Rhyming slangUK , 1960 National Frontnounan unpleasant or despicable person.. Rhyming slang forCUNT, formed on a political organisation of the extreme right; a neat punUK , 1992 national
Trang 1nanny whammingnounin rodeo, the joke event of goat tying
CANADA , 1987
nanonouna very short period of time An abbreviation of
‘nanosecond’, used figurativelyUS , 1991
nanoonounheroinUK , 1998
Nanooknouna polar bear The word comes from EskimoCANADA ,
1963
nante; nantee; nanti; nantyno; nothing, none; stop, shut up!;
not Polari, from Italian niente (nothing, anything) Recorded in
contemporary gay useUK , 1851
nante pile on the carpetadjectivebaldUK , 1992
nante pots in the cupboardadjectivetoothlessUK , 1992
nanti polari!; nanti panarly!; nantee palaver!; nanti parlaree!
be quiet!, don’t talk! Imperative; literally, ‘no talk’UK , 2002
nanti that!stop it!, don’t do that! ImperativeUK , 2002
nantoise; nantois; nantoisaleno; nothing; none A variation of
NANTE UK , 1997
nantsno; nothing; none A variation ofNANTE UK , 1950
nanty worsteradjectivebeing no worseUK , 2002
napnoun1the short, curly hair of a black personUS , 1969.2the hair;
your hairstyleUS , 1996.3in horse racing, a tipster’s best betUK , 1991.
4a good bet, a sure thing From the racing useUK , 2001
napenounnapalm, a mixture of petrol and a thickening agent for
use in flame throwers or incendiary bombs, used extensively by
the US during World War 2 and later warsUS , 1968
nappernounthe headUK , 1724
napper-wrappernouna turban Based onNAPPER(the head)UK , 1998
nappsnounmorphine sulphate tablets used to treat cancer patients
IRELAND , 1996
nappyadjectiveof hair, usually of the hair of a black person, naturally
tightly curled, frizzy Often derogatoryUS , 1885
nappy dugoutnoun(of a black woman) the vagina The imagery of
‘dugout’ is twofold: literally ‘a trench’, and, in baseball, the
enclosure in which a batsman prepares to play; combined with
NAPPYwhich typically describes black hairUS , 1998
nap trapnouna roadside rest areaUS , 1976
naradjectivetreacherous An abbreviation ofGNARLY US , 1988
narc; narknoun1an undercover narcotics officerUS , 1967.2a social
outcastUS , 2001
narc ark; nark arknounan undercover narcotic officer’s carUS , 1973
narconoun1narcoticsUS , 1954.2a narcotics detectiveUS , 1955.3any
person involved in the manufacture or distribution of drugs An
abbreviation of ‘narcotics’US , 1958.4the Lexington (Kentucky)
Federal Narcotics HospitalUS , 1955
narcoticadjectivewild, intenseUS , 1980
nardsnounthe male genitalsUS , 1970
nargnounan IndianNEW ZEALAND , 1998
narghilenouna water pipe used for smoking marijuana or hashish
US , 1970
narknoun1a police informer Also spelt ‘narc’UK , 1839.2an
aggravating personAUSTRALIA , 1846.3a spoilsportAUSTRALIA , 1927.4an
awkward customer, one with no intention of buyingUK , 1979.5a
spiteful argumentUK , 1979.6temper; a fit of annoyanceAUSTRALIA ,
1946.7umbrageUK , 1979 < put the nark onto discourageUK , 1979
narkverb1to annoyUK , 1888.2to thwartAUSTRALIA , 1891.3to
complain, to grumbleUK , 1916.4to nagNEW ZEALAND , 1984.5to act as
an informerUK , 1859
nark it!be quiet!, stop it!, shut up!UK , 1925
narksnoun< the narksdecompression sickness (a medical
con-dition that may be suffered by deep-sea divers) From the medical
term ‘nitrogen narcosis’UK , 1964
narkyadjectivebad-tempered, aggravated, annoyed; sarcasticUK , 1895
narrowadjectiveserious Recorded in use in urban black societyUK ,
narrowbacknoun1an unskilled, unfit labourerUS , 1987.2a construction electrician A term used with derision by power linemen to describe their intra-union rivalsUS , 1980
narrow yellownouna military form (OCSA Form 159) used to pass routine actions to staff agenciesUS , 1986
narstyadjectivedisgusting An embellishment of ‘nasty’US , 2002
naryadverbneither; noUS , 1746
nashverb to leave, especially in a hurry From Romany nash, nasher
(to run)UK , 1819
nashadjectiveweak, sickly, coddledCAYMAN ISLANDS , 1985
Nasho; nashonoun1a person serving in the National Service, a form of compulsory military service 1951–72AUSTRALIA , 1962.2the National Service Often used in the plural Nashos or Nashoes
AUSTRALIA , 1962
nasodrainnounwhile surfing, the sudden and violent expulsion of sea water through the noseUS , 1991
nastinessnounpoor quality drugsUK , 2000
nasturtiumsnounaspersions A deliberate malapropism, usually as
‘cast nasturtiums’UK , 1984
nastynoun1the vagina A usage that calls to mind Grose’s defi-nition ofC**T– ‘a nasty name for a nasty thing’NEW ZEALAND , 1998.
2the penisAUSTRALIA , 1971.3a violently pornographic or horrific film Often combined asVIDEO-NASTYbut the content appears to
be outlasting the technologyUK , 1982.4an authority or agency that enforces citizens’ band radio regulationsUK , 1981 < do the nasty
to have sex A squeamish euphemism applied in a jocular manner
US , 1977 < the nastyheroinUK , 1996
nastyadjective1excellentUS , 1940.2sexy, attractive, appealing; sluttish A reversal of the conventional senseUS , 1995
nasty-assedadjectivecruelUS , 1995
nasty boatnouna patrol boat developed for the coastal anti-invasion mission of the Royal Norwegian Navy The ‘nasty’ is a technical term adopted to the vernacularUS , 1991
nasty daysnouna woman’s menstrual periodBAHAMAS , 1982
nastygramnounany unpleasant or unwanted e-mailUS , 1991
nasty-nastynounsexUS , 1993
nasty neatadjectivecleaner than cleanUS , 1975
nasty piece of worknounan objectionable personUK , 1961
nasty upverbto ruin or spoilBARBADOS , 1965
Nat; natnounin politics, a nationalistSOUTH AFRICA , 1926 8see:NAT KING COLE
natalienouna black homosexual Gay slang, formed on the name Natalie, possibly as a play on Natal, and originating among Cape colouredsSOUTH AFRICA , 2000
natchnoun< on the natchwithdrawing from drug addiction without medication to ease the painUS , 1969
natch; nachadverbnaturallyUS , 1945
natenoun1nothingUS , 1993.2an Alaskan nativeUS , 1983
natesnounthe buttocksUS , 1993
nationalnoun< on tour with the nationalbeing moved from prison to prison via the national inter-prison transport system A pun appreciated by actors of the National TheatreUK , 1996 < the nationalthe national inter-prison transport systemUK , 1996
national debtnouna bet Rhyming slangUK , 1960
National Frontnounan unpleasant or despicable person Rhyming slang forCUNT, formed on a political organisation of the extreme
right; a neat punUK , 1992
national gamenounthe gambling game two-upAUSTRALIA , 1930
national handbagnoununemployment benefit; the local offices from which unemployment benefit is managed FromHANDBAG
(money) Recorded as a contemporary gay usageUK , 2003
National Huntnounaudaciousness; impudence Rhyming slang for
‘front’ (seeMORE FRONT THAN SELFRIDGES), formed from the official
Trang 2nativenoun1a native American IndianUS , 2000.2to the employee of
a circus or carnival, a local patronUS , 1980
native sportnounduring the Vietnam war, looking for and killing
Viet CongUS , 1991
Nat King Cole; natnoun1unemployment benefit; a government
office from which unemployment benefit is managed Rhyming
slang forTHE DOLE; formed on the name of US singer and
musician Nat ‘King’ Cole, 1919–65 Often in the phrase ‘on the
Nat’UK , 1961.2a mole (on the skin) Rhyming slangUK , 1992.3a
bread roll Rhyming slangUK , 1992
natoadjectiveused for describing someone who is not sexually
aggressiveUS , 1968
natternounaimless conversation; incessantly complaining talk
From northern English dialect gnatter (to grumble in conversation)
UK , 1943
natterverbto engage in aimless conversation, to chatUK , 1943
nattynoun1any natural light beerUS , 2002.2a wearer of dreadlocks,
especially a RastafarianJAMAICA , 1976
nattyadjective1stylish, smartly neatUK , 1785.2of hair, matted,
uncombed, in a condition to be formed into dreadlocksJAMAICA ,
1974
Natty BonounNational Bohemian™ beerUS , 1990
naturalnoun1a hairstyle embraced largely by black people,
featuring longer, unprocessed, unparted hairUS , 1969.2in craps, a
winning roll of seven on the first tossUS , 1962.3Seven-Up™ soda
An allusion to the game of craps, where a seven is a ‘natural’US ,
1967.4in pool, a shot that cannot be missed or a game that
cannot be lostUS , 1990.5a conventional (as opposed to
countercultural) person Used by beatniks, and then hippies;
gener-ally in the pluralUK , 1967
natural punknounin prison, a man who had been homosexual
outside prisonUS , 1972
naturenounthe penis; sexual arousalUS , 2002
nature boynouna boy in need of a haircutUS , 1955
nature callsused for announcing, and for excusing yourself for, a
needed visit to the toilet; the condition of needing to relieve
yourselfUK , 1984
nature’s scythenounthe penisUK , 2003
Naughton and Goldnouna cold Rhyming slang, formed from a
comedy double act that was part of the Crazy Gang, Charlie
Naughton, 1887–1976, and Jimmy Gold, 1886–1967UK , 1961
naughtynoun1an act of sexual intercourseAUSTRALIA , 1959.2a
physi-cal injury; hence, a disserviceUK , 1984
naughtyverbto have sexAUSTRALIA , 1961
naughtyadjective1corrupt or violent An archaic sense, used by
Shakespeare to describe the criminally wicked, re-emerged in the
C20UK , 2000.2of antique furniture, being passed off as something
better or other than it isUK , 1971
naughty Nazi salutenounthe fully erect penis A parallel with the
arm raised stiffly from the body at a similar angleUK , 2003
nause; nauzenounan inconvenience, a difficulty, an unpleasant
person or thing ‘Nausea’ abbreviated and adaptedUK , 1977
nause; nause upverbto spoil FromNAUSE(an inconvenience, an
unpleasant thing)UK , 1978
nauseanountrouble, a fuss In military useUK , 1959
Naussienouna New Australian, especially a recent migrant from
Europe A blend of ‘new’ andAUSSIE AUSTRALIA , 1959
nautchnouna brothel; a striptease; a sex show of any kind
American Dialect Society member Douglas G Wilson has
suggested that the term is a mildly anglicised version of the Hindi
word for ‘a dance’US , 1872
Nauticsnoun< the Nauticsthe Royal Navy Used, originally, by
the Royal Air Force; shortened from ‘nautical’UK , 1951
navnoun a navigator In Royal Navy and Royal Air Force use US , 1956
Nava-Joe a member of the Navajo Indian tribe
naval engagementnounsexual intercourse Used, originally, by naval officers; in speech it’s a perfect punCANADA , 1984
navy bratnounthe child of a career member of the navyUS , 1992
Navy cakenounhomosexual anal sexUS , 1964
nawnoUS , 1990
nay-naysnouna woman’s breastsUS , 1967
nay-nono, said with kindness From the film Pootie Tang US , 2003
Nazinouna fanatic about the preceding noun Not coined but rendered wildly popular on the ‘Soup Nazi’ episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s television comedy that first aired on 2nd November
1995US , 1984
Naziadjectiveunreasonably authoritarianUK , 2001
Nazi cranknounmethamphetamineUK , 2004
Nazi go-cart; Nazi go-kartnouna Volkswagen car Citizens’ band radio slang remembering that Volkswagen were German manufacturers before and during World War 2US , 1976
NBGadjective of no use An abbreviation of ‘no bloody good’ UK , 1903
NDGadjective no damned good CANADA , 1997
near and farnoun1a bar in a public house Dated rhyming slang that remains a familiar term because of its neat reversal withFAR AND NEAR(beer)UK , 1909.2a car Rhyming slangUK , 1971
near-beernouna beer-like product with a very low alcohol content, legal during Prohibition There is some dispute about who said the cleverest thing ever said about ‘near bear’ – ‘The guy who called that near beer is a bad judge of distance’US , 1909
near the boneadjectivebarely within contemporary moral standards
of tasteUK , 1941
near the knuckleadjectivebarely within contemporary standards of decencyUK , 1909
neatadjective1pleasing, very good Found as early as 1808, rejected late in the C19, and then returned to favour in the 1930s Still heard; inescapablyHOKEY Considered as an Americanism in the
UK but used by teenagers without ironyUS , 1936.2(used of an alcoholic drink) served without ice or waterUK , 1579
neat as a pinadjectivevery neatUK , 1787
neatoadjectivegoodUS , 1901
neatojetadjectiveexcellentUS , 1972
nebnoun1the noseUK: SCOTLAND , 1985.2an act of pryingUK: SCOTLAND , 1985.3an inquisitive personUK: SCOTLAND , 1985
nebverbto pry FromNEB(a nosey person or an instance of prying)
UK: SCOTLAND , 1985
nebbie; nebnounNembutal™, a branded central nervous system depressantUS , 1963
nebbish; nebish; nebbechnouna hapless individual; an
insignificant nobody From Yiddish ne’bech (too bad!, alas!) thus Yiddish nebech (the poor thing); the many variant spellings – not
all of which are listed here – result from the difficulty of pronunciationUK , 1892
nebbyadjectiveinquisitive, pryingUS , 1982
Nebraska signnouna completely flat reading on an electrocardiogram An allusion to the endless flat prairies of NebraskaUS , 1994
Nebruary morningadverbneverBARBADOS , 1965
nebularadjectiveexcellentUS , 1995
necessariesnoun< the necessariesthe male genitalsUK , 1962
necessarynoun1money, fundsUK , 1897.2a latrineUS , 1991
necknoun1the throatUK , 1818.2a drink From the verb senseUK ,
2002.3a white prisoner A shortened ‘redneck’US , 1976.4in horse racing, a distance of less than half a horse-lengthUS , 1951.
5impudence, effrontery, self-confidence From Northumberland dialectUK , 1894 < get it down your neck; get that down your neckto swallow it Often, when in reference to an alcoholic drink,
a light-hearted imperativeUK , 1909 < get it in the neck; catch
it in the neck; take it in the neckto be severely punished or reprimanded < get under your neckto usurp someone
Trang 3else’s prerogativeAUSTRALIA , 1989 < neck like a jockey’s bollocks
used descriptively of a scrawny neck and analogously for personal
qualities of toughness and insensitivity; said of someone who is
not afraid to take advantage of a situation for their own gain
IRELAND , 1992 < up to the neck; up to your neckdeeplyUS , 1998
neckverb1to kiss in a lingering fashionUK , 1825.2to swallowUK , 1514.
3to drinkAUSTRALIA , 1998.4in prison, to swallow a package of drugs
with the intention of retrieval after excretionUK , 1996.5to commit
suicideAUSTRALIA , 1995
neckingnounthe act of kissing, caressing and cuddlingUK , 1825
necklaceverbto set fire to a car tyre that has been doused in petrol
and placed around a victim’s neck An innocent sounding term for
a horrid practice, usually practised black-on-black in the waning
days of the white supremacist government in South AfricaSOUTH
AFRICA , 1986
necklace; necklace of firenouna tyre doused or filled with petrol,
placed around a victim’s neck or shoulders, and set alightSOUTH
AFRICA , 1985
necklacernounan executioner who, in the name of some informal
justice, kills by means of the necklaceSOUTH AFRICA , 1987
necklacingnounan act, or the action, of killing by means of the
necklaceSOUTH AFRICA , 1986
neck oilnounalcohol, especially beerUK , 1860
necktie partynouna hanging, especially an extra-judicial lynching
US , 1882
necronouna necrophileUS , 1987
nectarnounalcohol Formerly standard English, now slumming in
slang with an archaic toneUS , 1966
nectaradjectiveexcellentUS , 1989
nednoun1a young hooligan; a petty criminalUK: SCOTLAND , 1977.2a
member of a Scottish subcultural urban adolescent grouping
defined by loutish behaviour and a fondness for sportswear and
jewelleryUK , 2004
Nednounthe personification of malnutritionBARBADOS , 1965
neddynouna horseAUSTRALIA , 1887
nederhashnounany or all varieties of hashish produced in the
Netherlands A compound of Dutch Nederland (Netherlands) and
HASH NETHERLANDS , 2003
Ned Kellynoun1a television; television Rhyming slang forTELLY;
based on Australian bushranger Ned Kelly (1854–80) Current in
UK prisons in 2002UK , 1979.2the belly Rhyming slangAUSTRALIA ,
1945.3a thief From Edward ‘Ned’ Kelly, Australian bushranger and
folk hero (1855–80), famed for wearing self-made armour during
his final showdown with policeAUSTRALIA , 1962 < game as Ned
Kellyextremely game; courageousAUSTRALIA , 1938
neediesnoungypsies English gypsy useUK , 2000
needlenoun1a feeling of resentment or irritation Originally tailors’
slangUK , 1873.2a vehicle’s speedometerUS , 1976 < do the needle
to inject drugs, especially heroinUK , 1996 < get the needle (at,
with or to)to become angry or ill-tempered (towards a stated
someone or something)UK , 1874 < on the needleusing or
addicted to drugs injected intravenouslyUS , 1942
needleverb1to irritate, to annoy, to provokeUK , 1873.2in the illegal
production of alcohol, to simulate ageing by inserting an electric
needle into the kegUS , 1974
needle and pinnouna twin Rhyming slang The plural is ‘needles
and pins’UK , 1998
needle and threadnounbread Rhyming slangUK , 1859
needle beernounbeer which has been fortified with another form
of alcoholUS , 1962
needle candynounany drug that can be injectedUS , 1971
needledicknoun1a small, thin penis; a man so equippedUS , 1970.
2a despicable manUS , 1998
needle-dickedadjectiveendowed with a small penisUK , 1995
needle freaknounan intravenous drug userUS , 1967
needle jockey
needlemannounin a confidence swindle, an agent who inspires the victim with confidence in the schemeUS , 1988
needle parknouna public park or public area where drug addicts
gather and inject drugs Brought into the idiom by the Panic in
Needle Park (1966), referring to a traffic island at 74th and
Broadway on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where heroin addicts congregatedUS , 1966
Needle ParknicknameSherman Square (71st Street and Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway), New York So named because it was a spot favoured by drug usersUS , 1982
need-one-take-onenounthe small tray near a shop’s cash till with pennies which customers may use for making exact paymentsUS , 1997
neeknouna socially awkward or unfashionable personUK , 2005
neffadjectivebad, generally contemptible A variation ofNAFF UK , 2003
negatoryno Coined in the military, popularised in the US by truck drivers in the 1970sUS , 1955
neg drivingnounthe crime of negligent drivingAUSTRALIA , 1969
negotiable grassnounmoneyUS , 1951
negrogramnoungossip An effort to euphemise the more popular
NIGGERGRAM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
negsnounin prison, child neglectUK , 1996
neighbornounthe number on either side of the winning number
on a roulette wheelUS , 1961
neilnounan LSD capsule An allusion to Neil Young, whose music is suitable for enjoyment by young LSD usersCANADA , 1993
neither use nor ornamentadjectiveapplied to a useless person or thing Contemptuous Not noted until 1978, however ‘[D]idn’t appear to me to be either useful or ornamental[.]’, recorded in
1942, implies an earlier useUK , 1978
nekkidadjectivenaked Jocular spellingUS , 1973
nellienounan obviously homosexual man; an effeminate homosex-ual man Recorded at least as early as 1916, but not fully emerged until the outing of gay cultureUK , 1916
nellynoun1cheap wine Shortening of earlier ‘Nelly’s death’ (1935,
Australian National Dictionary) AUSTRALIA , 1941.2the pelvic muscles
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
nelly!used, by effeminate homosexual men, as an exclamation of disgust or contempt Remembered, or otherwise dated, as ‘mid-1950s’, by BealeUK , 1984
nellyardaverbto listenUK , 2002
nelly-assedadjectiveeffeminateUS , 1963
Nelly Bligh; Nelly Blynoun1a meat pie Rhyming slang, formed
on the protagonist of a folk songAUSTRALIA , 1950.2a fly Rhyming slangAUSTRALIA , 1955
nelly, nellieadjectiveextremely, even outrageously, effeminateUS , 1963
Nelly’s roomnoun< up in Nelly’s room behind the wallpaper
the presumed location of something missingIRELAND , 2003
Nelson Eddy; nelsonadjectiveready Rhyming slang, based on US entertainer Nelson Eddy (1901–67)UK , 1992
Nelson Mandela; nelsonnounlager, especially the Belgian lager Stella Artois™ Rhyming slang, ‘Mandela’ for ‘Stella’ Based on African statesman, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (b.1918), emphasising lager drinkers’ grasp of world affairsUK , 2002
nelsonsnouncash Formed fromNELSON EDDY(ready), thusREADIES
(cash)UK , 1991
Nelson’s bloodnounrumAUSTRALIA , 1924
nembie; nembynouna barbiturate, especially Nembutal™US , 1950
nemishnouna capsule of pentobarbital sodium (trade name Nembutal™), a central nervous system depressantUS , 1969
nemmienouna capsule of pentobarbitral sodium (trade name Nembutal™), a central nervous system depressantUS , 1950
Nep; Nepalese
Trang 4Nepalese blue; Nepalese; Royal Nepalesenounmarijuana
cultivated in NepalUK , 1970
Nepalese temple balls; Nepalese temple hashnounhashish
from Nepal, originally prepared for religious useUS , 1989
nephewnouna young, passive male homosexual in relation to his
older loverUS , 1950
neppynouna person from northeast Philadelphia A combination of
‘North East Philly’US , 1996
Nepsha and Kiahnouna random selection of people from the
populaceBARBADOS , 1965
’nernoundinnerUS , 1969
nerd; nurdnouna person lacking in social skills, fashion sense or
bothUS , 1951
nerdbombernouna pest A catchy term from the television
programme Full House US , 1990
nerd boxnouna study cubicleUS , 1997
nerdistannouna dormitory community for
information-and-com-munication-technology workers A play onNERD(a dull social
stereotype)US , 1997
nerdlynouna socially inept outcastUS , 1965
nerdvananounthe world of computer enthusiasts who surf the
Internet every nightCANADA , 1995
nerfverbin motor racing, to bump a competitor during a raceUS ,
1952
nerf barnounin hot rodding, a car bumperUS , 1953
nerk; nurknouna contemptible person Possibly compoundsNERD
andJERK(a fool) orBERK(a fool) A floral tribute in the shape of
the word ‘nurk’ featured in the comedy-documentary Life Beyond
The Box, BBC 2, 3rd May 2004 UK , 1966
nervenouneffrontery, audacityUK , 1893
nervesnoun< get on your nervesto affect morbidlyUK , 1937
Nervo and Knoxnoun1television; a television Rhyming slang for
BOX, formed from the names of a comedy double act, members of
the Crazy Gang, Jimmy Nervo, 1890–1975, and Teddy Knox,
1896–1974UK , 1971.2syphillis, a sexually transmitted infection
Rhyming slang forPOX, sometimes abbreviated to ‘nervo’UK , 1977.
3socks Rhyming slangUK , 1961
nervousadjectiveexcellent, well doneUS , 1926
Nervous AirnicknameService Air, the Canadian military
administrative term for the rough and ready travel using military
transportCANADA , 1995
nervous Nellienounan excessively nervous personUS , 1926
nervous wrecknouna cheque Rhyming slangUK , 1998
nervyadjectivenervousUS , 1891
Nessienicknamethe Loch Ness monster This familiar name for a
shadow on which part of the Scottish economy exists developed
not long after the newspapers announced, on 2nd May 1933, that
a giant marine creature had been seen in Loch Ness It is
interesting to note that Nessie reappears in the papers about the
same time each yearUK , 2001
nestnoun1a bedUS , 1990.2a hairdo High school student usageUS ,
1961
nest eggnounmoney saved for the futureUK , 1700
nesternouna member of the Mexican-American prison gang
Nuestra Familia A corrupted pronunciation of ‘Nuestra’US , 1990
Nestle’s Quicknouna non-commissioned officer recently arrived in
Vietnam after graduation from training school The short time it
took to earn their rank bothered enlisted men, who struck back
with this allusion to Nestlé Quik™ (later Nesquik™), a powdered
milk flavouringUS , 1991
netnoun1ten; in betting, odds of 10–1 Back slangUK , 1851.2the
InternetUS , 1995
net and bicenounin betting, odds of 12–1 A combination ofNET
net and exnounin betting, odds of 16–1 A combination ofNET
(ten) and a slurring of ‘six’, adding up to sixteenUK , 1991
net and roufnounin betting, odds of 14–1 A combination ofNET
(ten) andROUF(four), adding up to fourteenUK , 1991
netheadnounin the language surrounding the Grateful Dead, a follower of the band who is part of the Grateful Dead cyber communityUS , 1994
netiquettenounthe protocol, implicit or explicit, observed by members of an Internet discussion groupUS , 1995
netlagnounan inordinate delay in an Internet relay chat A pun on the standard ‘jet lag’US , 1995
net policenouna participant in an Internet discussion group who
on a self-appointed basis polices the discussion for protocol and etiquette violationsUS , 1991
neuronnouna neurologistUS , 1994
neutralnoun< to put someone into neutralto castrate someoneNEW ZEALAND , 2002
Nevada lettucenouna one-thousand-dollar note Nevada, formerly the only state in the US with legal gambling, is still the most popular gambling destination in the US and the only state with legal brothelsUS , 1962
Nevada nickelnouna five-dollar gambling tokenUS , 1979
neveradverbnotUK , 1999
never againnoun Ben Truman™, a branded beer Rhyming slang,
from the promise made the morning after the night beforeUK , 1992
neverendumnouneither of the two referenda on Quebec sovereignty or independence The term is a sarcastic allusion to the independentist government’s having called two votes on the subject and vowing to keep calling them till it wonCANADA , 1999
never fear – NAME is herea catchphrase announcement – using the speaker’s name, of course – of the speaker’s reassuring presence; also used, by the speaker, as a general greeting; or, ironically (and, occasionally, disdainfully) of a third partyUK , 1975
never happen!used for expressing supreme doubtTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1956
never in a pig’s earnever Rhyming slang for ‘never in a year’UK , 1977
nevermindnoun< makes no nevermindmakes no differenceUS , 1924
never mind!1don’t worry; mind your own business Semi-exclamatory imperativeUK , 1959.2used as a humorous admission
of misunderstanding A key signature line of the early years of
NBC’s Saturday Night Live, uttered by the Emily Litella character
played by Gilda Radner who would end rants about ‘Soviet Jewelry’
or ‘the deaf penalty’ with the humble ‘never mind’ Repeated with referential humourUS , 1977
never-nevernoun1hire purchase A suggestion that you will never, never pay off your debts, with an ironic reference to J.M Barrie (1860–1937)’s idealised home for Peter Pan, ‘Never Never Land’, first realised in 1904UK , 1964.2the remote regions of interior Australia Origin unknown Sometimes upper caseAUSTRALIA , 1833
never-never countrynounthe remote regions of interior Australia
AUSTRALIA , 1889
never-never landnoun1an imaginary, ideal world From J M
Barrie’s Peter Pan novels UK , 1900.2the hire purchase method of payment by instalmentsUK , 2005
never pitch a bitchused in confidence swindles as a humorous rule of thumb meaning ‘never try to do a sales job on a woman’
US , 1985
never smarten a sucker upused by gambling cheats and confi-dence swindlers as a prime rule of the tradeUS , 1950
never this yearnot a chanceUK , 2000
never-wasnouna person to whom actual achievement has eluded
US , 1891
neves; nevisnoun1in betting, odds of 7–1UK , 1991.2the number
.
Trang 5A specific application of the number seven Sometimes extended
to ‘nevis stretch’UK , 1958
neves and a halfnounIn bookmaker slangNEVESis 7–1, here the
addition of ‘a half’ increases the odds to 7½–1or 15–2 In
bookmaker slangNEVESis 7–1, here the addition of ‘a half’
increases the odds to 71/2–1or 15–2UK , 1991
neves to roufnounin betting, odds of 7–4 A combination ofNEVES
(seven) andROUF(four) when, if used alone, each word signifies
more than the number itself Pronounced ‘nevis to roaf’UK , 1991
Nevillenouna stupid or annoying person; a person lacking in social
skills, fashion sense or bothAUSTRALIA , 1995
newnouna lager-style beer brewed by the bottom-fermentation
method As opposed toOLD AUSTRALIA , 1935
new!used for commenting humorously on a new purchaseUS , 1963
new additionnouncrack cocaineUK , 2003
newbnouna new user of the Internet; a newcomer to an Internet
discussion group or multi-player game A shortening of ‘newbie’
UK , 2003
newbienoun1a new user of the Internet; a new arrival to an
Internet discussion group The general sense ‘newcomer’ used
condescendinglyUS , 1995.2a newcomer Originally militaryUS , 1970
new boynounused of a man or a corporate entity, a new arrival to
an existing community From school usage, applied less accurately
in military, business and other closed-circlesUK , 1948
New Brunswick credit cardnouna rubber siphoning hose for
stealing petrol An analogous term is the TexasOKLAHOMA CREDIT
CARD People from better-off adjacent states or provinces seem
convinced that their poorer neighbours are thievesCANADA , 1992
newbugnouna new boy or new girl Originally from Marlborough
School and only of a boy, now widespreadUK , 1900
newbyverbto fail to perform at a critical momentUS , 2002
Newcastledadjectivefilled with Newcastle Brown Ale™; drunk
(pro-bably as a result of drinking Newcastle Brown Ale) Newcastle
Brown Ale was first brewed (in Newcastle) in 1927UK , 2002
new chumnoun1a newly arrived immigrant from Britain who has
little knowledge of local life and customs Originally applied to
newly incarcerated prisoners (1812 Vaux), it was applied to
migrants as early as 1828 (Australian National Dictionary); the
opposing term was ‘old chum’ but this did not survive into the
C20AUSTRALIA , 1969.2a noviceAUSTRALIA , 1851
New Delhinounthe belly Rhyming slang, formed, possibly, on a sly
reference to Indian foodUK , 1992
Newfnouna NewfoundlanderCANADA , 1958
Newfienounany person from NewfoundlandUS , 1942
Newfie banananounthe root of the cinnamon fernCANADA , 1988
Newfie Bulletnouna train that traversed the interior of
Newfoundland IronicCANADA , 1965
Newfiejohnnounthe city of St John’s, NewfoundlandCANADA , 1945
new girlnouna new arrival to an existing community From school
use, applied to a female adult joining military, business or other
closed groupUK , 2003
New Guinea crudnounany skin rash suffered in tropical and jungle
environmentsUS , 1946
new guynouna freshly arrived soldier to combat Often embellished
toFUCKING NEW GUY US , 1970
New Hampshire screwdrivernouna hammer Maine usage,
looking down on the workmanship of carpenters from the south
US , 1975
newienounsomething newAUSTRALIA , 1924
Newington Butts; newingtonsnounthe stomach, abdomen, guts;
in a figurative sense the essential qualities of a person Rhyming
slang forGUTS Newington Butts is an area of south LondonUK , 1960
new jacknouna newcomer (especially one likely to be a success)US ,
1988
new jack swing
new kidnounin roller derby, a skater who has not yet been accepted by other skatersUS , 1999
new kid on the blockadjectivein bar dice games, a player just joining an ongoing gameUS , 1971
Newky brown; NewkynounNewcastle Brown Ale™ As widely used
as the beer is appreciatedUK , 1984
new-man-rulenounan unwritten rule among some units of the US Army in Vietnam that a newly arrived soldier would be placed at the front of the unit as pointmanUS , 1990
new meatnoun1a new student at a schoolUS , 1962.2an inexperi-enced prison inmateUS , 1938.3an inexperienced soldier freshly arrived at the frontUS , 1971
new nipnouna small boy, or a new boy at a schoolUK , 1947
new oneapplied to a previously unheard joke or anecdote, or to something seen, or heard of, for the first time Generally phrased
‘that’ or ‘it’s a new one on’ followed by a pronoun or person’s nameUS , 1887
new pussynouna woman unknown to gang membersUS , 1966
news bunnynouna female television reporter or anchor hired for her cute looksUS , 1990
new schooladjective(used of rap music) current, modern The functional reciprocal ofOLD SKOOL US , 2001
news hawknouna newspaper reporterUS , 1931
new-sicknouna new influenza virusBARBADOS , 1965
newspapernouna thirty-day jail sentenceUS , 1926
newspapersnounLSDUK , 2003
newsstandnouna dealer in pornographic literature and magazines
US , 1986
newsyadjective1full of information, especially of trivial or personal mattersUK , 1832.2nosy; too interested in gossipUS , 1970
newszinenouna fan magazine that does not contain any fiction, just newsUS , 1976
newtedadjectivedrunk FromPISSED AS A NEWT UK , 1984
Newton and Ridleyadjectivemildly drunk Rhyming slang for
TIDDLY, formed from the name of the fictitious brewery that
supplies the drinking requirements of the characters in the
long-running television soap opera Coronation Street UK , 1998
Newton Heathnounteeth Rhyming slang from Manchester, formed on the name of an industrial suburb of the cityUK , 1959
new toynounin the Metropolitan Police, a newly introduced piece
of equipment; a new recruitUK , 1999
New Yearnoun< not know if it’s New Year or New York
applied to anyone who is failing to think clearly (for whatever reason)UK: SCOTLAND , 1988
New Yorkernouna variety of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy A play onAPPLE(a variety of MDMA) andTHE APPLE(New York)UK , 1996
New York kissnouna punch to the faceUS , 1999
New York minutenouna very short period of time A nod to the impatience associated with New YorkersUS , 1948
New York reloadnouna second (concealed) pistol; an act of drawing a second gun Derives from a legal loophole: New York police used not to be allowed the use of a speed loader but a second, concealed gun was apparently permissibleUS , 2002
New York Slimenickname the New York Times newspaper US , 1981
newzaknountrivial news, or broadcast news that exists in the background but is ignored A play on ‘muzak’UK , 2003
New Zealand greennouna strain of marijuana, known elsewhere
as Tasmanian tiger, Thai Buddha and Hawaiian headNEW ZEALAND , 2002
New Zealand mafianouna notional organisation of New Zealand professionals in LondonNEW ZEALAND , 1986
nextnounduring the Vietnam war, a soldier whose rotation home was due in only a few days
Trang 6nextadjectivewithin a few days of returning to the US after a tour of
duty in VietnamUS , 1990
nextishnounthe next issue of a single-interest fan magazineUS , 1982
nexusnoun4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethyliamine, a mild
hallucinogenUS , 1995
NFnicknamethe Nuestra Familia prison gangUS , 2000
NFverbas an act of racial hatred, to set fire to a property that
houses members of an ethnic minority Derives from the initials
of the National Front, a politically right-wing organisation founded
on muddled philosophies of racial intolerance and violent
interventionUK , 2005
NFGadjective used as shorthand to mean ‘no fucking good’ US , 1977
NFNdoctors’ shorthand for the facetious diagnosis: normal for
Norfolk Recorded in an article about medical slang in British (3
London and 1 Cambridge) hospitalsUK , 2003
NGadjectiveno goodUS , 1879
NHIadjectiveused for describing a crime against a criminal,
especially one involving only black people An abbreviation of ‘no
humans involved’ US , 1973
Niagara Falls; niagarasnounthe testicles Rhyming slangUK , 1943
nibblenouna non-commital expression of interest From the image
of a fish trying a baitUK , 1959
nibbynouna walking stick, especially one used in rounding up sheep
NEW ZEALAND , 1964
nibsnoun< his nibs; her nibshimself; herself; a self-important
person Usually styled as a mock-titleUK , 1821
nice and easynounheroinUS , 1994
nice as pieadjectivevery polite, very agreeableUS , 1922
nice bitnouna prison sentence of three years or moreUK , 1996
nice enoughnouna homosexual male Rhyming slang forPUFF UK ,
1992
nice kittynouna Christmas bonusUS , 1954
nice little earnernouna well-paid job or profitable scheme, almost
always criminal to some degree An elaboration ofEARNER, made
popular by actor George Cole as small-time crook and
wheeler-dealer Arthur Daley in Minder, 1979–94 UK , 1996
nicely irrigated with horizontal lubricantadjectivedrunk Some
people, when drinking, use too many wordsUK , 2002
nice-niceadjectivevery attractiveUK , 1994
nice oneused in a congratulatory sense to express praise for an
actionUK , 1997
nice one Cyril; nice onenouna squirrel Rhyming slangUK , 1992
nice one, Cyrilused for expressing praise A very popular
catchphrase of the mid-1970s It originated in a television
commercial and was taken up in the early 70s as a football chant
by Tottenham Hotspur FC’s supporters in celebration of Cyril
Knowles, one of the club’s leading playersUK , 1984
nice talknouna line of conversation intended to seduce Urban
black youth usageUK , 2003
nice upverbto make something more acceptable or presentable, to
improve, to refineUK , 2004
nice weather for duckswet weather Known in variant forms
since 1840UK , 1973
nicey niceadjectiveExtremely nice, even excessively nice A
diminutive, childish formation usually used with some degree of
mocking or ironyUK , 1859
nicknoun1a prison; a police station In either case it is where one
is taken after getting ‘nicked’ (arrested); the former dates from
1882, the latter 1957UK , 1950.2condition or quality, especially in
phrases ‘in good nick’, ‘in poor nick’, etc Originally dialectUK , 1905.
3in horse racing, a mating that results in the sought-after qualities
AUSTRALIA , 1989.4five dollars’ worth of marijuana A shortened form
of ‘nickel’ as inNICKEL BAG US , 2002.5in craps, a winning roll of
seven on the first tossUS .6a nicknameUS < in the
nicknakedNEW ZEALAND , 1998 < on the nickengaged in thieving
UK , 1977
nickverb1to arrest, to apprehendUK , 1622.2in prison, to place on reportUK , 2001.3to stealUK , 1869.4to win a gamble, possibly by taking an unfair advantage or cheating A variation of earlier obsolete senses: ‘to cheat at cards’, ‘to defraud’UK , 1676.5(of a person) to move quickly Followed by an adverb Perhaps a special-ised use of the sense ‘to cheat’AUSTRALIA , 1894.6to throw dice
BARBADOS , 1965 < get nickedget lost Euphemistic for ‘get fucked’
AUSTRALIA , 1968 < nick a livingto make enough money to survive
UK , 1998 < nick the titleto win a sporting contest and thereby to take the titleUK , 1998
nick about withverbto go around in the company of, or associate with, someone or some group of peopleUK: SCOTLAND , 1985
nick awayverbto leave, to steal awayNEW ZEALAND , 1998
nickedadjectivestolen From the verbNICK(to steal)UK , 2001
nickelnoun1a five-year prison sentenceUS , 1953.2five dollarsUS ,
1946.3in American casinos, a five-dollar betting chipUS , 1980.4five hundred dollarsUS , 1974.5a mediocre object or situationUS , 1977
nickeladjectiveinferiorUS , 1932
nickel and dimeverbto wear down in small incrementsUS , 1961
nickel-and-dimeadjectivesmall-time, operating on a small scaleUS , 1941
nickel and dime; nickelnoun1time Rhyming slangUS , 1998.2in pool, a table that is five feet by ten feetUS , 1993
nickel-and-dime pimpnouna small-time pimpUS , 1972
nickel bagnounfive dollars’ worth of a drugUS , 1966
nickel-dime-quarternounpoker played with very small betsUS , 1968
nickel gamenouna game of craps in which the true and correct odds are paidUS , 1950
nickel gougernounthe operator of a dishonest carnival gameUS , 1950
nickel notenouna five-dollarUS , 1926
nickeloniannouna crack cocaine addict A play on ‘nickelodian’, after theNICKEL BAGthat the addict hungers forUS , 1998
nickel-pinchernouna cheapskate A variation on the much more common ‘penny-pincher’US , 1949
nickelsnounin craps, a roll of two fivesUS , 1983
nickels and dimesnounin hold ’em poker, a five and ten as the first two cards dealt to a playerUS , 1981
nickel seatsnouninexpensive seats at an event, usually far from the actionUS , 1990
nickel’s worthnouna five-minute conversation on a citizens’ band radio Five minutes was once the longest conversation allowed at one timeUS , 1976
nick ’em and stick ’emused of the professional approach of a prison officer who is interested only in the discipline and confine-ment of prisonersUK , 1996
nickernoun1one pound sterling (£1); poundsUK , 1910.2pounds
AUSTRALIA , 1965
nicker bitnouna one-pound coin FromNICKER(£1)UK , 1992
nicker bitsnoundiarrhoea Rhyming slang forTHE SHITS, formed
fromNICKER BIT(a £1 coin)UK , 1992
nick jointnouna dishonest gambling operationUS , 1978
nick-nackernounan infrequent drug userUS , 1984
nick nickused of catching or arresting, or the act of being caught Reduplication ofNICK(to arrest); directly from the catchphrase popularised in the later 1970s by comedian Jim Davidson (b.1953)
UK , 1981
nick offverb1to depart, to leaveAUSTRALIA , 1901.2to play truant Teen slangUK , 1982.3to take or steal somethingAUSTRALIA , 1968
Nicky Buttnouna testicle Rhyming slang forNUT(S), formed from a
Manchester United footballer (b.1975)UK
Trang 7nic-nac partynouna party for a bride-to-be At the party, the gifts
for the bride focus on her future homeAUSTRALIA , 1988
niddy-noddynouna stick about a foot long, with end-pieces, used
for wrapping yarnCANADA , 1986
nieblanounphencyclidine, the recreational drug known as PCP or
angel dust Spanish for ‘cloud’US , 1994
nievenouncocaine Spanish for ‘snow’US , 1993
niffnounan unpleasant smell Possibly derives from ‘sniff’UK , 1903
niffverbto smell unpleasantly From the noun senseUK , 1927
niffyadjectivesmelly From Sussex dialectUK , 1937
niftynounthe sum of fifty pounds sterling (£50) Not really rhyming
slang, merely a convenient rhymeUK , 1999
niftyadjectivesmart, fashionable, fine, splendid Old-fashioned and
affected; probably a corrupted ‘magnificent’US , 1805
nifty fiftynounan act of masturbation A rhymed approximation of
the number of movements required Often in the phrase ‘give it
the nifty fifty’UK , 1984
nifty-keenadjectiveexcellentUS , 1972
nignoun1a black person A shortened form ofNIGGER, no less
offensiveUS , 1828.2an Australian Aboriginal Racially offensive; now
not very commonAUSTRALIA , 1880.3a new soldier, either a recruit or
one just out of recruit trainingUK , 1980
Nigel Bennnouna pen Rhyming slang, formed from the name of a
champion boxer (b.1964)UK , 1998
Nigeriannounin homosexual usage, any black manUS , 1987
Nigerian lagernounGuinness™, the branded stout From the deep
black colour of the beerUK , 1977
Nigerian scam spamnouna swindle that uses e-mail to solicit
potential victims to help an African correspondent transfer
millions of dollars into an American bank accountUS , 2002
nigganouna black person A deliberate misspelling, reinventing
NIGGERfor exclusive black use; widely used in gangsta rapUS , 1980s
niggernoun1a black person When used by white speakers, highly
offensive; used by black speakers, especially the young, with
increasing frequencyUK , 1574.2an Australian Aboriginal Racially
offensiveAUSTRALIA , 1845.3a MaoriNEW ZEALAND , 1858.4a friend The
word having been reclaimed by the black population, usage in the
racially-mixed community of St Pauls, Bristol, resulted, in 2003, in
white youths emulating black peers and calling their friends, of
any skin-colour, ‘nigger’UK , 2003.5in the television and film
industries, a screen on a stand used to achieve lighting effectsUK ,
1960 < another push and you’d have been a niggerused
insultingly as a slur on the morals of the subject’s mother,
implying that she would have sex with anyone of any raceUK , 1961
niggeratinouna high profile grouping of successful members of
black society A black coinage, combiningNIGGER(a black person)
and-ERATI(a suffix which suggests the fashionable)UK , 2000
nigger babiesnoundirt specks, especially in the creases of the neck
US , 1970
nigger baitnouna great deal of chrome on a carUS , 1960
nigger bankrollnouna single large-denomination bill wrapped
around small-denomination notes, giving the impression of a great
deal of moneyUS , 1980
nigger betnounan uncommon amount wageredUS , 1968
nigger flickernouna small knife; a razor blade used as a weapon
US , 1980
niggergramnoungossipTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1950
nigger-haternounan overt racistUS , 1951
niggerheadnoun1tobacco, twisted into a plugUS , 1843.2an
eight-gallon milk canCANADA , 1992.3a tuft of grassUS , 1859.4in
lobstering, a winch headUS , 1978
niggerhead keisternouna steel safe shaped like a ballUS , 1976
nigger heavennoun1a simple, perfect happinessUS , 1906.2the
nigger in the woodpilenounanything that spoils the perfection of
a finished article Originally used without any sense that offence may be caused; now tabooUS , 1852
niggeritisnounlaziness; sloth after eatingTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2001
nigger-knockersnounheavy work bootsUS , 1964
niggerlipverbto moisten the end of a cigarette with salivaUS , 1940
nigger localnounon the railways, a freight train that makes frequent local stops that involve heavy work for the crewUS , 1916
nigger-lovernouna white person who mixes with or admires black people; a white person who believes that all men are created equal Originally white usage, it was intended to be offensive and disparagingUS , 1856
nigger-lovingadjectiveused for describing a white person who does not share the speaker’s pathological hatred of black peopleUS , 1879
nigger navelnouna type of daisyUS , 2002
nigger penniesnounan illegal lottery gameUS , 1977
nigger poolnounan illegal numbers gambling lotteryUS , 1949
nigger richadjectivemaintaining outward signs of wealthUS , 1930
nigger-rigverbto improvise in a shoddy wayUS , 1965
nigger’s lipnouna (potato) chip Rhyming slangUK , 1980
niggers’ mannouna white person who is less prejudiced than most
BAHAMAS , 1905
Niggerstannounany country with a black population RacistUK , 1994
nigger sticknouna reinforced baton used by police on suspected criminals, criminals and prisonersUS , 1971
nigger stickernouna long, sharp knifeUS , 1969
nigger tennouna cross near where a person has diedBARBADOS , 1965
nigger toenouna Brazil nutUS , 1896
nigger toesnounblack olivesUS , 1996
niggertownnouna neighbourhood with a large population of black peopleUS , 1904
nigger upverbto make many purely decorative, inexpensive, flashy modifications to a carUS , 1992
niggervillenouna section of a city or town populated by black people OffensiveUS , 1857
nigglenouna complaintUK , 1886
niggleverb1to do something in a finicky, fussy or time-wasting manner Originally, certainly from about 1640, in conventional use;
now, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, chiefly colloquial
UK , 1893.2to irritate, to cause a slight but persistent annoyance Generally considered to be a conventional use; included here for its derivatives which are certainly in this dictionary’s domainUK ,
1796.3to have sexUS , 1962.4in horse racing, to urge a horse with hands and reinUK , 1948
niggledadjectiveannoyed, irritated, especially when made so by disappointment or the pettiness of others From Cumberland dialectUK , 1878
nigglinessnounirritability; a state of being short-temperedUK , 1982
nigglingadjectivepetty, persistently irritatingUK , 1854
nigglyadjective1bad-tempered, especially about trifling concerns; irritableUK , 1840.2annoying, irritatingUK , 1840
nightnoun< it’ll be all right on the night; it will all come right on the nightused as an optimistic reassurance that everything will be fine Originally theatrical, expressing the belief
that all will be well for the first night It’ll Be Alright on the Night, a
television programme celebrating the things that go wrong (despite its reassuring title) has been broadcast since 1977UK , 1899.
< make a night ofto spend the night in pursuit of (dissolute) pleasuresUK , 1693
night; ’nightgood night Elliptical reduction of the customary good wishes at parting or sleepUK , 1912
night and daynouna play Rhyming slangUK , 1960
night and dayadjectivegrey Rhyming slangUK , 1992
night bull