Rhyming slangUK, 1992 one and halfnouna scarf.. Rhyming slang, from Onkaparinga, a steeplechase track in AustraliaAUSTRALIA, 1967 onkusadjectiveno good.. Rhyming slang forKNOB UK , 2003
Trang 1omee-palone; omee-paloney; ome-palone; homee-palone;
omi-palome; omie-palomenouna homosexual man Polari; a
combination ofOMEE(a man) andPOLONE; PALONE(a woman)UK,
1966
omeganounMDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy
Possibly a play on ‘the end’ or, perhaps, an elaboration ofOM UK ,
1996
omennounlow grade phencyclidine, the recreational drug known as
PCP or angel dustUS, 1993
omo; OMOadjectiveused for signalling that a woman’s husband is
not at home: old man out OMO™ is an established branded soap
powderUK, 1995
omygodnouna Plymouth OmegaUS, 1992
onadjective1in the bleed period of the menstrual cycle
Euphemistic abbreviation of, or an alternative to,ON THE RAGor ‘on
(your) period’UK, 1971.2ready and willingUK, 1888.3willing to take
partAUSTRALIA, 1880.4willing to take part in an amorous liaison
AUSTRALIA, 1907.5datingAUSTRALIA, 1945.6(of a fight or dispute)
begun in earnestAUSTRALIA, 1945.7persistently askingAUSTRALIA, 1969.
8of a criminal enterprise, under wayUK, 1969.9possible, feasible,
worthy of an attempt Originally recorded in use among billiard
and snooker playersUK, 1935.10having secured a betAUSTRALIA, 1903.
11protected from policy action by bribesUS, 1973.12of a food dish,
on the menuUK, 1949.13drug-intoxicatedUS, 1946 < not onnot
going to happen; forbiddenAUSTRALIA, 1972
onpreposition1(used of a drug) under the influence ofUS, 1925.2so
as to affect or disadvantageIRELAND, 1880.3to the detriment of, or
the disadvantage of, or the ruin of, etcUK, 2000.4at or in (a place)
AUSTRALIA, 1853.5to be paid for byUS, 1871 < be on aboutto talk
in such a manner that the speaker is not entirely understood or
listened to by the auditor As in, ‘What’s he on about now?’UK,
1984 < be on atto nag, to constantly reproveUK, 1974 < go on
about; be on aboutto grumble; to complain, especially loudly;
to talk on a subject for far too longUK, 1863
on and offnouna cough Rhyming slangUK, 1998
on bobadjectivehappy Variation ofBOB(pleasant)UK, 2001
once a weeknoun1a magistrate Rhyming slang forBEAK UK , 1960.
2impudence Rhyming slang forCHEEK UK , 1925
once in a blue moonvery rarelyUK, 1959
once-overnouna brief look that assesses something or someoneUS,
1913
oncernoun1something or someone uniqueAUSTRALIA, 1966.2a
person who has sex only once with any given partnerUS, 1959.3a
one-pound noteUK, 1931.4an impudent person Derives from
rhyming slangONCE A WEEKforCHEEK UK , 1992
onenoun1an eccentric, amusing or outrageous personUK, 1880.2a
devotee, or an adherent, or a champion, of somethingUK, 1888.3a
grudge; a score; a blow; a kiss; a drink; an act of sexual
intercourse; any non-specified noun By ellipsis of the specific
nounUK, 1830.4a lie; a joke or an anecdoteUK, 1813.5an act of
urination An abbreviation ofNUMBER ONE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1987.
< do one for me; have one for mea jocular catchphrase
addressed to someone on the way to the lavatoryUK, 1984 < in
onein bar dice games, to make a hand in one roll of the diceUS,
1971 < on onein a state of intoxication as a result of use of
MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasyUK, 1999
oneadjectiveused as an emphatic indefinite articleUK, 1828
onegoodbye An abbreviation ofONE LOVE US , 2002
one and a halfnouna prison sentence of eighteen monthsUK, 1961
one and eightnouna plate (in all uses, conventional or slang)
Rhyming slangUK, 1992
one and halfnouna scarf Rhyming slangUK, 1992
one and onenoun1an inhalation of cocaine using both nostrilsUK,
2003.2a dose of heroin accompanied by a dose of cocaineUS, 1997.
3a bag of deep-fried cod and chipsIRELAND, 1963
one and t’othernoun1a brother Rhyming slangUK, 1981.2a
one-armed banditnoun1a slot machine gambling deviceUS, 1938.
2a petrol pump From a vague similarity in appearance to a fruit machineUK, 1981.3that part of an automatic warning system mounted in a diesel locomotive’s cabUK, 1970
one away!used by prison officers to raise the alarm when a prisoner escapesUK, 1950
one day for thief, one day for policeused for expressing the conviction that wrongdoers will eventually be caughtTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1990
one day jobnouna car that can be disassembled and sold in one day after being stolenUS, 1992
One Day of the YearnounAnzac DayAUSTRALIA, 1962
one day, one day, congotayone day there will be justiceTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 2003
one-digit midgetnounduring the Vietnam war, a soldier with less than 10 days to serve before his date of expected return from overseasUS, 1984
one ’emverbin the gambling game two-up, to throw a head and a tailAUSTRALIA, 1966
one-eyenoun1the penis A variation of the ‘one-eyed bestiary’US,
1961.2in a deck of playing cards, a face card drawn in profile, the jack of hearts, the jack of spades or the king of diamondsUS, 1967.
3a car with only one headlight workingUS, 1962
one-eyedadjectiveused in combination with a variety of suitably shaped or characterised nouns to depict the penisUK, 1775
one-eyed jacknouna car with only one headlight workingUS, 1998
one-eyed monsternounthe penis Neither Cyclops nor the
character from the film Monsters Inc US, 1972
one-eyed snakenounthe penis A short ‘one-eyed trouser snake’
US, 2001
one-eyed trouser snakenounthe penisAUSTRALIA, 1971
one foot in the graveadjectiveold, perhaps very old Used as the title of a popular BBC situation comedy about an ageing (but not elderly) couple, written by David Renwick and broadcast from 1990–2000UK, 1632
one for his nobnouna shilling Rhyming slang forBOBthat fell into disuse following decimalisation in 1971UK, 1961
one for Ronnounan extra cigarette taken when one is offered Typically the person cadging cigarettes says they’ll take one ‘and one for Ron’, when the person giving the cigarettes asks ‘Who is Ron?’ the answer given is ‘one for later on’AUSTRALIA, 1966
one for the boynounin horse racing, a bet placed on a horse by the owner and given to the jockey before the raceUS, 1951
one for the roadnouna final drink before leaving a barUS, 1943
one goernouna race in which only one horse is being run to win
AUSTRALIA, 1966
one-hand magazine; one-handed magazine; one-handed literaturenouna pornographic magazine The image of one hand freeUK, 1978
one hitternouna device designed for holding a single inhalation worth of marijuanaUS, 2003
one hitter quitter; one hitta quittanouna powerful variety of marijuana It takes just oneHIT(an inhalation) to get an intoxicating effectUK, 1995
one-hit wondernouna recording artist or group with a single hit songUS, 1994
one-holed flutenounthe penis Variation ofFLUTE(the penis)UK, 1984
one-horseadjectiveof little consequence, unimportant, inferior, small
US, 1853
one hundrednouna marijuana cigarette dipped in an opium sol-utionUS, 1991
One Hung Lownicknameused as a name for a Chinaman Intended
to be humorous, as in the imagined book title ‘The Ruptured omee-palone; omee-paloney; ome-palone; homee-palone; omi-palome; omie-palome | One Hung Low 472
Trang 2one loveused as a farewellUS, 2002
one lungernouna single cylinder motorcycle Motorcyclists’ slang,
noted by Partridge, 1979US, 1908
one mannounfirst degree manslaughterUS, 1982
one-nighternouna sexual relationship lasting a single nightUS, 1969
one-night standnouna sexual relationship lasting a single nightUK,
1937
one-offnouna unique person, object or event From manufacturing
jargonUK, 2000
one off the wrist; quick one off the wristnoun(of a male) an
act of masturbation The adjective ‘quick’ (or occasional variations)
does not denote an especially speedy endeavour, its purpose is to
elaborate the basic termUK, 1973
one of the original twelvenounan extremely high-ranking officer
US naval aviator usageUS, 1986
one of these fine daysat a vague point in the future Minor
vari-ations abound: ’some fine day’, ‘one of these fine mornings’, etc
UK, 1846
one of those; one of themnouna homosexualUK, 1933
one of those daysnouna day when everything seems to go wrong,
or is more hectic than usualUK, 1936
one of usnouna male homosexual Especially in the phrase, ‘he’s
one of us’UK, 1961
one on!used as a shouted warning that a train is approachingUK,
1970
one-onenounin horse racing or harness racing, the position one off
the rail and one behind the challenger A favoured position, close
enough to challenge the lead and benefiting from the wind
broken by the challengerUS, 1997
one-on-one housenouna place where cocaine and heroin can be
boughtUK, 1998
one-o-oneadjectivebasic Alluding to basic college courses such as
‘English 101’US, 1993
one outby oneself; on one’s own; aloneAUSTRALIA, 1950
one over the eightadjectivedrunk; the final drink that makes you
drunkUK, 1925
one over the pocketnouna woman who is easily available for sex
Adopted from snooker terminologyUK, 2002
one penused by small children to ask foreign tourists for money A
request, sometimes a demand Derives, perhaps, from a 1961 visit
to India by US Vice President Lyndon B Johnson who handed out
ballpoint pens marked with his nameINDIA, 2003
one-percenter; two-percenternounused as a self-identification by
members of outlaw motorcyle clubs When the president of the
American Motorcyle Association proclaimed that 99% (or later
98%) of motorcylists are ‘decent, hardworking, law-abiding citizens’,
outlaw bikers did the maths and proclaimed themselves the
remainderUS, 1966
one-piece overcoatnouna condomUK, 1984
one-pipper; one pipnouna second lieutenant Army, from the
sleeve or shoulder insigniaUK, 1915
one-plus-one salenounheroin and cocaine sold togetherUK, 2002
one-pubadjective(of a town) small enough to have only one public
hotel; inconsequentialAUSTRALIA, 1901
onernouna one-pound noteUK, 1889
onesnoun1the first landing or floor level in a prisonUK, 1996.2in
the gambling game two-up, a throw of a head and a tailAUSTRALIA,
1911 < all the oneseleven In Bingo, House or Housey-Housey
calling, the formula ‘all the’ announces a double numberUK, 1943.
< on the ones and twosin prison, used of a sex offender,
convicted paedophile, etc A variation ofNUMBERED OFF ; ON THE
NUMBERS UK , 1996
ones and twosnounshoesUS, 1928
one-shot wondernouna man who is unable to achieve a second
one-sideverbto hit without warningFIJI, 1995
one singer, one song; wan singer, wan songused as a call for order when many people are contributing to a debate at the same time Originally shouted at people who, uninvited, join in a singer’s song, and, inevitably, fail to add a pleasing harmony Popularised by Glaswegian actor, comedian and folk-singer, Billy Connolly (b.1942)UK: SCOTLAND, 1996
one-skin jointnouna marijuana cigarette made with just one ciga-rette paperUK, 2003
one-skinnernouna marijuana cigarette made with just one ciga-rette paperUK, 1999
one-spotnouna prison sentence of one yearUS, 1949
one star artistnouna second lieutenant Military, from the sleeve
or shoulder insignia In World War 1 one star – ‘one stunt’ was an army catchphrase that reflected the frequency with which second lieutenants got killed in their first battleNEW ZEALAND, 1984
onesynounan act of urinationAUSTRALIA, 1995
one-timenounthe policeUS, 1990
one toke no jokepowerful marijuana Rhyming elaboration on
TOKE(to smoke marijuana)UK, 2000
one-toke weednounmarijuana of such potency that only a few inhalations induce intoxicationUS, 1982
one to onenounin betting odds, evensUK, 1991
one-track mindnounan overwhelming interest in a single topic, especially sex Especially familiar, to some, in the catchphrase
‘you’ve got a one-track mind’, and various elaborations along the lines of ‘and it’s a dirt-track’UK, 1984
one waynounLSD Possibly plays on the type of ticket you would purchase for a conventional ‘trip’;TRIP(a hallucinatory drug experi-ence)US, 1970
one-wayadjectiveheterosexualUS, 1964
one-way taxinouna hearseUK, 1981
one-wirenounan electrician US Navy usageUS, 1998
one-woman shownoun(of a female) an act of masturbation Figurative sense of a theatrical presentation that itself is often critically described as ‘intellectual masturbation’US, 2001
one word from you and he does as he likeshe ignores your commands With various pronominal variations Especially popular amongst parents and pet-ownersUK, 1977
oneynounoneUK, 2002
on for young and oldadjectivehaving begun in earnestAUSTRALIA, 1951
onionnoun1one hundred dollarsUS, 1988.2crack cocaineUK, 2003.3a native BermudianBERMUDA, 1985.4a Ford Orion car Motor trade slangUK, 2004.5an absolutely unskilled skateboarder Teen slang; because ‘it makes you cry to watch’UK, 1978
onion balladnouna painfully sad song An allusion to the relation-ship between onions and tearsUS, 1981
onion churchnounthe Greek Orthodox church From the dome on many Greek Orthodox churchesUS, 1997
onion hotelnouna boarding house used by oil field workersUS, 1954
onion peelernouna switchblade knifeUS, 1973
onionsnoun< get up your onionsto irritate, to anger A variation
ofGET UP YOUR NOSE UK , 1988 < pain in the onionsan irritation;
an annoying personUK, 1988
on itadjectiveprepared and readyUS, 2000
onknounthe noseUK, 2002
onkaparinga; onkanouna finger Rhyming slang, from Onkaparinga, a steeplechase track in AustraliaAUSTRALIA, 1967
onkusadjectiveno good Origin unknownAUSTRALIA, 1918
onliestadjectiveonlyUS, 1907
only very Hawaiian youth usage
Trang 3only suckers beefused as a catchphrase in Chicago to affirm a
guiding principle of that city, that losers should not complainUS,
1982
on my honour as a Rocket Rangerused as a humorous oath or
pledge On the US children’s television programme Rod Brown of
the Rocket Rangers (CBS, 1953–54), the children in the television
audience were asked to pledge on their honour, among other
things, ‘to chart my course according to the Constitution of the
United States of America’ Used in following years with irony by
those who had been children during the dark years of the early
1950sUS, 1954
on my skinused as a profound oath of honour by white prisoners
US, 1989
OnOused as an Internet shorthand farewell to mean ‘over and out’
US, 1997
on offeradjectiveavailableUK, 2000
on pointadjectivealert, ready for anything Military; the man ‘on
point’ leads a patrolUK, 2001
on the floor, hit the door 8see:DIE ON THE FLOOR, SEVEN AT
THE DOOR
on the hobnounthe penis Rhyming slang forKNOB UK , 2003
on the inin prisonUK, 2000
on the strength!seriously!US, 1989
on timeadjectiveexcellentUS, 1992
on topadjective1about to happenUK, 1978.2wrong; destroyed or
defeatedUK, 1999
on top!used as a warning that a prison officer is close From the
sense ‘something is about to happen’UK, 1996
onyaused as praise for a job well doneAUSTRALIA, 1948
on your bike!go away!UK, 1967
o-onoun a quick inspection, a once-over US, 1913
oo-ahverb(used of a woman) to sit or lie with legs spread
immodestlyNORFOLK ISLAND, 1992
oodlesnouna large number; a large amountUS, 1867
oo-er!; ooo-er!used for expressing surprise, disgust or
embarrassmentUK, 1912
oo-er missus!used for stressing a sexual innuendo, or as a
catchphrase-response to such a double-entendre A narrowing of
the senses used forOO-ER! UK , 2001
ooga-booga-landnouna non-specific African location A racist
notion based on the presumed phonetics of African tribal chants,
probably filtered through a Hollywood realityUK, 1998
oogleyadjectivegood, excellent Teen slangUS, 1955
ooh and aahverbto express admirationUS, 1957
ooh la lanouna brassiere Rhyming slang for ‘bra’UK, 1998
ooh-la-laused as an expression of admirationUS, 1957
oojah; oojar; oojamaflip; oojah-ma-flipnouna gadget; a
non-specific thing Etymology is unknown, however it has been
theorised that it may come from Hindustani, or derive as a
corruption of the nautical term ‘hook-me-dinghy’; earlier
vari-ations include ‘ooja-ka-piv’ and ‘ooja-cum-pivvy’UK, 1917
Ookpiknouna doll that looks like an owlCANADA, 1964
ooliesnounmarijuanaUK, 2003
ooloonouna knife used by Eskimo womenCANADA, 1966
oomphnounthe quality of sexual attraction; hence enthusiasm,
vigour, energy Echoic, from the mating bellow (perhaps of a bull)
US, 1937
oonocknounan Eskimo implement for harpooning sealsCANADA, 1941
oop northadjectivein the North of England A parodic use of a
non-specific northern accentUK, 2002
oop-pa-a-daused as a greeting by bebop musicians and followers
A highly stylised greeting, widely publicised in the early years of
oops!used in response to an accident or mistake, suggesting an acknowledgement of faultUS, 1989
ooroogoodbye Variant ofHOOROO AUSTRALIA , 1967
oozeverbto move, especially slowly, carefully, without enthusiasm
US, 1929
opnoun1a surgical operation UK, 1925.2an operator US, 1930.3a
private detective; a private operator US, 1947.4a military operation
UK, 1996
opverbto operate; to do; to set upUS, 1953
OPadjective other people’s US, 1972
OPBnoun used as an initialism for other people’s brand, a mythical
and humorous brand of cigarettesUS, 1970
openounopium; heroin An abbreviation of ‘opium’UK, 1929
opennounin computing, a left parenthesis – the (US, 1991
openverb1used of a film actor who is a big enough box office attraction that success of a film project is almost guaranteed, to start and carry such a film productionUS, 2003.2to turn onCANADA,
2002 < open the kimonoof a business, to reveal company accounts, to publish business information Business slangUK, 1998.
< open the lunchboxto fartUS, 1997
openadjective1excited; drunk or drug-intoxicated; infatuated From
HAVE YOUR NOSE OPEN US , 1995.2in organised crime, safe for anyone without fear of violenceUS, 1963
open at both endsadjectivein poker, four cards in sequence that could form a five-card straight with a draw at either end of the sequenceUS, 1988
open doornounin surfing, a wave that breaks such that the surfer can ride away from the peak onto the shoulderUS, 1963
openersnoun< for openersto begin with; for startersAUSTRALIA, 1969
open gonouna total lack of restrictionAUSTRALIA, 1940
open heifernouna woman looking for a mateCANADA, 1987
open-kimonoadjectivecharacterised by complete honesty and full disclosure Sometimes formulated asOPEN THE KIMONOor a vari-ation thereon Ronin Internvari-ational, a computer consulting firm, promises ‘open-kimono’ in its published mission statement, explaining that the term ‘stems from feudal Japanese times where the term signified that the party will hide nothing within his clothing (the kimono was the dominant clothing of that era) that could conceivably be used as a weapon’US, 1974
open-mikeadjectivesaid of a club where anybody may perform briefly and without paymentUS, 1999
open roomnounan establishment where it is possible to bet on sporting events and listen to or watch the event as it takes place
US, 1978
open seasonnounsaid when there are a lot of police monitoring vehicle speeds on a stretch of roadUS, 1976
open shadownounin a surveillance operation, a follower who lets himself be spottedUS, 1958
open slathernoununrestrained freedom From British dialect
slather (to spill, to squander) AUSTRALIA, 1919
open worknounsafecrackingUS, 1949
operanouna travelling showUS, 1980
Operation Big Switchnounthe final exchange of prisoners of war
in Korea in 1953US, 1964
Operation Killernouna main US offensive in the Korean war, 20th February–6th March 1951US, 1968
Operation Little Switchnouna preliminary exchange of prisoners
of war in Korea in 1953US, 1964
Operation Yo-Yonounthe battle for Wosan, North Korea, in October 1950 So named by the US Marines who arrived at Wosan too late to take part in the capture because they had sailed back and forth around Wosan as the harbour was cleared of minesUS,
Trang 4operatornoun1someone who is popular, crafty and perhaps
manipulativeUS, 1944.2a drug dealerUS, 1952
opie switchnounin car repair, an oil pressure switchUS, 1992
OPMnoun other people’s money US, 1901
opponoun a friend, a pal Short for ‘opposite number’ UK, 1939
oppositeadjectiveobscene, especially of languageSOUTH AFRICA, 1946
op shopnoun a charity store From ‘opportunity shop’ AUSTRALIA, 1976
opticnoun1an eyeUK, 1600.2a look Short forOPTIC NERVE AUSTRALIA ,
1974
optical illusionsnounLSD From the effect of the drugUK, 1998
optic nervenouna look Rhyming slang forPERV AUSTRALIA , 1977
oracenounan offensive, despicable person; a clumsy person; a
socially awkward person Recorded in contemporary gay useUK, 2003
oralnounoral sex A 2002 Incident Report from the Sausalito
(California) Police Department describes the activities at a local
massage parlour as follows: ‘Only a few girls will do full service
(sexual intercourse) and oral (oral copulation) massages’US, 2002
oralehello Border Spanish used in English conversation by
Mexican-AmericansUS, 1950
orangenouna tablet of dextroamphetamine sulphate (trade name
Dexedrine™), a central nervous system stimulantUS, 1967
orange barrelnouna type of LSDUK, 2003
orange budnounmarijuana From the colourUK, 2001
Orange Crushnounin Canadian prisons, a special squad used to
restore calm after a disturbanceCANADA, 2002
orange cubenouna dose of LSD given on a sugar cubeUS, 1975
orange hazenouna type of LSDUK, 2003
orange linenounheroinUK, 2002
orange magicnouna type of LSDUK, 1996
orange micronouna type of LSDUK, 2003
orange peelnouna highly visible orange jacket worn by railway
workersUK, 1970
orange-peelverb(used of freshly applied paint) to wrinkle or form
small ridgesUS, 1998
orange pip; orangenouna Japanese person Rhyming slang forNIP
UK, 1979
orange squash; orangenounmoney Rhyming slang forDOSH UK ,
1998
orange sunshinenouna type of LSDUS, 1988
orange wedgenouna type of LSDUK, 2003
orbitverbto engage in oral sexUS, 1985
orbitalnoun1a person who lives permanently in the vicinity of one
travellers’ settlement Used by late 1980s – early 90s
counterculture travellersUK, 1999.2a breast Recorded in
contemporary gay usageUK, 2003
orchestra stalls; orchestras; orchestrals; orksnounthe testicles
Rhyming slang forBALLS, based on the front seating in a theatre
auditorium Probably late C19 or early C20 but not recorded until
1960UK, 1979
orchidnouna beautiful womanUS, 1948
order; orderlyverb1to go, to leaveUK, 1997.2to orgasm From an
earlier sense as ‘leave’, thus ‘to come’ (to orgasm)UK, 2002
orderly daughtersnounthe policeUK, 2002
order of the bootnoundismissal from work; the sackUK, 1917
ordinaryadjective1not very good; below standardAUSTRALIA, 1992.
2used by bookmakers for describing a losing dayAUSTRALIA, 1989
Oregon bootsnounleg ironsUS, 1949
or elseused for indicating consequences that will be unwelcomeUK,
1833
Oreonouna black person whose values are seen as white values
Borrowed from a trade name of a chocolate biscuit with a white
orftadverboff A deliberately illiterate pronunciation for jocular effect; especially familiar in ‘orft we jolly well go’, a catchphrase of broadcaster Jimmy Young (b.1923)UK, 1980
organnoun1a car radio From the language of used car salesUS,
1978.2the penis EuphemisticUK, 1903
organ-arsenouna person who deliberately farts in company
AUSTRALIA, 1998
organ donornouna motorcyclist who is not wearing a crash helmet
US, 1994
organ grindernouna criminal’s bodyguard or enforcer Rhyming slang forMINDER UK , 1992
organized chicken shitnounOfficer Candidate School From the initialsUS, 1992
orgasm!used for registering any transitory pleasureUK, 2001
orgasmicadjectivegreat, excellent Hyperbole, probablyUS, 1999
orgeverbto indulge in an excess of ‘sinful’ pleasures, especially of food, drugs, shopping or sex Based on ‘orgy’, informed by ‘gorge’
UK, 1999
orgy roomnouna room designated for group sexUS, 1969
Oriental dancernounin circus and carnival usage, a sexually explicit female dancerUS, 1981
Orient Expressnoun1any route used to smuggle opiates from Southeast Asia to Europe, especially via Amsterdam An allusion to the famed Paris-to-Istanbul trainUS, 1982.2the #7 subway line to Flushing, Queens, New York An allusion to the large number of Asian-Americans who commute on this lineUS, 1997
orificenoun1an office JocularUK, 1984.2a (police) officer Jocular; certainly since the late 1990sUK, 1996
originalnoun1an unconventional or eccentric personUK, 1824.2a male prisoner who selects and maintains a primary sexual partner
in jailUS, 1972
original gangsternouna member of the founding generation of a youth gang; somebody who is so committed to a gang that he remains a gang member at all costsUS, 1995
originalsnounthe clothes worn by a member of Hell’s Angels when
he is initiated into the gang, and worn thereafter in perpetuityUS, 1966
or, in Englishused as a humorous bridge between a butchered attempt at verbalisation and an attempt to correct Coined as a self-parody by ESPN’s Keith OlbermanUS, 1997
O-ringnouna novice surfer; a doltUS, 1992
orinoco; orinokonoun1cocoa Rhyming slang Also shortened to
‘ori’UK, 1992.2a poker Rhyming slang Also variant ‘orinoker’UK, 1992
or is he?; or am I?; or are you?a catchphrase added to a statement for rhetorical effectUK, 1984
o’rivergoodbye An intentional mispronunciation of the FrenchUS, 1991
ornamentnounon the railways, a stationmasterUS, 1977
orneryadjectiveill-humoured and uncooperativeUS, 1816
orphannoun1in craps, a bet on the table that a gambler has forgotten belongs to himUS, 1981.2a computer that has been phased out due to technological advancesUS, 1986
orphan Annie; orphannounthe vagina Rhyming slang forFANNY, formed from the character Little Orphan Annie, introduced to the
US in comic strip form in 1924, but best known to British
audiences from Annie the stage-musical, 1977, and film, 1982 UK, 1998
or somethingused as a final tag, a vague et ceteraUK, 1961
ortnounthe anus Origin unknownAUSTRALIA, 1952
orthopodnounan orthopaedistUK, 1960
or what!?used as an all-purpose, sentence-ending intensifier
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1983
or whateverused as a non-specific alternative to a previously
Trang 5or what-have-youused as a non-specific continuation of a list or
suggestion of further detailsUK, 1948
Osama yo mamaused as a general-purpose insult Teen slang;
combines ‘yo mama!’ (a general-purpose insult) with the name of
Osama bin Laden, presumed to be ultimately responsible for the
atrocities of 11th September 2001US, 2002
Oscarnoun1a male homosexual Surely a reference to Oscar Wilde
US, 1967.2an offensive, unlikeable personUS, 1905.3a prejudiced,
narrow-minded personUS, 1973.4a handgunUS, 1949
Oscar Asche; Oscar Ash; oscarnouncash; money Rhyming slang,
formed on the name of Australian actor, producer and director,
Oscar Asche (1871–1936)AUSTRALIA, 1905
Oscar Slateradverblater Glasgow rhyming slang, formed from a
man who, in 1909, was wrongly convicted of murder in a famous
and scandalous travesty of justice; Arthur Conan Doyle, author of
the Sherlock Holmes stories, took an interest and caused uproar by
publishing The Case of Oscar Slater in defence of the man UK:
SCOTLAND, 1985
O-signnounthe open mouth of a very sick hospital patient Medical
wit; an especially humorous image when the ‘O-sign’ becomes the
Q-SIGN(as above but with the tongue hanging out)US, 1980
Ossie Potternounwater Rhyming slang, from the name of a
prominent Australian racehorse owner of the 1950sAUSTRALIA, 1989
ossifer; occifernouna police officer An intentional metathesis,
spoken in imitation of the slurred speech of intoxicationUS, 1819
ossifiedadjectivevery drunkUS, 1901
OT and Eadjective over-tired and emotional Upper-class society
usage to describe children who are behaving unsociably To be
TIRED AND EMOTIONAL(drunk) is usually a condition for older family
membersUK, 1982
othernounsexual intercourse, especially heterosexual but also
homosexual Mainly used as aBIT OF THE OTHER Partridge, in the
1st edition of his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English,
1937, suggests that the unqualified term indicates ‘homosexuality
as a criminal offence’ and that the other alternative is
‘prostitution’UK, 1937
other halfnouna significant other, husband or wifeUK, 1976
other lotnounthe policeUK, 2001
Other Peoplenounamong criminals, the policeUK, 2000
othersnounhomosexualsFIJI, 1996
other sidenounhomosexuality Usually in a phrase such as ‘gone
over to the other side’ Collected in 1960BARBADOS, 1960
other thingnoun< do the other thing!used as an expression of
contemptuous dismissal: do as you please!UK, 1848 < the other
thing1the penis EuphemisticUK, 1923.2sexual intercourse
EuphemisticUK, 1846
OTLadjectivedistracted, foolish, stupid An abbreviation ofOUT TO
LUNCH US , 1968
OTOHused as Internet shorthand to mean ‘on the other hand’ US,
1995
OTRadjectiveliterally, experiencing the bleed period of the menstrual
cycle; figuratively, complaining An initialism ofON THE RAG US , 1968
OTTadjectiveto excess; beyond the boundaries of conventional
expectations; exaggerated Ultimately from World War 1 troops
leaving the trenches to attack the enemy; ‘going over the top’UK,
1999
otto; otter; ottaadjectiveeight; eight (pre-decimal) pence Polari,
from Italian octo via parleyaree UK, 1893
ouchnounan injuryUS, 1962
ouch!how unfortunate!US, 1997
ouchyadjective(used of a racehorse) soreUS, 1976
oudishadjectiveused for expressing approvalUK, 2003
ought holenounin trucking, the shifting position for the lowest
gearUS, 1971
oughties
ouija boardnounin horse racing, the official odds board at the racetrackUS, 1951
oul fellanouna fatherIRELAND, 1989
oul one; auld wan; old dearnouna motherIRELAND, 1989
ounce mannouna drug dealer at the wholesale level, buying and selling in ouncesUS, 1966
ounce of baccy; ouncernouna Pakistani Rhyming slang forPAKI, formed from a measurement of tobaccoUK, 1992
our concrete brethrennounmembers of the US Air Force US Army usageUS, 1998
our friend with the talking broochnouna uniformed police officer A reference to the police radio worn on the uniform’s breastUK, 1992
outnounan excuse, an alibi, a means of avoiding responsibility or difficultyUS, 1910 < on the outused of a prisoner when not imprisonedUK, 1984
outverb1to disclose another person’s homosexuality Usually done
to a public figure, and most commonly to one who is publicly anti-homosexual, such as J Edgar Hoover or the cadre of gay men who surrounded Lt Col Oliver North in the Reagan White House
US, 1990.2to suspend or ban a player or competitorAUSTRALIA, 1962.
< out someone’s lightto kill someoneTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1987
outadjective1publicly and openly homosexual An abbreviation of the full ‘out of theCLOSET’UK, 1979.2unfashionable; no longer fashionableUK, 1966.3no longer imprisonedUK, 1974.4experiencing the bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS, 2000
outused in farewellUS, 1993
outa here; outta hereadjectiveabout to leaveUS, 1980
out-and-outadjectivecomplete, absolute, thorough-goingUK, 1813
out-and-outernouna thorough-going person or thing; an absolute lieUK, 1812
outbacknounthe remote regions of AustraliaAUSTRALIA, 1893 < go outbackto go to the toilet for the purpose of defecation
AUSTRALIA, 1979
outbackadjectivesituated in a remote country areaAUSTRALIA, 1893
out-countrynounduring the Vietnam war, used for reference to any other country in Southeast AsiaUS, 1991
outdoorsadverb< all outdoorsa great amountUS, 1830
outernoun< on the outerexcluded from the mainstream; out of favour; ostracisedAUSTRALIA, 1902
outerlimitsnouna combination of crack cocaine and LSDUK, 1998
outersnounan excuse, an alibi; a means of escape, or of avoiding responsibilityUK, 1977
outersadjectivedrug-intoxicated From a number of phrases that commence ‘out of’UK, 2000
outfitnoun1a criminal organisationUS, 1933.2a still used in the illegal production of alcoholUS, 1974.3heroinUK, 2003.4the needle and syringe used to inject a drugUS, 1951.5a vehicle Idaho usage
US, 1997
out for the countadjectivefast asleep From boxingUK, 1984
out frontadjectivedirect, honestUS, 1968
outgribingnouna written contribution to a single-interest fan magazineUS, 1982
outholenounin pinball, the hole beneath the flippers through which a ball leaves playUS, 1977
outhousenounin poker, a full house (three of a kind and a pair) that is inferior to another full house handUS, 1996
outienounan outward-turned navelUS, 1966
outieadverb< be outieto leaveUS, 1995
outlawnoun1a prostitute working without the services of a pimp
US, 1935.2a worker who has been identified as an activist troublemaker and thus blacklistedUS, 1977.3a horse that cannot be
Trang 6outlawverbon the railways, to exceed the 16-hour maximum legal
work limitUS, 1968
outlawadjectivein roller derby, outside the official Roller Derby
LeagueUS, 1999
outletnouna bootlegger’s houseCANADA, 1999
out like a lightadjectivesuddenly and deeply unconsciousUK, 1944
out of hereused as a farewellUS, 1991
out of itadjective1crazy, mentally illUS, 1979.2in an advanced a
state of drug- or drink-intoxicationUS, 1963
out of order; bang out of orderadjectiveused to describe
behaviour that is unacceptableUK, 1979
out of sight; outasightadjectiveexcellent, amazing Nearly a
hundred years old before being swept up as a core adjective of the
1960s hippie lexiconUS, 1876
out of the moneyadjectivein horse and dog racing, finished below
third placeUS, 1988
out of this worldadjectiveextraordinaryUS, 1928
out of townadjectiveused to describe behaviour that is
unacceptableUS, 1942
out of whackadjectiveout of tune, malfunctioningUS, 1885
out-outverbto put outBARBADOS, 1965
outronounthe concluding section, especially of music or
broadcast-programmes The opposite ofINTRO(introduction)UK, 1967
outrunverb< outrun the note(of a car) to last longer than it
takes to pay off the loan incurred to buy itUS, 1992
outsnounin poker, the playing of a weak hand in the hope of a
drastic improvement in drawingUS, 1979
outsidenoun1in Alaska, anywhere in the US other than AlaskaUS,
1900.2the world outside the armed forcesUS, 1898
outsideadjective1out of the ordinaryUS, 1969.2(of a child)
illegitimateTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1952.3(of a lover) adulterous
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1971.4in surfing, seaward of the swellUS, 1963
outsideadverbnot in prisonUS, 1871 < get outside ofto eatUS,
1869
outside!used for calling to the attention of other surfers the
presence of an approaching series of waves seawardUS, 1964 8see:
COME OUTSIDE!
outside childnounan illegitimate childCAYMAN ISLANDS, 1985
outside worknounany external alteration of dice for cheatingUS,
1963
outstandingadjectiveexcellent Conventional English converted to
slang by attitude and a drawn-out pronunciationUS, 1964
out thereadjective1in a state of extreme marijuana-intoxicationUS,
1977.2in the alternative society; out of the mainstreamUS, 1975.
3crazy, mentally illUK, 1996
out ticketnounin horse racing, a winning bet not presented for
payment on the day of the raceUS, 1982
out to lunchweird, being in a state that does not conform to
peer-group expectations; distracted;crazyUS, 1955
ovennoun< in the ovenpregnant Especially in the phrase ‘bun
in the oven’UK, 1937
overadjective1popular with the audience Professional wrestling
usageUS, 1999.2disgusted by; done withUS, 1983
overampverbto overdose on narcoticsUS, 1967
over-and-undernoun1a capsule containing both a barbiturate and
an amphetamineUS, 1973.2an M-16 rifle with an M-79 grenade
launcher tube under the rifle barrelUS, 1972
overboardadjectivedrunkUS, 1948 < go overboard1to be
over-enthusiastic about something, to exaggerateUS, 1931.2to refuse or
fail to pay a gambling debtUS, 1947
over-boogieverbto over-indulge in the pleasures of viceUS, 1982
overbrokeadjectiveused of betting with no profit margin for the
bookmaker
overcoatnoun1a coffinUS, 1949.2in pool, a player who has mastered the foibles of a particular tableUS, 1990
overcoat makernounan undertaker Rhyming slang, with more than a passing reference to (wooden)OVERCOAT(a coffin)UK, 1992
overdueadjectiveused of a criminal who, not having been convicted
of a crime, is statistically likely to, or should, be found guilty of something (if there is any justice) Police useUK, 1984
overfixverbto overdose using a drugUS, 1972
overgroundnouna commercialised milieu for a previously underground cultureUK, 2001
overjoltnouna drug overdoseUS, 1959
overjoltverbto suffer a drug overdoseUK, 1983
overland routenoun< to take the overland routein horse racing, to race on the outside portion of the track because a horse prefers passing around a pack to accelerating through itUS, 1947
overlaynounin horse racing, a situation where a horse that should win a race is given higher odds than it shouldUS, 1965
over-muchadjectiveastonishing, difficult to believeUS, 1968
over my dead bodyused as an expression of the strongest will to resist HyperboleUK, 1936
overpartedadjective having been cast in a part that demands more
of an actor than he or she is capable ofUK, 2003
overripe fruitnounan older homosexual manUK, 1979
over-roundadjectiveused of betting when the probable or actual profit margin is entirely in a bookmaker’s favourUK, 1991
oversnoun1more money than you needUK, 2000.2surplus or undivided profits from a crimeUK, 1977.3money a bookmaker has overpaidUK, 1991.4a wager at odds better than those prevailing elsewhere; any extravagenceAUSTRALIA, 1989.5in a game of poker, the small amount of money left in the centre of the table after a pot is divided among two or more players, held over for the next handUS, 1988
over therenounin Europe Originally used of the military during World War 1AUSTRALIA, 1967
over the shoulder boulder holdernouna brassiereUK, 1998
oviesnounovertime payUK, 2002
ownoun< on the ownot in prison A shortening of ‘on the outside’UK, 2002
OWnouna wife, a girlfriend Citizens’ band radio slang, abbreviated fromOLD WOMAN UK , 1981
owf; owffverbto stealUK, 2003
owienounany minor injury Children’s vocabularyUS, 1988
o-withoutnounan act of oral sex performed without the protection
of a condom, especially when advertised as a service offered by a prostitute FromO-LEVELS(oral sex)UK, 2003
owlnoun1on the railways, anything related to the night, such as a late-night trainUS, 1946.2marijuana A possible play onHOOTER(a large marijuana cigarette)UK, 2003
owlheadnouna revolver Originally referred to a revolver manufactured by Iver Johnson Arms, featuring an owlhead logo; later applied to any revolverUS, 1927
Owl Shit Junctionnounany extremely remote townUS, 1977
ownverbto dominate; to command complete deferenceUS, 1997
ownioadjective< on your ownioaloneIRELAND, 1922
ownsomeadjective< on your ownsomealoneUK, 1939
own upverbto admit, to confessUS, 1853
own-wayadjectiveobstinate, mulishBARBADOS, 1965
Owsley; Owsley acid; owsleynounhigh quality LSD From the name of legendary LSD manufacturer Augustus Owsley Stanley III Other variations include: ‘Owsley blue dot’; ‘Owsley blues’; ‘Owsley power’; ‘Owsley purple’;PURPLE OWSLEY‘pink Owsley’; ‘white Owsley’; ‘Owsley’s stuff’; ‘Owsleys’US, 1967
owtnounsomething, anything A dialect word from northern
Trang 7programme Coronation Street, and in clichéd phrases such as ‘you
don’t get owt for nowt’UK, 1847
owzat?; zat?as an appeal to a cricket umpire, how’s that?UK, 1934
Oxfordnouna dollarAUSTRALIA, 1990
Oxford bagnouna cigarette Rhyming slang forFAG UK , 1998
Oxford scholar; Oxford; scholarnoun1(of pre-decimalisation
currency) five shillings; (post-1971) 25p Rhyming slang forDOLLAR
(five shillings) The Oxford English Dictionary notes reported usage
in southwest England in the 1870sUK, 1938.2a dollar Rhyming
slangAUSTRALIA, 1937
Oxo cubenounthe London Underground Rhyming slang forTHE
TUBEbased on the branded beef extract, manufactured in cube
form since 1909UK, 1960
oxynounthe synthetic opiate oxycodone used recreationally; a
capsule of OxyContin™US, 2000
oxyadjectivehaving a second-hand or dated appearance Derives
from the appearance of goods sold in the charity shops of Oxfam
UK, 2003
oxygen sectionnounseats in a stadium or coliseum that are high
up and far from the actionUS, 1993
oy gevalt!used for expressing a lament, protest, dismay or delight
Yiddish from GermanUS, 1968
oysternoun1the vagina From an image of the labia, but note also
the following sense as ‘the mouth’UK, 1707.2the mouth, especially
as an instrument of homosexual oral sex Following from the
previous senseUK, 2002.3a gob of thick phlegm From the
appearance First recorded in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, Francis Grose, 1785, with the further observation ‘spit by a
consumptive man’UK, 1785
oyster stewnouncocaineUK, 2002
oy vey!used for expressing surprise YiddishUS, 1992
OznicknameAustralia Although the pronunciation would always have had a final ‘z’ (the ‘s’ becomes voiced) it was first recorded as ‘Oss’
in 1908 (Australian National Dictionary), and not as ‘Oz’ until
1944, which spelling is partially influenced by the immensely
popular 1939 film The Wizard of Oz Became common in the
1970sAUSTRALIA, 1908
OzadjectiveAustralianAUSTRALIA, 1974
OZ; oh-zeenounan ounce of marijuana or other drugs Spelling out the standard abbreviation for ‘ounce’US, 1933
ozonenoun1the highest seats in a stadium or auditorium, farthest from the actionUS, 1980.2a state of drug or alcohol intoxicationUS,
1971.3phencyclidine, the recreational drug known as PCP or angel dustUS, 1994.4marijuanaUK, 2003
ozonernounan outdoor cinemaUS, 1948
ozone rangernouna person who appears to live in an inner-world, not necessarily as a result of drug or alcohol consumptionUS, 1978
ozone theatrenounan outdoor cinemaUS, 1957
OzzieadjectiveAustralian Variant spelling, representing pronunciation, ofAUSSIE AUSTRALIA , 1918
ozzy; ozzienoun 8see:HOZZY