A pun on ‘humerus’ and ‘humorous’, stressing the funny-peculiar sensation that is felt when the nerve is struckUK , 1840 funny booknoun1a pornographic book or magazineUS , 1976.2in truck
Trang 1full of yourselfadjectiveconceited, self-involvedUK , 1866
full-onadjectivemaximum, complete, absolute, veryUS , 1970
full outadverbcompletely, intenselyUS , 1918
full personalnounsexual intercourse, as distinct from masturbation,
when advertised as a service offered by a prostituteUK , 2003
full sailsadverbin trucking, driving at top speed with the wind
behind youUS , 1976
full screwnouna corporal in the armyUK , 1995
full servicenounin the coded language of massage parlours, sexual
intercourseUS , 2002
full stop; full stop – end of storya catchphrase used as a firm
signal that a matter is at an end Verbalised punctuation, exactly
matching US use of ‘period’UK , 1976
full-timernouna person who lives in a recreational vehicle all year
US , 1997
full titnounan all-out effortNEW ZEALAND , 1998
full tubnounin poker, a hand consisting of three cards of the same
rank and a pair Conventionally known as a ‘full house’US , 1988
full up to dolly’s waxreplete with food; entirely fullAUSTRALIA , 1945
full weightnouna package of drugs that weighs as much as it is
claimed to weighUS , 1992
fullyadverbveryUS , 1982
fuma d’Angola; fumo d’Angolanounmarijuana Portuguese,
meaning ‘smoke of Angola’US , 1969
fumbleverbin college, to do poorly and receive a notification of
academic deficiencyUS , 1968
fumble fingersnounclumsy handsUS , 1986
fumed-upadjectivemarijuana-intoxicatedUK , 2002
fumigateverbto take an enema before or after anal sexUS , 1972
fummydiddleverbto waste time or to bungleUS , 1975
funnouna grain of opiumUS , 1964
funverbto tease, to jokeUS , 1967
funadjectiveamusing, interesting, light-heartedUS , 1950
fun and frolicsnounthe testicles Rhyming slang forBOLLOCKS,
recorded as Anglo-Irish, 1960
fun and gamesnoun1a (very) agreeable time; love-making, petting
and/or sexual intercourse The sexual sense is, of course, a
special-isation of the general senseUK , 1961.2ironically, a disagreeable
time; a brush with an enemy Originally navy usage when the
enemy was at seaUK , 1948
fun bagsnounthe female breastsUS , 1965
fun booknouna collection of discount coupons given to guests by
casinosUS , 1991
fun boxnounin skateboarding and foot-propelled scootering, any
manufactured obstacle (usually made of wood) that provides
varying configurations of ramps and surfaces for the boarder to
employUS , 1992
funchnounsex during lunchUS , 1976
Fun CitynicknameNew York Coined by Mayor John Lindsay in 1965
US , 1966
fundagenounmoneyUS , 1993
fundie; fundi; fundynoun1of religious faith, fundamentalist; a
fundamentalist, especially a Christian fundamentalist but also
applied in non-religious usesUK , 1982.2an expert, a teacherSOUTH
AFRICA , 1937
funeralnoun< it’s your funeral; your funeralit’s of no concern
to me (regardless of what the business, circumstance or situation
that is being referred to is)US , 1895
funeral trainnouna long line of cars whose progress is impeded by
one slow driver who refuses to pull over and let them passUS , 1962
fun factornounthe ratio of a car’s power to its weightUS , 1992
fungee; fungynouna fruit dumpling or a deep-dish blueberry pie
fungoo!fuck you! Often accompanied by graphic body languageUS , 1942
fun hognounan obsessed enthusiast of thrill sportsUS , 1992
funknoun1a strong human smell; the smell of human sexual activityUS , 1917.2semen; smegmaUS , 1976.3a genre of dance music that combines soul, blues, gospel and jazz with irresistible beats and rhythms From the sense as ‘the smell of sex’US , 1958.
4a depressed state of mindUK , 1820
funk!used for expressing anger or disgustUS , 1963
funk; funk itverbto lose your nerve, to have your courage or deter-mination give wayUK , 1857
funked outadjectivedrug-intoxicatedUS , 1971
funki drednouna young black man who wears his hair in dreadlocks as a part of his fashionable style – not as a profession
of Rastafarianism Deliberate misspellings ofFUNKY(fashionable) and ‘dread’ (a dreadlock wearer)UK , 1994
funk outverbto become exhaustedBAHAMAS , 1982
funkyadjective1sexual in a primal sense, earthyUS , 1954.2bad, distasteful, dirty, smellyUS , 1946.3earthy, fundamental, emotional, and when applied to music, characterised by blues tonalitiesUS ,
1954.4fashionableUS , 1969.5in computing, descriptive of a feature that works imperfectly but not poorly enough to justify the time and expense to correct itUS , 1991
Funky Fourthnicknamethe Fourth Army DivisionUS , 1991
funky-freshadjectivefashionable, stylishUS , 1982
funky yellownouna variety of LSDUK , 1996
funnyadjective1homosexualUS , 1962.2odd, strange; hence, unwell
UK , 1806
funny bombnouna fragmenting explosive Army useUS , 1991
funny bonenoun the extremity of the humerus, specifically that
part of the elbow over which the ulnar nerve passes; a notional part of the body that is stimulated by comedy A pun on
‘humerus’ and ‘humorous’, stressing the funny-peculiar sensation that is felt when the nerve is struckUK , 1840
funny booknoun1a pornographic book or magazineUS , 1976.2in trucking, a driver’s daily log bookUS , 1976
funny boynouna male homosexualUS , 1977
funny bunnynounan eccentricUS , 1966
funny businessnoundishonest enterprises, criminal activitiesUK , 1891
funny carnoun1in the language of car salesmen, a small car, especially a foreign-made carUS , 1975.2in drag racing, a car with a drag racing chassis and engine covered with a fibreglass replica of
a conventional car bodyUS , 1960s
funny cigarettenouna marijuana cigaretteUS , 1949
funny fagnouna marijuana cigarette Formed onFAG(a cigarette)
UK , 1998
funny farmnouna hospital for the mentally illUS , 1959
Funny Farm Expressnicknamein trucking, a Frozen Foods Express truck A back-formation from the company’s initialsUS , 1976
funny five minutesnouna temporary aberrationUK , 2004
funny ha-ha; ha-ha funnyadjectiveamusing, inviting of laughter, as opposed to ‘funny’ in the sense of peculiar From the oft-cited contrast ofFUNNY PECULIARand ‘funny ha-ha’ by British novelist and dramatist Ian HayUK , 1938
funny kineadjectivestrange, unexpected, abnormal Hawaiian youth usageUS , 1981
funny moneynoun1counterfeit or play currencyUS , 1938.2during the Vietnam war, military payment certificates The certificates were handed out to the military instead of currency to prevent black market use of the US dollar Denominations of the certificates ranged from five cents to 20 dollarsUS , 1965.3any foreign currency A resolutely English coinage, disregarding Scottish notes and sneering at the EuroUK , 1984.4the scrip issued in Alberta by the Canadian Social Credit party, which advocated free
Trang 2‘funny-money party’CANADA , 1958.5promotional coupons issued by
casinos to match money betsUS , 2003
funnyositynoun a funny-peculiar curiosity By elision UK , 1962
funny papersnoun1LSD A reference to the cartoon images
printed on, or simply the effect of, LSD impregnated blotting
paperUK , 1996.2topographical maps Vietnam war usage; a tad
cynical about the accuracy of the military’s mapsUS , 1980.
3building plansUS , 1989
funny peculiaradjectivefunny in the sense of peculiar, as opposed
to ‘funny ha-ha’ (amusing)UK , 1938
funny puffnouna marijuana cigaretteUS , 1976
funny valentinenouna tablet of Dexedrine™, a central nervous
system stimulant A reference to the tablet’s heart shapeUS , 1966
funny wardnouna hospital ward reserved for the mentally illUS , 1963
funny waternounany alcoholic beverageUS , 1974
funsternouna joker; a person who reminds you how much fun we
are having The name of a model of Chrysler outboard boat and
given a nod in ‘Tenement Funster’, a song composed by Roger
Taylor and recorded by Queen in 1974US , 1974
funsy-wunsynounsexUS , 1956
funsy-wunsyadjectivefun, cuteUS , 1995
funt; foont; pfundnoun a pound (£); money From German pfund
pronounced ‘foont’ and Yiddish funt, incorporated into parleyaree
and thence polariUK , 1857
fun ticketsnounmoneyUS , 1997
funzinenouna purportedly humorous single-interest fan magazine
US , 1982
furnoun1the female pubic hair; a woman as a sex object
Contemporary use mainly inFURBURGER , FUR PIE,etcUS , 1959.2a
woman’s hairpieceUS , 1972.< make the fur flyto cause uproar,
to disturb the status quoUS , 1814
furballnounan aerial dogfight involving several planesUS , 1983
fur beefnouna prison sentence for rapeUS , 1976
furburgernounthe vagina, especially as an object of oral
pleasure-giving; a woman as a sex object A term that is especially popular
with Internet pornographersUS , 1965
fur coat and no knickersapplied to someone whose surface
rectitude masks a less than respectable moralityUK , 1980
fur cupnounthe vaginaUS , 1966.< drink of the fur cupto
perform oral sex on a womanUS , 1966
furious fiftiesnounthe latitutes of 50 to 59 degrees south
ANTARCTICA , 1906
furkidnouna pet whose owner makes much of itCANADA , 2002
furlough babynouna baby born after a serviceman’s brief visit
homeCANADA , 1989
furnace and organnouna car radio and heaterUS , 1959
furniturenouna rifle’s or a similar weapon’s stockUK , 1995
furphynoun1a rumour A similar semantic development can be
seen withSCUTTLEBUTT Rarely ‘furfy’AUSTRALIA , 1915.2an iron water
cart From the name of a manufacturer of such cartsAUSTRALIA , 1938
fur pienounthe vulva and pubic hairUS , 1934
furranounheroinUK , 2002
furry foldsnounthe vaginaUS , 2001
furry hoopnounthe vaginaAUSTRALIA , 1971
furry letterboxnounthe vaginaUK , 2001
furry monkeynounthe vaginaUK , 1999
fur shuradverb 8see:FER SHUR
furthernoun< in the furtherin the future Used when saying
goodbyeUS , 1973
furtheradverb< have it further backto know a lot and share
that knowledge in talkCANADA , 1972
furthermuckernounused as a humorous euphemism for
‘motherfucker’US , 1965
fur tonguenouna sycophant or toadyUS , 1977
fur-trappernouna thief who distracts hotel guests in the lobby or at the hotel desk long enough to steal their fursUS , 1954
fuseboxnounthe headUS , 1946
fuselighternounan artillery soldierUS , 1988
fussnoun< don’t make a fussa bus Rhyming slangUK , 1960
fussverbused as a euphemistic replacement for ‘fuck’US , 1974
fuss-arsenouna fussy person In 2003, usage appears to be mainly limited to south and southwest WalesUK , 1961
fuss-boxnouna finicky, fussy personUK , 1901
fussbudgetnouna chronic worrierUS , 1904
fussedadjective< not fussedunconcernedUK , 1988
fusspotnouna very fussy person A combination of ‘fuss’, as an indicator of the dominant characteristic, and-POT(a person)UK , 1921
fussyadjectivefinickyUK , 2002.< not fussynot especially keen; unconcernedCANADA , 1984.< not that fussy abouthaving an aversion to something, not liking itCANADA , 2000
futz aroundverbto waste time; to tinker with no resultsUS , 1930
futz upverbused as a euphemism for ‘fuck up’, meaning to bungle
US , 1947
fuzznoun1a police officer; the policeUS , 1929.2the pubic hair, usually on a femaleUS , 1981
fuzzverbto shuffle (a deck of playing cards) by simultaneously drawing cards from the bottom and top of the deckUS , 1967
fuzzballnouna fart Generally phrased in the manner of ‘someone dropped a fuzzball’ and ‘who’s made the fuzzballs?’UK , 1979
fuzz boxnounin electric line work, a noise-producing voltage tester
US , 1980
fuzzburgernounthe vagina as an object of oral pleasure-givingUS , 1967
fuzz-busternounan electronic radar-detection deviceUS , 1976
fuzzedadjectivedrug-intoxicatedUS , 1961
fuzzienouna girl or young womanUS , 1974
fuzz one; fuzz two; fuzz threenounused as a rating system by
US forces in Vietnam for the films shown on base; the system rated films on the amount of pubic hair shown The more, the betterUS , 1990
fuzz-spotternouna rear view mirror FromFUZZ (the police)UK , 1979
fuzztailnouna horseUS , 1958
fuzzynoun1in horse racing, a horse that is seen as certain to win a raceUS , 1956.2in a deck of playing cards, the jokerUS , 1988
fuzzy-wuzzynoun1any black or dark-skinned native of a foreign land A soldier’s term, originally for a Sudanese warrior, widened to include all of Africa and islands such as Fiji Now offensive and disdainfulUK , 1892.2(during World War 2) a native of Papua New GuineaAUSTRALIA , 1942.3a dust ballUS , 1947
fuzzy-wuzzy angelnoun(during World War 2) a native of Papua New Guinea who gave assistance to Australian service personnel
AUSTRALIA , 1942
fwefennounthe vaginaTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
f-wordnoun1the word ‘fuck’ The intent is to specify one word, out
of thousands that begin with ‘f’, that the speaker will not useUS ,
1970.2fusion (of musical genres) In music such fusion is viewed with great trepidation, stressed here by its deliberate confusion with ‘fuck’UK , 2002
FYAused as Internet shorthand to mean ‘for your amusement’ US , 1997
FYIused in computer message shorthand to mean ‘for your
infor-mation’US , 1991
Trang 3Gnoun1one thousand dollars; one thousand pounds; one thousand
FromGRAND US , 1928.2a gram Used mainly in a drug contextUK ,
1997.3one grain (of a narcotic)US , 1966.4a generic manufactured
cigaretteUS , 1992.5a gang memberUS , 1990.6a close friendUS , 1989.
7a girlfriendUS , 1991.8a G-stringUS , 1992
g’adjectivegood, especially in g’day, g’night, g’morningUK , 1961
gaarnounthe buttocksTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1987
gabnoununimportant conversationUK , 1790
gabacho; gavachonouna white person Derogatory border Spanish
used in English conversation by Mexican-AmericansUS , 1950
gabalashverb(of quilting) to lash the quilt into the frame with big
stitches, so that the precise, tiny stitches of the quilting design
itself may be done The word may derive from blending the two
words ‘gab’ and ‘lash’, as the quilting sessions are also occasions
for talkCANADA , 1999
gabbernounany central nervous system stimulantUS , 1987
gabblegutsnouna talkative personAUSTRALIA , 1966
gabby benchnouna bench favoured by idle talkersBAHAMAS , 1982
gabbygutsnouna talkative personAUSTRALIA , 1969
Gabby Hayes hatnounthe field hat worn by US soldiers in
Vietnam Likened to the narrow brim and low crown of the hat
worn by the US western film star Gabby HayesUS , 1977
gabfestnouna group talk, usually about gossip or trivial mattersUS ,
1897
gabinsnounmoneyTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
Gabrielnicknamea prisoner who plays the chapel organUK , 1950
gabsnoun trousers made of gabardine (a twill-woven cloth) UK , 1955
gacknoun1cocaineUK , 1997.2a despised personUS , 1997
gackverbin poker, to fold holding a hand that would have won had
the player stayed in the gameUS , 1996
gack-blowingnounthe process of anally ingesting cocaineUK , 2002
gackedadjectivecocaine-intoxicatedUK , 2003
gack-nag; gak-nagnouna cocaine userUK , 2002
gack scabnouna crusting of damaged mucous membrane that
forms around the nostrils as the result of inhaling cocaine
CombinesGACK(cocaine) with conventional ‘scab’UK , 1999
gadnounin horse racing, the whip used by jockeysUS , 1976
gadaboutnouna Lada car Citizens’ band radio slangUK , 1981
Gadaffinounthe NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) In
Royal Air Force use; rhyming slang, based on the name of Lybian
leader Colonel Moammar el GadaffiUK , 2002
gad daigs!used for expressing surpriseBAHAMAS , 1982
gadgetnoun1used as a general term for any cheating device used
in a card gameUS , 1988.2in poker, any special rule applied to a
game using wild cardsUS , 1967.3a G-string or similar female article
of clothingUS , 1980.4a US Air Force cadetUS , 1944
gadgienoun1a man; an idiot or foolUK: SCOTLAND , 1985.2an old
man Urban youth slangUK , 2005
gaffnoun1a locationUK , 1999.2a place of residence; home; a shop
or other place of businessUK , 1932.3a prison cell A narrower sense
of ‘a place of residence’UK , 1996.4a fair or fairground; a place of
public amusement Circus usageUK , 1753.5a cheating deviceUS ,
1893.6a device used to hide the shape of a male transvestite’s
penisUS , 1973
gaffverb1to fix or rig a deviceUS , 1934.2to cheatUK , 1811.3to talk
gaffernoun1used as a form of address A loose variation of ‘gaffer’
as ‘boss’ or ‘old man’, usually showing respectUK: ENGLAND , 1748.
2an employer, a boss, a foremanUK , 1659.3a senior electrician in a film unitUS , 1969.4on the railways, a track crew supervisorUS , 1977.
5in motorcyle racing, a leader of a racing teamUS , 1965.6in circus and carnival usage, a managerUS , 1981
gafflenounin street gambling, a protocol under which the winner shares his winnings with other playersUS , 1997
gaffleverb1to stealUS , 1900.2to arrest; to catchUS , 1954.3to cheat,
to swindle, to defraudUS , 1998
gaffsnoundice that have been altered for cheatingUS , 1950
gaff shotnounin pool, an elaborate shot, especially an illegal one
US , 1985
gaffusnouna hypodermic syringe and needle, especially when improvisedUS , 1967
gafunoun a colossal mistake A ‘god almighty fuck-up’ NEW ZEALAND , 1998
gagnoun1a manner of doing something, a practiceUS , 1890.2in the television and film industries, a stuntUS , 1988.3any artifice employed by a beggar to elicit sympathyUS , 1962.4an event or activity contrived to provide amusement or excitementUK , 1996.
5an indefinite prison sentenceUS , 1958.6a small group of close friendsUS , 1994.7a quick use of cocaineUS , 1997.8in craps, a bet that the shooter will make his even-numbered point in pairsUS , 1950
gagverbto panic in the face of a great challengeUS , 1988
gagaadjective1infatuated, sillyUK , 1917.2mad, especially as a result
of senilityUK , 1920
gag-awfuladjectivehorribleUS , 1981
gagenoun1marijuana Also variants ‘gayge’ and ‘gages’US , 1934.
2alcohol, especially whiskyUS , 1932.< get a gage upto smoke a marijuana cigaretteUK , 1998
gage buttnouna marijuana fashioned cigaretteUS , 1938
gagedadjectivedrug-intoxicatedUS , 1932
gage out; gauge outverbto become, or be, sleepy as a result of marijuana intoxicationUK , 1996
gagers; gaggersnounmethcathinoneUS , 1998
gaggedadjectivedisgustedUS , 1968
gaggingadjectivedesperately craving something, such as a cigarette,
a drink or sexUK , 1997
gagging for a blaggingadjectiveused of banks, etc, that exhibit poor security A combination ofGAGGING(desperate for something) andBLAGGING(a robbery with violence)UK , 2001
gagglenouna formation of several military aircraft flying the same missionUS , 1942
gagglernoun1MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy
UK , 2003.2amphetaminesUK , 2003
gag me!; gag me with a spoon!used for expressing disgust A quintessential Valley Girl expression of disgustUS , 1982
gagsternouna comedianUK , 1935
Gainesburgernounin the military, canned beef patties Alluding to
a dog food product Vietnam war usageUS , 1983
Gainesville greennounmarijuana grown in or near Gainesville, FloridaUS , 1976
galnouna woman or a girl This gal is a woman with a chequered history: ‘Cockney for girl’, 1824, but then the pronunciation worked its way up the social ladder until, by about 1840, it was
Trang 4a ‘harlot’, and from about 1860, a ‘sweetheart’ as used by Albert
Chevalier in My Old Dutch, 1893 The current sense is recorded in
US jazz and jive circles from the 1930s By the turn of the
millennium, having passed through respectability once again, ‘gal’
was patronising or kitsch, and rarely found without ‘guys’UK , 1795
galacticadjectivegreat, wonderful, amazingUS , 1998
galahnouna fool From the name of an endemic Australian
cockatoo, commonly kept as a cage bird, and able to be coaxed
into antic behaviour The name of the bird comes from the
Australian Aboriginal language YuwaalaraayAUSTRALIA , 1938
galbanounthe penisTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
gal blocknouna section of a prison reserved for blatantly
homosex-ual prisonersUS , 1972
gal-boynounan effeminate young manUS , 1987
galfnouna girlfriend A reduction of ‘galfriend’US , 1979
Galilee stompersnounin homosexual usage, sandalsUS , 1987
gallnouneffrontery, impudenceUS , 1882
gallery 13nouna prison graveyardUS , 1982
gallery godnouna theatre-goer who sits in the uppermost balcony
US , 1947
gallonnouna container for liquid, without regard to the precise
volumeFIJI , 1993
gallopverb< gallop the lizard(of a male) to masturbate
AUSTRALIA , 1985
gallopernouna racehorseAUSTRALIA , 1960
gallopingadjectiveworseningUK , 1785
galloping bonesnoundiceUS , 1920
galloping dandruffnounbody liceUS , 1920
galloping dominoesnoundiceUS , 1918
galloping horsenounheroin An elaboration ofHORSE(heroin)US ,
1959
gallopsnounhorse racingAUSTRALIA , 1950
gallupnounheroin Building on theHORSEimageUK , 2002
gallus; gallowsadjectiveattractive, wonderful; self-confident,
quick-witted, brave, ostentatious, nonchalant; also used as an intensifier
A phonetic slurring of ‘gallows’, suggesting ‘fit for the gallows’ and
thus ‘wicked’ – a very early example of ‘bad’ means ‘good’ In the
US from the 1840s to 1940sUK , 1789
galoot; gallootnouna man, especially if hulking, stupid, boorish,
foolish, clumsy or otherwise objectionable Possibly from Dutch
gelubt (a eunuch) UK , 1818
gal palnoun1a woman’s female friendUS , 2001.2a female friend of
a male homosexualUS , 1977
gal tanknouna holding cell in a jail reserved for homosexual
prisonersUS , 1972
galvanisenounsheets of corrugated ironBARBADOS , 1965
galvonoungalvanised iron Iron corrugated sheets are a common
building material in rural AustraliaAUSTRALIA , 1945
gamnoun1the leg Originally applied to a crippled leg, later to a
woman’s legUK , 1785.2an act of oral sex Also variant ‘gambo’UK ,
1954
gamverb1to pretendIRELAND , 1989.2to boastUS , 1970.3to perform
oral sexUK , 1910
gamahuchenounan act of oral sex Possibly a combination of Scots
dialect words gam (gum, mouth) and roosh (rush), hence a
‘rushing into the mouth’; more likely from French gamahucher
which shares the same senseUK , 1865
gambagenounshowing offTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1940
Gamble and Procter; gamblenouna doctor Rhyming slang,
formed on a reversal of the pharmaceutical company Procter and
GambleUK , 1998
gambler’s bankroll; gambler’s rollnouna bankroll consisting of a
large-denomination note on the outside of a number of
small-gamenoun1an athlete’s style and abilityUS , 1997.2a person’s style, visual and oralUS , 1976.3a conventional attitude A counterculture concept that refuses to accept non-drop-out society as anything more than a game with unnecessary rulesUK , 1967.4a criminal activity; crime as a professionUK , 1739.5businessAUSTRALIA , 1877.
6an attempt to conUS , 1975.7sex appealUS , 1999.8an interest in the opposite sexUS , 2001.9a romantic or sexual relationship outside your primary relationship Synonymous withPLAY AROUND; also, ‘game’ has strong sexual overtones, as inON THE GAME (engaged in prostitution)UK , 1958.< give the game awayto cease doing something; to abandon; to give upAUSTRALIA , 1953.
< on the gameto be working as a prostituteUK , 1898.< out of the gamemarried, engaged or dating only one personUS , 2001.
< run a gameto fool, to swindleUS , 1940.< the gamethe business of prostitutionUK , 1898.< the Gamethe criminal life-styleUS , 1976
gameverb1to deceive, to mislead, to trickUS , 1963.2to flirt; to woo
US , 1988
game!used for expressing that enough is enoughUS , 1997
game as a pissantadjectivevery courageousAUSTRALIA , 1944
game facenounin sports, a serious expression and demeanour reflecting complete concentration on the competition at hand Now used outside of sports, extended to any serious situationUS , 1972
gamelessadjectiveunskilledUS , 1983
game of napnoun1a cap Rhyming slang, from the card gameUK ,
1976.2an act of defecation Rhyming slang forCRAP UK , 1992
game over!used for expressing that enough is enoughUS , 1997
gamernoun1a video game or role-playing game enthusiastUS , 1977.
2an athlete who can always be counted on for a gritty, all-out effortUS , 1977.3a person engaged in swindles and hustles as a way
of lifeUS , 1975
game refugenounany institution where traffic violators who are under pursuit are free from further pursuit once they pass the gatesUS , 1962
games and sports; gamesnounwarts Rhyming slangUK , 2003
gamey eyenouna tendency to flirtIRELAND , 1995
gamma delta iotanouna college student who is not a fraternity or sorority member; a notional fraternity or sorority comprised of students who don’t belong to fraternities or sororities A back-formation fromGDI(god damn independent)US , 2000
gammonnounone microgram The unit of measurement for LSD doses, even in the non-metric USUS , 1969
gammon rashernouna superlative thing Rhyming slang for
SMASHER UK , 1974
gammyadjective1inferior, of low quality As in ‘gammy gear’ (inferior goods)UK , 1979.2lameUK , 1879
gammy chantnouna bad situationIRELAND , 1997
gamooshnouna fellow, usually not referring to a winner in the zero-sum game of lifeUS , 1988
gamotnounheroin; morphineUK , 1998
gandernouna lookUS , 1914.< cop a ganderto look at someone or something, especially with discretionUS , 1950.< get your gander
upto become annoyed or angry A variation, probably by mis-hearing, ofDANDER UK , 2002
Gandhi’s flipflopnounused in similes as an example of extreme dryness Mahatma Gandhi, 1869–1948, wore sandalsUK , 1999
gandiesnoununderwearUS , 1970
G and Tnoungin and tonic InitialismUK , 1966
gandynounin Newfoundland, a pancakeCANADA , 1966
gandy dancernoun1a railway track worker Thought to be so called from the Gandy Manufacturing Company of Chicago, which made many of the tools used by the section gangsUS , 1918.2a road workerUS , 1976.3in trucking, a tractor trailer that weaves back and forth on the roadUS , 1971
gandy gang
Trang 5gangnoun1a work crew Still heard on occasion, but largely replaced
with the standard English ‘crew’US , 1989.2a person’s social group
From earlier conventional sensesUK , 1945.3a great manyUS , 1811.
4marijuanaBAHAMAS , 1982
gangverbto engage in serial, consecutive sex, homosexual or
het-erosexual, especially to engage in multiple rape A shortened form
ofGANGBANG UK , 1972
gangbangnoun1successive, serial copulation between a single
person and multiple partnersUS , 1945.2an orgy at which several
couples have sex.3a cluster of reporters descending on a public
figure with microphones, cameras, notepads and shouted
questions Sometimes shortened to ‘bang’ or the variant ‘major
bang’US , 2001.4a social gathering A humorously ironic use of the
orgiastic senseUK , 1977.5a group of friends talking together on
citizens’ band radioUS , 1977.6a television writing session involving
multiple writersUS , 1997.7the utilization of a large number of
computer programmers to create a product in a short period of
timeUS , 1991.8a fight between youth gangsUS , 1967
gangbangverb1to engage in successive, serial copulation with
mul-tiple partners Also in figurative useUS , 1949.2to be an active part
of a gang; to battle another gangUS , 1968
gangbangernouna youth gang memberUS , 1969
gangbusternouna zealous, energetic police official or prosecutor
who targets organised crimeUS , 1936
gangbustersnoun< like gangbustersaggressively, with forceUS ,
1940
gang cheatsnountwo or more people working as confederates in a
cheating schemeUS , 1988
gangenounmarijuana A shortening ofGANJA(marijuana)US , 1971
gang-fucknounan uncoordinated messUK , 1995
gang-fuckverbto engage in serial, consecutive sex, homosexual or
hetereosexualUS , 1916
gangienounSerial sex between one person and multiple, partners,
consensual or notNEW ZEALAND , 1971
gangplanknouna bridgeUS , 1976
gangplank fevernounin the military, a fear of transfer to an
assignment overseasUS , 1945
gang-shagnounsuccessive, serial copulation between a single
person and multiple partnersUS , 1927
gang-splashnounserial sex between one person and multiple
partners, heterosexual or homosexual, consensual or notAUSTRALIA ,
1971
gangstanouna young black member of a (criminal) gang A
deliberate respelling of ‘gangster’US , 1998
gangstaadjectivegood, exciting Hip-hopUS , 2002
gangsta-lettenouna female gang memberUS , 2001
gangstamuthafuckanouna gangster, especially one who is
con-sidered powerful An intensification ofGANGSTA UK , 1997
gangsta rap; g-rapnouna rap music genre characterised by explicit
sex and violence which, it is claimed, reflects black urban
exist-ence CombinesGANGSTAor ‘g’ (a black urban anti-hero) withRAP
(a musical style)US , 1992
gangsta rappernouna rap artist who reflects on the black urban
experience in an explicitly sexual and violent manner.GANGSTA RAP
has been an influential music genre since the late 1980sUS , 1990
gangsternoun1marijuana Promotes the outlaw self-image enjoyed
by smokers of the illegal substance; possibly playing onGANJA US ,
1960.2a cigaretteUS , 1972
gangster bitchnouna female who associates with youth gang
membersUS , 2001
gangster doorsnounany four-door sedanUS , 1980
gangster leannoun1a style of driving a car in which the driver
leans towards the right side of the car, leaning on an arm rest,
steering with the left hand; by extension, a slouching walk or
postureUS , 1973.2a car with hydraulic shock aborbers that are set
gangster pillnounany barbiturate or other central nervous system depressantUS , 1994
gangster whitewallsnounshowy, flashy, whitewalled tyresUS , 1972
gang-upnounserial sex between multiple active participants and a single passive oneUS , 1951
gangynouna close friend; a fellow member of a clique Hawaiian youth usageUS , 1982
ganjanoun1marijuana, notably from Jamaica Hindi word for
‘cannabis’, possibly derived fromBHANGand adopted around 1920
by ‘Anglo-Indian drug addicts’, by 1970 the UK Home Office ‘could ascribe it to West Indians’ Celebrated in song by, among many others, Clancy Eccles, ‘Ganja Free’, 1972 and Leslie Butler, ‘Ashanti Ganja Dub’, 1975 With many spelling variations including ‘ganj’,
‘ganjah’, ‘ganjuh’ and ‘ganga’JAMAICA , 1972.2the white establishmentUS , 2000
ganjaadjectivewhite-skinnedUS , 2000
ganknoun1marijuanaUS , 1989.2a substance sold as an illegal drug that is actually fakeUS , 1994
gankverb1to stealUS , 1996.2in Internet game-playing, to ‘kill’ a player, especially unfairly Also used as a nounUK , 2003
gankyadjectiveugly, repulsiveIRELAND , 2004
GAPnounthe Great American PublicUS , 1965
gapverbto watch, to witness a crimeUS , 1949.< gap itto make a quick exitSOUTH AFRICA , 2000.< gap your axeto annoyNEW ZEALAND , 1998
gapenouna completely relaxed, distended anus A term used by anal sex fetishists, especially on the InternetUS , 1999
gapeverbto idle, to wanderUS , 1966
gapernoun1a dolt An abbreviation ofGAPING ASSHOLE US , 1966.2a novice skier, or a non-skier watching others skiUS , 1990.3a mirror
US , 1931
gaper-block; gapers’ blocknouna traffic problem created by motorists slowing down to gawk at an accidentUS , 1961
gaping and flamingadjective(used of a party) wild, rowdy, funUS , 1968
gaping assholenouna doltUS , 1966
GAPOnoun used as an abbreviation of gorilla armpit odour US , 1967
gaposisnouna notional disease involving a gap of any kindUS , 1942
gap outverbto daydream and miss something for lack of attention
CANADA , 1993
gappernouna mirror Prisoner usage to describe a mirror used to watch for approaching guards as the prisoners do something which they ought not to doUS , 1934
gappingsnouna salaryUS , 1955
gap upverbto fill capsules with a powdered narcoticUS , 1971
garnoun1a black person An abbreiviation ofNIGGER US , 1962.
2marijuana rolled in cigar leaf US , 2001
garadjectiveexcellent, pleasingUS , 1993
garagenouna subset of a criminal organisationUS , 1975
garage actionnouna legal action for libel (usually against a newspaper) brought by the police on their own behalf The damages awarded are often substantial enough to buy a new garage for the police officer’s homeUK , 1998
garage bandnounan amateur rock group with a basic, three-chord approach to music From the custom of practising in the garage at the home of the parents of a band memberUS , 1977
garage man’s companionnouna truck manufactured by General Motors Corporation A back-formation from the initials GMCUS , 1971
garans!certainly Hawaiian youth usage; shortened from
‘guaranteed’US , 1981
garbagenoun1anything of poor quality or little or no worth; nonsense From the sense as ‘refuse’UK , 1592.2heroin; low quality heroinUS , 1962.3farm produceUS , 1976.4any and all food, usually
Trang 6dietUS , 1984.5cocktail garnishesUS , 1998.6in hot rodding, a surfeit
of accessories unrelated to the car’s performanceUS , 1960.7in
poker, the cards that have been discardedUS , 1967
garbage bargenouna tuna fish sandwichUS , 1985
garbage downverbto eat quicklyUS , 1959
garbage dumpnounthe California State Prison at San QuentinUS ,
1992
garbage gutsnouna gluttonAUSTRALIA , 1977
garbage haulernouna truck driver hauling fruit or vegetablesUS ,
1971
garbage headnounan addict who will use any substance available
A term used in twelve-step recovery programmes such as
Alcoholics AnonymousUS , 1970
garbage in – garbage outa catchphrase employed as an
admonition to computer users: if you program mistakes into a
computer then an output of rubbish will surely resultUS , 1976
garbage mouthnouna person who regularly uses profanityUS , 1970
garbage rocknouncrack cocaine, especially of inferior qualityUK ,
1998
garbage shotnounin pool, a shot made with luck, not with skillUS ,
1979
garbage standnounin circus and carnival usage, a novelty
concessionUS , 1981
garbage timenounthe minutes at the end of an athletic contest
when the outcome is not in doubt and substitute players are used
freely by either or both teams; games at the end of a season when
a team’s record is such that a win or loss will not make a
differ-ence and substitute players are freely usedUS , 1971
garbage upverb1to eatUS , 1955.2in bodybuilding, to eat food that
is not in your regular dietUS , 1984
garbage wagonnouna standard Harley-Davidson motorcyle The
term came from those who stripped the Harley of all the ‘garbage’
they didn’t want, keeping only the functional necessitiesUS , 1966
garbanzosnounthe female breastsUS , 1982
garbonoun1a rubbish collectorAUSTRALIA , 1953.2a rubbish bin
AUSTRALIA , 1987
garbologistnouna rubbish collectorAUSTRALIA , 1973
garburatornouna garbage disposal unit mounted in the sink
CANADA , 1998
gardennoun1a woman’s pubic hairUS , 1982.2a railway yardUS , 1946
Gardena miraclenounin a game of poker, a good hand drawn after
a poor dealt hand Gardena is a city near Los Angeles where poker
rooms are legalUS , 1982
gardenernoun1a bookmaker who extends his prices beyond his
competitorsAUSTRALIA , 1989.2in pool, a betting player who winsUS ,
1990
garden gatenoun1eight pounds, £8UK , 1992.2a magistrate
Rhyming slangUK , 1859
garden gateverbto perform oral sex on a woman Rhyming slang
forPLATE(to engage oral sex)UK , 2002
garden gnomenouna comb Rhyming slangUK , 1992
garden plant; gardennounan aunt Rhyming slangUK , 1992
garden punknouna male homosexualBAHAMAS , 1982
garden toolnouna promiscuous girl or woman Alluding, of course,
to a ‘hoe’US , 1990
Gareth Gateverbto masturbate Rhyming slang, inspired by the
name of pop singer Gareth Gates (b.1984) who came to fame in
2002UK , 2003
Gareth Huntnounan unpleasant or despicable person Rhyming
slang, formed on the name of a well known London-born actor
(1943–2007)UK , 2003
garglenounalcoholic drinkAUSTRALIA , 1965
garknouna scratchNEW ZEALAND , 1998
garlo
garmnounclothing; an item of clothing An abbreviation of
‘garment’; current in the black communityUK , 1997
garmed upadjectivefashionably or smartly dressedUK , 1997
gar-mouthverbto issue threats which cannot and will not be implemented In honour of the ‘gar’, a fish of the pike family with long jaws – a big mouthUS , 1984
garmsnounclothes From conventional garmentsUK , 2006
garn!go on!AUSTRALIA , 1911
garnishnouncashUS , 2003
garnotnounheroinUK , 2002
Garrison finishnounin horse racing, a sprinting finish by a horse that has lagged back until the final momentUS , 1890
garrityadjectivemadly over-excited Presumably after someone who exhibited such characteristics; possibly Freddie Garrity (b.1940), prancing and dancing lead singer of Freddie & The Dreamers, a 1960s pop group from ManchesterUK , 1999
Gary Ablettnouna tablet, especially of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy Rhyming slang, ironically based on Australian Rules Football player Gary Ablett whose career was marred by a controversial involvement with drink and drugs The etymology is confused by Liverpool FC player Gary AblettAUSTRALIA , 1992
Gary Coopernounin craps, a roll of 12 From Cooper’s starring role
in the western film High Noon US , 1983
Gary Glitternounthe anus; a lavatory Rhyming slang forSHITTER The original 1980s use for entertainer Gary Glitter (Paul Francis Gadd b.1944), as inspiration for a rhyming slang term was as
‘bitter’ (beer), however in the mid-90s allegations of under-age sex changed the public’s perception and Gary Glitter became an
ARSEHOLEor was associated with toilets In 2006 he was found guilty in Vietnam of charges concerning under-age sex Unlike much rhyming slang this is generally used in full, if only to avoid confusion withGARY LINEKER(vinegar)UK , 2001
Gary Linekernounvinegar Imprecise rhyming slang, based on the name of Gary Lineker (b.1960), a popular footballer and television personality Walkers Crisps, whose advertising he is closely associ-ated with, introduced a ‘Salt and Lineker’ flavour after this slang term was in circulationUK , 1998
Gary Player; Garynoun an ‘all-dayer’ event Rhyming slang, based
on the name of South African golfer Gary Player (b.1936)UK , 2002
gasnoun1a pleasing and/or amusing experience or situation A jazz term that slipped into mainstream youth slangUS , 1953.2anabolic steroids The term drew national attention in the US on 14th July
1994, when Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) testified in criminal proceedings against wrestling promoter Vince McMahon in Uniondale, New York Asked if he had heard any slang for steroids, Bollea/Hogan answered ‘Juice Gas’US , 1994.3batteries From the radio asCARmetaphorUS , 2002.4moneySOUTH AFRICA , 1977.5in pool, momentum or forceUS , 1993.< cut the gasto stop talking
US , 1951.< take gasto be knocked from a surfboard by a wave;
to fall from a skateboardUS , 1963.< take the gasto lose your composureUS , 1961
gasverb1to talk idly; to chatter The ‘gas’ is hot airUS , 1847.2to tease, to joke, to kidUS , 1847.3to please, to exciteUS , 1941.4to inhale glue or any volatile solvent for the intoxicating effectUS ,
1970.5to straighten (hair) with chemicals and heatUS , 1953
gasbagnouna very talkative individual, a boaster, a person of too many wordsUS , 1862
gas-cookerverbto catch out; to put in a difficult position; to trick
or delude Glasgow rhyming slang forSNOOKER UK: SCOTLAND , 1988
gaseechnouna faceUK , 1992
gas ’em stopnouna petrol stationUS , 1976
gas factornoun(among Canadian forces personnel) a measure of a
person’s commitment to a project The initials represent ‘give a shit’ CANADA , 1995
gas gunnouna large-bore shotgun loaded with tear-gas cannisters
Trang 7gas-guzzlernouna motor vehicle that demands immoderate
quan-tities of fuel, either by design or in consequence of a driver’s
excessive demandsUS , 1973
gashnoun1the vagina; sex with a woman; a woman as a sex object
US , 1866.2a male homosexual who is sexually passiveUS , 1950.
3rubbish, refuse A British contribution to South Pole slang
ANTARCTICA , 1958.4a second helping of foodAUSTRALIA , 1943.
5marijuanaUS , 1986
gashverbto have sexUS , 1989
gashadjectiveuseless, of poor qualityUK , 1997
gas-headnoun1an abuser of industrial solvents for their
psychoactive effectsUK , 1996.2a person with chemically
straightened hairUS , 1968
gash houndnouna man who is obsessed with womenUS , 1955
gasketnoun1any improvised seal between the end of a dropper
and the hub of a needleUS , 1970.2a doughnutUS , 1942
gasket jint; gasketnouna pint, especially of beer Glasgow rhyming
slang, formed on the local pronunciation of ‘joint’UK: SCOTLAND ,
1988
gasoline!in oil drilling, used as a shouted warning that a boss is
approachingUS , 1954
gasoline alleynounin motor racing, the area at the race track
where race teams repair and prepare cars for the raceUS , 1965
gasp and grunt; gruntnounthe vagina; a woman or women
sexually objectified Rhyming slang forCUNT UK , 1961
gas-passernounan anaesthetistUS , 1961
gaspernoun1a cigarette Descriptive of the respiratory effect of
tobacco-smoking Originally military slang for an inferior cigarette,
popularised in World War 1, in wider usage by 1930UK , 1914.2a
marijuana cigarette From the earlier sense (cigarette)US , 1984.
3something that is astonishingUS , 1970.4in typography, an
exclamation mark (!)UK , 2003
Gaspersnicknamethe Asper family of Winnipeg, Manitoba, socially,
culturally and politically prominentCANADA , 2002
gasper sticknouna marijuana cigaretteUK , 1998
Gaspe steaknounfried bolognaCANADA , 1998
gas pump jocknounin the days before self-service, a petrol station
attendantUS , 1986
gas queennouna male homosexual who patronizes young male
prostitutes working on the streetUS , 1997
gassedadjective1tipsy, drunk World War 1 military use from the
stupefying effects of gas; then, its origins soon forgotten, just
another synonym for ‘drunk’US , 1919.2describes a drug that is
considered to be terrific or very enjoyable, used especially of
marijuana,US , 1946
gassernoun1something wonderful, very exceptional; extraordinarily
successfulUS , 1944.2a cigarette Partidge suggests ‘perhaps a
slovening of the synonymGASPER’; a darker etymology reflecting
the cough-inducing and life-shortening properties of tobacco is
also possibleAUSTRALIA , 1984.3an anaesthetist Medical slang Often
teamed with surgeons as ‘gassers andSLASHERS’UK , 2002.4in drag
racing, a car that only uses petrol for fuelUS , 1965.5in oil drilling, a
well that produces no oilUS , 1954
gassyadjectiveexcellent, pleasant, humorousUS , 1962
Gastownnounnow a section of downtown Vancouver, named after
a Victorian-era saloonkeeperCANADA , 1952
gastronoungastroenteritisAUSTRALIA , 1975
gatnoun1a gun, especially a pistol; in the Royal Air Force, a rifleUS ,
1897.2the anus From Afrikaans (a hole)SOUTH AFRICA , 1968
gatverbto shootUS , 1990
gat-creepernouna sycophant FromGAT(the anus), and kruiper
(creeper)SOUTH AFRICA , 1985
gatenoun1a jazz musician; hence a fashionable man A pun on
‘swinging’ (swing gate, abbreviated fromGATOR US , 1936.2used as a
.
3a young personUS , 1936.4release from prisonUS , 1966.5a vein into which a drug is injectedUS , 1986.6the mouthUS , 1936
gateverbin private dice games, to stop the dice while rolling, either
as a superstition or to check for cheatingUS , 1963
-gatesuffixused as an embellishment of a noun or name to suggest
a far-reaching political scandal From the Watergate scandal that consumed and ultimately destroyed the Nixon presidency between
1972 (the burglary) and 1974 (the resignation from office)US , 1973
gate-crashverbto achieve entrance to a place, or an event such as
a party, without proper credentials or an invitationUS , 1922
gate-crashernouna person who achieves entrance to a place, or an event such as a party, without proper credentials or an invitation
US , 1927
gate-crashingnounthe act of achieving entrance to a place, or an event such as a party, without proper credentials or an invitation
US , 1927
gate fevernounthe anxiety suffered by prisoners as they approach their release dateUK , 1958
gate happyadjective(of prisoners) exuberant or excited at the approach of a release dateUK , 1996
gate jawnounin trucking, a driver who monopolises conversation
on the citizens’ band radioUS , 1976
gatekeepernouna person who introduces another to a first LSD experienceUS , 1967
gate moneynounthe cash given to a prisoner upon release from prisonUS , 1931
gatemouthnouna gossipUS , 1944
Gatemouthnicknamejazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong (1901–1971)
US , 1936
gatesnoun1used as a term of address, male-to-male, usually collegialUS , 1936.2marijuanaUS , 1966.3a houseBERMUDA , 1985
Gatesheadnoun< get out at Gatesheadduring sex, to withdraw
the penis from the vagina just before ejaculation, to practise coitus interruptus UK , 1970
gates of Romenounhome Rhyming slangUK , 1960
gate to heaven; jade gatenounthe vagina Notable for what seems to be the first slang uses of ‘gate’ as ‘vagina’ – not for the sub-‘Perfumed Garden’-style of metaphorical imageryUS , 2001
Gateway to the SouthnounBalham, a district in South London
An ironic title, coined in the early 1960s for a satirical ‘travelogue’
‘Balham – Gateway to the South’ written by Frank Muir and performed by Peter SellersUK , 1977
gateyadjectiveof prisoners, suffering anxiety as the date of release from prison approaches UK , 1959
gathernouna police officerUK , 1999
gatherverbto arrest Usually as the passive ‘be gathered’AUSTRALIA , 1975
Gatnicknoun London Gatwick airport A pun onNICK(to steal), based on the reputation of the baggage handlersUK , 1999
gatonoun heroin Spanish gato (a cat) US , 1980
gatornoun1an alligatorUS , 1844.2an all-purpose male form of address Originally a Negro abbreviation of ‘alligator’; in the 1930s
it was adopted intoJIVE(black/jazz slang) as an equivalent ofCAT(a
man); gato is a ‘male cat’ in Spanish Eventually rock ’n’ roll
spread the word and it died outUS , 1944.3a swing jazz enthusiast
An abbreviation ofALLIGATOR US , 1944
GatornicknameRon Guidry (b.1950), one of the best pitchers to ever play for the New York Yankees (1975–88) Guidry came from Louisiana, a state with swamps that are home to alligatorsUS , 1978
gator boy; gator girlnouna member of the Seminole Indian tribe
US , 1963
gator gripnounin television and film-making, a clamp used to attach lights An abbreviation of ‘alligator grip’, from the resemblance to an alligator’s jawsUS , 1987
gatted