Scamto youth street slang South African townshipsSOUTH AFRICA , 2005 lovenoun1used as an endearment, or a form of address generally to the opposite sex, sometimes considered patronising;
Trang 1become angry, excited, nervous, etc; to lose your self-possessionUS ,
1984.< lose your lunchto vomitUS , 1918
lose or winnounthe foreskin Rhyming slangUK , 2003
losernoun1a socially inept person; a person with consistently bad
luck; anyone deemed unacceptable or an outcastUS , 1955.2a
convicted felonUS , 1912.3a hospital patient who diesUS , 1970
losersvillenouna notional place where all socially inept people live
INDIA , 2002
lossagenounthe ongoing effect of a computer malfunctionUS , 1991
loss-leadernounsomething displayed prominently, and at a
cut-price rate, to encourage further buying of other stockUS , 1922
lossyadjective(used of a data-compression computer program) apt to
lose some dataUS , 1997
lostadjectivemurdered, especially as a victim of ‘criminal justice’US ,
1962
lost-and-found badgenouna US Army name tag Gulf war usage
US , 1991
lost fart in a haunted milk bottlenounthe epitome of
distraction or indecision Royal Navy slang.UK , 1989
lost in the sauceadjectivedaydreaming, completely inattentiveUS ,
1988
lost-itnouna person under the sway of drug intoxicationUK , 1997
lost sailornounin the language surrounding the Grateful Dead, a
follower of the band who has lost all touch with reality From the
title of a Grateful Dead songUS , 1994
lost timenounthe reduction of time from a prison sentence for
good behaviourUS , 1950
Lost WagesnicknameLas Vegas, NevadaUS , 1951
losum gamenounin the language of carnival workers, a game that
for whatever reason should be terminated immediatelyUS , 1985
lotnoun< do the lotto lose all your moneyUK , 1961.< the lota
life sentence in prisonNEW ZEALAND , 1997
lotionnounalcoholUK , 1876
lot ladynounin circus and carnival usage, a local woman who is
attracted to and makes herself sexually available to circus or
carnival employees In short, a circus or carnivalGROUPIE US , 1981
lot lizardnoun1an aggressive car salesmanUS , 2001.2a prostitute
who works at transport cafesUS , 1987
lot loafernounin circus and carnival usage, a local resident who
loiters as a show is assembled or taken downUS , 1981
lot loucenouna patron of a circus or carnival who spends little or
no moneyUS , 1930
lot of it abouta catchphrase applied to the prevalence of anything
UK , 2002
lotsanouna large amount A slovenly contraction of ‘lots of’US , 1927
lotta; lorraa large amount A slovening of ‘lot of’UK , 1906
lotterynounin horse racing, a race with no clear favouriteAUSTRALIA ,
1989
lottery ticketnouna currency note In use at least fifteen years
before the lottery was introduced to the UKUK , 1982
lottonounmoney Teen slangSOUTH AFRICA , 2003
Lotuslandnounthe city of Vancouver, British Columbia and
sometimes the whole province of BCCANADA , 2002
lounouna lieutenantUS , 1973
loudverbto arrest; to be arrested English gypsy useUK , 2000
loudadjectivesubject to detection by smellUK , 1641
loud and clearadjective expensive, overpriced, dear Rhyming slang
UK , 1998
loud and proudadjective(used of a citizens’ band radio signal) clear
US , 1976
loud pedalnounthe accelerator on a drag racing car or hot rodUS ,
1952
louie a left turn 8see:LOOIE
Louisiana lotterynounan illegal numbers gameUS , 1949
Louisville Lipnicknamethe boxer Mohammed Ali, born Cassius Clay
in 1942 in Louisville, KentuckyUS , 1968
loundernouna generous portion of anythingCANADA , 1999
loungecorenouna particular style of easy-listening music An ironic combination of ‘lounge’ music (easy-to-listen but hard to define) and-CORE, which is usually suffixed to forms of rock musicUS , 1996
lounge lizardnouna male sexual predator who seeks prey to seduce
in fashionable bars and partiesUS , 1918
Lou Reednounamphetamine Rhyming slang forSPEED Based,
perhaps with more than a hint of irony, on rock singer and songwriter Lou Reed (b.1943)UK , 1996
lousenouna despicable personUS , 1864
louse booknounan illegal betting operation that accepts only very small betsUS , 1951
louse cagenouna brakevan (caboose)US , 1960
loused upadjectivecovered with scars and abscesses from repeated drug injectionsUS , 1970
louse housenouna run-down, shoddy boarding houseUK , 1785
louse upverbto ruin, to spoilUS , 1934
lousyadjectivecontemptible, shoddy, bad Because of the association with body lice, the term was deemed vulgar if not taboo in the US well into the C20UK , 1386
lousy withadjectivefull of something, rich with something From the prevalence of lice in an infestationUK , 1594
lovanounan unemployed person Scamto youth street slang (South African townships)SOUTH AFRICA , 2005
lovenoun1used as an endearment, or a form of address (generally
to the opposite sex, sometimes considered patronising); also for anything that is charming and admiredUK , 1814.2crack cocaineUK ,
1998 8see:LIGHT OF LOVE
love-a-doveadjectiveextremely affectionate as a result of intoxi-cation with MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy A play onLOVEY-DOVEYandDOVE(a type of ecstasy)UK , 1999
love a duck!; luvvaduck!used as a mild expletive Often preceded
by ‘Cor!,’ ‘Lord!’ or ‘Gawd!;’ probably a gentling of fuck a duck!UK , 1934
love affairnouncocaine; a mixture of heroin and cocaineUK , 2002
love and kissesnouna wife Rhyming slang forMISSUS UK , 1992
love and marriagenouna carriage Rhyming slang, possibly acquired from the 1955 song ‘Love and Marriage’, lyrics by Sammy Cahn: ‘Love and marriage, love and marriage / Go together like a horse and carriage’UK , 1992
love an romancinnoundancing Glasgow rhyming slangUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
love bladdernouna condomUS , 1968
love blownounmarijuanaUS , 1986
love boatnoun1phencyclidine, the recreational drug known as PCP
or angel dustUS , 1983.2marijuana dipped in formaldehydeUS , 1998
love childnouna member of the 1960s countercultureUS , 1990
love conkersnounthe testicles Drawing an image of the fruit of the horse chestnut tree while playing on the familiar quotation
‘love conquers all’UK , 2003
love cushionnounyour boyfriend or girlfriendUS , 1986
love doctornounMDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy Descriptive of the way thatECSTASYtreats your emotions
UK , 2003
love drugnoun1MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy Descriptive of the effect thatECSTASYhas on your emotions; widely usedUK , 1998.2the recreational drug methaqualone, best known as Quaaludes™US , 1985
loved up; luvdup; luvved upadjectiveunder the influence of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy, and experiencing the emotional need to share the boundless affection that is associated with the drug
Trang 2love-’em-and-leave-’em; love ’em and leave ’emadjectiveused
as a description of philandering or a philandererUK , 1961
love factorynouna brothelUS , 1983
lovefestnouna close, happy relationship Combines ‘love’ with-FEST
(a concentration of )US , 1995
love glovenouna condomUS , 1987
love handlesnouna roll of fat on either side of the body, just above
the waistUS , 1970
love heartnouna tablet of MDMA, the recreational drug best known
as ecstasy, possibly mixed with the recreational drug methaqua
-lone, best known as Quaaludes™, identified by an embossed heart
These variously coloured tablets are named after a sherberty
children’s sweetUK , 1996
love-innouna communal gathering for a hands-on celebration of
interpersonal loveUS , 1967
love in a puntnounvery weak beer A play on ‘fucking near water’
UK , 1973
love it!used for registering definite approvalUK , 2001
love juicenounsemenUK , 1882
love lipsnounthe vaginal labiaUK , 2003
lovelynoun1an attractive womanUK , 1938.2phencyclidine, the
rec-reational drug known as PCP or angel dust A longer variant is
‘lovely high’US , 1978
lovelyboynounused as a form of address Sterotypically Welsh,
perhaps as a result of its use by actor Windsor Davies in BBC
television comedy series ‘It Ain’t Half Hot Mum’, 1974–81 UK:
WALES , 2000
lovely jubbly; luvly jubblyadjectivewonderful, fantastic Coined by
John Sullivan (b.1946) as a catchphrase for the popular character
Del Boy in the BBC television comedy Only Fools and Horses
(1981–96), possibly inspired by a remembered response to a
‘Jubbly’, a pyramid-shaped frozen ice popular with children during
the 1950s and 60sUK , 1994
love muffinnounthe vaginaUK , 2001
love musclenounthe penisUS , 1958
love musselnounthe vagina A neat pun onLOVE MUSCLE(the penis)
andFISH(the vagina)US , 2001
love nestnoun1a secluded room, apartment or house where lovers
rendezvousUS , 1919.2the vaginaUS , 1994
love nuggetsnounmarijuanaUK , 2003
love nutsnountesticles that ache because of sexual stimulation that
has not led to ejaculation; sexual frustrationUS , 1971
love offverbto love greatlyUK , 2000
love pillnouna capsule of MDA, a synthetic amphetamineUS , 1970
love planknoun the penis Popularised in the film Kevin & Perry Go
Large, (2000) UK , 2000
love polenounthe penis, 1999
love potion #9nounMDMA, the recreational drug best known as
ecstasy Descriptive of the effect thatECSTASYhas on your
emotions, from a 1959 song by Lieber and StollerUK , 2003
love pumpnounthe penis Popularised if not coined for the film
This Is Spinal Tap US , 1984
lovernoun1used as a form of address to someone who is not the
speaker’s lover Possibly West Country dialect, certainly used as a
characteristic of stereotypical West CountryMUMMERSETspeechUK ,
1973.2any sex offenderUS , 1950
loverboy; lover boy; lover mannouna sexually promiscuous man,
or one who tries hard to be soUS , 1952
lover covernounin drag racing, a protective shield between a
driver’s legs to prevent injury in the event of an engine explosion
US , 1993
love rocketnounthe penisUK , 2003
lover’s leapnounin backgammon, the customary play with a first
lover’s nutsnountesticles that ache because of sexual stimulation that has not led to ejaculation; sexual frustrationUS , 1961
lover’s speed; speed for loversnounMDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy MDMA is an amphetamine derivative that encourages empathy that is often confused with feelings of love
UK , 2003
lover’s tiff; lovers’ tiffnouna sexually transmitted infection Rhyming slang for ‘syph’ (syphilis), but applied more widelyUK , 1992
love sacksnounthe testiclesUK , 2002
love sausagenounthe penisUS , 2001
love, security and devotionnounLSD A sobriquet formed from the drug’s initialsUS , 1970
love spuds; spudsnounthe testiclesUK , 1998
lovesteaknounthe penisUS , 1989
love tapnoun1in motor racing, minor yet intentional contact between carsUS , 1993.2in motor, gentle contact between one pin and anotherUS , 1987
love trumpetnounthe penis Especially in the phrase ‘blowing the love trumpet’ (performing oral sex)US , 2001
love truncheonnounthe penis From the shape and purpose; humorous yet aggressiveUK , 1999
love upverbto engage in sexual activity short of intercourseTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1964
love weed; loveweednounmarijuanaUS , 1938
loveynounused as an endearment, or an over-familiar or patronising form of address In conventional use until late C19, thereafter colloquialUK , 1731
lovey-doveyadjectiveextremely affectionate, sentimenal, romantic Heard at the turn of the century, then obsolete; heard again in the late 1940s When not a genuine endearment, it tends to be used contemptuouslyUS , 1886
lownouna depression, a state of depression (mental, physical or commercial) The opposite ofHIGH UK , 1961
low and slowadjectivedescribing the manner in which lowriders drive their cars, low to the ground and at a crawlUS , 1985
lowballnounin the used car business, a knowingly deflated priceUS , 1961
low bandwithadjectivelacking useful informationUS , 1995
lowbrownouna person who is not, or has no pretentions to be, of above-average intellectual capability or aesthetic refinementUS , 1903
lowbrowadjectiveof little or no intellectual interest or aesthetic refinementUS , 1903
lowbush moosenounin Alaska, a snowshoe rabbitUS , 1997
low campnouna coarsely ostentatious style, often unintentional An elaboration ofCAMP(flamboyance)US , 1963
lowdownnoundetailed informationUS , 1907
lower 48nounin Alaska, all states except AlaskaUS , 1984
lower 49nounin Alaska, all states except AlaskaUS , 1984
lower decknounthe genitals, male or femaleUS , 1967
lower statesnounin Alaska, all states except AlaskaUS , 1984
lowest form of life; lowest form of animal lifenounused to categorise or insult the despised, the overlooked and the most juniorUK , 1961
low-flyernicknameFamous Grouse™ whisky After the characteristic behaviour of the feathered grouseUK: SCOTLAND , 1996
lowgradeverbto disparage with great effectUS , 1973
low-hangersnountesticles that dangle well below the body Used in
Sex and the City, a late 1990s television comedy to indicate
testicles that may get in the way of sexual penetrationUS , 2000
lowheelnouna street-walking prostitute; any prostitute; a promiscu-ous woman Inferring that the heels are worn down from persist-ent street-walkingAUSTRALIA , 1939
low-hung
Trang 3lowienoun1a period of clinical depression Liverpool usage Also
spelt ‘lowey’UK , 2001.2a prostitute; a promiscuous woman From
LOWHEEL AUSTRALIA , 1944
LowiesnounLowenbrau™ beerUS , 1982
low maintenanceadjective(used of a person) not requiring a great
deal of attention or emotional support A term that did not
achieve anywhere near the fame of its cousinHIGH MAINTENANCE
US , 1989
low-man feednounin pinball, an understanding among friends
playing a game that the person with the lowest score on one
game will pay for the next gameUS , 1977
low man on the totem polenounin poker, the player with the
worst handUS , 1988
low marble countnounlow intelligenceUS , 1994
low neck; low neck and short sleevesnounan uncircumcised
penisUS , 1941
low on the totem pole; low on the totemadjectiveoccupying an
unimportant position in a hierarchyUK , 1974
low passnouna preliminary review of a situation US naval aviator
usageUS , 1986
low-rateverbto denigrate; to insultUS , 1906
low rentadjectivecheap, inferior; despicableUS , 1957
lowridernoun1a young person who restores and drives a car with a
hydraulic system that lowers the car’s chassis to just above the
ground A lifestyle and art form in the American southwest,
especially among Mexican-American youthUS , 1963.2a person
wearing trousers without a belt and very low on the waistUS , 1997
low roadnounthe railway from Glasgow to Dalry Surely formed
from the famous Scottish song ‘Loch Lomond’: ‘O ye’ll tak the
high road and I’ll tak the low road, / And I’ll be in Scotland afore
ye’UK , 1970
lowsnounin pool, the solid-coloured balls numbered 1 to 7US , 1990
low sidenounin craps, all the points below sevenUS , 1950
low-techadjectiveusing basic technology Combines ‘low’ (basic)
with an abbreviationUS , 1981
low winesnounin the illegal production of alcohol, the low-proof
distillate produced by the first run of a stillUS , 1974
loxverbto refill an aircraft’s stock of liquid oxygen, used for
breathing at high altitudesCANADA , 1995
loxed; loxed outadjectivein a diminished state of consciousness
after a heart attack or respiratory arrest An abbreviation of ‘lack of
oxygen’ US , 1978
loxionnouna neighbourhood Township slang, from ‘location’SOUTH
AFRICA , 2003
loyal to the dollaradjectivebribed and compliant with the intent of
the bribeUS , 1989
L-plate; L-platernouna prisoner serving a life sentence A play on L
for ‘life’ and the L-plates that signify learner-driversUK , 1996
L’snouna driver’s licenseUS , 2001
LSDnoun< new LSDVicodin™, a prescription painkiller taken
recreationallyUS , 2001
LSDnicknameLake Shore Drive, ChicagoUS , 1985
LT; el teenouna lieutenant From the common abbreviationUS , 1977
L-town; LousetownnicknameKlondike City, Yukon TerritoryCANADA ,
1963
L trainnoun< take the L trainto lose, to fail miserablyUS , 1993
L train!used for a warning that police are nearbyUS , 1993
lubagenounmarijuana A variation ofLUBANGE(marijuana)US , 1998
lubangenounmarijuana Originally East African usageUS , 1982
lubenouna lubricantUS , 1970
lubeverbto lubricateUS , 1956
lubedadjectivedrunk An abbreviated form ofLUBRICATED US , 1979
lube jobnounthe process of lubricating a car or other piece of
lubranounan Aboriginal woman Probably from an Australian Aboriginal language Now only used derogatorilyAUSTRALIA , 1830
lubra lipsnounlarge lipsAUSTRALIA , 1975
lubricatedadjectivedrunkUS , 1911
Luby Lou; Lubynicknamea Jewish person Rhyming slang; probably formed on Looby Loo, a rag doll character in children’s television
programme Andy Pandy, BBC since 1950 UK , 2000
LucasnounmarijuanaUS , 1998
lucifee; luciveenouna Canada lynxCANADA , 1949
lucknoun< you never know your lucksomething unexpected may well happen Probably an elaboration ofYOU NEVER KNOW UK , 1961
luck intoverbto be the beneficiary of good fortuneUS , 1920
luck moneynouna tip or gratuityUS , 1948
luck outverbto experience some good luckUS , 1945
lucky 15nouna multiple bet, based on a yankee, combining 15 separate betsUK , 1991
lucky 31nouna multiple bet covering five selections to ‘31 win stakes or 62 each-way stakes’UK , 2001
lucky 63nouna multiple bet covering six selections to ‘63 win stakes or 126 each-way stakes’UK , 2001
lucky boy; luck boynouna swindler; a pickpocketUS , 1922
lucky bucknouna casino gambling couponUS , 1974
lucky charmnounthe arm Rhyming slangUK , 1998
Lucky Country; lucky countrynoun Australia From The Lucky Country, 1964, by Donald Horne, Australian author Often used
ironicallyAUSTRALIA , 1968
lucky dipnoun1a chip Rhyming slang, possibly derived from the action of eating a bag of chipsUK , 1992.2a whip Rhyming slangUK , 1998
lucky ladynouna type of bet in an illegal numbers game lotteryUS , 1957
lucky lastnounin horse racing, the final race of the dayAUSTRALIA , 1989
lucky Pierrenounthe man (or the woman) sandwiched between the outer layers of a sexually active threesome Glorified in the following lyric: ‘Pierre gave it to Sheila, / Who must have brought it there / He got it from François and Jacques, / A-ha, Lucky Pierre!’ (Tom Lehrer, ‘I Got It From Agnes’, 1953) Predominately gay male usageUS , 1942
lucky shopnounin Victoria; an establishment for betting with the TAB (a legal gambling agency)AUSTRALIA , 1979
lucky stiffnounin blackjack, a poor hand that is transformed by a lucky draw into a winning handUS , 2003
lucoddy; leucoddy; coddynounthe bodyUK , 1967
Lucozadenouna black person Rhyming slang forSPADE(a black person); formed on the name of a branded drinkUK , 1984
lu-cu-pugood night A short-lived, but intensely used, piece of bebop slangUS , 1948
Lucynounan individual cigarette sold over the counterUS , 1996
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds; LucynounLSD One of the
Beatles’ most psychedelic songs, ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’,
1967, has always been seen as a (not very discreet) LSD reference
UK , 1975
Lucy Locketnouna pocket Rhyming slang, from a nursery rhyme
UK , 1971
lude; ludnouna tablet of the recreational drug methaqualone, best known as Quaaludes™ or, in a manner not inconsistent with the imprecision of the drug culture, any central nervous system depressant Quaalude™ was a brand name for methaqualone, a muscle relaxant and barbiturate substitute introduced in 1965 and made illegal in the US in 1984US , 1973
lúdramán; ludramaunnounan idiot, a stupid person From the Irish for ‘an idle person’IRELAND , 1997
luego
Trang 4luernouna glass syringe with a slip-on needle and a solid plungerUS ,
1973
lugnoun1a large, clumsy, dim manUS , 1927.2a woman who takes
lesbian lovers in college and then reverts to heterosexuality after
graduation from college An abbreviation of ‘lesbian until
gradu-ation’US , 1993.3the earUK , 1507.4an inhalation of marijuana
smoke, especially from a water pipeUK , 1996.5a demandUS , 1929.
6luggageUS , 1977
lugverbto bring, to accompanyUK , 1884
lugannouna Lithuanian Coined in ChicagoUS , 1947
luger loutnouna German Rhyming slang forKRAUTformed from
the well-known brand of German side-arm and a pun onLAGER
LOUT UK , 1992
luggernoun1in a big store confidence swindle, somebody who is
assigned to provide background ambience, an extraUS , 1931.2a
person who physically transports players to an illegal poker game
US , 1979
lughole; lug’olenounthe ear A variation ofLUG(the ear)UK , 1895
lug inverb(used of a racehorse) to tend to run toward the railUS , 1964
lukenounpre-coital vaginal secretionsUS , 1960s
lukennounin circus and carnival usage, a naive, gullible personUS ,
1981
Luke the Gooknounduring the Korean war, a north Korean; during
the Vietnam war, any Vietnamese person War usageUS , 1953
Luke the Gook’s castlenouna fortified North Korean positionUS ,
1964
lullabyverbto knock unconscious; to killUS , 1990
lulunounsomething that is amazingUS , 1886
Lulu’s parlornouna brothelUS , 1946
lumbernoun1the stems of a marijuana plantUS , 1982.2stolen
goodsUK , 1956.3an action or piece of information intended to
cause troubleUK , 1956.4a member of the opposite sex that you
form an initial liaison with, especially with a view to greater
intimacyUK: SCOTLAND , 1966.5a non-playing, non-betting observer of
a game of chanceUS , 1961.< in lumber; in dead lumberin
troubleUK , 1967
lumberverb1to stealUK , 1956.2to fightUS , 1982.3to form an initial
liaison with someone sexually attractive, especially with a view to
greater intimacyAUSTRALIA , 1933.4to encumber with problems or
troubleUK , 1956.5to arrest First recorded in 1812 meaning ‘to jail’,
from ‘lumber’ (to pawn)UK , 1812
lumberedadjective1arrested, in custody Still in current use
AUSTRALIA , 1812.2in (any sort of ) trouble; having been given
unwelcome responsibilityUK , 1984
lumberingnounsexual intercourseAUSTRALIA , 1992
lumberjacknounthe back Rhyming slang, playing on ‘lumbar’.UK ,
1998
lumberman’s strawberriesnounprunesCANADA , 1947
lumber wagonnounan old, dilapidated carUS , 1962
lumber yardnoun1the trees around and in a golf courseUS , 2000.
2a prison exercise yardAUSTRALIA , 1956
luminsnounrays of the sun Often found as ‘soaking up a few
lumins’US , 1968
lummed upadjectivedrunkUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
lumpnoun1a stupid, inept personUK , 1909.2a tracking deviceUK ,
2002.3in hot rodding and drag racing, an engineUS , 1963.4a small
lunch carried in your pocketUS , 1980
lumpverb1to dislike something that must be enduredUK , 1833.2to
reluctantly accept Usually in the phrase ‘lump it’UK , 1791.3to
strike; to hitUK , 1780.< lump lipsto talk on the telephone Teen
slangUS , 1951
lumpernoun1any unskilled worker Originally applied to an
unskilled worker who helped load and off-load vessels, and then
more generallyUK , 1785.2in carnival usage, a confederate who is
lump of coke; lumpnouna man Rhyming slang forBLOKE UK , 1859
lump of icenounadvice Rhyming slangUK , 1909
lump of leadnounthe head Rhyming slang, often used in connection with a hangoverUK , 1857
lumpsnounthe consequences of your actions, punishment or other unpleasantness, either physical or by reprimandUS , 1930
lumpy gravynounthe Royal Navy Rhyming slangUK , 1984
lumpy jumpernouna female member of the Royal Air Force A less than flattering allusion to female breastsUK , 2002
lunnounin Newfoundland, a spot in the lee of the windCANADA , 1958
Luna Park bookmakernouna bookmaker who appears to be operating his business just for fun Luna Park was an amusement park on Coney Island, New York, and later in Sydney The Sydney park has long used the sobriquet ‘just for fun’ in advertisements
AUSTRALIA , 1989
lunarnounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycle Emphasises the monthly rhythm of the cycleUS , 2000
lunar occurencenounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS , 1968
lunatic patrolnouna police operation to bring a mentally ill person
to a hospitalCANADA , 1945
lunaticsnoun< the lunatics are running the asylum; the
lunatics have taken over the asylumused of any situation that is managed by those who are incapableUK , 1981
lunatic soupnounalcoholic drinkAUSTRALIA , 1933
lunchnoun1the male genitals, especially as may be hinted at or imagined when the man is dressedAUSTRALIA , 1944.2oral sex performed on a womanUS , 1995.< do lunchto have lunch, usually
a working lunch Hollywood lingo, embraced elsewhere with a sense
of mockingUS , 1987.< drop your lunchto fartAUSTRALIA , 1988.
< out to lunch1distracted, insensible, foolish, stupid, vacant; being there with the mind elsewhere A figurative use of a favourite excuse for someone not being there, in this case extended to ‘not all there’US , 1955.2knocked from your surfboard by a waveUS , 1977
lunchverb1to fail, to do poorlyUS , 1966.2to cause a car engine to explode, scattering parts on the track or road An especially common event and term in drag racingUS , 1997.3to perform oral sexUK , 1996.< get lunchedto be knocked from your surfboard and thrashed by the oceanUS , 1988
lunchadjectivewithout a care, absent-mindedUS , 1975
lunchboxnoun1the male genitalia, especially when generously presented in tight clothing An indiscreet euphemism that makes people smile; perhaps its most famous usage occurred during track athlete Linford Christie’s impressive performance at the 1992 Olympic Games, when he took gold in the 100 metresUS , 1992.
2someone who is completely out of touchUS , 1964
lunch bucketnouna socially inept outcastUS , 1956
lunch hooksnounthe handsUS , 1896
lunchienouna lunchtime drink consumed in place of a mealUK , 2001
lunchin’adjectivefoolish A formation based onOUT TO LUNCH US , 1987
lunchingnounthe act of oral sexUK , 1996
lunchingadjectivecompletely out of touch and unaware of what is happening An evolvedOUT TO LUNCH US , 1999
lunchmeatnoun1in the pornography industry, an extremely appealing and sexual womanUS , 1995.2in poker, bad cards or a player who proceeds with a bad handUS , 1996
lunch outverb1to perform oral sexUS , 1986.2to experience a psychotic break during drug intoxicationUS , 1988
lunchpailnounan ugly, stupid and/or despised personUS , 1968
lunch traynouna short snowboardUS , 1995
lundnouna despicable personTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1980
Lunenburg champagnenounrum Lunenburg, on the Nova Scotia South Shore coast, is long known for its fishing and trading, and the nickname comes from the old three-cornered trade with England and the West Indies salt fish, rum and lumberCANADA ,
Trang 5Lunenburg puddingnounpork sausageCANADA , 1998
lung butternounphlegmUS , 1993
lungernoun1phlegm expelled from the lungsUS , 1946.2a person
suffering from tuberculosisUS , 1893
lungsnounthe female breastsUS , 1951
lunknouna doltUS , 1867
lunkheadnouna doltUS , 1868
luppernounthe finger PolariUK , 1967
lurknouna cunning scheme or stratagem A positive term When
referring to a fraudulent or otherwise illegal activity a ‘lurk’ is only
ever a misdemeanour or a bending of the rules Commonly refers
also to a job that is easy yet sounds like hard work, or has some
clever trick to being profitableAUSTRALIA , 1891
lurkverbto read postings on an Internet discussion group without
posting your own commentsUS , 1984
lurkernoun1a person who reads postings on an Internet discussion
group without posting their own commentsUS , 1991.2a
market-stallholder who is new to the trade, and who operates in
non-traditional markets Used by veterans who were ‘born to the job’
UK , 1983.3a Canadian pilot waiting in Thompson, Manitoba, for a
flying jobCANADA , 2002
lurk mannouna man who is adept at obtaining lurksAUSTRALIA , 1945
lurk merchantnouna person adept at obtaining lurksAUSTRALIA , 1964
lurpnoun1a misfitUS , 1955.2a long-range reconnaissance patrol; a
member of such a patrol From the initials LRRPUS , 1968
lusnounenthusiasm, appetite From ‘lust’ or synonymous Afrikaans
lus Used, for example, in the expression a ‘lus for politics’ SOUTH
AFRICA , 1994
lusadjectivelonging for something; lusting after something From
Afrikaans lus (desirous) SOUTH AFRICA , 1970
lusernouna computer neophyteUS , 1995
lushnoun1alcohol At one time deemed obsolete slang, but revived
UK , 1790.2an alcoholicUS , 1851
lushverbto drink alcohol excessivelyUK , 1811
lushadjective1sexually attractiveUK , 1890.2drunkUK , 1812.3very
good, great, especially nice; attractive Reported in mid-1970s as
being used in Wigan, south Lancashire, and in 2002, by south
Wales schoolchildren to describe an impressive room in an
historic houseUK , 1953
lush!used for expressing approvalUK , 2003
lushedadjectivedrunkUS , 1927
lushernouna drunkardUS , 1848
lush greennounmoneyUS , 1951
lushheadnouna habitual drinker CombinesLUSH(an alcoholic) with
-HEAD(a user)UK , 1938
lushhoundnouna drunkardUS , 1935
lush puppynouna young person who drinks to excess A play on the branded shoes Hush Puppies™UK , 1983
lush-rollverbto rob drunkardsUS , 1957
lushwellnouna drunkardUS , 1960
lush-workernouna thief who preys on drunks who have passed out
US , 1908
lushynouna drunkardUS , 1944
lustnoun< in lustsexually attracted to someone A play on the conventional ‘in love’US , 1963
lust dognouna passionate, promiscuous femaleUS , 1975
lusty wenchnounan attractive teenage girl The term assumes a degree of respectability in the girlNEW ZEALAND , 1984
luvnounlove, especially as a form of address A variant spelling; also used for reasons of alphabetic economy in text messagingUK , 1898
luvvie; luvvy; luvvie-darlingnoun1an actor of either sex, especially one given to public extravagance or theatrical gesture;
an actor who is considered intensely serious about theatre work Satirical, gently derogatory, often self-descriptive; from the stereotypical thespianic greeting and form of address ‘Luvvie, darling’UK , 1990.2used as a form of address, generally affectionate (usually of the opposite sex, sometimes considered patronising)
An extension ofLOVE UK , 1968
luxadjective luxurious US , 2002
L’villenicknameLouisville, KentuckyUS , 1981
lyenounmarijuanaUS , 1990s
lying squadnoun the Flying Squad of the Metropolitan Police UK , 1996
lyricsnoun1talk, especially when stretching truth or reality A play
on ‘words’UK , 1994.2profanity; disparagementTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1987
LZnouna combat aircraft landing zone, especially an improvised one
US , 1971
Trang 6Mnoun1morphineUS , 1914.2marijuana Extended from the previous
senseUS , 1955.3an MBE (Member of the Order of the British
Empire) Used by civil servants, suggestive of a casual familiarity
with the honourUK , 1961
M & Mnouna 9 mm pistolUS , 1999
M20nouna meeting place Citizens’ band radio jargon, originally US;
UK use is interesting as the M20 is a motorway route to
FolkestoneUS , 1981
M25nouna tablet of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as
ecstasy The initial letter of MDMA leads to the designation of the
London orbital motorway (M25) thus memorialising the road’s
pivotal role in reaching the (often) illegal locations of early raves
UK , 1996
M8nounused in text messaging to mean ‘a mate’ A variant
spelling; one of several constructions in which a syllable
pronounced ‘ate’ is replaced by the homophone ‘eight’UK , 2002
manouna mother; used for addressing your mother An abbreviation
of ‘mama’UK , 1823
ma’anouncrack cocaine, 2003
maaga; magaadjectivethin From West Indian and UK black patois
pronunciation of ‘meagre’UK , 1994
ma and paadjective(used of a business) small-scale, family-owned
US , 1972
ma bubby and Choonnounany two things that are very close to
each otherTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1990
macnoun1an automated cash machine Originally from the
trademarked acronym Money Access Centre, then applied to any
such deviceUS , 1996.2a mackintosh, hence any waterproof
outercoat Sometimes spelt ‘mack’UK , 1901
Mac; mac; macknoun1used as a term of address for a man whose
name is not known by the speakerUS , 1918.2a red McIntosh apple,
usually from British ColumbiaCANADA , 1958
mac; mackverbto eat voraciously From the Big Mac, a hamburger
speciality from the McDonald’s™ hamburger chainUS , 1990
macaroninoun1an Italian-American or Italian From the pasta
productUK , 1845.2excrement Rhyming slang for ‘pony’ (the
reduced form ofPONY AND TRAP), CRAP(excrement) Sometimes
reduced to ‘maca’UK , 1974.3a pony; hence £25 Rhyming slang for
PONY UK , 1857.4in betting, odds of 25–1 From rhyming slang for
PONY(£25)UK , 1991.5in oil drilling, small-diameter pipeUS , 1954
macaroniverbto defecate Rhyming slang forPONY AND TRAP(CRAP)
UK , 1974
macaroni and cheesenounmarijuana worth $5 and cocaine worth
$10US , 2002
macaroonnouna black person Rhyming slang forCOON UK , 1992
MacArthur sweepnouna combing of the hair from the side of the
head over a bald spot on top of the headUS , 1953
macca; mackernouna recruit in the armed forces Origin unknown
AUSTRALIA , 1944
maccaadjectiveenormous School slangUK: ENGLAND , 2003
Maccasnoun1food from a McDonald’s™ restaurantAUSTRALIA , 1996.
2a McDonald’s™ restaurantAUSTRALIA , 1995
macdaddynounthe very best of somethingUS , 1995
maceverb1to swindle, to defraudUK , 1790.2to owe money From
the previous senseUK , 1979.3to steal or cheat, especially by means
of the three card trick A variation of the sense ‘to swindle’UK , 1977
MacGuffinnouna device or a gimmick within a film that while
often peripheral to the storyline is iconic in and of the overall
storytelling Coined by film director Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980)
US , 1939
machernounan important and powerful man YiddishUS , 1930
machinenoun1a fast and attractive car Often pronounced ‘ma-chine’US , 1908.2a machine gunUS , 1995.3a trumpetUK , 1983.4in horse racing, a pari-mutuel betting machineUS , 1976.5in horse racing, a battery-powered device used to impart a shock to a horse during a raceUS , 1976
Machinenoun< the Machinein big city politics, the over-arching political organisation that runs all facets of lifeUS , 1992
machine gun; machinenouna syringe used for injecting an illegal drugUK , 1978
Machine Gun Murphynouna stereotypical fearless soldierUS , 1971
machinerynoun1the equipment used to prepare and inject narcoticsUS , 1970.2marijuana Also simply ‘mach’US , 1977
machonounexcessively masculine, virile and brave A direct loan from SpanishUS , 1959
Macintoy; Macintrashnounan Apple Macintosh™ computerUS , 1991
Macintyrenounfire Rhyming slangUK , 1996
macknoun1a pimpUS , 1903.2a person who is a smooth and convincing talkerUS , 1962.3the speech a pimp makes to recruit a woman as a prostituteUS , 1972.4a male who attracts femalesUS ,
1997 8see:MAC
mackverb1to speak with a stylish flair and flatteryUS , 1968.2to work
as a pimpUK , 1887.3to behave with ostentatious style and flairUS ,
2002.4to kissUS , 1993 8see:MAC
Mack Daddynouna skilled ladies’ man; a pimpUS , 1959
mackernouna very large waveUS , 1991 8see:MACCA
mackerel and sprat; mackerelnouna fool Rhyming slang forPRAT
(a fool); however, as this generally appears in the shortened form,
an alternative rhyming derivation has appeared: mackerel – fish
in the pool – foolUK , 1998
mackerel-snappernouna Roman Catholic From the practice of eating fish on FridaysUS , 1850s
mack mannouna pimpUS , 1960
Mack the Knifenounany surgeonUS , 1980
Macnamaranouna barrow Glasgow rhyming slangUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
macociousadjectiveinclined to gossipTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1977
macon; maconha; machona; machnounmarijuana From
Brazilian maconha (marijuana) US , 1938
mac outverbto eat ravenouslyUS , 1982
MactownnicknameMcMurdo Station, AntarcticaANTARCTICA , 2003
madadjective1exciting, goodUS , 1941.2in homosexual usage, unrestrained and ostentatiousUS , 1949.3used as an all-purpose, dra-matic intensifierUS , 1972
madadverb< like madto an extraordinary extent, very muchUK , 1653
mad aboutadjectiveenthusiastic about, having a strong liking for, sexually infatuatedUK , 1744
madamnounin a deck of playing cards, a queenUS , 1988
Madam de Luce; madamverbto deceive Rhyming slang for
‘spruce’UK , 1938
madamenoun1an older homosexual manUS , 1979.2the victim of
an extortion schemeUS , 1982
MadamenicknameMadame Ngo Dinh Nhu, sister-in-law of South
Trang 7Madame Tussaudnounbald Rhyming slang, formed on the name
of the famous waxworks’ founderUK , 1998
mad as a beetleadjectiveextremely mad; very angryAUSTRALIA , 1942
mad as a boiled mentally deranged A seemingly endless source
of nonsense similes; ‘mad as a boiled dictionary compiler’ makes
as much sense, which is probably the pointUK , 2000
mad as a Chinamanadjectiveextremely mad; very angryAUSTRALIA ,
1942
mad as a cut snakeadjectiveextremely mad Either meaning ‘out
of one’s mind with anger’ or ‘insane’AUSTRALIA , 1932
mad as a goannaadjectiveextremely mad; very angry A goanna is
a large lizardAUSTRALIA , 1942
mad as a gum tree full of galahsadjectivetotally mad; crazy The
galah is a striking native bush parrot noted for loud calls and antic
behaviourAUSTRALIA , 1942
mad as a meat-axeadjectiveextremely mad Generally meaning
‘insane’ rather than ‘out of one’s mind with anger’AUSTRALIA , 1946
mad as a satchel of kneesadjectiveinsane, crazyUK , 2003
mad as a snakeadjectiveextremely mad Either meaning ‘out of
one’s mind with anger’ or ‘insane’AUSTRALIA , 1917
mad as sandadjectivementally deranged Liverpool usageUK , 1999
mad ballnounin circus and carnival usage, a fortune teller’s glass
globeUS , 1948
mad bastardnouna variety of MDMA, the recreational drug best
known as ecstasyUK , 1997
mad bombernouna mortar air delivery system From the initials
MADSUS , 1991
MadchesternicknameManchester, the UK city that was, between
1989–92, more in touch with youth, music and drug fashions than
any other ‘Mad’ puns on craziness and MDMA (ecstasy)UK , 1996
mad dognoun1a fearless, aggressive, uninhibited criminalUS , 1956.
2any cheap red wine Originally applied to Mogen-David wine,
later to any cheap wineUS , 1974
mad-dogverb1to behave in an intensely aggressive fashion, giving
the appearance of near insanityUS , 1992.2to annoyNEW ZEALAND ,
1998
maddynoun< throw a maddyto have a fit of ill-temperUK:
SCOTLAND , 1985
madeadjective1officially admitted into a crime familyUS , 1966.
2(used of a woman) formerly virginalUS , 1949
made in heavennounin Bingo, the number sixty-seven Rhyming
slangUK , 2003
made in the shadeadjectivesuccessful, accomplishedUS , 1951
made of moneyadjectivewealthyUK , 1786
Ma Deucenouna Browning 50 calibre machine gunUS , 1982
made upadjectivehappy, satisfied, pleasedUK , 1999
mad for itadjectivevery eager The phrase, originating in Manchester
in the north of England, gained its wider currency as a
catchphrase to justify the excesses of Liam and Noel Gallagher and
their band OasisUK , 1997
madheadnouna crazy personUK , 2002
madhousenouna brakevan ( caboose)US , 1977
Madison Avenue crash helmetnouna kind of businessman’s hat
US , 1965
mad keen onadjectivevery enthusiastic about something or
someoneUK , 1949
madlyadverbpassionately, fervently, extremelyUK , 1756
madmannouna pill of pure MDMA, the recreational drug best
known as ecstasy; MDMA in powdered form A playful disguise of
MaDMAnUK , 2002
Mad Maxnountax Rhyming slang, formed on the eponymous hero
of three films, 1979–85, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland;
suggesting, perhaps, that taxes will both pay for and survive the
apocalypse
mad micknouna pick (the tool) Rhyming slangAUSTRALIA , 1919
mad mikenouna mad minute From the military phonetic alphabet
in which ‘m’ is ‘mike’US , 1991
mad minutenounan intense, short-lived burst of weapon fireUS , 1917
mad moneynounmoney set aside to use in an emergency or to splurgeUS , 1922
mad monkeynouna staff worker at the US Military Army Command, Vietnam Another of many terms expressing the combat soldier’s disdain for those who were in the service but did not see combatUS , 1991
madon!used as a moderately profane exclamation Originally Italian-American usageUS , 1977
Madonnanounsomeone who has died or is unavoidably doomed
to die very soon Rhyming slang forGONER, formed on the popular
US singer Madonna Louise Ciccone (b.1958) rather than the religious iconUK , 2004
madonna clawsnounan ugly hand Contemporary gay useUK , 2003
mad out of itadjectivedrunk or drug-intoxicatedIRELAND , 2001
mad propsnouneffusive complimentsUS , 1994
mad railernouna racing greyhound that will veer towards the inside rail no matter what its starting positionAUSTRALIA , 1989
Madras in the evening, mad arse in the morninggiven as a proverbial warning against eating a curry that is spicier than your body can comfortably handle In Glasgow useUK: SCOTLAND , 1988
mad skullnouna crazy or mentally unstable personUK: SCOTLAND , 1985
mad spunadjectivedeeply under the influence of LSDUS , 1997
madukesnouna motherUS , 2002
mad weednoungreen, weak marijuanaJAMAICA , 1979
mad wey it; mad wi’ itadjectivedrunk; mad with drinkUK: SCOTLAND , 2002
madwomannouna pill of pure MDEA, an analogue of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy Probably as a variation of
MADMAN(MDMA)UK , 2002
madza; madzer; medza; medzer; midzeradjectivehalf From
Italian mezzo (a half ) Used, for example, in ‘madza beagered’
(half-drunk) and ‘medzer caroon’ (a half-crown)UK , 2002
Maenounamong male homosexuals, a term of endearment Probably adopted from the name of glamorous film actress Mae West; used in such conversational gambits as: ‘Hello, Mae, how are you today?’UK , 2003
Mae Westnoun1the chest or the breast Rhyming slang, formed from the name of buxom US actress and writer, 1892–1980UK ,
1992.2a life-jacket worn by aircrews Military Remains familiar thanks to its popularity with crossword compilersUK , 1940.3in the language of parachuting, a partial inversion of the canopy resulting from a deployment malfunctionUS , 1958.4a French-Canadian sugar rollCANADA , 1979
mafianounused as part of a jocular formation referring to a large number or influential group of peopleUS , 1989
mafioskinounRussian criminals Conventional ‘mafia’ with the suffix ‘-ski’ to indicate a Russian heritageUK , 1998
mafunounmarijuanaUK , 2003
magnoun1a magazine, in any sense of the termUK , 1801.2a mag-nesium steel wheel on a race carUS , 1970.3a magneto, used on drag racing engines with no battery or generatorUS , 1968.4a brief conversation; a chat; a gossipAUSTRALIA , 1895
Magnouna Magnum™ pistolUS , 1970
magverbto chat; to prattleUK , 1820
maga dognouna mongrel West Indian and Rastafarian patois, from
maaga or mawga meaning meagre, hence skinny , 2004
magazinenouna six-month sentence to jailUS , 1949
maggienoun1the Australian magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen AUSTRALIA ,
1901.2marijuana Variants on the name Maggie, all diminutives of Margaret, play very loosely on marijuana: ‘Maggie’, ‘meg’, ‘megg’,