A term of disapprovalUK , 1984 mudnoun1excrementAUSTRALIA , 1993.2unprocessed opium; opium; heroinUS , 1915.3coffeeUS , 1875.4chemical fire retardant dropped from the airUS , 2000.5in ci
Trang 1Mrs More; the Mrsnouna floor, the floor Rhyming slang, from the
music hall song ‘Don’t Have Any More, Mrs More’UK , 1992
Mrs Palm and her five lovely daughters; Mrs Palmer and her
five daughtersnounthe hand (seen in the context of male
masturbation)AUSTRALIA , 1955
Mrs Plesnicknamethe skull of an Australopithecine man-ape found
at Sterkfontein in 1947 Indicating the (possibly wrong) gender and
his/her generic name Plesianthropus SOUTH AFRICA , 1959
MSMnoun homosexual males Initialism formed from ‘men who
have sex with men’ UK , 1998
MTFnoun a very tactile admirer of young ladies Initialism, ‘must
touch flesh’ Upper-class society usage UK , 1982
M to Fadverb Monday to Friday UK , 1996
munoun1marijuanaUS , 1936.2used for expressing the sentiment
that ‘your question cannot be answered because it depends on
incorrect assumptions’ A Japanese word borrowed by computer
enthusiastsUS , 1991
muchadverbused for ironic emphasisUS , 1988.< not much of aof
limited quality, quantity or degreeUK , 1889.< not up to much
inferiorUK , 1864
much moreadjectivevery goodUS , 1994
muchoadjectivemuch, a lot of A direct borrowing from SpanishUS ,
1942
muchoadverbvery Directly from SpanishUS , 1973
much of a muchnessnounvery similar, of much the same degree,
size, value, etcUK , 1728
mucknoun1semenUK , 1997.2any unpleasant, vile or disgusting
thing to eat or drinkUK , 1882.3bad weatherUK , 1855.4stage
makeupUS , 1926.5in poker, the pile of discarded cardsUS , 1990.
< as muckvery, exceedingly Especially used in the phrase
‘common as muck’UK , 1782.< make a muck ofto ruinUK , 1906
muckverb1in poker, to fold, to discard your handUK , 2003.2in a
casino, to spread playing cards on the table and move them
randomly as part of the shuffling processUS , 2003
muck aboutverb1to fool around; to trifle withAUSTRALIA , 1946.2to
mess someone aboutAUSTRALIA , 1965.3to behave amorously
towardsAUSTRALIA , 1959
muck-a-muck; muckety-mucknounan important and prominent
personUS , 1856
muck around; muck aboutverbto fool aroundUK , 1856
mucked upadjectivein disarray; confused; spoiled A euphemism for
FUCKED UP US , 1951
muckernoun1a friend FromMUCK IN(to share the circumstances
of basic living)UK , 1947.2a person who uses sleight-of-hand to
cheat at cardsUS , 1996
mucker-uppernouna bunglerUK , 1942
muck inverbto share, on an informal basis, food, accommodation
and other facilities, or work Of military originUK , 1919
muckingnounused as a euphemism for ‘fucking’ A literary
euphemism from the days when it was not permissable to
reproduce the word ‘fuck’ in print Not used in real language
AUSTRALIA , 1962
mucking; muckin’adverbused as an intensifier A euphemistic
disguise forFUCKING UK , 1887
muck outverbto killUS , 1984
muck sacknouna lazy personUS , 1959
mucksavagenouna country personIRELAND , 1998
muck sticknouna shovelUS , 1908
muck trucknounin prison, a food trolleyUK , 1996
muck-upnouna confusion, a muddle, a botchUK , 1939
muck upverbto botch, to ruin, to interfereUK , 1886
muck-up daynounthe last day of high school where leaving
muckyadjective1contemptible, sordid An old English regional term that survives in the colloquial vocabularyUK , 1683.2pornographic, especially when mildly so; lewd From the previous sense as
‘sordid’UK , 1972
mucky pupnouna dirty or untidy child A term of disapprovalUK , 1984
mudnoun1excrementAUSTRALIA , 1993.2unprocessed opium; opium; heroinUS , 1915.3coffeeUS , 1875.4chemical fire retardant dropped from the airUS , 2000.5in circus and carnival usage, any cheap merchandise used as a prizeUS , 1981.6on the Internet, a multi-user dungeon, a text-based, networked, mutliparticipant virtual reality systemUS , 1995.7a billiard ballUS , 1993.< up to mudno good
AUSTRALIA , 1931
mudverb(used of a racehorse) to run well on muddy track con-ditionsUS , 1978
mud babynounfaecesUS , 2003
mud ballnouna doughnut or other pastry eaten with coffee Harkened toMUD(coffee)US , 1976
mud buttnoundiarrhoeaUS , 2004
muddafukkanouna motherfucker (in all senses)US , 1995
muddernounany athlete who performs well in rainy conditions; a racehorse that performs well on wet or muddy track conditionsUS , 1942
muddienoun the mud crab Scylla serrata AUSTRALIA , 1953
muddlefuggingadverbused as a euphemism for the intensifier
‘motherfucking’US , 1961
muddy feetnounsaid of someone who needs to urinateUS , 1963
muddy fucknounanal sex that brings forth faeces or faecal stains
on the penisUS , 1979
muddy trenchnounthe French Rhyming slang, possibly based on
‘bloody French’UK , 1992
muddy waternouncoffee Elaboration ofMUD(coffee) playing on Muddy Waters, the stage-name of bluesman McKinley Morganfield (1915–83)UK , 1981
Muddy YorknicknameYork, a suburb of TorontoCANADA , 2002
mud flapsnounthe condition that exists when a tight-fitting pair of trousers, shorts, bathing suit or other garment forms a wedge between a woman’s labia, accentuating their shapeUS , 2003
mudgenouna hat From a particular type of hat worn by C19 womenUK , 2002
mudguardnouna person whose outward geniality masks a vicious nature Both are shiny on the outside and filthy underneath
AUSTRALIA , 1989
mudheadnouna fanatic enthusiast for multi-user dungeon computer playUS , 1991
mud hognounfootball played in rainy, muddy conditionsTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1992
mud hooknoun1an anchor Nautical useUS , 1827.2in the dice game crown and anchor, an anchor From the non-symbolic pre-vious senseUK , 1961.3a finger Usually in the pluralCANADA , 1968
mud hopnouna clerk in a railway yardUS , 1929
mudkickernouna prostitute, especially of the street-walking variety
US , 1932
mudlarknouna racehorse that performs well on muddy track con-ditionsUS , 1909
mud marknounin horse racing, an indiciation in a past perform-ance report that a horse runs well in muddy track conditionsUS , 1965
mud-movingnounclose-in air support for a ground operation in the Canadian Air ForceCANADA , 1995
mud puppynouna very ugly girlUS , 1983
mud-stick artistnouna member of a railway track crewUS , 1977
mud turtlenouna black prisonerUS , 1976
mud wallownouna coffee house Citizens’ band slang, elaborating
Trang 2muffnounthe vulva; a woman as a sex objectUK , 1699.< buff the
muffto manually stimulate a woman’s genitalsUS , 1999
muffverbto bungleUK , 1827
muff-diveverbto perform oral sex on a womanUS , 1948
muff-divernouna person who performs oral sex on a womanUS ,
1930
muff-divingnounoral sex performed on a womanUS , 1974
muffinnouna woman objectified sexually Probably a disguised
MUFF(the vagina)US , 1870
Muffin the Mule; muffinnouna fool Rhyming slang, formed
from the name of a television puppet who was famous in the
1950sUK , 1998
muff jobnounoral sex on a womanUS , 1990
muffler burnnouna bruise on the skin caused by sucking
Hawaiian youth usageUS , 1982
muff magnouna magazine featuring photographs of naked women,
focusing on their pubic hair and vulvasUS , 1972
muff merchantnouna procurer of prostitutes; a man who makes
his living off the earnings of prositutesUS , 1987
muff munchernouna person who performs oral sex on women; a
lesbianAUSTRALIA , 1972
muff-noshingnounoral sex on a womanUS , 1980
muffydile; muffyditenouna person or animal with female and
male characteristics A corruption of ‘hermaphrodite’TRINIDAD AND
TOBAGO , 1986
mufti squadnounindividually anonymous, uniformed enforcers for
the police or prison authorities Prison usageUK , 2000
mu-fucka; muhfuckanouna motherfucker Alternative spellingUK ,
2002
mugnoun1a man, a blokeUS , 1859.2a gullible fool, an easy dupe A
‘mug’ is a vessel into which you can pour anythingUK , 1857.3the
face, especially an ugly oneUK , 1821.4the mouthAUSTRALIA , 1902.5a
member of a criminal gang by virtue of brawn not brainsUS , 1890.
6a client of a prostituteAUSTRALIA , C 1906
mugverb1to rob with violence or the threat of violenceUK , 1864.2to
stare atUS , 2001.3to grimace theatrically, especially while posing for
a photographUK , 1762.4to kissUS , 1947.5to photograph a prisoner
during the after-arrest processUS , 1899.< mug someone offto
show someone as a fool; to play someone for a fool; to consider
someone foolish FromMUG(a fool)UK , 1997
mugadjectivefoolish Especially in the termsMUG COPPERandMUG
PUNTER AUSTRALIA , 1954
mug aboutverbto kiss and fondle someoneAUSTRALIA , 1945
mug booknouna collection of photographs of criminals consulted
by the policeUS , 1902
mug chopnouna sale of a faulty second-hand car made by a dealer
posing as a customerUK , 1968
mug copnouna police officer, viewed as inherently stupidAUSTRALIA ,
1971
mug coppernouna police officer, viewed as inherently stupid
AUSTRALIA , 1945
mug downverbto kiss FromMUG(the face) on the model ofCHOW
DOWN(to set to eating)US , 1995
mug gallerynounin a carnival, a concession where people pay to
have their picture takenUS , 1960
muggernouna criminal who commits street robbery with violence
(or the threat of violence)US , 1863
muggienounmarijuana A variation ofMUGGLES(marijuana), 2003
muggingnouna street robbery from a person, especially robbery
with violence or the threat of violenceUS , 1943
mugginsnouna fool, an idiot, often with an implication that the
fool is a victim (and a fool to be so), a gullible foolUS , 1855
mugglenoun1a marijuana cigaretteUS , 1933.2a person with little or
no understanding of computers The opposite of aWIZARD ; derived
from the Harry Potter novels of JK Rowling
muggleheadnouna marijuana userUS , 1926
mugglesnounmarijuanaUS , 1928
muggyadjectivefoolish, in the manner of a mug (a fool, a dupe)UK , 1997
muggy-cuntnouna foolUK , 2000
mug jointnounin circus and carnival usage, a concession where customers are photographedUS , 1931
mug lairnouna showy but foolish personAUSTRALIA , 1944
mug moneynounin horse racing, money bet by uninformed bettors
AUSTRALIA , 1989
mug punternouna gambler, viewed as inherently stupidAUSTRALIA , 1943
mug’s gamenouna thankless activityUK , 1910
mug shotnoun1a police photograph of a (convicted) criminal CombinesMUG(the face) and ‘shot’ (a photograph)US , 1950.2a photographic portraitUK , 1978
mugsnappernounin circus and carnival usage, a travelling photographerUS , 1981
mugsnatchernouna photographer who operates in the street, at a fairground or at the seasideUK , 1979
mug’s tickernouna counterfeit Swiss watchUK , 1977
mug-upnouna coffee break or snack, at work or homeUS , 1958
mug upverb1to flirt, to kissUS , 1947.2to study hard Also ‘mug up on’UK , 1848
muhfuh; muhfuhkuhnounmotherfuck; motherfuckerUS , 1969
mujernouncocaine Spanish for ‘woman’US , 1994
mukluk telegraphnouna radio show that makes announcements delivering messages to people in rural Alaska who have no telephone or mail service The ‘mukluk’ is ‘an insulated boot designed for arctic wear’US , 1945
mukumsnounthe female pubic moundTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
mulanounmarijuanaUS , 1946
muladynoun a ghost, a devil English gypsy use from Romany mûlo
(dead, ghost)UK , 2000
mulberry bushnoun< go round the mulberry bushto waste time in a misdirected effort From a children’s singing game a perfect example of using up energy in pointless activityUK , 1962
mulenoun1a person who physically smuggles drugs or other contrabandUS , 1922.2a Vietnamese who carried supplies for the Viet Cong or the North Vietnamese ArmyUS , 1990.3in motor racing, a car used for tests and practiceUS , 1993.4a small, motorised platform used for transporting supplies or personnelUS ,
1903.5a railway brakemanUS , 1929.6an infertile womanTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1986.7marijuana that has been soaked in whiskyUS , 1955
mule nosenounthe condition that exists when a tight-fitting pair of trousers, shorts, bathing suit or other garment forms a wedge between a woman’s labia, accentuating their shapeUS , 2004
mulenyam; moulonjohnnouna black person From the Italian, referring to an eggplantUS , 1967
mule’s earnouna hidden mechanism used to control the spin of a roulette wheelUS , 1982
mule teethnounin craps, a roll of twelveUS , 1999
mule trainnounin humorous smuggler usage, a carUS , 1956
mulganoununinhabited or sparsely populated remote regions of
Australia From mulga (a type of native acacia), from the Australian
Aboriginal language YuwaalaraayAUSTRALIA , 1898
mulga wirenounan information network utilising word of mouth
AUSTRALIA , 1899
mullnounmarijuana prepared for smokingAUSTRALIA , 1988
mullverbto break up marijuana buds in preparation for smoking
AUSTRALIA , 2004
mullahnounan Irish person who is not from DublinIRELAND , 1996 8see:MOOLA
Trang 3mull bowlnouna bowl used to mull marijuanaAUSTRALIA , 1995
mullernoun1a murdererUK , 1979.2an ugly or unattractive person
Teen slangUK , 2003
mullerverbto roundly beat the opposition in a physical fight
German tailor Franz Müller (executed 1864) was the first person to
commit a murder on a British train; his name survives here as a
synonym for ‘murder’ but is used only as an exaggerationUK , 1997
mulleredadjective1drunk or drug-intoxicatedUK , 2000.2deadUK , 2000
mulleringnouna beatingUK , 1997
mulletnoun1a hairstyle: the hair is worn short at the front and
long at the back Fashionable in the 1980s and much derided by
the fashion-conscious generations that followedUS , 1997.2a gullible
personUS , 1955.3a socially inept outcastUS , 1959
mulletheadnouna fool, a stupid personUS , 1857
mull headnouna habitual smoker of marijuanaAUSTRALIA , 1996
mulligannouna prison guard Used with derision by prisonersUS ,
1939
mulligan stew; mulligannouna stew made without a recipe,
relying on ingredients that are left over from previous mealsUS ,
1904
mulligatawnynoundesiring sex Rhyming slang forHORNY UK , 1998
mullionnounan ugly personUS , 1959
mullocknounmining refuse From British dialectAUSTRALIA , 1855
mullock heapnouna mound of mullockAUSTRALIA , 1859
mull upverbto prepare marijuana for smoking Refers to cutting it
up and, usually, mixing it in tobaccoAUSTRALIA , 1987
mullygrubverbto sulk A venerable noun (meaning ‘depressed
spirits’), now surviving in verb formUS , 1984
multinouna multiple bet covering seven selections to ‘120 win
stakes or 240 each-way stakes’ Also known as a ‘Super Heinz’UK ,
2001
multi; multie; multi; multyadverbvery PolariUK , 1887
multi; multie; multy; multaadjectivepoor, bad Polari; a weakening
ofMULTI KATIVA(very bad) Also used as an expletive and
intensifying adjectiveUK , 1887
multi-coloured yawnnounan act of vomiting; vomitAUSTRALIA , 1977
multi kativa; multee kertever; multicattivoadjectivevery bad
Polari; from Italian molto cattivo (very bad) UK , 1859
multiplesnounsex involving multiple people; an orgyUS , 1968
multoadjectivemanyUK , 2003
mumnoun1a wife or a woman in a long-term relationshipUK , 1977.
2a woman objectified as unattractive A logical extension of the
belief that you would not fancy your mother Current in the City
of London during the 1990sUK , 1998
mumadjectivequiet, silentUK , 1950
mum and dadnouna cricket pad Rhyming slang, usually in the
plural, with both elements pluralisedUK , 2003
mum and dadadjectivemad Rhyming slangUK , 1976
mumblagenounstuffUS , 1981
mumbleused as a verbal placeholder when an answer is either too
difficult or unknownUS , 1983
mumblernouna woman wearing a tight-fitting pair of trousers,
shorts, bathing suit or other garment that forms a wedge between
her labia, accentuating their shape; the trousers in question
Derives from the humorous logic that you can see the lips moving
but can’t make out what is being saidUK , 2002
mumbo jumbonoun1meaningless jargonUK , 1896.2any religion or
religious practice, especially one that has or appears to have its
roots in AfricaUK , 1956
mummersetnounactor’s all-purpose West Country dialect accent
and speech A punning blend of ‘mummer’ (an actor) and
‘Somerset’UK , 1984
mummy; mumnouna mother, your mother Affectionate
mummy bagnouna sleeping bag which can enclose the sleeper’s headUS , 1956
mummy dust; whiffle dustnounan imaginary magic powder used
by conjurors, manufacturers, marketing professionals and others to enhance their product or presentationAUSTRALIA , 2000
mumpverb1to obtain cheap or free goods from tradesmen by virtue of being a police officer Metropolitan Police slang; a vari-ation in sense of obsolete ‘mump’ (to get by begging)UK , 1970.2to take a bribe A variation of the previous senseUK , 1996
mumpernouna tramp, a vagrant; a beggar Current use as ‘a beggar
or scrounger’ noted by David Powis, The Signs of Crime, 1977 UK , 1665
mumsnouna motherUK , 1939
mumsie; mumsynouna motherUK , 1876
mum’s the wordused as an injunction to keep quiet ‘Mum’ orig-inates in C16, from the onomatapoeic qualities of speech contained by compressed lipsUK , 1704
mumsyadjectivemotherlyUK , 1970
munnounused as a general form of individual address to either gender; also used as a means of stressing what has been said Originally used of a man Later use is less discerningUK: WALES , 1985
munchnounfoodUS , 1998.< put the munch toto kiss with passion if not aggressionUS , 1985
munchverb1to eatUK , 1923.2to kissUS , 1985.3to fall or be knocked from a surfboardUS , 1977.4in computing, to explore flaws in a system’s security schemeUS , 1991.< munch the trunchto perform oral sex on a man Formed on an abbreviation of
‘truncheon’, as inLOVE TRUNCHEON UK , 2003
munchedadjectiveangryUS , 1993
munchienoun1food, especially a snack or light meal Earliest reference is in 1917 as a brand name for a chocolate confection
UK , 1959.2an injury sustained in a fall from a skateboard or bicycle
US , 1987
munchiesnouna sensation of hunger experienced when smoking marijuanaUS , 1959
munchkinnoun1a child In general usage The Munchkins were
diminutive characters created by Frank L Baum for his book The Wizard of Oz, 1900 The film of the book, made in 1939, has
proved to be an iconographic touchstone for gay culture (FRIEND OF DOROTHY, etc.)US , 1971.2an acutely short person From the race of
small people in Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz US , 1975.3a young
computer enthusiast From diminutive characters in the Wizard of
Oz US , 1991
munchynouna sharkAUSTRALIA , 1991
munchyadjectiveexcellent, trendy, fashionable School usageUS , 1961
Muncienounin hot rodding, a Chevrolet four-speed gearbox Built at
a Chevrolet plant in Muncie, IndianaUS , 1965
mundaneadjectiveunrelated to science fictionUS , 1982
mundowie; mundoweenounthe foot From the extinct Australian Aboriginal language Dharug (Sydney region)AUSTRALIA , 1822
mungnoundirt of any kindUS , 1948
mungverb1to beg Used by tramps; from Romany mang (to beg)
UK , 1811.2to sell lucky heather English gypsy use; a variation of the previous senseUK , 2000
munganounfood A shortening ofMUNGAREE Originally in military speechAUSTRALIA , 1918
mungareenoun food From Italian mangiare (to eat) Variants
include ‘mungare’, ‘munjari’, ‘munjary’ and ‘menjarie’UK , 1861
mungareeverb to eat; hence food From Italian mangiare, via
parleyaree and tramps’ slang, into polari Variants include
‘mungarly’, ‘munja’, ‘munjarry’, ‘mangiare’, ‘manjaree’,
‘monjaree’, ‘giare’ and ‘jarry’UK , 1992
mungenoundarknessUK , 2002
munge; mungverbin computing, to destroy data, accidentally or
Trang 4mungersnounthe female breasts, especially when of above average
dimensions Possibly derived from ‘humungous’UK , 2003
mung-pushernouna poker player who habitually plays hands that
have no chance of winningUS , 1966
mung ragnouna cloth used to wipe up spilled alcohol at a bar; a
cloth used to wipe off the penis after masturbatingUS , 2003
mung up; mungverbto botch, to blunder, to ruinUS , 1969
munjacakenouna bland, uninteresting person Italian-Canadian
coinage and usageCANADA , 1993
munjonnounan Aboriginal who has little or no contact with white
people From the Western Australian Aboriginal language
YindjibarndiAUSTRALIA , 1947
muntverbto be uglyUK , 2003
munt; muntunoun a black African From Bantu muntu (a human
being), made abusive and offensive during apartheidSOUTH AFRICA ,
1948
muntedadjective1drunk or drug-intoxicatedUK , 2001.2having
become sexually intimate with an unattractive, promiscuous
drunk Student use; explained as ‘to have pulled aMUNTER’UK , 2002
munter; munta; muntnoun1an unattractive person who adds to
the personal allure with drunkenness and/or promiscuity, especially
but not exclusively of young women Student usageUK , 1998.2a
useless person or objectNEW ZEALAND , 1997
muppetnoun1a person who is mentally or physically incapacitated
or disabled, or considered ugly; someone who represents any
per-mutation of such characteristics; hence, any fool Created by Jim
Henson (b.1936), The Muppet Show, a successful television
programme of the 1970s and subsequently in films, introduced
the gallery of grotesque puppets on which this allusion is founded
UK , 1983.2a magistrate Police slangUK , 2002
muppet housenouna prison psychiatric unit; a mental hospital
Extended fromMUPPET(a person who is mentally incapacitated)UK ,
1996
muppetshopnouna prison workshop Extended fromMUPPET(a
person who is mentally incapacitated; a fool) for the mindless
nature of the workUK , 1996
muralnouna person with many tattoosUS , 1997
murdernoun1something that is extremely goodUS , 1927.2an
absol-ute nuisance; dreadful troubleUK , 1857
murderverbto consume voraciouslyIRELAND , 1991.< could murder
to want, to be desirous of somethingUK , 1935
murderedadjectivevery drunkUK , 1983
murder housenouna school dental clinicNEW ZEALAND , 1984
murder onenouna mixture of heroin and cocaineUS , 1994
murder weed; murdernounmarijuana Anti-marijuana propaganda
adopted into regular slang usageUS , 1935
murder-your-wife bricknounin television and film making, an
imitation brick The imitation brick was first used in the 1965
comedy How to Murder Your Wife, starring Jack Lemmon and Virna
LisiUS , 1990
murknouncoffeeUS , 1949
murkverbto shoot with a gunUS , 2003
murkyadjectivelow-spirited, depressedUS , 1997
murotoguranounheroinUS , 2002
murphynoun1a potato A belief that potatoes formed the basic
diet in Ireland is reflected in this adoption of a common Irish
surnameUK , 1811.2the condition that exists when someone pulls
your trousers or underpants forcefully upwards, forming a wedge
between the buttock cheeks Most commonly known as a ‘wedgie’
US , 1990
Murphy; Murphy gamenouna swindle involving a prostitute and
her accomplice, usually entailing robbing the prostitute’s customer
US , 1954
Murphy mannounthe prostitute’s male accomplice in a Murphy
swindle
Murphy’s lawnouna cynical ‘law’ of existence that decrees that ‘if something can go wrong it will – and even if it can’t, it still might’ Said to derive from a remark (or philosophy) of Captain E Murphy at Edwards Air Force Base The underlying maxim or ‘law’
is found as early as 1941, as ‘an old legend’ from Peru in 1952, and in 1957 it is offered as ‘an old theatrical saying’ At best, it seems to be the attribution of an old saying to a new, glamourous aviation contextUS , 1955
Murraynounin horse racing, to bet on credit Rhyming slang from
‘Murray Cod’ (a delicious inland fish) toON THE NOD(on credit)
AUSTRALIA , 1989.< on the Murray cod(of a wager) agreed upon without money changing hands Rhyming slang forON THE NOD Also in the short form ‘on the murray’AUSTRALIA , 1967
Murray Walker; murraynouna talker Rhyming slang, based on broadcaster (and, therefore, professional talker) Murray Walker (b.1923)UK , 2002
musclenoun1a person or persons using violence and intimidation, usually in the service of anotherUS , 1942.2physical violenceUS , 1879.
< on the musclethreatening, coerciveUS , 1859
muscleverbto inject a drug intramuscularly, as opposed to intravenouslyUS , 1970
muscle boynouna hired intimidatorUS , 1963
muscle carnouna passenger car with a powerful engine, a light chassis and two-door bodyUS , 1969
muscle-dancingnouna sexually suggestive danceUS , 1950
muscle-happyadjectivesaid of a prisoner who concentrates on physical fitness in jailUS , 1958
muscle inverbto intrude, by force or threat of force, on another’s activity or business; to intrude, by subterfuge, on another’s activity
or businessUK , 1929
musclemannounan enforcer for a criminal enterpriseUS , 1929
muscle Marynouna homosexual man who is a bodybuilderUK , 2002
musclesnicknameused as a form of address for a strong or well-muscled man; also used, with heavy irony, of a weaklingUK , 1984
muscle unclenouna stereotypically masculine homosexual male Readily available in specialist Internet sitesUS , 2005
musgronouna police officer English gypsy use from Romany
mûskro (a policeman) UK , 2000
mushnoun1the mouth or face Sometimes seen as ‘moosh’US , 1859.
2a man; used as a greeting or as a dismissive term of addressUS ,
1906.3moneyUK , 1962.4in circus and carnival usage, an umbrella
UK , 1821.5a weak, slow waveUS , 1977.6in the television and film industries, low-level sound used as backgroundUK , 1960
mushverb1to kissUS , 1926.2(used of an aeroplane) to run out of airspeedUS , 1935
mushburgernounin surfing, a weak, poorly formed waveUS , 1988
mushernoun1a man An elaborataion ofMUSH UK , 2002.2a villain; someone who moves in criminal circles Liverpool usage; possibly punsMUSH(the face) intoFACE(a known criminal)UK , 2001
mushfakenounto manufacture in defiance of prison rules and prohibitions A term originally applied to the makeshift repair of umbrellasUS , 1952
mushienoun1a mushroomAUSTRALIA , 1981.2an hallucinogenic mushroom, a magic mushroomUK , 1996
mushied-upadjectiveintoxicated by hallucinogenic mushrooms FromMUSHIE(a mushroom)UK , 1999
mushmellownounthe vagina A clever play on ‘marshmallow’ (a pink flower and a sweet confection), combining ‘mush’ (anything soft and moist) and ‘mellow’ (relaxed, comfortable)US , 1998
mushmouthedadjectiveunable to speak clearlyUS , 1977
mushratnouna muskratCANADA , 1954
mushroomnoun1a person who is given no information From the
US witticism/poster and T-shirt slogan: ‘I feel like a mushroom: everyone keeps me in the dark and is always feeding me bullshit’ .
Trang 5downward when reaching a ceilingUS , 1954.3an innocent
bystander killed in crossfireUS , 1988
mushroomverb(of the felt tip on a pool cue stick) to compress and
spread outwardUS , 1988
mushroom pillsnounpsilocybin or psilocin, in powder or capsule
form A strong psychedelic drug extracted from Psilocybe mexicana
and Stropharia cubensis mushrooms One capsule has an
equival-ent effect to forty or moreMAGIC MUSHROOM(S)UK , 1999
mushynouna weak, slow waveUS , 1964
mushyadjectivesentimental, insipidly or gushingly romantic A
figurative application of the conventional senseUS , 1848
musical vegetablesnounbaked beansUK , 1988
music standnounin electric line work, a rack for holding insulated
line toolsUS , 1980
Muskoka chairnounan outdoor wooden chair with wide flat
armrests and a backrest in a fan shape This is the Canadian name
for what is known in the US as the ‘Adirondack chair’ The
Muskoka Lakes region is north of TorontoCANADA , 2001
muskranoun a police officer A corruption of Romany moskero;
mooshkero (a constable) UK , 1979
muskratnouna childUS , 1976
musonouna musicianAUSTRALIA , 1967
mussienouna tough womanUK , 1953
mustangnounan officer appointed from the enlisted ranksUS , 1878
mustardnounAIDS [Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome], a
disease that is transmitted by sexual contact There are very few
synonyms for AIDS despite the huge impact of the disease; the
etymology here is uncertainUS , 1996
mustardadjectiveexcellent, best, skilled, keen From the phrases
‘keen as mustard’ and ‘hot as mustard’UK , 1925
mustard and cress; mustardnouna dress Rhyming slangUK , 1998
mustard casenouna supreme show-off The suggestion is of aHOT
DOG, dosed with mustardUS , 2001
mustard chuckernouna pickpocket who spills mustard on the
victim as a diversion and excuse to approachUS , 1989
mustard keen; mustardadjectivevery keen From the proverbial
phrase ‘keen as mustard’UK , 1979
mustard pickle; mustardnouna cripple Rhyming slang,
imperfectly rhymedUK , 1998
mustard potnounthe vagina Rhyming slang forTWOT(TWAT)UK , 1896
mustard pot; mustardadjectivehotUK , 1998
mustard shinenounthe application of mustard to the shoes in the
hope of throwing tracking dogs off the scentUS , 1949
must be nice!used for expressing envy or congratulationsUS , 2002
mutantnouna social outcastUS , 1984
mutenoun1the vagina Gay slangUK , 1972.2in horse racing, a
pari-mutuel betting machineUS , 1942
muthanounanything or anyone An abbreviation ofMOTHERFUCKER
US , 2000
muthafuckanouna motherfucker Alternative spellingUS , 1979
muthafuckingadjectiveused as an all-purpose intensifier Variant
spelling ofMOTHERFUCKING US , 2001
muttnoun1a dog, especially a mongrel Affectionately disparaging
US , 1900.2a despicable low-lifeUS , 1899.3a thug, a criminalUS , 1997.
4the American shethbill, a small Antarctic birdANTARCTICA , 2003
Mutt and Jeffnouna pair of men who are physically mismatched,
especially in height From the popular comic stripUS , 1914
Mutt and Jeff; muttonadjectivedeaf Rhyming slang from the US
cartoon strip characters created by Bud Fisher (1855–1954) Mutt
first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1907, Jeff was
drawn in shortly after and by 1915 the pair were a national
phenomenon Adopted into UK theatrical slang and consequently
reduced in pronunciation to ‘mutton’UK , 1960
mutter and stutter
muttonnounthe penisAUSTRALIA , 1071
mutton flapsnoun the labia majora NEW ZEALAND , 1998
muttonheadnouna railway dispatcherUS , 1977
mutton-headedadjectivestupidUK , 1768
mutton merchantnouna male sexual exhibitionistAUSTRALIA , 1971
mutton of the seanounthe hawskbill sea turtleBAHAMAS , 1982
mutt’s nutsnounanything considered to be the finest, the most excellent, the best Variation ofDOG’S BOLLOCKS;MUTT(a dog) and
NUTS(the testicles) combine literally and figuratively to mean
‘outstanding’UK , 2001
muvvanounused as an abbreviation of ‘motherfucker’ A slovening
of ‘mother’UK , 2001
muzzieadjectivestupid Probably from ‘muscle-headed’UK , 2001
muzzlenounheroinUS , 1959
muzzle guzzlenouna party organised around alcholic drinkUS , 1968
muzzlernounin circus and carnival usage, a person lacking morals
US , 1981
muzzynouna moustacheUK , 2001
mwah!the vocal accompaniment to a kiss, especially an air-kissUK , 1994
MXnounMandrax™, a sedative drugUK , 1978
Myakka goldnounmarijuana grown in FloridaUS , 2001
myalladjective(of an Australian Aboriginal) traditional; unaffected by white societyAUSTRALIA , 1971
myall; Myallnounan Aboriginal who has little or no contact with white people From the extinct Australian Aboriginal language
Dharug, Sydney region, mayal (stranger) AUSTRALIA , 1962
my arse!; my ass!used to register disbelief or contemptUK , 1933
my arsehole!used for registering disbelief or contempt A variation
ofMY ARSE! UK , 1982
my Aunt Fanny!used as a register for disbelief, sometimes exclamatory A euphemism for the bolderMY ASS! UK , 1945
my bad!used for acknowledging responsibility for and apologising for a mistakeUS , 1989
my bloody oath!yes indeed! Intensified form ofMY OATH! AUSTRALIA , 1952
my bust!used for accepting responsibility for a mistake or errorUS , 1985
my colonial oathnounmy word Formerly a common exclamation
AUSTRALIA , 1962
my dog ate itused as a humorous explanation of why a person does not have something that they are supposed to have From the clichéd student excuse for not having a homework assignment
US , 1999
my face!used for expressing embarassmentUS , 2003
my foot!used for registering an emphatic rejection; used as a direct denial of a point just made A polite variation ofMY ARSE!, often used as a suffix to the repeated point of contentionUK , 1999
my hen laid a haddocknicknamethe Welsh national anthem A
phonetic transliteration of the title and first-line of Mae Hen Wlad
Fy Nhadau (The Land of my Fathers), first published in 1860.
There are a number of humorous variations of the continuing lyric but the first line is a constant; dating from the 1990s Credited to the poet Nigel Jenkins, it may have been inspired by English politicians inability to learn the Welsh wordsUK: WALES , 1994
my hole!used for registering disbelief or contemptUK , 2002
my oath!certainly!, yes indeed!AUSTRALIA , 1869
MYOBused in colloquial speech as well as shorthand in Internet
discussion groups and text message to mean ‘mind your own business’ US , 2002
Myrna Loynouna saveloy Rhyming slang, formed from the name
of the US film actress, 1905–93UK , 1992
my sainted aunt!used as an exclamation of trivial delight or shock
Trang 6mysterynouna young woman, especially when she is a new arrival
in a town or cityUK , 1937
mystery bagnoun1a sausage So called because the contents are
unknownAUSTRALIA , 1982.2a meat pieAUSTRALIA , 2003
mystery meatnouncold cuts of suspicious heritageUS , 1918
mystery punternouna man who spends his time obsessively on
the lookout for young women who are newly arrived in a town or
city with an intention to live with, and take advantage of, them;
such a man is said to be ‘mystery mad’UK , 1977
Mystic Megnoun1a leg Rhyming slang, formed from a television
fortune teller who came to fame in the mid-1990s by association
with the National LotteryUK , 1998.2the penis Rhyming slang for
THIRD LEG; a specialisation of the previous senseUK , 2003
mystoadjectivemysticalUS , 1980
my wave!used by surfers to express ‘ownership’ of a wave and to warn other surfers to get out and stay out of the wayUS , 1991
my wordnouna piece of excrement Rhyming slang forTURD UK , 1992
my word!1used as an expression of surprise or despairUK , 1841.
2yes indeed! Shortening of ‘upon my word!’AUSTRALIA , 1857
myxonounthe viral disease myxomatosis introduced to control feral rabbitsAUSTRALIA , 1953
Trang 7’n’conjunctionand An abbreviation; notably (since 1955) inROCK ’N’
ROLL US , 1858
NAAFI; Naafinouna military organisation that operates shops and
canteens for military personnel; any shop or canteen within that
organisation Acronym of Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes UK ,
1921
naavonouna secret hiding placeIRELAND , 1999
nabnounthe police; a police officerUK , 1813
nabverb1to catch, to arrestUK , 1686.2to snatch or steal something
UK , 1665
nabbernouna police officerUS , 1837
nabenoun1a neighbourhood cinemaUS , 1935.2a tavernUS , 1950
naches; nakhesnounproud pleasure Yiddish from the Hebrew for
‘contentment’US , 1968
nacknoun< in the nacknakedUK , 2002
nadanounnothing; none From the Spanish, used by English
speakers who do not understand Spanish, often heard in the
1980s advertising phrase ‘Nothing – nada – zilch’ Recorded in
UK gay currencyUS , 1914
nad alert; gonad alertnounused as a warning in a hospital that
an x-ray is about to be takenUS , 1994
nada to vada in the larderrefering to a man’s genitals, less than
averagely endowed Polari; a clever combination ofNADA(nothing)
andVADA(to see) with a conventional location where meat is
storedUK , 2002
nadgernounin horse racing, a horse’s nose or headAUSTRALIA , 1989
nadgersnounthe testicles Possibly deriving from ‘gonads’, and with
a similarity toKNACKERS, ‘nadgers’ was an all-purpose nonsense
word used by the radio comedy series The Goon Show during the
1950sUK , 1998
nadsnounthe testicles From ‘gonads’US , 1964
naffadjectivevulgar, bad, unlovely, despicable; generally
contemptible; when used in gay society it may mean
heterosex-ual Theatrical andCAMPorigins but the actual derivation is
disputed; possibly an acronym for ‘not available for fucking’, ‘not a
fuck’ or ‘normal as fuck’; or a play on the military acronym NAAFI
(Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) as ‘no ambition and fuck-all
interest’; otherwise it may originate as back slang forFANNY(the
vagina or the buttocks), a shortening of ‘nawfuckingood’ or in the
French phrase rien à faire (nothing to do) UK , 1965
naffused as a euphemism for ‘fuck’ (in all senses except sexual
intercourse/to have sex)UK , 1977
naffette; naffeenadjectivevulgar, bad, despicable, unlovely Polari;
CAMPvariations ofNAFF UK , 1992
naffingadjectiveused as a euphemism for ‘fucking’ Extended from
NAFF UK , 1959
naff it upverbto spoil somethingUK , 1981
naff offverbto go away FromNAFF; made very familiar in the UK
during the 1970s by the prison-set television situation comedy,
Porridge, written by Clement and La Frenais Perhaps the social
highpoint of this word’s history was during the 1982 Badminton
Horse Trials when Princess Anne (now Princess Royal) asked the
press, ‘Why don’t you just naff off ?’UK , 1982
nagwarenounfree computer software that frequently asks the user
to send a voluntary payment for further useUS , 1995
nahemphatically no A variation of pronunciationUS , 1971
nailnoun1a hypodermic needleUS , 1936.2a marijuana cigarette
Possibly another ‘nail in your coffin’US , 1978.< on the nail(of a
payment) promptly
nailverb1to apprehend; to arrestUK , 1732.2to killUK , 1824.3to have sexUS , 1957.4to get right, to masterUS , 1989.5(of a wave) to knock
a surfer from the surfboard Always in the passive voiceUS , 1977.
< nail someone’s bollocks to the doorto physically beat up,
to figuratively neuter and mentally defeatUK , 1998.< nail the corein the language of hang gliding, to find the centre of a thermal and ride it upUS , 1992
nailedadjectivederangedUS , 1836
nail-em-and-jail-emnouna police officerUS , 1980
nailernouna police officerUS , 1973
nail nickernounin gambling, a cheat who marks cards by nicking them with his fingernailsUS , 1997
nailsnouna disappointment; a failure Hawaiian youth usageUS , 1981
nakedadjective(used of a truck) driving without a trailerUS , 1976
Naked FannynicknameNakhon Phanon, Thailand Vietnam war humourUS , 1967
NamnicknameVietnam Often used with ‘the’ Originally military, then widespread, and now slightly archUS , 1962
namby-pambynounan effeminate maleUS , 1968
namenoun1an important or famous personUS , 1975.2a known criminalUK , 1984.3a popular, high-profile professional wrestlerUS ,
1995.< have your name on itto be meant for you Originally military, applied to a bullet (or similar) that was destined to hit a particular person; later use is far more general, being used, for instance, when a house-hunter finds the perfect property or, more trivially, of a drinkUK , 1917.< no names – no pack drillthe guilty party (or parties) will not be named and, therefore, cannot
be punished Originally used of, or by, army lower-ranks; now general useUK , 1923
nan; nana; nannie; nannynouna grandmother, especially as a form of addressUK , 1940
nananoun1a bananaUS , 1929.2the headNEW ZEALAND , 1998.< do your nanato lose control; to get angryAUSTRALIA , 1968.< off your nanacrazy, insaneAUSTRALIA , 1966
nancenounan effeminate male or homosexual DisparagingUS , 1910
nanceverbto behave in an exaggeratedly feminine fashionUS , 1968
nancyadjectiveeffeminate; homosexualUK , 1937
nancy boynounan effeminate or homosexual man; the former may
be construed to be the latterUK , 1904
Nancy Leenountea Rhyming slangUK , 1960
nancy storynounan elaborate fabrication From a traditional Caribbean folktale about AnancyTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1858
nan flapnouna pendulous spread of flabby upper arm that is characteristic of some older womenUK , 2004
nangadjectiveexcellent Used by urban black youthsUK , 2004
nannaadjectiveawfulUK , 2002
nannie; nannynouna black woman, also as a term of address Offensive and demeaningSOUTH AFRICA , 1956 8see:NAN
nannynouna prostitute who will, by arrangement, dress and treat a client as an infantUK , 2003
nanny goat; nannynoun1the Horserace Totaliser Board Rhyming slang The Tote was created by Act of Parliament in 1928 as ‘an independent body with a monopoly of horse-race pool betting’; the legislation to allow the Tote to operate as an on-course bookmaker was not in force until 1972UK , 1960.2a coat Rhyming slangUK , 1971.3the throat Rhyming slangUK , 1992.4a boat Rhyming slangUK , 1989.< get your nanny goat; get your nannyto annoy you A variation of