Recordings were originally made on wax cylinders or discs; the term applied to shellac discs and, sub-sequently, vinyl, but is not used to refer to newer technologies such as CD, tape, e
Trang 1watercress; waternouna dress Rhyming slangUK , 1998
watercress; waterverbto dress Rhyming slangUK , 1998
water dognoun1in circus and carnival usage, a sealUS , 1981.2in
trucking, a truck with leaking water linesUS , 1971
waterfallverbto drink from a can or bottle by cascading the liquid
into your mouth without touching the can or bottle with your
lips Collected from a 13-year-old in Irvine, California, April 2003US ,
2003
Waterfordadjectiveeasily understood; perfectly clear Puns the
synonymous ‘crystal clear’ with well-known Irish glass
manufacturers Waterford CrystalUK , 2001
waterheadnouna person with mental problemsUS , 2002
water hen; waternounten Rhyming slang, especially in horse
racingUK , 1969
waterhole; water holenoun1a public hotelAUSTRALIA , 1968.2a
truck stopUS , 1976
watering hole; watering spotnouna bar or club where alcohol is
served; a public hotelUS , 1955
Waterloonouna stew Rhyming slang, from the area of LondonUK ,
1992
watermelonsnounfemale breasts of generous dimensions From
the all-too-obvious resemblanceUS , 1995
water sportsnoun1sexual activity involving the giving and getting
of an enemaUS , 1969.2sexual activity that includes urinationUS ,
1969
water-walkernouna fellow aviator whose accomplishments
approach the miraculous US naval aviator usageUS , 1986
water-waternounmarijuanaUK , 2003
water worksnoun1tearsUK , 1647.2the urinary systemUS , 1961
wavenoun1the semi-erect penisUS , 1987.2crack cocaineUK , 1998
waveverbto bend the edge of a playing card for later cheatingUS ,
1979 < wave a dead chickento knowingly make a futile
attempt to resolve a problem Possibly an allusion to voodooUS ,
1996 < wave your wigto comb your hair High school student
usageUS , 1961
wavelengthnoun< on your wavelength; on the same
wavelengthto comprehend (and agree with) another’s point of
view or approach Figurative application of a clear radio signalUS ,
1927
wavesnoun< make wavesto stir up trouble; to upset an
established or accepted routineUS , 1962
waxnounphonograph records Recordings were originally made on
wax cylinders or discs; the term applied to shellac discs and,
sub-sequently, vinyl, but is not used to refer to newer technologies
such as CD, tape, etcUS , 1932 < put the wax on the tracksto
get ready and start outUK , 2003
waxverb1to shoot or kill someoneUS , 1960.2to excel; to perform
wellUS , 2001.3in children’s games, to share turns at bat, kicking or
the likeAUSTRALIA , 1990 < wax the carrot(of a male) to
masturbateUS , 2001 < wax the dolphin(of a male) to
masturbateUS , 1987 < wax the weezer(of a male) to masturbate
US , 2001
waxaadjectivegood, excellentUK , 2003
waxheadnouna surfer From the wax used on surfboardsAUSTRALIA ,
1981
wax meused as an injunction or request to be given a marijuana
cigaretteUK , 1996
wax upverbto conceal contraband in a small container in readiness
for hiding the container in the anusUK , 1996
waxynounin horse racing, an enthusiast who can’t help shouting in
the ears of those near himAUSTRALIA , 1989
waynouna familiar neighbourhood; your home territoryUS , 1987.
< in a big wayto an extremeUS , 1987 < on the way outof a
person, approaching retirement or likely to be dismissed; of a
thing, coming to the end of its useful existenceUK , 1961 < that’s
the way (something does something)
out Used in a formulaic construction of ‘that’s the way the NOUN VERBs’US , 1952 < the other waydiverging from a stated con-ditionUK , 1858
wayadverbextremely; without doubtUS , 1982
waybackadjectivein remote areasAUSTRALIA , 1899
way enough!in team rowing, used as a command by the coxswain
to the rowers to stop rowingUS , 2003
Wayne Fontanasadjectivemad Rhyming slang forBANANAS; formed from British singer Wayne Fontana (Glyn Ellis) (b.1945) who, with Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders, came to prominence in the mid-1960sUK , 2004
wayoutnouna person who is dressed in an extraordinary, unconventional fashion FromWAY OUT(unconventional)US , 1969
way outadjectiveextreme; unconventional; experimental or innovative; goodUS , 1958
way pastadverbextremelyUS , 1992
way to go!used for registering approval; ‘well done!’ Abbreviated from ‘that’s the way to go!’US , 1972
way upadjectivedrunkUS , 1955
waz; wazz; wassverbto urinateUK , 1984
waz; wazz; whaznounan act of urinationUK , 1999
wazoonounthe anus and/or rectumUS , 1965
wazzverbto rain A figurative use of the sense ‘to urinate’UK , 1980.
< wazz on your bonfireto spoil your fun, to ruin something good CombinesWAZ;WAZZ(urination) with a symbol of celebration
UK , 1998
wazzedadjectivedrunk A variation ofPISSED The Batfinks ‘Wazzed
’n’ Blasted’ was recorded in the 1980s but not released until 1998
UK , 1996
wazzer; wazzadjectivewonderfulUK , 1983
wazzock; wazzucknoun 8see:WASSOCK
WCnouna lavatory Abbreviated from ‘water closet’UK , 1815
weak!used as a prompt and short expression of disagreement with what has just been saidUS , 1986
weakheartnouna police officer; a representative of the establishment or authority Used by West Indians, and intended to
be offensiveUK , 1977
weakienouna poker player who lacks courageUS , 1996
weak sisternoun1a weak, ineffective personUS , 1857.2an investor who buys a stock as an investment but sells it as soon as the price risesUS , 1988
weaky-weakyadjectivefrailTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1987
weaponnoun1the penis First recorded around the year 1000; and ever thusUK , 1000.2in pool, a player’s cue stickUS , 1993 < spit shine the weaponto perform oral sex on a man Perhaps this phrase has military originsUS , 2001
weaponsnounan actor’s arsenal of make upUK , 1952
weapons-gradeadjectivevery strong Teen slang, post 11th September 2001US , 2002
wearverb1to tolerate or accept something Originally militaryUK ,
1925.2to use a nameUS , 1968 < wear American glovesamong Canadian military personnel, to have your hands in your pockets
CANADA , 1995 < wear buttonsto be extremely gullibleUS , 1976.
< wear itto take the blame, and punishment, for another’s crimeUK , 1996 < wear stripesto serve a prison sentenceUS , 1949.
< wear the face off someoneto vigorously French kiss someoneIRELAND , 2003
we are not worthyused as a humorous recognition of accomplishmentUS , 1992
wearing the smallsnounthe testicles Rhyming slang forBALLS UK , 2003
Weary Willienouna person who is perpetually tired, sad and pessi-mistic From the character portrayed by circus clown Emmett Kelly (1898–1979)
Trang 2Weary Winnynouna prostitute who seeks customers on the street.
From the title of a 1927 filmUS , 1951
weaselnouna tip, a gratuity Used by railway porters; probably
derived fromWEASELING(extracting tips)UK , 1965
weaselverb1to use ambiguous language in an attempt to
equivocate on the meaningUS , 1956.2to use cunning to achieve
your end; to cheatUK , 1975 < weasel out; weasel your way
outto avoid a responsibility or obligation, especially in a sly or
underhand mannerUK , 1962
weasel and stoat; weaselnouna coat Rhyming slangUK , 1971
weaseling; weasellingnounextracting gratuities Used by railway
portersUK , 1970
We, as official Video Rangers, hereby promise used with
humour as an oath or pledge From the US children’s television
programme Captain Video and his Video Rangers (1947–57), in
which the viewers were asked to join with Captain Video in
prom-ising to ‘support forever the causes of freedom, truth and justice
throughout the universe’ Used with irony in later years by those
who as children had been warped by televisionUS , 1957
weathernoun< under the weather1ill, unwellUS , 1850.
2experiencing the bleed period of the menstrual cycle A
narrowing of the general sense of ‘vaguely unwell’CANADA , 1961.
3tipsy, drunk From the conventional sense as ‘unwell’AUSTRALIA ,
1942
weather guessernouna meteorologistANTARCTICA , 2003
weather in; weather outverb(of bad weather) to confine pilots in
Canada’s west to the airport until conditions improve This term
was used in alternation with, or perhaps more often than,
‘storm-stayed’, in western Canada wintersCANADA , 1989
weavenoun1real and synthetic hair woven into existing hair to
hide baldness or thinning hairUS , 1993.2clothesUS , 1972
weaveverb< get weavingto start (immediately) Originally Royal
Air Force slangUK , 1942
webnouna television networkUS , 1990
webbed upadjectiveinvolved, entangled; addictedUK , 2000
webfootnoun1a dairy farmerNEW ZEALAND , 2002.2a racehorse that
performs well on a muddy trackUS , 1951
weblishnounthe informally coded and abbreviated form of English
that is used in text messaging, chat rooms, etcUK , 2001
web ragenounan outburst of enraged hostility within a
cyber-environmentUS , 1996
weddingnouna one-on-one battle between fighter pilotsUS , 1986
wedding bellsnounmorning glory seeds, eaten for their purported
hallucinogenic effectUS , 1970
wedding bells acid; wedding bellsnounLSDUS , 1971
wedding kitnounthe genitalsUS , 1964
wedding nightnounthe first occasion on which two homosexual
men have sex with each otherUK , 2002
wedding tacklenounthe male genitalsUK , 1961
wedgenoun1a thick fold of currency notes; money in general In
the C18 and C19 ‘wedge’ meant both ‘money’ and ‘silver’;
how-ever, these senses were obsolete long before the current usages
The modern derivation comes from folded banknotes which form
a wedge shape; hence the coincidental generic usageUK , 1977.
2one hundred poundsUK , 2000.3a dose of LSD; LSDUS , 1971.4in
drag racing, an engine with a combustion chamber that is shaped
like a wedgeUS , 1999.5a car Teen slangUS , 1951
wedgedadjectivein computing, suspended in mid-operation and
unable to proceedUS , 1983
wedged upadjectivehaving money to spendUK , 2000
wedgernounsomeone who pushes into a queueUS , 1994
wedgienouna wedge-tailed eagleAUSTRALIA , 1941
wedgiesnounwedge-heeled shoesUK , 1959
wedginaldnounmoney DisguisingWEDGE(money) with a play on
wedgy; wedgienoun1the condition that exists when someone pulls your trousers or underpants forcefully upward, forming a wedge between buttock cheeksUS , 1988.2a sandal, the thong of which wedges between the toesUS , 1981
wee; wee weenounurine; an act of urination Juvenile or jocular in the mainUK , 1937
weeverbto urinateIRELAND , 1934
weeblesnounan ill-defined or undefined illnessUS , 1947
weednoun1marijuana The preferred slang term for marijuana until the 1950s, and despite the popularity of its successors it has never completely vanished from the lexiconUS , 1928.2a marijuana cigaretteUS , 1958.3a cigaretteUS , 1951.4tobaccoUK , 1606.5a thin, unhealthily delicate and weak personUK , 1869.6in horse racing, an undersized thoroughbredUK , 1948.7an expertBARBADOS , 1965.8a beginner surferUS , 1990 < get into the weedsto micro-manage the smallest detailsUS , 1991
weedverb1in a gambling establishment, to provide an employee with money to gamble in the hopes of building up businessUS ,
1947.2to pilfer Survives asWEEDING UK , 1811 < weed a poketo remove all money and valuable items from a stolen walletUS , 1962
weedburnernounin drag racing, exhaust pipes that extend downward and to the rear of the car, terminating near the ground
US , 1993
weedernounon the railways, the supervisor of a track crewUS , 1977
weed headnouna marijuana smokerUS , 1945
weedingnounstealing, especially from an employer, or at the scene
of a crime already committed FromWEED(to pilfer)UK , 1977
weedlynouna female marijuana smokerUS , 1955
weed monkey; weed mulenounan old car or truck used to haul raw materials used in the illegal production of alcoholUS , 1974
weedonouna marijuana userUS , 1958
weed of wisdomnounmarijuanaUK , 1994
weedsnounclothesUS , 1961
weed teanouna narcotic drink made by the infusion of marijuana leaves A combination ofWEED(marijuana) and ‘tea’ in the con-ventional senseUS , 1960
weedwacker teamnounin law enforcement, a surveillance teamUS , 1997
weedyadjectivelacking in physical, moral or emotional strengthUK , 1852
Wee Georgie Wood; wee georgieadjectivegood Rhyming slang, formed on music hall entertainer Wee Georgie Wood (1894–1979), perhaps via the Tasmanian Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway (named after a locomotive presumably named, in turn, after the entertainer); especially in the phrase ‘any wee georgie wood?’
AUSTRALIA , 1942
wee hammocknouna sanitary towel From the similarity of appearance; in usage while such capacious reinforcement was the popular choice; certainly in use during the mid-to late 1960sUK , 2001
wee heavynouna nip-sized bottle of strong ale or barley wine First used for Fowler’s Wee Heavy™, then generic Recorded by Brian
Glover, CAMRA Dictionary of Beer, 1985 UK , 1985
wee hoursnounvery early in the morning; the hours just after midnightUS , 1973
weekendnounany short term of imprisonmentUK , 1950
weekendadjectiveused derisively for indicating a part-time or casual dedication to a stated activity Not restricted to weekend usageUK , 1935
weekendernouna person serving a jail sentence for a minor offence on weekendsUS , 1971
weekend habitnouna sporadic use of recreational drugsUK , 1996
weekend hippienouna person with a conventional lifestyle who at the weekend adopts a counterculture personaUS , 1968
weekend passnouna glass Rhyming slang, probably of military origin
Trang 3weekend rootnouna sexual partner with no illusions of a sustained
relationshipNEW ZEALAND , 1998
weekend warriornoun1a member of the National Guard
Members of reserve units must typically devote one weekend a
month to refresher trainingUS , 1976.2in drag racing, a
hobbyist/enthusiast who confines his passion to weekend events
US , 1965
weenie; weenyadjectivesmall, tinyUK , 1790
weenie; weeny; wienienoun1a hot dog From the German
wienerwurst US , 1906.2the penisUS , 1978
weenie binnouna library carrelUS , 1987
weenie wagger; weenie wavernouna male sexual exhibitionist
US , 1970
weeny; weenie; wienienounan unlikeable, weak personUS , 1963
weeny-boppernouna young girl, not yet a teenager but with a
teenager’s tastes AfterTEENYBOPPER(a young teenager, especially a
girl)UK , 1972
weep and wailnouna sob story told by a beggar Rhyming slang for
‘tale’UK , 1960
weep and waitverbto serve a prison sentence while awaiting news
on the outcome of an appealUS , 1962
weepernouna prisoner who cannot manage his incarceration and
constantly complainsUS , 1976
weepienouna film, novel, play, song, etc, with a sentimental
narrative or emotional effectUK , 1952
weeping willownouna pillow Rhyming slangUK , 1880
weeping wombnounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS ,
1999
weepsnountearsUS , 1946
weesnounan act of urinationNEW ZEALAND , 1984
weevilnounin oil drilling, a new and inexperienced workerUS , 1954
wee-weenoun1the penisUS , 1969.2the vaginaUS , 1998 8see:WEE
wee-weeverbto urinate Children’s vocabularyUK , 1937
wee-weeadjectivevery smallBARBADOS , 1965
weezeeverbto urinate Children’s vocabularyTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ,
1986
we go!‘let’s leave!’ Hawaiian youth usageUS , 1981
we gonegoodbye Originally used for signing off on a citizens’
band radio transmission, but too good to stay thereUS , 1976
We HonounWest Hollywood, CaliforniaUS , 2001
weighverb< weigh into bring influence to bear; to make a
forceful contribution to a topic under discussionUK , 1909 < weigh
in withto produce something additional; to introduce something
extra or unexpected; to contributeUK , 1885 < weigh into
someone1to attack someoneAUSTRALIA , 1941.2to ensnare
someone in a swindleUS , 1965 < weigh onto pay or repay
someone English Gypsy useUK , 2000
weigh offverb1to sentence someone to imprisonment or other
judicial punishment In a wider sense ‘to weigh up’ is ‘to
con-sider’; this usage is originally militaryUK , 1925.2to take revenge To
redress the balance by adjusting the weightUK , 1977
weightnoun1large quantities of a drugUS , 1964.2a large amount of
moneyUS , 1964.3blame, responsibilityUS , 1960.4difficulties,
problemsUS , 1997.5the handicap that a skilled pool player will
allow an opponentUS , 1984 < do the weightto slim, to lose
weightUK , 1999 < put on weightto undergo breast enhancement
surgeryUS , 1997
weight housenounin an illegal drug enterprise, any place where a
dealer hides his major supply of drugsUS , 2002
weightlessadjectivedrug-intoxicated, especially by crack cocaineUK ,
1998
weight pilenounthe area where weightlifting equipment is kept
Prison terminologyUS , 1990
weights
weight watchernouna Department of Transportation employee at
a roadside weigh station for trucksUS , 1976
weigh upverbto consider or appraise somethingUK , 1894
weinernoun 8see:WIENER
weird and wonderfuladjectiveremarkably eccentric; peculiar; unfathomable A colloquial coupling; usually ironic or derogatory, always clichédUK , 1859
weirdonouna weird personUS , 1955
weird outverb1to begin to act weirdlyUS , 1980.2to frighten someone; to cause someone emotional turmoilUS , 1993
weirdy; weirdienoun1an eccentric; a very odd personUK , 1894.2a homosexual, usually maleUK , 1969
welchverb 8see:WELSH
welcome aboard!a catchphrase used in greeting to a newcomer to any organisation, institution or closed groupUS , 1962
welcome to my worldused for expressing limited sympathy when someone is complaining about something that happens to you regularlyUS , 1999
welcome to the club!used for expressing faint sympathy for someone who is complaining about something that others suffer
US , 1993
weldverbto have sexJAMAICA , 1992
weldernouna male pornography performerUS , 1995
wellnounto a pickpocket, an inside jacket pocketUS , 1979 < the WellBridewell Jail, ChicagoUS , 1976
welladjectiveused of a drug addict, unaffected by withdrawal symptomsUS , 1969
welladverbused generally to add positive emphasis to adjectivesUK , 1986
well and trulyadverbutterly, beyond doubt, to an unarguable degreeUK , 1948
well awayadjective1sound asleepUK , 1927.2tipsyUK , 1931 < be well awayto prosper, to be doing very well As in the example:
‘He’s well away with that girl’UK , 1937
well-endowedadjective1of a man, having impressively pro-portioned genitalsUK , 1951.2of a woman, having generously pro-portioned breastsUK , 1984
well-goneadjectivedrunkUK , 2000
well-hardadjectivevery toughUK , 1995
well-heeledadjectiverich; having more than sufficient moneyUS , 1897
well hungadjective1of a man, having generously proportioned genitalsUK , 1685.2young Rhyming slangUK , 1992
wellieverb1to smash something or defeat someone Used by the Royal Marines in the Falklands war, made familiar in the SAS fictions of Chris Ryan and Andy McNabUK , 1982.2to kick someone
or somethingUK , 1966
wellie; wellynoun1a Wellington boot (rubberised or plastic water-proof footware) In the 1970s, it began to be used in phrases where ‘boot’ occurred, e.g ‘The welly’s on the other foot now’;
‘he’s getting too big for his wellies’ Perhaps started by The Great
Northern Welly Boot Show put on by Billy Connolly at the
Edinburgh Festival in the early 1970s ‘Well boot’ is also a variant
UK , 1961.2power, energy, especially when harnessed as acceleration
UK , 1980 < give it some wellie; give it some wellyto vigorously attack someone or something; hence, to put all your effort into something AfterWELLIE(Wellington boot), hence a play
onSTICK THE BOOT IN UK , 1990
welliedadjectivedrunkUK , 2002
wellie-whangingnounWellington boot hurling as an unconventional competitive sportUK , 1984
well, I’ll be a blue-nosed gopher!used for expressing surprise A signature line of the Ollie character in the ‘Spin and Marty’
segment of the Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s Repeated with
Trang 4well, I’ll be a dirty bird!used for expressing surprise humorously.
A signature line of George Gobel on the television comedy The
George Gobel Showcase (CBS, 1954–60) Repeated widely with
referential humourUS , 1960
well, I’m damned! 8see:I’LL BE DAMNED
well I never!; well I never did!used for registering surpriseUK ,
1848
wellingtonnouna condom A figurative application of waterproof
footwear ‘Welly boot’ is also a variantUK , 2003
wellington boot; wellingtonnounan act of sexual intercourse
Rhyming slang forROOT AUSTRALIA , 1970
well-linedadjectivereasonably wealthyUK , 1999
well-oiledadjectivedrunk An intensification ofOILEDthat now
stands aloneUK , 1937
welnawnoUS , 1993
welsh; welchverbto swindle someone out of money wagered
Originates in the supposed untrustworthiness of the Welsh,
poss-ibly as speakers of a language few other mainland Britons
understand (and such private communication is, after all, the
intention of most criminal slang)UK , 1857
Welshie; Welshynouna Welsh personUK , 1951
Welsh WalesnounWales If this referred specifically to the parts of
Wales where Welsh is the predominant language this could well be
considered as a correct usage; however, this is used generally and
patronisingly, often in a faux-Welsh accent, of Wales as a wholeUK ,
2004
Welsh Windbagnicknamepolitician Neil Kinnock (b.1942); hence,
any loquacious Welsh person A happy alliteration given to
Kinnock from his weakness for big speeches that (unhappily)
undermined his credibility with the electorate; the tag dates from
his time as leader of the Labour party from 1983–92UK , 1984
wendynouna white homosexual male Gay slang, formed on the
name Wendy, probably elaborating the initial ‘w’ for white, and
originating among Cape colouredsSOUTH AFRICA , 2000
Wendy housenoun1in prison, a time when prisoners are
permitted to associate with each other From a child’s Wendy
house, thus an allusion to playtime and the possibility for discreet
associationUK , 1996.2the Duty Chief Inspector’s office in the
Information Room at New Scotland Yard From the conventional
sense as ‘a children’s playhouse’UK , 1999
Werrisnouna Greek personAUSTRALIA , 1977
Werris Creeknoun1a Greek person Rhyming slang From the
name of a New South Wales townAUSTRALIA , 1977.2an act of
urination Rhyming slang forLEAK AUSTRALIA , 2002
wert’nounworthless Hawaiian youth usageUS , 1982
Wesson partynoungroup sex enhanced by spreading vegetable oil
on the participants’ bodies An allusion and tribute to Wesson™
vegetable oilUS , 1971
west coasternounin trucking, a large, rectangular rear view mirror
US , 1971
west coast turnaroundnounany strong central nervous system
stimulant Powerful enough to keep a truck driver awake for a trip
to the west coast and backUS , 1971
West End shownounheroin London’s West End is known as
‘Theatreland’; this jocular term in use amongst musicians suggests
that heroin is a popular entertainment that will, in the words of a
critical cliché, ‘run and run’UK , 2001
West End thespiannouna lesbian Rhyming slangUK , 2003
western gripnounused of a male when masturbating, gripping
your penis with your thumb facing your body From the grip used
on the reins by those riding Western styleUS , 2004
western styleadjectiveused of coffee, stale and lukewarm Punning
on the observation that the coffee has ‘been on the range all day’
US , 1976
West Ham reserves; west hamsnounthe nerves Rhyming slang,
westienouna young tough person Originally referring to people from the western suburbs of Sydney, it now has spread to other parts of the country In Sydney it was used as a derogatory sobriquet to refer to inhabitants of suburbs west of one’s own, which meant that everyone except those people living in the eastern beach suburbs was liable to be called a ‘westie’ by someone Similarly, in New Zealand, applied to those from the suburbs west of AucklandAUSTRALIA , 1977
Westminster Abbeynouna cab driver Rhyming slang forCABBY UK , 1992
Westminster Abbeyadjectiveshabby Rhyming slang; originally theatrical, nicely ironicUK , 1961
WestralianounWestern Australia Hence ‘someone or something of Western Australia’ is ‘Westralian’AUSTRALIA , 1893
west side passkeysnounburglary tools Coined in ChicagoUS , 1982
WestynounUS Army General William Childs Westmoreland (b.1914),
US commander in Vietnam 1964–68US , 1991
wetnoun1a politician with middle-of-the-road views on controversial issues, especially (during the 1980s) a Conservative not entirely supportive of Margaret Thatcher’s monetarist policies
UK , 1931.2in motor racing, a tyre designed for racing in the rainUS ,
1992.3a drink of an alcoholic beverage C10 wæt, first recorded in
slang as ‘heavy-wet’ (malt liquor)UK , 1982.4alcoholic beverages Gulf war usageUK , 1991.5an act of urinationUK , 1925.6a conven-tional cigarette infused with embalming fluidUS , 2001.7rain; wet weatherUS , 1945.8a Mexican national illegally present in the US Shortened form ofWETBACK, from the Spanish mojado, drawn from
the image of swimming across the Rio Grande River from Mexico into Texas DerogatoryUS , 1979 < the wetthe wet season in Australia’s tropical northAUSTRALIA , 1908
wetverb< wet the baby’s headto drink to celebrate the birth (and christening) of a childUK , 1885 < wet the elbowto enjoy a few drinksNEW ZEALAND , 1994 < wet your whistleto have a drink, especially an alcoholic drinkUS , 1720 < wet yourselfto laugh uproariouslyUK , 1970
wetadjective1of a woman, sexually excited; ready for sex Not recorded before 1937 but surely in use much earlierUK , 1937.2in politics, willing to compromise Adopted from the sense ‘weak, lacking in effectiveness’; in this context often as Tory ‘wet’ (see following citation)UK , 1980.3weak, lacking in effectiveness Upper-class society useUK , 1916.4foolishNEW ZEALAND , 2002.5excellentUS ,
2000.6pertaining to killingUS , 1992.7permitting the purchase and consumption of alcoholic beveragesUS , 1950
wetbacknoun1an illegal immigrant to the US from Mexico An offensive and figurative term deriving from the crossing of the Rio Grande River between Mexico and the US Displaying a candour endemic to the time, the US Border Patrol launched ‘Operation Wetback’ in 1954 to stem the tide of illegal immigration from MexicoUS , 1929.2in surfing, a large waveUS , 1957
wet behind the earsadjectiveinexperiencedUK , 1931
wet blanketnouna killjoy, a spoilsportUK , 1857
wet bumnouna weak individual Derogatory; the image of a baby with a wet bottom, punning onWET(weak)UK , 1997
wetcoastnounthe strip of British Columbia along the Pacific Ocean
CANADA , 1989
Wetcoast Samsonitenouna green rubbish bag used for luggage
CANADA , 1989
wet decksnouna woman who has recently had sex with several menUS , 1972
wet dreamnoun1among men, a sleeping fantasy that triggers orgasmUK , 1851.2a dream come true A figurative application of the unconsious fantasy that triggers an orgasmUK , 1971
wet dreamernounan exciting experienceUK , 1999
wet fartadjectiveineffectual, pointlessUK , 2000
wet-fingernoun< get wet-fingerin the categorisation of sexual activity by teenage boys, to insert a finger into a girl’s vaginaUS ,
Trang 5Wet Nellynounused as a generic name for any form of bread
pudding There is anecdotal evidence of Wet Nelly being enjoyed
during World War 1UK , 2000
wet paper could cut youused for describing a person who can’t
do anything rightTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1989
wet ragnounan unpopular, socially inept personUS , 1955
wet road blocknounthe Yalu River, Korea US troops were
prohibited from crossing the Yalu, even in pursuit of enemy
soldiersUS , 1982
wet seasonnounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycleAUSTRALIA ,
1988
wet shotnouna scene in a pornographic film or photograph
depicting a man ejaculatingUS , 1991
wet smacknouna sexually frigid womanUS , 1977
wet stuffnounexplicit violence or sex in a television programme or
filmUS , 1997
wetsuitnouna condomUS , 1993
wettienounespecially among surfers, a wetsuitAUSTRALIA , 1987
wettie rashnouna rash caused by wearing a wetsuitAUSTRALIA , 1996
wetwarenouna human being; the human brainUS , 1991
wet week; wet weekendnoun< like a wet week; like a wet
weekendmiserable, wretchedUK , 1984
wet willienounan act in which a spit-moistened finger is forced
into a victim’s ear and twistedUS , 1992
WFOadjectiveused of a throttle, all the way open An abbreviation of
‘wide fucking open’ US , 2001
whacknoun1a heavy, resounding blow; a blow with a stick, often as
corporal punishmentUK , 1737.2a share, a portion, a part, a
measureAUSTRALIA , 1889.3heroinUK , 2003.4crack cocaineUK , 2003.5a
poorly executed piece of graffiti artUS , 1997 < have a whack at;
take a whack atto attempt something; to attack someoneUS ,
1904 < out of whacknot in proper shape or orderUS , 1885
whackverb1to kill someone, especially by gunshot Also used with
‘out’US , 1977.2to strike someone vigorouslyUK , 1721 < whack
plaquein a dentist’s office, to clean teeth Collected from an
orthodontist in Bangor, Maine, in April 2001US , 2001 < whack
your doodle(of a male) to masturbateUS , 1970
whack!in the language of hang gliding, used for commenting on a
poor landingUS , 1992
whackadoonouna crazy personUS , 1979
whack attacknoun1in the language of hang gliding, a string of
bad landingsUS , 1992.2an irrational and violent reaction to
hallucinogenic drugsUS , 2001
whackedadjective1exhaustedUK , 1919.2drunk or drug-intoxicated
Also used with ‘out’US , 1967.3out of controlUK , 1995
whacker; wackernouna fool; a jerkAUSTRALIA , 1966
whackingnoun1a beating; a defeat The figurative, sporting sense
is not recorded before 1951UK , 1862.2a killing FromWHACK(to
murder)US , 2001
whackingadverbused to intensify adjectives of largenessUK , 1853
whackoadjective1terrific; wonderfulAUSTRALIA , 1953.2crazy; eccentric
US , 1957
whacko!used for expressing shockAUSTRALIA , 1937
whack-offnounan act of masturbationUS , 1969
whack offverbto masturbateUS , 1969
whack off withverbto steal somethingAUSTRALIA , 1977
whacko Jackoadjectivecrazy A catchphrase formed from the
nickname of entertainer Michael Jackson, whose well-publicised
eccentricities give rise to this usageUK , 1989
whacko the chook!used for expressing shockAUSTRALIA , 1981
whacko-the-diddle-ohused for expressing shockAUSTRALIA , 1966
whack outverbto kill someoneUS , 1979
whack-silly
whack upverbto divide something, especially a quantity of illegal drugs, into portionsUS , 1973
whaddup?used as a greetingUS , 1994
whaddya hear?; whaddya say?used as a greeting The trademark greeting of James Cagney (‘Rocky’ Sullivan) in the 1938
Warner Brothers film Angels With Dirty Faces US , 1938
wha happen?; what happenin?used as a greetingTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1993
whaka blondenouna Maori woman A coinage from the Whakarewarewa Thermal Village in Rotora, a Maori tourist attractionNEW ZEALAND , 1950
whalenouna gambler who places large betsUS , 1995
whaleverb1to beat someoneUK , 1790.2to have sexUS , 1967.3to play music with passion and gustoUS , 1958
whale bellynounon the railways, a coal tender with a drop bottom
US , 1946
whale in the baynounsomeone looking for payment of a gambling debtAUSTRALIA , 1989
whale kissernounan environmentalistUS , 2003
whale of a timenouna good timeUS , 1913
whale spermnouna plexiglas cleaning agentUS , 1991
whale tailnounthat portion of the ‘T’ at the rear of a thong that becomes exposed during wearUK , 2005
whamnouna striptease act in which the dancer ends her perform-ance completely nakedUS , 1981
wham!used for registering the suddenness of an occurrence Figurative use of ‘wham’ (to hit)UK , 1999
wham bagnouna bag full of explosivesUS , 1988
wham, bam, thank you m’amused for describing anything done
in very short order, especially sex Sometimes abbreviated, and sometimes embellished with other rhymesUS , 1942
whammernounthe penisUS , 1989
whammynoun1a curse or hex US , 1940.2something that is upsetting or sets you backUS , 1961
whammy barnouna floating bridge on an electric guitar that makes tremolos, vibrators, dives, bends and other effects possibleUS , 1992
wham-whamnounin prison, store-bought snacksUS , 1981
whandoodlesnounin poker, a temporary increase in the betting limit after a player wins a hand with a rare handUS , 1967
whangdoodlenounon the railways, a remote telephoneUS , 1977
whanger; wangernounthe penisUS , 1939
wha’ppen(?)‘what’s happening?’; used as a greeting West Indian and UK Black usageUK , 1981
whapp’nused as a greeting Derived from ‘what’s happening?’ but not used as an interrogativeUK , 2003
wharfienouna wharf labourerAUSTRALIA , 1911
wharf ratnounin the language surrounding the Grateful Dead, a follower of the band who abstains from alcohol and drugs From the title of a Grateful Dead songUS , 1994
wharkverbto vomitUK , 1985
whassnamenounused to refer to a name that is unknown, forgotten, to be avoided or hardly worth mentioning Slovening of
WHATS-HIS-NAME UK, 2000
whatnoun< or what?used as a final (often the only), wholly indefinite choiceUK , 1766
what a gay day!used as a conversation starter or filler; also as an indicator of homosexual company The catchphrase ofCAMP
comedian and television compere Larry Grayson (1923–95) it caught the public imagination in the mid-1970s and was adopted into popular useUK , 2004
what a lossused for expressing sympathy for a difficult situation
US , 1983
what am I going to do with you?said to someone you know
Trang 6what a revolting development this isused for expressing
displeasure A signature line of working-class hero Chester A Riley
on the television comedy The Life of Riley (NBC, 1949–58).
Repeated with referential humourUS , 1958
what are you like?an exclamation directed at someone whose
behaviour is unacceptableIRELAND , 1995
what can I do you for?‘how can I help?’, ‘what can I do for
you?’ A jocular suggestionUK , 1961
whatcha’ thinking?used as a greetingUS , 1986
what’chu talkin’ about, Willis?used for humorously expressing a
lack of understanding or belief A stock line on the television
comedy Diff’rent Strokes (1978–86), uttered by the Arnold Jackson
character played by Gary Coleman Repeated with referential
humourUS , 1986
what did your last slave die of?used as an expression of
discontent to someone who is demanding that too much be done
UK , 1976
whatdja; whatdya; whaddya‘what do you’ A phonetic recording
of general slurringUK , 1999
what-do-you-call-it; what-d’ye-call-itnounused as a replacement
for any noun that the user cannot or does not wish to specifyUK ,
1600
what do you know?; whaddya know?used as a register of
surpriseUS , 1914
what do you know, Joe?used as a greetingUS , 1947
what do you think of the show so far? – rubbish!a question
and answer catchphrase widely used and often without an
appropriate context Comedian Eric Morecambe (1926–84)
introduced this catchphrase in the early 1970s The response was
usually voiced by Morecambe in the manner of a ventriloquist:
‘ruggish!’UK , 1981
what else did you get for Christmas?directed at a person
showing-off with a new ‘toy’; often addressed to the tail of a
disappearing vehicleUK , 1975
whateveradverbused for registering self-pitying acceptanceUS , 2003
whateverpronounused as an emphatic form of ‘what?’ In
conven-tional use from C14–C19, then colloquialUK , 1974
whatever!used as a dismissing retort to what has just been said
Said with attitude, with a pause after ‘what’, and sometimes with
thumbs and forefingers shaped like a ‘W’US , 1989
whatever’s fairused as a non-responsive, vague answer to a direct
questionUS , 1969
whatever turns you onyour individual tastes, foibles, hobbies,
interests, etc Generally spoken to indicate a tolerance of tastes
that do not coincide with your ownUS , 1978
what for a thing is that?among Nova Scotians of German
descent, used as a query to mean ‘what kind of a thing is that?’
CANADA , 1999
what goes up must come downa Cockney catchphrase that
comments generally on the inevitability of things happening, and,
specifically, on the nature of a pregnancyUK , 1969
what-have-younounused in place of any other item or items in a
categoryUK , 1999
what is it with you?why are you behaving in such a manner?UK ,
1996
what it isused as a greetingUS , 1974
what kind?what’s the matter with you?US , 1963
what makes you tickthe inner-workings of your mind As if by
clockworkUK , 1999
whatnotnounanything and everything Usually a characteristic of
individual speakers, not a group, and often used with an annoying
regularityUK , 1540
what price NOUN?consider the worth of… something!; what do
you think of… something? Occasionally admiring, but generally
sarcastic, in reference to a declared or well-understood valueUK ,
what say?1what do you think?; what do you say to the proposal?, etcUK , 1895.2used as a greetingUS , 1965
what’s-er-name; what’s-her-namenounused to refer to a name that is unknown, forgotten, to be avoided or hardly worth mentioningUK , 1978
what’s-his-face; what’s-her-facenounused to refer to a name that is unknown, forgotten, to be avoided or hardly worth mentioningUK , 1995
what’s-his-name; what’s-his-nameynounused to refer to a person whose name is unknown, forgotten, to be avoided or hardly worth mentioningUK , 1697
whatsit; whatsis; whatzisnounused to refer to a name that is unknown, forgotten, to be avoided or hardly worth mentioningUS , 1882
what’s it to you?used (often aggressively) as the rhetorical response to a question, the answer to which is thus signalled to be none of the questioner’s businessUK , 1959
what’s kicking?used as a greeting, along the lines of ‘what is new?’US , 1949
what’s my name?used as a taunt while beating someone In
1967, boxer Muhammed Ali fought Ernie Terrell, who insisted on calling Ali ‘Cassius Clay’; as Ali pounded Terrell, Ali taunted ‘What’s
my name, fool? What’s my name?’US , 1997
what’s poppin?used as a peer-to-peer greetingUS , 1995
what’s shaking?; what’s shakin’?used as a greetingUS , 1951
what’s that when it’s at home?used as an expression of contempt or derision for something Any person, people or object may, of course, substitute for ‘that’UK , 1932
what’s the damage?how much do I owe?; what is the cost? Formed onDAMAGE(expense)UK , 1984
what’s the dealio?; what’s the dillio?what is new?, what is going on? Popularised by rapper Busta Rhymes in the late 1990s
US , 2002
what’s the difference between NOUN and NOUN?a well-worn joke-telling formula that is only usually half answered (a more vulgar or scandalous response to the question is implied)US , 1851
what’s the drill?what are the arrangements, or usual procedures? Originally military, now generalUK , 1961
what’s the score?what is the latest information, situation, etc? Originally Royal Air Force, then more generalUK , 1961
what’s the story, morning glory?used as a cheerful greetingUS , 1959
what’s up?used as a greetingUS , 1993
whatsup?used as a greetingUS , 1990
what’s up, Doc?used as an all-purpose enquiry The catchphrase
of Loony Tunes cartoon hero Bugs Bunny, who, from his third outing, in July 1940 (and much repeated), would inquire ‘Mnyeh what’s up, Doc?’ as a taunt to pursuers Also used cinematically, this time without specific context, as the title of a 1972 Hollywood film Popular with sub-editors as a headline for any number of articles on the National HealthUS , 1940
what’s up with that?used for expressing interest in more factsUS , 1994
what’s with you?what’s amiss with you?; why are you behaving in such a way?; what has happened to you?; explain yourself!; why? Also applied to inanimate objectsUS , 1940
what’s your damage?what’s your problem?; what’s the matter?
US , 1988
what’s your song, King Kong?used as a greetingUS , 1947
what the fuck!used for registering annoyance, resignation or surprise Possibly a shortening of ‘what the fucking hell!’, in turn
an elaboration ofWHAT THE HELL! UK, 1999
what the heck!used as an exclamation of surprise, indignation, etc; also used dismissively and as an expression of resignationUK ,
Trang 7what-the-helladjectiveindifferent, uncaringUK , 1968
what the hell!used in annoyance, resignation or surpriseUK , 1872
what the hellfire!used for registering annoyance or surprise A
variation ofWHAT THE HELL!UK , 1997
what the hey!used as a humorous declaration of surprise,
bemusement or dismissal Popularised by Milton Berle in the early
days of US television; an early television catchphrase that swept
the nationUS , 1957
what up?used as a greetingUS , 1990
what up, love one?used as a greeting Used as a coded greeting
by members of the Black Guerrilla Family prison gangUS , 2000
what/which part of no don’t you understand?used for
humourously emphasizing a previous negative answer Wildly
popular, and over-used, in the 1990s; an instant favourite of US
parents scolding children First made famous by Lorrie Morgan in
a 1991 song ‘What Part of No’, written by Wayne Perry and Gerald
Smith – ‘I’ll be glad to explain it / If it’s too hard to comprehend /
So tell me what part of no / Don’t you understand?’US , 1991
whatyoucallitnounused as a replacement for any noun that the
user cannot or does not wish to specifyUK , 2002
what-you-may-call-it; whatchamacallitnounused in place of a
word that is temporarily forgotten or not important for the context
UK , 1598
wheatnounmarijuana A play onGRASSand an assonant pun on
WEED US , 1969
wheechverbto move swiftly; to move something swiftly away
Probably derived, in some way, from Scots dialect wheech (a stink)
UK: SCOTLAND , 1911
wheelnoun1a leader; an important personUS , 1933.2a mid-level
employee in an illegal lotteryUS , 1978.3the game of rouletteUS ,
1993.4a tablet of MDMA, the recreational drug best known as
ecstasyUK , 2003.5in a carnival, any ride that is in the form of a
wheelUS , 1960.6a life prison sentenceUS , 1991.7in lowball poker,
the lowest possible straight (five to ace)US , 1981.8the ankleUS , 1986
wheelverb1to travel; to driveUS , 1721.2(used of a racehorse) to turn
around suddenlyUS , 1968
wheel and dealverbto engage in profit-making in a flamboyant
mannerUS , 1961
wheeler-dealernouna scheming, contriving deal-maker with many
connections The reduplication of the vowel sound serves to
intensifyUS , 1960
wheeler-dealing; wheeling-and-dealingnounscheming business
practiceUS , 1984
wheel horsenounin oil drilling, the best worker on a crewUS , 1954
wheelie; wheelynoun1a wheelstand, the lifting of the front wheels
of a car or front wheel of a motorcyle, bicycle or skateboard off
the ground due to sudden accelerationUS , 1966.2a wheelchairUK ,
1999 < pop a wheelieto perform a wheelieUS , 1995
wheelie-binnouna large, wheeled rubbish binAUSTRALIA , 1984
wheel jockeynouna military convoy truck driverUS , 1991
wheel mannoun1in a criminal operation, the getaway driverUS ,
1935.2a person who brings together pool players who are willing
to play for moneyUS , 1993
wheelsnoun1a carUS , 1959.2a record turntable or turntables used
by DJs From the circular shape and revolving motion Variants
include ‘wheels of steel’ and the singular ‘wheel’US , 1999.3shoes
or bootsUS , 1990.4the legs, especially a woman’s legsUS , 1966.
< on wheelsto the extremeUS , 1943 < put wheels on itused
in restaurants to note that the order is a take-awayCANADA , 1993.
< the wheels are coming offto be getting out of control; to
not be going as plannedUK , 1998
wheels mannouna good driverIRELAND , 1996
wheesht!be quiet! From Scots dialect wheesh (a hush) UK: SCOTLAND ,
1985
wheezenoun1a piece of comedic business; a trick; a clever idea
especially popular with schoolchildrenUK , 1864.2a false beliefUS , 1965
wheezy Annanouna spanner Rhyming slang, formed from the title
of a 1930s comic songUK , 1992
whenadverbnow The natural response to the conventionally polite enquiry ‘Say when?’UK , 1976
when fowl have teet; when cock have teetused for expressing
an impossibilityTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1945
when it’s at homeused to intensify any question of identity A derisive tag implying contempt or incredulity, suffixed to ‘what is a.…?’ The earliest usages of this scornful device were
grammatically correct: ‘[W]here your friends are when they’re at
home?’ (Rudyard Kipling, Plain Tales from the Hills, 1888) Current
usage, however, will occasionally reform a sentence that should commence correctly with ‘who is…?’ by converting the proper noun to object status, e.g ‘What is a John Smith when it’s at home?’UK , 1957
when push comes to shovewhen there is no longer any choice but to proceed; when worse comes to worstUS , 1958
when-sheenounheroin A variation ofYEN-SHEE(heroin), 2003
when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go; when you gotta go, you gotta goapplied philosophically to death, prosaically to responsibility (‘duty calls’) and trivially to a visit to the toilet Popularised by Hollywood filmsUS , 1975
where it is at; where it’s at1the centre of a situation, a place where something important is happeningUS , 1965.2in touchUK , 1965
where someone is atthe person’s point of view or opinionUS , 1968
where’s the fire?used for expressing a lack of shared concernUS , 2003
where the big nobs hang outnouna toilet (as used by men), especially a public convenience A self-serving punAUSTRALIA , 1971
where the sun don’t shinein your rectumUS , 1992
wherever?adverbused as an emphatic variation of ‘where?’ In con-ventional use from the C10 to C19; now colloquialUK , 2002
where were you when the shit hit the fan?used as a greeting between US Marines in KoreaUS , 1986
where you’re coming fromyour point of view or opinionUS , 1975
which foot you kick withyour personal preference of politics, religion or sexuality Left or right, Catholic or Protestant, hetero- or homosexualUK: SCOTLAND , 2000
whickerbillnouna railway brakesmanUS , 1946
whifadjectivewhat-if Used in ‘what if…?’ exercises projecting poss-ible contingencies and developing reactions to themUS , 1974
whiffnoun1an unpleasant smell FromWHIFFY(bad-smelling)UK ,
1899.2cocaineUS , 1983
whiffverb1to give off an unpleasant smellUK , 1899.2to inhale a powdered drug through the noseUS , 1981
whiffle dustnoun1amphetamine powder From the imaginary magic powder used by conjurors, manufacturers, marketing pro-fessionals and others to enhance their product or presentationUK ,
2003.2MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasyUK , 2003
whifflernounan auction house employee who moves and displays the items for saleUK , 2003
whiffyadjectivehaving an unpleasant odour, smellyUK , 1849
whilernouna man with more than one girlfriend In West Indian and UK black use, August 2002UK , 2002
whim-whamsnouna feeling of dread or anxiety; a state of anxiety
or nervousness; the jittersUS , 1950
whiney gyny clubnouncomplaining hospital patients recovering from gynecological surgeryUS , 1985
whingenouna moaning complaint From the verbUK , 1984
whinge; winge