Rhyming slang forTHE SHITS, formed on the name of the US film actress, 1914–65UK , 1992 zazzyadjectiveostentatious, showyUS , 1961 Z-bagnounthe bedUS , 1968 Z-barsnounin motorcyle racing
Trang 1znoun1in hip-hop culture, used for replacing the letter ‘s’ when
creating pluralsUS , 2002.2an outcast; a despised personUS , 1963
Znounan ounce of narcoticsUS , 1975.< the Zthe demilitarised
zoneUS , 1976
-zsuffixused in the abbreviating of a forename, by truncating the
given name to its first open syllable which is then closed with -z
Examples: Gary or Gareth becomes Gaz; Jeremy, Jez; Terry or
Terence, Tez; Sharon, ShazUK , 1984
zanounpizzaUS , 1996
zacnouna six-month or six-year prison sentence FromZACK(six
pence)AUSTRALIA , 1919
Zacatecas purplenouna potent variety of marijuana originating in
Mexico Named after the location and the colour of the budsUS , 1974
Zachary Scotts; Zacharysnoundiarrhoea Rhyming slang for
TROTS; formed on the name of US film actor Zachary Scott
(1914–65)UK , 1992
zack; zacnouna sixpence; the sum of six pence Origin unknown
Perhaps from Scottish dialect saxpence (sixpence), or possibly
Yiddish from German sechs (six) After the introduction of decimal
currency in 1966, it came to mean ‘a five-cent piece’, or its value,
a similar coin with about the same comparative value; dying out
from the 1980s, now seldom heardAUSTRALIA , 1898.< not have a
zackto be brokeAUSTRALIA , 1989.< not worth a zackworthless
AUSTRALIA , 1962
zaftig; zoftigadjectivesexy; buxom From German/Yiddish for ‘juicy’
US , 1932
zagverbwhen faced with two courses of action, to take the right
one Most commonly used in variations of ‘I zigged when I should
have zagged’US , 1948
zagsnounthin papers used for rolling cigarettes From the branded
name Zig Zag™, the dominant rolling papers during the hippie
yearsUS , 1970
zambinounmarijuana presumed to originate in the Republic of
Zambia US , 1998
proprietary name of an antiseptic ointment commonly used by
themAUSTRALIA , 1918
zaminoun a lesbian From a misplaced juncture of the French les
amies (women friends) TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
Zanussinoun< on Zanussidrug-intoxicated; wildly excited or
distracted A variant ofON ANOTHER PLANET, from the advertising for
Zanussi, a manufacturer of domestic electrical appliancesUK , 1995
zapnoun1amyl nitriteUK , 1996.2an electrical shockUS , 1994
zapverb1to kill someone A major piece of slang from the Vietnam
warUS , 1942.2to shoot someone A Royal Navy variation on the
previous senseUK , 1989.3to finish something off A figurative
vari-ation of the sense ‘to kill’UK , 1999.4to defeat someone heavilyUS ,
1968.5to give someone an electrical shock; to administer electric
shock treatment to someone Recorded as ‘administering shock
treatment’ in ‘The language of nursing’, Philip C Kolin, American
Speech, p 209, Fall–Winter 1973 US , 1995.6to operate electronically,
often by remote-control, 2001.7to overwhelm someoneUS , 1967.
8to move quicklyUS , 1974.9to have sexUS , 1985.10to present, to
giveUS , 1967.11to steal somethingUK , 2002.12to use the (remote)
fast-forward facility on video playback to pass advertising; to use a
remote control to switch between television channels (to avoid
advertising, or simply to find a programme that engages you)US ,
1983.13to send a text messageUK , 2003.14to heat something up in
a microwave ovenUS , 1999.15to give a student in college a
notification of academic deficiencyUS , 1968.16in Canadian military
aviation, to affix a sticker on which is the badge of a military unit
onto an aircraft of another service
zap oververbto change your mindUK , 1972
zappedadjective1drug-intoxicatedUS , 1979.2spicyUS , 1983
zappernounany remote-control device used with domestic entertainment equipment – television, stereo, video, DVD player, etcUS , 1981
zappyadjectivelively, energeticUK , 1983
zap upverbto enliven somethingUK , 1988
Zat? 8see:OWZAT?
zatchnounthe genitals of either gender Originally used of female genitalsUK , 1950
Zazu Pittsnoundiarrhoea Rhyming slang forTHE SHITS, formed on the name of the US film actress, 1914–65UK , 1992
zazzyadjectiveostentatious, showyUS , 1961
Z-bagnounthe bedUS , 1968
Z-barsnounin motorcyle racing, handlebars each shaped like the letter Z, facing each otherUS , 1973
zebbledadjectivecircumcisedUK , 2003
zebranouna cadet officer in the US Air Force An allusion to how conscious the officer is of his stripesUS , 1946
zebraadjectiveracially mixedUS , 1971
Zecnounan area in Quebec where logging and hunting are controlled or prohibitedCANADA , 1992
zedsnoun1sleep Royal Navy slang; echoic, based on UK pronunciation of ‘z’, from the strip-cartoon legend ‘zzzz’ as an indicator of sleep Used in phrases such as ‘racking (or piling) up the zeds’ (sleeping) and ‘zeds merchant’ (someone who likes to sleep)UK , 1989.2central nervous system depressantsUK , 1983
zeek freaknouna person who greatly enjoys sex while under the influence of crack cocaineUS , 1989
zekenounin circus usage, a hyenaUS , 1981
Zeldanoun1a girl or a woman, especially if dull or uninteresting Possibly after Zelda Fitzgerald (1900–48) with the suggestion that the name is dull and old-fashioned; Zelda Fitzgerald was herself named after the character of a gypsy queen in a romantic novel
US , 2002.2a high school girl who is a socially inept outcastUS , 1961.
3a witch Perhaps from the character Aunt Zelda, a 2000-year-old
witch in Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, from a 1962 comic book
cre-ation, subsequently in animated and live-action television series
UK , 2002
zellernounan over-devoted surferUS , 1988
zennounLSD From the other-worldly state sought by Zen BuddhismUK , 1978
ZennounMDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasyUS , 1989
zen inverbto grasp completely through intuitionUS , 1967
zenithnounketamine hydrochloride, an anaesthetic used as a hallucinogenUS , 2002
zeppelinnouna poker player who contemplates long and hard before every bet or playUS , 1996
zeronoun1a person of no significance; a nobodyUS , 1979.2a gambler who is a chronic loserUS , 1996
zeroverb1to kill someoneUS , 1990.2to identify or locate someone
or somethingUS , 1955
zero-dark-thirtynounvery early in the morningUS , 1991
zero outverb1to kill someone Korean war usageUS , 1989.2to be killedUS , 1992
zero weeknounthe orientation week preceding eight weeks of basic
Trang 2Z-gamenounthe game with the lowest betting limits in a gambling
operation or cardroom There need not be 26 tables to arrive at
the Z-game; it is the lowest-stakes table in the placeUS , 1988
zhoosh; jhooshnoun1ornamentationUK , 2002.2clothingUK , 1968
zhoosh; jhooshverb1to swallow somethingUK , 2002.2to tidy the
appearance of something; to tittivate, to trim, to ornamentUK , 1997
zhooshingnounshop-liftingUK , 1995
zhoosh off; jhoosh offverbto leave; to goUK , 2002
zhooshyadjectiveshowy, ornateUK , 2002
ziffnouna beard Origin unknown Now all but obsoleteAUSTRALIA ,
1917
ziffed; be-ziffedadjectivebearded FromZIFF(a beard)AUSTRALIA , 1973
zignoun< get the zigto become annoyed or angry with someone
UK , 2000
zigverb1when faced with two courses of action, to take the wrong
one Most commonly used in some variation of ‘I zigged when I
should have zagged’US , 1948.2to shoot down an enemy fighter
planeUS , 1986
Zig and Zagnoun1a variety of LSD identified by a picture of
television puppets Zig and ZagUK , 1996.2an act of sexual
intercourse Rhyming slang forSHAG, formed from a double act of
television puppets, in turn named from an in-and-out movement
UK , 2003
ziggerboonounan eccentric or crazy personUS , 1947
zig-zagnoun1cigarette rolling papers A brand name that acquired a
generic meaningUS , 1968.2sex with a prostituteUS , 1954
zig-zagadjectiveunreliable; dishonestTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1960
zigzag mannoun1marijuanaUK , 2003.2LSD Perhaps from a icon
printed on the drugUK , 2003
zig-zignounsexual intercourse Familiar pidgin in the Far, Near and
Middle East and Mediterranean, originally military; a variation of
JIG-A-JIG Used by US soldiers in the South PacificUK , 1918
zig-zigverbto have sex Familiar pidgin in the Far, Near and Middle
East and Mediterranean, originally military; a variation ofJIG-A-JIG
US , 1918
zilchnoun1nothingUS , 1940.2a socially inept outcastUS , 1965
zillionnounan almost unimaginably large number One of several
invented numbers used to convey a large number; probably
coined by Damon RunyonUS , 1944
zillionairenouna multi-millionaireUS , 1946
Zimbonouna person from ZimbabweNEW ZEALAND , 1995
zimmernouna girlUS , 1990
zincnounan obviously unfashionable child or youth Pejorative
Commented on by the Plain English Campaign in October 2003
UK , 2003
zinenounan inexpensively self-published magazine devoted to such
topics as hobbies, music, film and politics An abbreviation of
FANZINE, ultimately ‘magazine’US , 1978
zinednouna fan magazine editorUS , 1976
zinfandelnounserious trouble Zinfandel is a wine from California
that seems not to have travelled wellCANADA , 1970
zingnoun1energy, vigourUS , 1918.2sex appeal A nuance of the
pre-vious senseUS , 1961.3an amphetamine tabletUS , 1997
Z-ingnounthe practice of targeting tourists as victims of crime by
the ‘Z’ as the first letter on the car number plate, designating a
rental carUS , 1994
zingverb1(of a bullet) to ricochetUS , 2001.2to travel quicklyUS , 1920.
3to affect someone suddenly and forcefullyUS , 1975.4to feel
pleasurable sensations resulting from drug useUK , 1971.< zing it
into bet heavilyUS , 1979
zing!used to represent a sudden change in circumstance or
emotionUK , 1919
zingaronounin circus and carnival usage, a gypsyUS , 1981
zingernoun1the punch-line of a joke; the last wordUS , 1964.2an
.
or unexpected turn of eventsUS , 1973.4an exceptionally good example of somethingUK , 1955.5a very attractive womanUS , 1959.
6an amphetamine tabletUS , 1993.7a hot pepperUS , 1996.8a hard stare that is intended to impart bad luck on the recipientUS , 1979
zingyadjectiveexciting, energeticUS , 1948
zipnoun1an Italian or Sicilian criminal brought to the US for criminal purposes, especially murderUS , 1993.2a Viet Cong; a Vietnamese; any South Asian personUS , 1970.3energyUK , 1900.
4methamphetamineUS , 1997.5cocaine Probably fromZIPPED
(drug-intoxicated)US , 1998.6used for representing the sharp sound
of, for instance, a bullet or a mosquito as it moves through the air; specifically of bullets, it is often reduplicated: ‘zip-zip’ or ‘zip, zip’
UK , 1875.7nothing at all; zeroUS , 1900.8a hand-made gun, a zip gunUS , 1967
zipverb1to move quicklyUS , 1852.2to kill someoneUS , 1982.< zip
itto stop talking From the image of zipping your mouth shutUS ,
1999.< zip your lip; zip your mouthto stop talking The image
of a zip fastener (zipper) sealing your lips; may be mimed rather than spoken; often as an imperativeUS , 1942
zip ballnounin pinball, a ball that leaves play without having scored
US , 1977
zip-fivenouna prison sentence of a maximum of five yearsUS , 1964
zip gunnounan inexpensive, homemade gun, usually consisting of
a tube, a grip and a rudimentary striking deviceUS , 1950
zippednoundrug-intoxicatedUS , 1973
zippernoun1a scarUS , 1978.2an electronic display of news or publicity which is scrolled across a screen fixed to a buildingUS ,
2003.3a short but well-formed waveUS , 1988.4a trap play in poker
US , 1996
zipperheadnoun1a Vietnamese person OffensiveUS , 1987.2a stupid personUS , 1989
zipper rippernounin craps, a roll of ten Evolved from the more commonBIG DICK(a roll of ten)US , 1999
zippilyadverbenergetically, swiftlyUK , 1983
zippinessnounan energetic quality, speedinessUK , 1924
zippity-doo-dahnounnothing at all An elaboration ofZIP(zero)US , 1977
zippity-doo-dah!used as a nonsensical, all-purpose utterance
From the lyrics of a song in the 1946 Walt Disney film Song of the South US , 1992
zipponoun1nothing An embellised form ofZIP US , 1993.2energyUS ,
1981.3a tank-mounted flame thrower An allusion to the branded cigarette lighterUS , 1966
zippoverbto set something on fire and burn it An allusion to the branded cigarette lighterUS , 1966
zippo jobnounthe burning of a village as part of a military sweep through the areaUS , 1988
zippolanounnothing at allUS , 1994
zippynounsomeone whose lifestyle mixes hippy ideals and modern
technology An acronym of ‘zen-inspired professional pagan’ UK , 1990s
zippyadjectivelively, bright, energetic, vigorous; fast, speedyUS , 1904
zipsnounthe first decade of the 21st centuryUK , 2003
zip squatnouna very small amount Two words that mean ‘nothing’
US , 1990
zip topnounA Jewish person OffensiveUS , 1987
zip upverbto stop talking The image of a zip fastener sealing the lipsUK , 1999
zirconia flushnounin poker, four diamonds Named after the synthetic diamondUS , 1996
zitnounan acne pimpleUS , 1966
zitfarmnouna teenager From the adolescent tendency towardsZIT
(a pimple, a spot)-production in agricultural quantitiesUS , 1981
zizznouna snooze, a brief sleep; sleep Military usage; echoic in as much as the cartoon-strip legend ‘zzzz’ is an accurate indicator of sleep
Trang 3zizzverb1to sleep Military usage; echoic in as much as the
cartoon-strip legend ‘zzzz’ is an accurate indicator of sleepUK , 1942.
2to prepare food in a blenderUK , 2002
zizzyadjectivefancy, showyUS , 1954
Z-listnoundenotes all that is associated with a level of
minor-celebrity so despised that obscurity is almost achieved A notional
social grouping that contrasts withA-LIST(top-rank celebrity); ‘Z-list’
inclusion is a matter of derogatory opinionUS , 1979
zlotynounin poker, low-stakes betting Named after the lowest value
coin in the Polish monetary systemUS , 1996
zobnounan unlikeable, despicable personUS , 1911
zobbitnounan officer Royal Air Force lower ranks’ usage, from
Arabic dabat (an officer) UK , 1967
zodnounsomeone who is socially inept to the extremeUS , 1982
zognounthe US federal government A basic piece of racist,
right-wing political vocabulary in the USUS , 2000
zoinks!used for expressing fear or surprise Popularised as a
signature line of the character Shaggy, voiced by Casey Kasem, on
the television cartoon Scooby Doo, Where are You? (CBS,
1969–72) Repeated with referential humourUS , 1972
zolnouna marijuana cigaretteUS , 1955
Zola Buddnouna police vehicle, especially a slow-moving armoured
vehicle; a small bus, especially a Toyota Township slang; after the
South African-born British Athlete (b.1966) who was involved in a
controversial incident in the 1984 Olympic 3,000 metres race
SOUTH AFRICA , 1985
zombienoun1a dull, personality-free person From the belief of
certain west African religions that corpses can be revived to walk
the earth without soulsUS , 1941.2in poker, an expert player who
shows no emotion, no matter how good or bad his hand isUS ,
1979.3a policewoman Usually in the pluralUK , 1956.4among
air-traffic controllers, a suspicious unidentified flying objectUK , 1982
zombieverbto put someone into an apathetic condition From a
belief in soulless corpses that walk the earth (and film sets) having
been revived by voodooUK , 1990
zombiedadjectivevery drunk In a condition generally seen among
the undeadUK , 2002
zombie jobnounduring the Korean war, a night patrolUS , 1957
zombie medicinenountranquillizers From the desired effect of the
medicationUK , 1996
zombie weednounphencyclidine, the recreational drug known as
PCP or angel dustUS , 1981
zonenouna state of such concentration that consequent action
seems instinctual Often in the phrase ‘in the zone’US , 1995.< on
the zonelost in a daydreamUS , 1974.< the zonea state of being
qualified for, and meeting all other parameters for, a promotion in
rank Originally Royal Navy, then army useUK , 1962
zoned outadjectivementally absentUS , 1971
zone out; zone off; zoneverbto absent yourself mentally, with or
without the aid of drugsUS , 1992
zoner; zonienounsomeone from ArizonaUS , 1991
zonkverb1to fall asleep, especially as a result of drugs or drink Also
used with ‘out’US , 1970.2to hit or strike, literally or figurativelyUS ,
1969
zonkednounthe recreational drug GHB From the drug-intoxicated
sense ofZONKED US , 2000
zonkedadjective1intoxicated on a drug, especially marijuana; drunk
Also used with ‘out’US , 1958.2exhilarated; intoxicated by an
abstract thoughtUK , 1980.3exhaustedUS , 1968
zonkernouna drug user who indulges to excess A cartoon strip by
Garry Trudeau has had a laid-back marijuana-smoking character
called Zonker since 1972US , 1996
zonkersnounthe female breasts An abbreviation ofBAZONKAS US , 1995
zonkingadverbused as an intensifier of adjectives that convey
positivity or largenessUK , 1958
zonks
zoonoun1the section of a prison where ‘vulnerable prisoners’ are
kept for their own safety In Prison Patter, 1996, Angela Devlin
notes that anANIMALis ‘a sex offender’, and animals are kept in a zooUK , 1996.2a police station Citizens’ band radio slangUS , 1976.
3in motor racing, the pit area where cars stop for fuelling and repairsUS , 1980.4a brakevan (caboose)US , 1977.5a notional or actual grouping or assemblage of people; the place where they are assembled Often mildly contemptuousUK , 1924.6a zoophile, a person with a sexual interest in animalsUK , 2002
zoobnouna large penisAUSTRALIA , 1985
zoo booknouna student directory with photographs of each student
US , 1968
zoobsnounthe female breasts A blend ofBOOB(S) andBAZOOMS US , 1968
zoo doonouncompost made from multi-species faecesUS , 1981
zooedadjective1drunkUS , 1979.2crowded Surfer usageUS , 1988
zooienouna cylindrical implement that holds the butt of a marijuana joint, 2001
zooknouna marijuana and tobacco cigarette; may also contain crack cocaineUK , 2000
zookeepernounin motor racing, the official in charge of the pit areaUS , 1980
zoomnoun1phencyclidine, the recreational drug known as PCP or angel dustUS , 1994.2marijuana laced with phencyclidine, the rec-reational drug known as PCP or angel dust ‘Zoom!’ is a comic book caption for the drugs’ combined effectUS , 1982
zoomverb1to move very quickly From aviation slangUS , 1946.2to induce someone to commit a crime that they were not otherwise inclined to commitUS , 1970
zoom bagnouna military flier’s flight suitUS , 1991
zoomernoun1an energetic fool FromZOOM(to move quickly)UK ,
2000.2a person who sells fake crack cocaine and then quickly disappearsUS , 2002
zoomersnounthe female breastsUS , 1968
zoomienoun1a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy
US , 1991.2in drag racing cars, an exhaust pipe that curves upward directing some of the exhaust gases to heat the tyresUS , 1968.3a crew member of a military jet aircraft A term used by the infantry and navyUS , 1948
zoomsnounthe female breasts A shortened form ofBAZOOMS US , 1968
zoo-onlyadjectiveapplied to the sexual predilection of a zoophile with no other interestsUK , 2002
zootnoun1aZOOT SUIT US , 1947.2a marijuana cigarette Also called a
‘zut’ or ‘zootie’UK , 1996.3a cigarette buttTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1956
zoot canarynouna fashion model Beatniks’ use, therefore late 1950sUK , 1984
zooted; zooted upadjectivedrug-intoxicatedUS , 1986
zooternoun1in cricket, a non-spinning ball bowled by a spin-bowler Coinage credited to Australian cricketers Shane Warne (b.1969) and Terry Jenner (b.1944) to describe a style that they developedAUSTRALIA , 2002.2aZOOT SUITER US , 1994
zootieadjectiveemotionally unbalanced or drug-intoxicatedUS , 1990
zootiedadjectivevery marijuana-intoxicatedUS , 1982
zoot suitnouna type of man’s suit characterised by its exaggerated style: padded shoulders, long jacket, high-waisted trousers, bright colours Perhaps by reduplication of ‘suit’US , 1942
zoot suiternouna member of an identifiable group of zoot-suit-wearing young men, characterised by fashion and as flashy and vulgarUS , 1943
zoot upverbto dress in a zoot suit and accessoriesUS , 1947
zootyadjectivefashionable, stylish Derived from, and an allusion to,
ZOOT SUIT US , 1946
zoo-zoo; zuu-zuunounin prison, sweets, snacks, soda or any other special treatUS , 1981
zoquetenounheroin Directly from Spanish for ‘block’ or ‘chunk’UK ,
Trang 4Zorba the Greek; Zorbaverbto urinate; an act of urination Also
used as a noun Rhyming slang forLEAK, formed on the title of a
1946 novel by Nikos Kazantzakis and 1964 filmUK , 1992
zorchverbin computing, to move or process quicklyUS , 1983
zorriesnouninexpensive, practical foam rubber thong sandalsUS , 1990
zotnounzero; nothingUS , 1965
zotverbto move suddenly or swiftly Perhaps from the nonsense,
all-purpose word – especially used as a substitute for God – coined
by US cartoonist Johnny Hart (b.1931)US , 1974
zotznouna planned murder; an assassinationUS , 1988
zotzverbto kill someoneUS , 1982
zotzedadjectivedrunk or drug-intoxicatedUS , 1992
zounds!used for registering a strong reaction Compounded from
‘God’s wounds!’, modern usage is often ironicUK , 1616
zowie!used as a vocal representation of an instantaneous
happeningUK , 1913
z’snounsleep From Z’s as the representation of snoring in comic
strips used with a verb such as ‘catch’, ‘cop’, ‘cut’, get’, ‘grab’ or
‘rip’US , 1963.< stack z’sto sleepUS , 1975
zubrick; zoobnoun the penis Mainly in soldiers’ Arabic shufti zubrick or shufti zoob (let’s see/show the penis), possibly enhanced
by the rhyme onPRICKbut not rhyming slangUK , 1958
zucchininounan extended fibreglass field hutANTARCTICA , 1991
zug upverbto cut hair unevenlyTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1959
zukenounin American casinos, a gratuityUS , 1985
Zulunoun1a black person OffensiveUS , 1960.2a large marijuana cigaretteUS , 1973
Zulu princessnounin homosexual usage, a young and attractive black manUS , 1987
zulu timenounGreenwich Mean TimeUS , 1960
’zup?used as a greeting A slurred ‘what’s up?’US , 1990
zutadjectivestupidTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1984
zymotic; zymyadjectivecontemptible A figurative application of the conventional senses relating to infectious disease and containing putrefactive germs, thus creating a synonym forLOUSY Noted in use amongst teenagersUK , 1965
Trang 510–1; ten-oneadjectivebroken Teen slang taken from citizens’
band radio jargonUK , 1982
10–4; ten-fourused as an acknowledgement that a message has
been receivedUS , 1976
11nounthe loudest possible amplification From a comic conceit in
the film This Is Spinal Tap US , 1984
110 per centadverbabsolutely, utterlyUK , 2001
12nouna recording available on twelve-inch vinyl discUK , 2002
125nouncocaine Rhyming slang, from the Inter-City 125, the
nearest thing the UK has to a high-speed train UK , 2001
12-ernouna twelve-pack of beerUS , 2003
14nickname1used as an indication that a person is a member of a
northern California Mexican-American gang ‘N’ for Norteno (the
name of a gang) is the fourteenth letter of the alphabetUS , 1985.
2a member of the Nuestra Familia prison gang ‘N’ is the
fourteenth letter of the alphabetUS , 2000
151; one-fifty-one; fifty-onenouncrack cocaineUS , 1998
187; one-eight-sevennoun1a homicide From the California penal
code number used by the police as radio shorthand for a
homicide Adopted into the lyrics ofGANGSTA RAP(S) from Los
Angeles Police Department usageUS , 1992.2no possibility; no
chance A figurative use of the previous sense, hence ‘any
possi-bility is dead’.US , 1996
1984adjectiveoppressively authoritarian Directly from the novel
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, 1949 US , 1970
21nicknameNewquay, Cornwall Puns ‘new key’: ‘He’s got the key of
the door, never been twenty-one before’UK , 1981
24/7; twenty-four sevenadverbat all times – twenty-four hours a
day, seven days a weekUS , 1989
24-hour hootchnouna beverage of apple juice, yeast and aspirins
CANADA , 1989
276nicknamethe prison gang more commonly known as the Black
Guerrilla FamilyUS , 2000
288; two eighty-eightadjectivetoo disgusting, too gross An
excruciating pun on 288 as ‘two gross’ (2 x 144 = 288)US , 1995
28 cheeksnoungirls who are not romantically or sexually faithful to
one partner; two timers Teen slang, of uncertain origin This may
well also apply in the singularSOUTH AFRICA , 2003
2C-Bnoun4-bromo-2, 5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, a mild
hallucinogen used recreationallyUS , 1995
364; three-sixty-fournouna 364-day jail sentence in the US, the
maximum jail term for misdemeanours, served in county jailUS ,
1992
365; three-six-fivenouna mutton chop So named because it is
served for breakfast every day of the yearNEW ZEALAND , 2001
365; three-sixty-fiveadverball the time Every day of the yearUS ,
1990
37461nouncrack cocaineUK , 2003
3750nounmarijuanaUK , 2003
3-mnoun(1) mutual (2) manual (3) masturbationUS , 1985
3-peat; three-peatverbto win a sports championship three times
consecutively When he was the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers
basketball team, Pat Riley sought and obtained a trademark for the
termUS , 1992
40noun1a forty-ounce bottle of malt liquor Also spelt out as ‘forty’
or ‘forty-ounce’US , 1990.2a 40-milligram dose of the synthetic opi-ate oxycodone used recreationallyUS , 2001
404; four-o-fouradjectivementally lost, very unaware From the Internet message ‘404, URL not found’US , 1997
411; four-one-onenoungossip, information 411 is the universal telephone number for directory enquiries – known commonly as
‘information’ in the USUS , 1991
415nouna prison gang with black membersUS , 2000
420 man; four-twenty mannouna cheat; a fraudster A reference
to the Indian Penal CodeINDIA , 2003
45nouna single song recording on vinyl From the rpm (revolutions per minute)UK , 1950
5000; five thousandgoodbye An abbreviation ofAUDI 5000! US , 1996
50 Centadjectivehomosexual Rhyming slang for bent, formed on the stage name of New York rapper Curtis Jackson (b.1977)UK , 2005
5318008nouna numerical sequence that displays boobies (the female breasts) upside down in the window of a calculator or mobile phone Probably first seen in the 1970s, still in use, 2003
5-H-1-Tnounshit A euphemism employed by some doctorsUK , 2002
5 watter; five wattera fool A play on the dimmest unit of electric lighting and a person who is not very bright; in Royal Air Force use, 2002UK , 2002
6–10verbto have sexUK , 1981
64; six-four; six-fo’nouna 1964 Chevrolet Impala, an ultimate prize
of car customisers and lowridersUS , 1997
650 lifernounin Michigan, a prisoner sentenced to life in prison for possession of more than 650 grams of cocaineUS , 1997
69; sixty-nineverbto engage in simultaneous, mutual oral sex with someoneUS , 1971
69; sixty-nine; sixty-ninernounmutual, simultaneous oral sex between two people (used of both the position and the act)UK , 1888
6-up; six-upnouna police officerUS , 2003
79nounan M79 grenade launcher Vietnam war usage It is a single-shot, break-open, breech-loading, shoulder-fired weaponUS , 1992
7-upnounin casinos, a wire bent in the shape of a seven that is slipped into slot machines to trigger a payoutUS , 1997
8; number 8; number eight; eightnounheroin.H(heroin) is the eighth letter of the alphabetUS , 1994
80’s bushnouna bushy female hairstyle, popular in the 1980s and mocked thereafterUS , 2001
88used as a symbol of fascist and racist beliefs ‘H’ is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and so 88 translates into HH, or ‘Heil Hitler’
US , 2000
8th; eighthnounan eighth of an ounce, especially of a drugUK , 1989
9; ninenoun1a 9mm pistolUS , 1990.2a nine-gallon keg of beer
AUSTRALIA , 1943
900nounin skateboarding, a jumping manoeuvre of two and a half revolutionsUK , 2004
98; ninety-eightnounany classic car, especially an Oldsmobile 98
US , 1997
99sused euphemistically to avoid swearing in citizens’ band radio transmissionsUK , 1981