing the cut
of breast meat next to the ribsUK , 1979
bristolnounin tiddlywinks, a shot that moves both the player’s wink and an opponent’s, the manoeuvre starting and finishing with the player’s wink sitting on the opponent’s The manoeuvre, dating from the 1960s, is credited eponymously to Bristol University Tiddlywinks SocietyUK , 1980
Bristol City; bristolnoun the female breast Rhyming slang: Bristol City Football Club andTITTY(a breast); supported by an alliterative connection between ‘breast’ and ‘brist’; usually in the pluralUK , 1960
Bris-vegasnicknameBrisbaneAUSTRALIA , 2003
Britnoun a Briton UK , 1901
Britadjective British An abbreviation, usually as a prefix Usages include: Britflick (a UK film), Britlit (new UK writing) and britpulp!
(an anthology of short-stories)AUSTRALIA , 1971
britchnouna side trouser pocketUS , 1950
britchesnounin Newfoundland, the sac of codfish eggs found in the pregnant femaleCANADA , 1975
Brit hopnounBritish hip-hopUK , 1999
British diseasenouna strike or work stoppageNEW ZEALAND , 1984
British Standard Handfulnounthe average female breast A play
on standards established by the British Standards InstituteUK , 1977
BritlandnicknameBritainUK , 2002
Britney Spear; britneynouna year Rhyming slang, formed on the name of popular US entertainer Britney SpearsUK , 2004
Britney Spears; Britneysnounbeers Popney rhyming slang, based
on the name of popular entertainer Britney Spears (born 1981)
Popney was contrived for www.music365.co.uk, an Internet music
siteUK , 2001
Britpopnoun a loose categorisation of contemporary British popular
musicUK , 1999
brittleadjective(used of a computer program) functional, but easily rendered dysfunctional by changes or external stimuli which should not have the effect they haveUS , 1991
Brixton briefcasenouna large portable stereo system associated, stereotypically, with black youth cultureUK , 1990
bronoun a brother, in the sense of a fellow in a given situation or
condition; especially of a fellow black; also of a fellow student in
UK public school usageUS , 1957
broachverbto inject an illegal drugUS , 1992
broadnoun1a woman Somewhere between derogatory and so old-fashioned as to be charming in a hopeless wayUS , 1911.2a male homosexual who plays the passive sexual roleUS , 1984.3in a deck
of playing cards, a queenUK , 1781.4an identity card; any paper of identification, insurance book, etcUK , 1950.5a credit card Extended from the previous senseUK , 1977
broadcastverbto engage in conversationUS , 1959
broadienoun1a woman A slightly embellishedBROAD US , 1932.2the movement of a surfer across the face of a waveSOUTH AFRICA , 1965
broad jointnouna bar where prostitutes are available along with the drinksUS , 1956
broadsnounplaying cardsUK , 1781
broadskinouna womanUS , 1967
broad squadnounin prison, a group of homosexual menUS , 1990
broad tossernounthe operator of a three-card monte game swindle
US , 1980
Broadwaynounin poker, a five-card sequence ending with an ace as the highest card of the sequenceUS , 1988
Broadway Arabnouna Jewish personUS , 1946
broccolinounmarijuanaUS , 1969
brocklyadjectivemuscular A vegetable pun, alluding to professional wrestler Brock Lesnar
Trang 7Brodie; Brodynoun1a fall or leap from a great height An allusion
to Steve Brodie, a New York bookmaker who in 1886 claimed to
have survived a leap from the Brooklyn Bridge and then opened a
tavern which succeeded as a result of the publicity surrounding his
claimed leapUS , 1899.2a feigned drug withdrawal spasmUS , 1936.3a
failure to perform as expectedCANADA , 1976.4a play that is a
complete failureUS , 1973.5a skid, usually controlledUS , 1953
broformnouna retail discount given to friends Snowboarder’s slang;
conflatesBRO(a friend) with ‘proform’ (a discount given to
pro-fessionals)US , 1995
brogansnounheavy work shoes From the Gaelic During the US
Civil War, the sturdy and durable leather shoes issued to
infantrymen were nicknamed Brogans or Jefferson BootiesUS , 1835
brogesnounwork shoes An abbreviation ofBROGANS US , 1990
bro-ingnounin market research, the testing of fashion prototypes in
inner-city, predominantly black neighbourhoods FromBRO(a
fellow black) in a sense that categorises a target customerUS , 2001
brojanounheroin, 2002
brokverbto depart, to leave Urban youth slang, probably derived
from conventional ‘break’ in a similar sense toSPLIT UK , 2006
brokeadjectivehaving little or no money, bankrupt A variant of
con-ventional ‘broken’ used in this sense from C16UK , 1661 < go for
broketo make the utmost effort to achieve a desired endUS , 1951
broke dicknouna nonfunctioning piece of hardwareUS , 1988
broke-downnouna brawlBAHAMAS , 1995
broke moneynouna small amount of money given to a gambler
who has lost his entire bankrollUS , 1950
brokenadjective1in the bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS , 2001.
2depressed, acting oddlyUS , 1981
broken arrownoun1an accident involving nuclear weaponsUS , 1980.
2in computing, an error code on line 25 of a 3270 terminalUS ,
1991
broken arsenouna person who has been completely subjugated
Prison usageNEW ZEALAND , 1999
broken knucklesnounsleeping quarters on a trainUS , 1946
broken railnounan older, physically run-down railway workerUS , 1977
broken wristnounan effeminate male homosexualUS , 1968
brokernouna drug dealerUS , 1962
broketnounon a computer keyboard, the characters <and> A
contraction of ‘broken bracket’US , 1983
brollynounan umbrellaUK , 1874
brolyadjectiveconforming to surfer etiquetteUS , 1991
bro-mannounused as a male-to-male term of addressBAHAMAS , 1982
broncnounin oil drilling, an inexperienced drillerUS , 1954
bronchverbto use a bronchoscope Medical useUK , 1980
bronconouna young male recently initiated into homosexual sexUS ,
1967
bronc stompernouna cowboy who specialises in the breaking of
horses, i.e getting them to accept bridle, bit and saddleCANADA ,
1954
bronskiverbto sandwich a face between female breastsUS , 1995
Bronsonnouncocaine From the infamous UK criminal Charlie
Bronson (b.1952), withCHARLIEleading to ‘cocaine’UK , 2001
Bronx BullnicknameJake LaMotta (b.1921), a middleweight boxer
who fiercely made his presence felt in the ring in the 1940s and
1950sUS , 1952
Bronx cheernouna combination of booing and a derisory farting
noise, expressing disgustUS , 1922
bronze; bronza; bronzer; bronzonounthe anus; the buttocks
Probably derives as a shade of brownAUSTRALIA , 1953
bronze Johnnounthe sunUS , 1954
Bronzevillenouna city neighbourhood with a largely black
popu-bronze-wingnouna person of part-Aboriginal and part white descent From the colour of a bronze-wing pigeonAUSTRALIA , 1956
bronzie; branzynouna sun tan; bronzed skinUK , 1987
bronzie machinenouna tanning machineUK , 2002
broonounthe employment exchange; unemployment benefit The Scots shortened form of ‘bureau’UK , 1998
BrookolinonicknameBrooklyn, New YorkUS , 1982
broomnoun1the person who is assigned to or takes it upon himself to keep a workplace neat Sometimes embellished to
‘broom man’US , 1973.2a hatUS , 1960
broomverb1to travelUK , 1921.2to run away, to leaveUK , 1821
broomienounin sheep-shearing, a person employed to keep the shearing floor swept clean Extended from a conventional ‘broom’; also known and used by New Zealand sheep-shearersAUSTRALIA , 1895
broom stacknouna truck exhaust stack that is flaming or smoking
US , 1961
broomsticknounin electric line work, a phase spacer used for keeping phases from contacting each other midspanUS , 1980
broostedadjectiverich; having achieved great wealth Extended from
BREWSTER’S(a great deal of money)UK , 2002
bros before hoesused as a rallying cry for the precedence of male friendship over relationships with females Sometimes seen as the abbreviation BBHUS , 2004
broski; browskinounused as a male-to-male term of address Doing toBROwhat was done toBREW US , 1997
brothel creepernouna patron of brothelsUS , 1977
brothel creepersnounsuede-topped, crepe-soled shoes, either of the style also known as desert boots or the thick-soled variety favoured by Teddy Boys Originally military, from World War 2; the etymology appears to be obvious, certainly the early types of these shoes allowed for silent movementUK , 1954
brothel spoutnouna prostitute who is physically and emotionally worn out by her workUS , 1993
brothernoun1a black manUS , 1910.2a fellow member of a countercultural or underground political movementUS , 1968.3in carnival usage, a woman’s husband or loverUS , 1981.4heroin A rare variant on the commonBOY US , 1990
Brother Andre’s Last Erectionnicknamethe Oratory near the top
of the mountain in Montreal Brother Andre was a poor priest whose charisma made him widely known in Quebec as a healer;
he raised funds to build the mammoth St Joseph’s Oratory, and slept in an anteroom as caretakerCANADA , 1990
brother BennounBenzedrine™ (amphetamine sulphate), a central nervous system stimulant, or another central nervous system stimulantUS , 1971
Brother Jonathannicknamethe United StatesCANADA , 1962
brother mannounused as a term of address to establish solidarity, among black menUS , 1974
broth of a boynouna boy or man who represents the absolute quintessence of what a boy or man should be The earliest
recorded instance is in Byron’s Don Juan, 1822; however modern
usage is mainly IrishUK , 1822
brought downadjectivein a sad or suddenly depressed state of mind, especially after drug useUS , 1946
brownnoun1the anus and/or rectumUS , 1916.2faecesIRELAND , 1991.
3anal sex; an act of anal intercourseUK , 1894.4heroin, especially if only partially refinedUS , 1962.5darker coloured hashishUS , 1981.
6an amphetamine tabletUS , 1972
brownverb1to perform anal sex upon someoneUS , 1933.2to force others to behave in an obsequious, sycophantic mannerUK , 1998
brownadjective1(of behaviour) obsequious, sycophantic As in
BROWN NOSE(a sycophant); extends from an image of submissive homage to another’s backsideUK: SCOTLAND , 1988.2used for describing sexual activities involving excrementUK , 2002.3(of a