Rhyming slang, formed from Glasgow Rangers football club; recorded as an underworld termUK , 1992 glassnoun1amphetamine powder; methamphetamine powderUK , 1998.2heroinUK , 2003.3a hypode
Trang 1ginkyadjectiveout of styleUS , 1969
gin millnouna bar The term has shed most of its unsavoury
connotations of the past and is now generally jocularUS , 1866
ginnedadjectivedrunkUS , 1900
ginny barnnouna prison for females or a section of a prison
reserved for femalesUS , 1967
ginolaadjectivesupremely attractive A tribute to the good-looking
French footballer David Ginola (b.1967); recorded in use in
contemporary gay societyUK , 2003
ginormousadjective very large Pronounced ‘jye-normous’ UK , 1962
gin’s pissnounpoor quality or weak beer From ‘gin’ meaning ‘a
female Australian Aboriginal’; from the extinct Australian
Aboriginal language Dharug (Sydney region)AUSTRALIA , 1972
ginzonounan Italian-American or Italian Offensive Probably a
derivative ofGUINEA US , 1931
Giorgio Armani; giorgionouna sandwich Rhyming slang for
‘sarnie’, formed from the name of the Italian fashion designer
(b.1934)UK , 1998
gip-gipnounused for mocking another’s laughterTRINIDAD AND
TOBAGO , 1997
gipsy’s gingernounhuman excrement found out of doors From a
characteristic colour of excrement combined with a denigratory
stereotype of gipsy lifeUK , 1984
gipsy’s kiss; gipsey’snounan act of urination Rhyming slang for
PISS UK , 1979
gipsy’s warning; gipsy’snoun1a sinister warning, a final warning,
a warning of immediate reprisal Negative stereotypingUK , 1918.
2morning Rhyming slangUK , 1960
giraffenoun a half ounce, especially of drugs Rhyming slang UK , 2003
girdlenoun1a waistband Recorded in use in contemporary gay
societyUK , 2003.2an over-the-shoulder car seat beltUS , 1962.3in
motor racing, the main support for the engineUS , 1993
girlnoun1cocaineUS , 1953.2crack cocaineUK , 2003.3heroinUS , 1981.
4a lesbian A term used by lesbiansUS , 1995.5a homosexual male,
especially an effeminate oneUS , 1912.6(especially in sporting
contexts) an effeminate maleAUSTRALIA , 1986.7in a deck of playing
cards, a queenUS , 1967
girl and boynouna toy Rhyming slangUK , 1992
girl-debnouna girl who spends time with a boy’s youth gang,
whether or not she is a gang member’s girlfriendUS , 1967
girlfnouna girlfriendUK , 2003
Girl Fridaynouna young woman who is very useful to have about
the place as an assistant From Defoe’s tale of Robinson Crusoe
and his Man FridayUS , 1940
girlfriendnoun1a male homosexual’s lover or friendUS , 1965.2used
as an affectionate term of address for a friend or acquaintanceUS ,
1997.3cocaine An elaboration ofGIRL(cocaine)US , 1979
girl-girlnouna scene in a pornographic film, or an entire
pornographic film, involving two womenUS , 2000
girl-girladjectivein pornography, involving two womenUS , 1973
girlienouna young woman Patronising and derisiveUK , 1860
girlieadjectivemildly pornographic, featuring naked women but not
sexual activity Mainly in use from the mid-1950sUS , 1921
girlie barnouna drinking place at which ‘hostesses’ are availableUS ,
1971
girlie filmnouna film featuring naked women but no sexual activity
US , 1973
girlie magazinenouna commercial publication that features many
pictures of naked women The sex industry sells ‘girlies’ not
‘women’CANADA , 1920
girlsnouna woman’s breasts From the television situation comedy
Anything but Love (1989–92), in which the character played by
Jamie Lee Curtis proudly nicknamed her breasts ‘the girls’US , 2001
girls and boysnounnoise Rhyming slangUK , 1992
girl’s blouse
girls in bluenounfemale police officersAUSTRALIA , 1998
girls’ schoolnouna reformatory for female juvenile offendersUS , 1982
girl’s weeknounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS , 2001
girl thingnoun1a problem or subject best understood by females
US , 1992.2the various hygiene steps taken by a female pornography performer before a sex scene Also called ‘girl stuff’US , 1995
girly-girlnoun1a stereotypically feminine femaleUS , 1991.2a female friendUS , 1997.3a tamponUS , 1999
gironoun1a fraud perpetrated on the social security system whereby a Giro cheque benefits payment is signed and cashed by someone other than, but with the connivance of, the intended payee who then reports the cheque as lost and waits for a dupli-cate paymentUK , 1996.2a social security/benefits cheque An abbreviation of ‘Giro cheque’UK , 1981
GI’s; GI shitsnoundiarrhoeaUS , 1944
GI showernouna military hazing or punishment in which a group
of soldiers forcibly clean a dirty peer with wire brushesUS , 1956
gism potnounthe vaginaUK , 2001
git; getnounan objectionable individual; an idiot ‘Get’ was conven-tional English from the C14 to C18, meaning ‘a child’, ‘one of his get’ (one of his begetting); hence a useful synonym forBASTARD Usuage is now mainly in northwest England ‘Git’ is a mispronunciationUK , 1940
gitboxnouna guitarUS , 1937
gitenouna bed and breakfast In Quebec, even anglophones know and use ‘gite’, but it is often accompanied by ‘bed and breakfast’
so tourists from the US are not confused: Le Gite Park Ave., Bed and Breakfast Au Gite Olympique is located on a major street in MontrealCANADA , 2002
git-facedadjectivehaving an objectionable countenanceUK , 2000
git-fiddlenouna guitar A decidedly rural termUS , 1935
Gitmonicknamethe US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, CubaUS , 1959
G-Ivannouna Russian enlisted soldierUS , 1946
givenouninside informationUK , 1980
giveverb1to tell a secret Mainly imperativeUK , 1956.2to consent to have sexUS , 1935.3to have sex with a womanUK , 1970 < give a fuckto care, to be concerned Often in the negativeUS , 2001.
< give good X; give great Xto be notable for the noun that follows On the original model ofGIVE HEAD(to perform oral sex)
US , 1971 < give her tarpaperto work very hard Used in Michigan’s Upper PeninsulaUS , 2003 < give it1to behave in the manner of whatever noun or adjective followsUK , 1999.2either by speech or action, to make your attitude to someone or something obviousUK , 1996 < give it all thatto brag, to show offUK , 1977.
< give it awayto engage in sex without pay; to engage in sex promiscuouslyUS , 1945 < give it someto put a great deal of effort into something Possibly abbreviated from ‘give it some wellie’UK , 2001 < give it the nifty fifty(used of a male) to masturbateUS , 1983 < give it the offto go, to leaveUK , 1997.
< give it toto copulate withUS , 1992 < give it upto applaud Often as an imperative to an audienceUS , 1990 < give Jack his jacketto give credit where credit is dueBARBADOS , 1975 < give laugh for pea soupto bring gossip or interesting news when you visit, hoping for a meal in exchangeJAMAICA , 1977 < give leatherto thrust forcefully while having sexTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ,
2003 < give me a break; gimme a breakused as an expression
of dismay at that which has just been said Ubiquitous in the 1990sUS , 1993 < give skinto slap hands in greetingUS , 1964.
< give someone hellto deal with someone in a harsh or severe mannerUK , 1851 < give someone oneto have sex with someoneUK , 1974 < give someone the redsto anger Teen slangUS , 1951 < give someone their hatto release from prison
US , 1976 < give the officeto signal or give informationUK , 1804.
< give the skinsto have sex with someoneUS , 1990 < give two fucksto care, to be concerned An elaboration ofGIVE A FUCK, and usually in the negativeUS , 1974 < give up as a bad jobto abandon something that has no prospect of successUK , 1862.
< give what forto beat, to thrash, to scold Derives, apparently,
Trang 2asked ‘What for?’ and received the formulaic answer ‘I’ll give you
what for’UK , 1873 < give wingsto inject someone else with
heroin or to teach them to inject themselvesUS , 1968 < give
your right ball/testicle forto give everything forAUSTRALIA , 1988
give-and-getnouna bet Rhyming slangUK , 1998
give-and-takenouna cake Rhyming slang.UK , 1960
give-a-shit lobenounthe frontal lobe of the brain If shot in the
frontal lobe, the patient rarely cares about anythingUS , 1990
give-awaynouna revelation or betrayal, either deliberate or
inadvertentUS , 1882
give awayverbto cease doing something; to give upAUSTRALIA , 1944
give over!stop it!UK , 1984
giznounthe vaginaUS , 1975
giz!give me; give us A slurring of ‘give us’, where ‘us’ is often used
for ‘me’UK , 1999
gizmoverbto outfit with a deviceUS , 1977
gizmo; gismonouna gadget, device or contraption, the exact name
of which is forgotten by, or unimportant to, the speakerUS , 1942
gizzverbto gazeUK , 1975
gizza; gissaused for making a demand Phonetic compound of
‘give us [me] a’ ‘Gizza job’ became a catchphrase in the
mass-unemployment circumstances of the early 1980sUK , 1982
gizzardnoun250 or 300 dollars An allusion to a ‘monkey’ ($500),
with the gizzard being the guts of the monkeyAUSTRALIA , 1989
gizzitnouna looted item Short for ‘give us it’; used by the military
in the 1982 Falklands warUK , 1982
gizzutsnounguts, courageUS , 1993
GJnoun grand jury US , 1997
G-jointnoun1a federal penitentiaryUS , 1992.2a crooked carnival
game ‘G’ is for ‘gaffed’ (rigged)US , 1946
GLAnoun a car theft; grand larceny automobile US , 1973
glacinesnounheroin Possibly a misspelling of ‘glassine’, a material
used to make bags in which the drug may be suppliedUK , 1998
glacionouna glaciologistUK , 1985
gladnoun a gladiolus; a cut gladiolus flower AUSTRALIA , 1968
glad bagnoun1a body bag, used to cover corpses Coined in
Vietnam; still in use in the Gulf war and afterUS , 1983.2a condom
UK , 1998
gladdy; gladdienoun a gladiolus; a cut gladiolus flower AUSTRALIA ,
1947
glad eyenouna come-hither lookUS , 1903
glad handnoun1a welcome, rousing if not always sincereUS , 1873.
2on the railways, the metal air hose coupling between carriages
The interlocking connectors vaguely resemble hands clasped in a
handshakeUS , 1975
glad-handverbto greet with profuse, if insincere, enthusiasm Often
found in the context of politiciansUS , 1895
glad-handingadjectiveinsincere and falseUS , 1992
gladiator schoolnouna violent prisonUS , 1981
glad ladnounan attractive maleUS , 1945
glad-onnounan erection A happy variation ofHARD-ON(an erection)
UK , 2001
glad plaidnouna bright plaid pattern Mexican-American youth
(Pachuco) usage in the American southwestUS , 1947
glad ragnouna piece of cloth saturated with glue or an industrial
solvent, used for recreational inhalingUS , 1971
glad ragsnounyour best clothesUS , 1899
glad stuffnounany hard drug; cocaine, heroin, morphine, opium
US , 1953
glad we could get togetherused as a humorous farewell A
catchphrase television sign-off by John Cameron Swayze on NBC
glaiketadjectivefoolish; having a foolish appearance From an earlier sense as ‘inattentive to duty’UK , 1985
glamnounglamourUS , 1937
glamadjective1glamorousUK , 1964.2flamboyant, especially in dress and appearanceUS , 1993
glam; glam upverbto dress more smartlyUK , 1937
glamazonnouna beautiful, well-muscled woman A compound of
‘glamour’ and ‘Amazon’, 2001
glammed-upadjectivedressed or presented in a glamorous manner
UK , 1924
glamottlenouna 13 ounce bottle of Budweiser™ beer Budweiser advertised that it was a ‘glass that holds more than a bottle’, which is corrupted hereUS , 1948
glamournouna sexually attractive femaleAUSTRALIA , 1983
glamour boynouna US Air Force flierUS , 1946
Glamour-don’tnouna huge fashion mistake From a fashion ‘do’s
and don’ts’ column in Glamour Magazine CANADA , 1993
glamour groovienouna fashion-conscious personUS , 1947
glamour-pussnouna sexually attractive person, especially one who has enhanced a natural beauty with artificial glamourUS , 1941
G-landnounGrajagan, Indonesia A surfing destinationUS , 1991
glare glasses; glaresnounsunglassesINDIA , 1979
glarkverbto decipher a meaning from contextUS , 1991
Glasgow grin; Glesga grinnouna slash or slash-scar on the face
UK: SCOTLAND , 1988
Glasgow kiss; Glesga kissnouna head butt to your opponent’s faceUK , 1988
Glasgow nod; Glesga nodnouna head butt to your opponent’s faceUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
Glasgow Ranger; glasgownouna stranger Rhyming slang, formed from Glasgow Rangers football club; recorded as an underworld termUK , 1992
glassnoun1amphetamine powder; methamphetamine powderUK ,
1998.2heroinUK , 2003.3a hypodermic syringeUS , 1942.4a shop windowUS , 1973.5a five ounce glass of beerAUSTRALIA , 1972.6a smooth water surfaceUS , 1979.7a diamondUS , 1918.8in drag racing and hot rodding, fibreglass, used to reduce weightUS , 1968 8see:
GLASS OF WATER
glassverb1to attack someone’s face using a glass or bottle as a weaponUK , 1936.2in hot rodding, to repair a car body with lead compound, or fibreglassUS , 1960
glassbottlenounpieces of broken glass set into the top of a wall
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1920
glass ceilingnouna notional barrier to personal advancement, especially in the employment prospects of a woman, a disabled person or anyone from an ethnic minority ‘You can’t see it but you know it’s there’ – or ‘the sky’s the limit’US , 1984
glass chandeliernounhomosexual; a homosexual Rhyming slang forQUEER UK , 2003
glass chequenouna bottle with a deposit on itUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
glass chinnouna window built in the area immediately below and slightly behind the nose of a bomberUS , 1988
glass dicknouna pipe used to smoke crack cocaineUS , 1995
glass dietnounan addiction to crack cocaineUS , 1997
glass gunnouna hypodermic syringe and needleUS , 1949
glass housenoun1a guard room, detention barracks or military prison From the glass-roofed North Camp military prison in AldershotUK , 1931.2in prison, a detention cell or cellsUK , 1996.3in surfing, a smooth ride inside the hollow of a waveUS , 1987
Glass Housenicknamethe Parker Center police headquarters in Los AngelesUS , 1963
glassienouna clear glass marbleAUSTRALIA , 1934
glass itchnounirritation of the skin by fibreglass dust Surfing usage
Trang 3glass jawnouna weak jaw in the context of boxing or fightingUS ,
1955
glass of beernounthe ear Rhyming slangUK , 1961
glass of plonknounthe nose Rhyming slang forCONK UK , 1992
glass of water; glassnouna quarter of an ounce (seven grams) of
cocaine Rhyming slang forQUARTER UK , 2002
glass packnounin hot rodding, a muffler that has been stuffed
with fibreglass, increasing the roar of the engineUS , 1960
glass worknounin poker, the use of a small mirror or other
refective surface to cheatUS , 1968
glassyadjective(used of an ocean condition) smooth, not choppyUS ,
1963
Glastonoun the Glastonbury Festival; to a lesser extent, the town of
Glastonbury The festival began in 1970 when it was known as The
Glastonbury Fayre The earliest references to the event as ‘Glasto’
seem to be late 1990sUK , 2003
glazeverbto daydreamNEW ZEALAND , 1998
glazedadjectivedrunkUS , 1972
glazey doughnutnounthe residue of vaginal secretions ringing a
cunnilinguist’s mouthUK , 2002
gleamverb< gleam the tube(of a female) to masturbateUS , 2001
gleamernounany reflective surface used by the dealer for cheating
in a card gameUS , 1969
gleamingadjectiveexcellentUS , 1997
gleeknounin poker, three of a kindUS , 1967
gleesome threesomenoungroup sex with three participants
AUSTRALIA , 1971
Glen Hoddle; Glennounan objective achieved with ease; in sport,
and easy win or simple victory Rhyming slang for ‘doddle’, based
on the name of footballer and former England coach Glen Hoddle
UK , 2002
glide timenouna flexible work scheduleNEW ZEALAND , 1977
glimnoun1a lightUK , 1676.2the eyeUK , 1789.3a railway lanternUS ,
1946
glimverbto seeUS , 1912
glimmernoun1a lightUK , 1566.2any reflective surface used by a
dealer to cheat in a game of cardsUS , 1962
Glimmer Mannicknamea man appointed by the Gas Company
during World War 2 to inspect homes for any contravention of the
rationing of gasIRELAND , 1968
glimmersnounthe eyes or eyeglassesUK , 1814
glimmer twinsnicknameMick Jagger and Keith Richard of The
Rolling Stones A self-given nickname, apparently – according to
Keith Richard – in response to the question ‘Who ARE you?
What’s it all about? Come on, give us a clue Just give us a
glimmer’UK , 1968
glimpverbto peer, to peep Military; an abbreviation of ‘glimpse’ (to
see briefly)UK , 1987
gliss aroundverbto make small talkUS , 1947
glitchnouna malfunction From the Yiddish for ‘slip’US , 1962
glitchingnouna temporary or intermittent loss of control (of a
radio-controlled aircraft) when interference from another signal
occursUK , 1979
glitternounsaltUS , 1981
glitter fairynouna style-conscious, effeminate homosexual man
Usually derogatoryUS , 1978
glittergalnounin circus and carnival usage, a female performerUS ,
1960
glitter gulchnoundowntown Las Vegas, NevadaUS , 1953
glitznounsuperficial glamour, especially as applied in show-business
US , 1977
glitzyadjectiveostentatious, gaudy, especially with a sense of tawdry
show-business glamour; often applied to something that glittersUS ,
GLMnoun (in doctors’ shorthand) good looking mum Medical slang
UK , 2003
glonouncrack cocaineUS , 1994
globnounexpectorated sputumUS , 1989
globbernounan expectorationUS , 1988
globesnounthe female breastsUS , 1889
globetrotternouna heroin addict who contacts many heroin dealers in search of the best heroinUS , 1970
globulenouna contemptible personUK , 1988
glomverb1to steal, to snatch, to grab Scots dialect glam, glaum, (to
clutch or grasp)US , 1897.2to attach to, to seize upon, to grab hold
of for oneselfUS , 1972.3to eat hastilyUS , 1990
gloom notenounin college, a notification of academic deficiency
US , 1968
glopverb1to drink noisily; to drink quickly; to slurp Derives from
‘glop’ (a viscous liquid), or from a mispronunciation of ‘gulp’UK ,
1987.2to pour or apply with gustoUS , 1992
glopheadnouna habitual drunk CombinesGLOP(to drink) with
-HEAD(a user)UK , 1987
gloppernounsomeone who is unfashionably dressed Used among foot-propelled scooter-ridersUK , 2000
Gloria Gaynorsnountrainers Rhyming slang, formed from the name of soul singer Gloria Gaynor (b.1949).UK , 1998
Gloria Soamesnounglorious homesAUSTRALIA , 1965
glorynounon the railways, an accidental deathUS , 1946 < get the glorywhile in prison, to become religious – a state of being that may well outlast the prison sentenceUK , 1950
glory benountea (the beverage or the meal) Rhyming slangUK , 1998
glory be!used as an expression of delight or astonishment Shortened from ‘Glory be to God!’ but often having to do without God in spirit as well as wordUK , 1893
glory cardnouna licence from the Federal Communications Commission to operate a citizens’ band radioUS , 1976
glory fitnounan exhibition of religious emotional frenzyCANADA , 1946
glory holenoun1a hole between private video booths in a pornography arcade or between stalls in a public toilets, designed for anonymous sex between menUS , 1949.2any unpleasant place
or situationNEW ZEALAND , 1951.3any room or cupboard where oddments are storedUK , 1984.4the officer’s sleeping quarters on a navy shipUS , 1889.5a clear spot in an otherwise cloudy sky through which a fighter aircraft can reach its targetUS , 1991
glory hournounthe hour between noon and 1 pm on Sundays, the only hour of the day when drinking is permitted in pubsFALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS) , 1982
glory seedsnounseeds of the morning glory plant, eaten for their psychoactive propertiesUS , 1992
glory wagonnouna brakevan (caboose)US , 1977
glossnouna shineUS , 1969
glossynoun1a photographUS , 1931.2a ‘glossy’ magazineUS , 1945
glovenouna condom Leading to the safe-sex slogan ‘No glove, no love’US , 1958
gloveverbto examine a prisoner’s rectum for contrabandUS , 1972
glovesnoun< the gloves are off; take the gloves offused for expressing a commitment to action without compromise, com-passion or hesitationUK , 2001
gloveworknounin cricket, a wicketkeeper’s skill or performanceUK , 1996
glownouna pleasant, warming sense of intoxicationUS , 1942
glubnouna slob or lazy personNEW ZEALAND , 2002
glub outverbto idle; to relax completelyNEW ZEALAND , 2002
gluenoun1semenUK , 1998.2the residue produced during heroin manufactureUS , 1992.3in computing, any interface protocolUS ,
1991.4a police detectiveUS , 1950 < do glueto sniff glue for the
Trang 4gluedadjectivedrunkUS , 1957
glued upadjectiveintoxicated as a result of solvent abuse, especially
glue-sniffingUK , 2001
glue gunnouna weapon which fires a hardening resin to paralyse
the human targetUK , 2001
glueheadnouna person who inhales glue or any volatile solvent for
the intoxicating effectUS , 1970
gluepotnoun1the vagina Rhyming slang forTWAT, combined,
perhaps, with allusive imageryUK , 1992.2a racehorse that performs
very, very poorlyUS , 1924.3in cricket, a wicket with a ‘sticky’ surface
(caused by the sun drying wet turf )UK , 1985
gluernouna person who sniffs model glue for the psychoactive
effectUS , 1982
glueynouna person who inhales glue or any volatile solvent for the
intoxicating effectUS , 1967
glugnouna swallow, a mouthful, a swig of a drink EchoicUS , 1971
glutes; glootsnounthe gluteus maximus muscles (the three large
muscles in the buttocks)US , 1984
g-manoungrandmotherUS , 1997
GMFU; GMBUnouna situation of organisational choas Initialism of
‘grand military fuck up’ or ‘grand military balls up’; probably since
World War 2UK , 1982
GMOFnoun a grossly obese hospital patient A ‘great mass of flesh’
US , 1989
GMTnountime to clean out the refrigerator Back-formation from
the Greenwich standard, abbreviating here ‘green meat time’
CANADA , 2002
gnarlatiousadjectiveextremely impressiveUS , 1991
gnarlyadjective1treacherous, challenging Originally surfer slang
applied to waves and surf conditions, and then broadened to an
all-purpose adjectiveUS , 1977.2bad, disgustingUS , 1978.3excellent
An absolute reversal of the original sense, used amongst
foot-propelled scooter-ridersUS , 1982
gnashersnounthe teethNEW ZEALAND , 1984
gnat bitesnounsmall female breastsUK , 1980
gnat-brainnounan idiotUK , 2002
gnat’snounsomething very small A reduction of, or a suggestion of,
many terms including: ‘gnat’s arse, ‘gnat’s chuff’ and ‘gnat’s
whiskers’; in such uses as ‘within a gnat’s’ and ‘tight as a gnat’s
arse’, etcUK , 2001
gnat’s bloodnountea purchased from a railway canteen or
refreshment barUK , 1970
gnat’s eyelashnouna very small distance The variant bodyparts
are seemingly infinite, with ‘eyelash’ as the earliest recordedUS ,
1937
gnat’s pissnouna weak beverage such as tea or beerUK , 1984
gnawingnounkissingNEW ZEALAND , 1998
gnawing-the-nananounoral sex on a manAUSTRALIA , 1971
gnomenouna socially inept outcastUS , 1959
G-notenouna $1000 noteUS , 1930
gonoun1a turn at something; an attemptUK , 1825.2an opportunity
AUSTRALIA , 1965.3a fair chance Commonly used in the phrase ‘give
someone a go’AUSTRALIA , 1937.4an attackAUSTRALIA , 1965.5a look
AUSTRALIA , 1930.6a preferenceAUSTRALIA , 1977.7approval, agreement
US , 1878.8high-spirits, vigour, energy, as a human characteristic
Originally, and still, applied to horsesUK , 1825.9used of a busy
period or energetic activityUK , 1965.10a fight, especially a
prize-fight; an argumentUS , 1890.11an eventAUSTRALIA , 1979.12a drag
race eventUS , 1954.13amphetamines From the ‘get up and go’
nature of the drug’s effectsUK , 2003.14MDMA, the recreational
drug best known as ecstasyUK , 2003.15a goanna ‘Goanna’ is the
Gyuana Indian name for ‘lizard’, attached here to the monitor
lizardAUSTRALIA , 1904 < from the word gofrom the very start
Derived from the starting of a raceUS , 1838 < have a go atto
criticise From the sense ‘to attack’UK , 1977 < make a go of itto
goverb1when reporting a conversation, to say A thoroughly annoying quotative device found as early as 1942, favoured by teenagers in the 1970s and 80sUS , 1942.2to take on the mannerisms and customs of a place or group of peopleUS , 1917.
3to find acceptable, to wish for, to enjoy Especially, and usually, when applied to food or drinkUK , 1953.4to urinate; to defecate Probably a shortening of ‘go to the toilet’, now a euphemismUK ,
1926.5to attack physically; to fightAUSTRALIA , 1924.6to raceUS , 1965.
7to become (of a political constituency, as in ‘to go Tory’)US , 1937.
8in a casino, to earn in tipsUS , 1980.9to weighUS , 1999.10of a telephone, to ringUK , 2000 < go all the wayto have sexual intercourseUS , 1924 < go Alzheimersto forget Public awareness
of Alzheimer’s confuses the disease with the premature senile dementia it causesUK , 2000 < go bent1to become dishonest FromBENT (crooked)UK , 2002.2(of a police witness) to retract a statement or renege on an undertaking The implication is that the witness is behaving in a criminal manner,BENT UK , 1970 < go big, go fatto achieve substantial height or distance in snow-boardingUS , 1995 < go both waysto be willing to play both the active and passive role in homosexual sexUS , 1972 < go down the rabbit holeto use drugs An allusion to Lewis Carroll and
Alice in Wonderland CANADA , 1993 < go for a burton1to to be killed in an air crash Military slang of uncertain etymologyUK , 1941.
2to be destroyed or ruined, to be forgottenUK , 1957 < go great gunsto do very well, to prosperUK , 1913 < go off like a two-bob rocketto lose your temper in a very unsubtle wayUK: SCOTLAND , 1996 < go onto talk at lengthUK , 1822 < go over jackass hillto be a teenagerCANADA , 1992 < go over the wall
1to secretly depart from anywhere you are duty-bound to be Applies to escape from prison and the wider worldUS , 1933.2to go
to prisonUK , 1917 < go some1to fightUS , 1968.2to go well, to proceed with notable vigourUS , 1911 < go south1to deteriorate;
to breakUS , 2000.2in a gambling cheating scheme, to take dice or money off the gaming tableUS , 1997 < go through the cardto cover everything that is available in a given circumstance Originally a horse racing termUK , 1978 < go to batto stand trial
A baseball metaphorUS , 1965 < go to groundto go into hiding
US , 1990 < go to higher gameto launch a legitimate business after a period in an underworld enterpriseUS , 1972 < go to New Norfolkto be crazy A reference to the asylum located in New NorfolkAUSTRALIA , 1988 < go to the wallto exert yourself at all costs without regard to the consequencesUS , 1976 < go up fool’s hillto be a teenagerCANADA , 1999 < go upside someone’s head
to hit someone on the headUS , 1959 < go westto be spoiled or ruined; to dieUK , 1925 < go west on someoneto fail, to let someone downCANADA , 1999 < go with the flowto acquiesceUS ,
1977 < not go much onto not like muchAUSTRALIA , 1932
go!used for expressing approval and encouraging further effortUS , 1957
go-aheadadjectiveprogressive; anxious to succeedUS , 1840
go ahead, make my dayused to summon defiance From the film character Dirty Harry played by Clint Eastwood US President Ronald Reagan used the line in a speech to the American Business Conference in March 1985: ‘I have only one thing to say to the tax increasers Go ahead – make my day!’ He liked the line so much that he repeated it in a speech at his 83rd birthday in 1994US , 1983
go-ahead mannounin horse racing, a person working with someone selling ‘inside’ information on the horses and racesUS , 1962
go-aheadsnounthong sandalsUS , 1962
goalienoun1a goal-keeper In football and ice hockey; first recorded
in the modern spelling in 1957 – as ‘goalee’, known since 1921
UK , 1957.2the clitorisUS , 1972
goannanouna piano Rhyming slang for ‘pianna’, a variant pronunciationAUSTRALIA , 1918
goatnoun1a person responsible for a failure or loss, especially a player in an atheltic contest A short form of ‘scapegoat’US , 1894.
2in horse racing, a poor-performing racehorseAUSTRALIA , 1941.3a fool Often, and originally, in the phrase ‘act the goat’UK , 1879.4in motor racing, a Dodge carUS , 1965.5in hot rodding, an old carUS ,
. an engine used in a railway yard . a goatee .
Trang 5< get someone’s goatto succeed in making someone lose
their temperUS , 1904
goat boaternouna surfer who uses a surfboard/canoe hybrid craft
Mainly derogatoryUK: WALES , 2002
goat fucknouna colossal, confused messUS , 1971
goat hairnounillegally manufactured alcoholic drinkUS , 1970
goat headnounin electric line work, an angle-iron punchUS , 1980
goat heavennounblissBARBADOS , 1965
goat kneenouna callus, especially one on the head from carrying
heavy loadsBARBADOS , 1965
goat landnounin oil drilling, non-productive landUS , 1954
goat lockernounin the US Navy, the kitchen and dining hall
reserved for officersUS , 1990
goat mouth; goat bitenouna curse; bad luckTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ,
1827
goat pasturenounany worthless land sold as part of a confidence
swindleUS , 1985
goat ropenouna rumour Gulf war usageUS , 1991
goat screwnouna disorganised, confusing situationUS , 1988
goat tracknouna rough, winding hill roadNEW ZEALAND , 2002
go awayverbto be sent to jail or prisonUS , 1990
go-away gearnouna truck’s highest gearUS , 1971
gobnoun1the mouth Originally Scots and northern English dialect
UK , 1550.2a slimey lump or clot, especially of spittle In
convention-al use until early C19UK , 1964
gobverb1to spitUK , 1872.2to eatUK , 1999
go back onverbto break a promise or a trustUK , 1859
gobblenounan act of oral sexUK , 1984
gobbleverb1to perform oral sex on a manUS , 1966.2to talkUS , 1947.
3in drag racing, to achieve very high speedsUS , 1965 < gobble
the goopto perform oral sex on a manUS , 1918
gobble alleynounthe upper balcony in a cinema favoured by
homosexualsUS , 1966
gobble downverbin computing, to obtainUS , 1983
gobbledygooknoundense, pompous, and unintelligible jargonUS ,
1944
gobble holenounin pinball, a hole near the centre of the playing
field which takes a ball from play while scoring a large number of
pointsUS , 1979
gobble offverbto perform oral sex on a man A more complete
elaboration ofGOBBLE UK , 2003
gobblernouna hospital patient with petty complaintsUS , 1980
gobbling ironsnouna knife, fork and spoon A trawlermen’s term
UK , 1969
gobbling rodsnouna knife, fork and spoon Gulf war usageUK , 1991
gobboadjectivestupidUK , 2002
gobbynouna small lump of dried nasal mucusUK , 2000
gobby; gobbieadjectiveloquacious, too talkative; impudentUK , 1993
gobdawnoun1an ordinary foolIRELAND , 1989.2a dolt, a gullible
personIRELAND , 2003
go betweennouna cow gateCANADA , 1987
gobgrabbingnoun in prison, the practice of trying to grab and steal
drugs concealed in someone’s gob (the mouth) UK , 1996
goblet of jamnounmarijuana From the direct translation from
Arabic m’juni akbar (a hashish-based confection) US , 1969
gob offverbto talk loudly or too muchUK , 1995
gobsnoun1a great deal of In the C16, a ‘gob’ or ‘gubbe’ referred
specifically to a ‘great deal of money’ or a ‘large mouthful of fatty
meat’ By World War 2, the term had acquired this broader
meaning, as evidenced by the title of Johnny Viney’s 1943
.
2in a hospital, gynaecology Rhymed on the model ofOBS
(obstetrics)UK , 2002
gobshitenouna fool; an unpleasant person CombinesGOB(the mouth) andSHITE(rubbish), hence ‘someone who talks rubbish’: the subsequent, more abusive sense depends on the phonetic ugliness of the wordIRELAND , 1961
gobsmacknouna shock that renders you speechless A back-form-ation from the verbUK , 2001
gobsmackedadjectivebeing speechless or lost for words as the result of amazement or shock Adopted from northern dialect; silence is the suggested result of a ‘smack’ (hit) in theGOB
(mouth)UK , 1971
gobsmackingadjectiveshockingUK , 1996
gobsmackinglyadverbsurprisinglyNEW ZEALAND , 2003
gobstoppernoun1a large ball-shaped sweet that reveals layers of colour as sucking diminishes its size CombinesGOB(the mouth) with the effect of a large sweetUK , 1928.2the penis Rhyming slang forCHOPPERrejoicing in puns of size and sweetnessUK , 1992
gobstoppersnounthe testicles FromGOBSTOPPER(a ball-shaped sweet)UK , 2002
gobstruckadjectivevery surprised FromGOB(the mouth) and
‘struck’ (hit)UK , 1988
go buttonnouna car’s acceleratorUS , 1993
go-bynouna passing byUS , 1949
gobynouna middleman in a criminal enterprise From ‘go-between’
UK , 1970
go-by-the-wallnouna cornerboyIRELAND , 1989
God Almightynouna woman’s nightdress, a ‘nightie’ Rhyming slangUK , 1998
God-awfuladjectiveterrible, dreadful ‘God’ as the intensifier of all that is badUS , 1897
God bless younounused as a mnemonic device in snooker for remembering the correct spotting of ball colours – green, brown, yellowUS , 1993
God-botherer; God-pesterernounan immoderately religious indi-vidualUK , 1937
God Calls Me Godnouna GCMG (Grand Commander of St Michael and St George) A pun elaborated on the initials; used by civil servants demonstrating a jocular familiarity with the honourUK , 1961
God damnnounjam (the preserve) Rhyming slangUK , 1992
-goddamn-infixused as an intensifierUS , 1968
godfathernounin horse racing, someone who provides financial assistance to a financially failing operationAUSTRALIA , 1989
God forbid; Gawd forbid; Gawd fer bidnoun1a child Rhyming slang forKID UK , 1909.2a Jewish person Rhyming slang forYID UK , 1960
Godfreynounused in oaths in place of ‘God’US , 1959
God hates a cowardin poker, used for luring a reluctant bettor to betUS , 1951
godheadadjectiveexcellent at playing Internet games Possibly an elaboration of ‘good’UK , 2003
godivanoun 8see:LADY GODIVA
God love hernouna mother Rhyming slangUK , 1974
go downverb1to happenUS , 1946.2to be arrested and/or imprisonedUK , 1906.3while working as a police officer in a patrol car, to park and sleepUS , 1973
go-down mannounin an illegal betting operation, the employee designated to identify himself as the operator in the event of a police raid, accepting risk in place of the actual operatorUS , 1951
go down on; go down; go down southverbto perform oral sex
US , 1914
go downtownverbto have sex Coined for US television comedy
Trang 6God save the Queensnoungreen vegetables, especially cabbage.
Rhyming slang for ‘greens’UK , 1992
God’s fleshnoun1psilocybin, a hallucinogenic mushroomUS , 1970.
2LSDUK , 2003
God’s gift to women; God’s giftnounof a man, a great lover A
familiar idiom, also used in other contexts as ‘God’s gift to
something or someone’; generally heavily ironicUS , 1927
God’s honest truthnounthe absolute truthUK , 1959
God shopnouna churchUS , 1965
God-sizeadjectivevery, very largeUS , 1968
God slotnouna regular position in a television or radio broadcast
schedule given over to religious programmesUK , 1972
God’s medicine; God’s own medicinenounmorphine; opiumUS ,
1925
God squadnoun1church authorities; evangelical enthusiastsUS ,
1965.2the US military Chaplains CorpsUS , 1965
God’s waiting roomnouna nursing home; a rest homeUS , 1989
goernoun1a proposition that seems a likely successAUSTRALIA , 1974.
2an enthusiastic participant in sexual activityUK , 1984.3in hot
rodding, a fast carUS , 1954.4a person with get-up-and-goAUSTRALIA ,
1983.5a horse being honestly ridden to winAUSTRALIA , 1966
go-fastnounany amphetamine or other central nervous system
stimulantUS , 1993
go-fasternounany amphetamine or other central nervous system
stimulantUS , 1986
goferverbto act as an assistant and errand-runner From the noun
UK , 2001
gofer; gopher; go-fornoun1a low-level assistant who typically runs
petty errands He or she goes for this and goes for that US , 1930.2in
the military, a special team assigned with the task of bypassing
normal channels to acquire needed suppliesUS , 1990
goffernoun1a cold drink of mineral water or lemonade Derives
from drinks manufacturer Goffe & Sons LtdAUSTRALIA , 1945.2a wave
washing inboardUK , 1987.3a punch, a blowUK , 1886.4a salute
AUSTRALIA , 2003
go forverb1to attack with words (spoken or written) or with
physi-cal forceUK , 1880.2to pay forUS , 1975
go for it!used as a general exhortationUS , 1978
go forth and multiply!go away! Genesis 1:28 provides this archly
euphemistic variation of ‘fuck off!’.US , 1985
go for the gusto!used as an exhortation to take risks and live life
fully From a slogan for Schlitz beer; often used ironicallyUS , 1988
gognoun a person from North Wales From Welsh gogledd (north) UK:
WALES , 2002
go-getternouna very active, enterprising personUS , 1910
gogganoun1something frightening, monstrous or unwanted,
especially in a political or business context From the sense as ‘an
insect’SOUTH AFRICA , 1934.2any insect A generic term, from
Khoikhoi xo-xon via Afrikaans SOUTH AFRICA , 1905.3a germ, a disease
SOUTH AFRICA , 1963
goggatjie; gogganounused as a term of endearment From
Afrikaans for ‘little insect’SOUTH AFRICA , 1972
goggleverb< goggle the horizonused by motorcylists to mean a
number of things, most commonly to keep an eye outUS , 2003
goggle boxnouna television Conventional ‘goggle’ (to stare)
elabor-ates viewers’ response to the box (television)UK , 1959
gogglernouna male homosexualUS , 1970
gogglesnounspectacles From the conventional sense (spectacles for
eye-protection)UK , 1871
Goglandnickname North Wales From Welsh gogledd (north) UK:
WALES , 2002
go-gonouna discotheque; a venue for erotic-dance performanceUS ,
1965
go-goadjectiveassociated with a discotheque A very big word for a
go-go birdnouna CH-47 transport helicopter fitted with window-mounted machine guns and used as a gunship Not a successful experimentUS , 1991
go-go boynounan attractive, usually homosexual, young man who
is a paid dancer at a nightclub or barUS , 1971
go-go dancernouna paid dancer at a nightclubUS , 1967
go-go dancingnoundancing for pay at a nightclub in a cage or platform above the patronsUS , 1993
go-go juice; go juicenounpetrol; dieselUS , 1976 8see:GO-JUICE
go homeused as a humorous farewell A catchphrase television
sign-off on The Tracey Ullman Show (Fox, 1987–90) Repeated with
referential humourUS , 1987
gohongnounduring the Korean war, food or chow From the Korean word for ‘rice’ applied by American soldiers to food in generalUS , 1951
goienouna central nervous system stimulant such as Dexedrine™ or Benzedrine™US , 1960
go-innouna fightAUSTRALIA , 1900
going!used for encouraging another’s action Hawaiian youth usage
US , 1982
going home gearnouna truck’s highest gearUS , 1971
going-overnoun1a beating; a verbal assaultUS , 1942.2a detailed inspection, a searchUS , 1919
goings-onnounbehaviour or proceedings Usually with a pejorative implicationUK , 1775
goitrenouna large quantity of banknotes, usually folded into a trouser pocket From the unsightly bulgeUK , 1977
go-juicenounalcohol (liquor)US , 1968
go jump in the creekgo away!, be off with you!AUSTRALIA , 1947
GOKGod only knows An informal medical acronym UK , 2003
goldnoun1moneyUS , 1940.2used generically for jewellery, especially goods that are traded illicitlyUK , 2000.3a type of bet in an illegal lotteryUS , 1957.4potent marijuana Often combined with a place name for the formation of place plus colourUS , 1968.5in drag racing and hot rodding, a trophy or prizeUS , 1968
goldanouna Jewish homosexual Gay slang, formed on the name Golda and originating among Cape colouredsSOUTH AFRICA , 2000
Goldbergnounused as a stereotype of a Jewish merchantUS , 1965
goldbricknouna person who shuns work or dutyUS , 1918
goldbrickverbto avoid a work detailUS , 1918
goldbrickernouna swindlerUS , 1902
goldbugnouna person who buys and hoards goldUS , 1981
gold buttonsnouna conductor on a trainUS , 1977
Gold Coastnickname1a high-rise, high-rent district on Lakeshore Drive bordering Lake Michigan in northern Chicago, IllinoisUS , 1950.
2an area in Harlem, New York, where police bribes are common and lucrativeUS , 1972.3the Atlantic coast of South FloridaUS , 1983.
4a stretch along the east coast of Queensland, Australia, noted for extraordinarily good surfingAUSTRALIA , 1991
gold-diggernounsomeone who pursues another romantically because of their wealth Used to characterize women as predators
of menUS , 1916
gold-diggingadjectiveengaged in the romantic pursuit of a wealthy loverUS , 1994
gold dustnoun1cocaine ExtendsDUST(playing on the expense)US ,
1962.2heroinUK , 1996
Gold Dust Twinsnickname1Timothy Leary and Dick Alpert, LSD pioneersUS , 1971.2Byron Nelson and Jug McSpaden, who dominated professional golf in the US during the 1940sUS , 1998
goldennounmarijuana From the colour of the leafUK , 2003
goldenadjectivesuccessful, excellent, charmedUS , 1958
golden armnounin craps, a player with a long streak of good luck rolling the diceUS , 1993
golden BB
Trang 7golden bollocksnicknamea lucky manUK , 1984
golden boynoun1a favoured maleAUSTRALIA , 1967.2in homosexual
usage, a handsome young man at his sexual primeUS , 1981
golden brownnounheroin An elaboration ofBROWN(heroin)UK , 1981
golden bulletnounthe bullet or anti-aircraft round that hits your
combat planeUS , 1991
golden chair!used to reserve your seat as you briefly leave the
roomUS , 1996
golden crescentnounan area in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan
where heroin is producedUS , 1992
golden doughnutnounthe vaginaAUSTRALIA , 1972
golden dragonnounLSDUK , 1998
golden flownounthe urine test given to US soldiers upon their
return to the US from VietnamUS , 1971
golden ghettoverba large, comfortable US Army divisional base
camp in South Vietnam A term used with derision by the
marinesUS , 1990
golden girlnoun1a favoured womanAUSTRALIA , 1992.2high quality
cocaineUS , 1980.3heroinUS , 1994
Golden Girlsnicknamethe women’s track team from the Bahamas
at the 2000 OlympicsUS , 2004
golden glownouna luminous daub used by card cheats to mark
cardsUS , 1988
golden leafnoun1marijuana of excellent quality Possibly
descriptive of the plant’s appearance, as well as the value placed
upon itUS , 1925.2a marijuana cigaretteUK , 2003
golden milenounthe area west of McGill in central Montreal,
characterized by large stone mansionsCANADA , 2002
golden ointmentnouna large win in betting; moneyAUSTRALIA , 1989
golden oldienoun1a song from the past that is still popular,
especially a rock and roll song from the 1950s or 60sUS , 1966.2by
extension, anything that can be categorised in a nostalgic context
After the old songs a radio DJ announcesUS , 1980
golden showernouna shared act of urine fetishism; the act of
urination by one person on another for sexual gratificationUS , 1943.
< couldn’t organise a urine sample in a golden shower
used of an inefficient person or organisation A later variation of
‘ PISS-UP IN A BREWERY’ and ‘ COCK-UP IN A BROTHEL’UK , 2005
golden shower queennouna male homosexual who derives sexual
pleasure from being urinated onUS , 1964
golden spikenouna hypodermic needleUS , 1955
golden Tnicknamein New York, Fifth Avenue from 47th Street north
to 57th Street, and 57th Street between Madison and Sixth
AvenuesUS , 1989
golden time; golden hoursnounin the entertainment industry,
time worked at a premium overtime rateUS , 1970
golden trianglenounan area in Burma, Laos and Thailand where
heroin is producedUS , 1992
goldfingernounsynthetic heroinUS , 1992
goldfishnouna strain of marijuana, also known as ‘orange bud’UK ,
2001
goldfishverbto mouth words, to talk without being heard Imitative
of a goldfishUS , 2002
goldfish bowlnouna jail’s interrogation roomUS , 1962
goldfishingnounthe behaviour of visitors being shown around a
prison From the similarity to a naturally wide-eyed,
open-mouthed goldfishUK , 1996
gold fronts; frontsnounornamental dental workUS , 1994
Goldie Hawnnouna prawn Rhyming slang, formed from the name
of the US movie actress (b.1945)UK , 1998
Goldilocksnouna sexually transmitted infection Rhyming slang for
POX, caught from a fairytale heroine – ‘Who’s been sleeping in my
bed?’
gold minenounan establishment that sells alcohol illegally, by the drinkUS , 1978
gold nuggetsnounin dominoes, the 5–5 pieceUS , 1959
gold ringnoun(of playing cards) a king Rhyming slang, also used of monarchyUK , 1992
gold roomnouna room in the Pentagon where the Joint Chiefs and Staff meet with the Operations DeputiesUS , 1986
gold rushnoun1the frantic searching for jewellery or coins that follows a shift in the slope of a beach, exposing lost articlesUS ,
1986.2in hold ’em poker, a hand consisting of a four and a nine
An allusion to the California gold rush of 1849US , 1996
gold sealnoungood quality marijuanaUK , 1996
gold starnounmarijuanaUK , 1998
gold-star lesbiannouna lesbian who has never had sex with a man and intends that she never willUK , 2004
Goldsteinnouna Jewish personUS , 1980
gold watchnounScotch whisky Rhyming slang, always given full measureUK , 1992
golfballnoun1crack cocaine; a large piece of crack cocaineUS , 1994.
2any central nervous system depressantUK , 1998.3a changeable sphere with 88 different characters used on IBM Selectric typewritersUS , 1991
golfballsnoun1diceUS , 1962.2LSDUK , 2003
golfballs and bulletsnouna US Army c-rations meal of meatballs and beansUS , 1991
Golf CoursenicknameCamp Radcliff, base camp for the Fourth Infantry Division near An Khe, South Vietnam From its large helicopter airfield with low-cut grassUS , 1966
goliathnouna multiple bet, gambling on eight horses, combining
247 bets in a specific patternUK , 1991
golliesnoun< the golliesdog racing From rhyming slang; for
GOLLIWOG(a dog)UK , 1992
golliwognoun1a dog, especially a greyhound Rhyming slang, may
be abbreviated to ‘gollie’UK , 1992.2fog Rhyming slang, often reduced to ‘golly’UK , 1998
golliwoggy; gollyadjectivefoggyUK , 1998
gollopverbto eat hurriedly and with great gusto A variation of con-ventional ‘gulp’UK , 1937
gollynoun1a black person A shortening of ‘golliwog’UK , 1976.2any person of non-white ethnicity; a native of the Indian subcontinent;
an Arab; A play onWOGvia ‘golliwog’ (a negroid doll)UK , 1967.3a gob of phlegm or mucusAUSTRALIA , 1938.4a half gallon jar of beer
NEW ZEALAND , 1999
gollyverbto expectorateAUSTRALIA , 1978
golly!used for registering surprise, shock, etc Euphemistic variation
on ‘God’, which evokes a childish innocenceUK , 1775
gollyernouna gob of spittleIRELAND , 1966
golly gee, Buffalo Bobused for expressing mock astonishmentUS , 1969
golpenoun heroin From Spanish golpe (a blow, a shot) US , 1980
gomnouna foolish, awkward person; a simpleton; an idiotIRELAND , 1996
GOMnounmorphine; opium An initialism ofGOD’S OWN MEDICINE
UK , 1996
goma; gumanounheroin Possibly an elaboration of GOMUS , 1967
gomernoun1a US Marine, especially a clumsy trainee Terminology used with affectionate derision by the US Army during the
Vietnam war From the television show Gomer Pyle, which is not a
completely flattering image of the marinesUS , 1984.2a repulsive,
non-compliant hospital patient From the plea – ‘get out of my
emergency room!’ US , 1993
go-minh moneynouncompensation payment to Vietnamese civilians by the US military for accidental losses resulting from military actions From the Vietnamese for ‘extract yourself from a