Royal Navy slangUK , 1984 pusser’s cownountinned milk.. Royal Navy slang; originally ‘purser’s dip’UK , 1948 pusser’s dirknouna service clasp-knife.. CombinesPUSSY vagina and ‘clot’ West
Trang 1envelopeto challenge current parameters From aviation where
ENVELOPEis the limit of a plane’s range and powers, via 1990s’
marketing speakUS , 1998.< push up the daisies; pushing up
the daisiesto be dead, especially dead and buried; use is
occasionally extended to the dying An image first sketched as
dated ‘turn up your toes to the daisies’ in 1842 – from which we
derive turn up your toes, (to die) Other variations that have
slipped from use: ‘under the daisies’, ‘kick up daisies’ and, less
certainly, ‘grin at the daisy-roots’, which may also relate to ‘roots’
(boots)UK , 1918.< push your luckto take a riskUK , 1911
push-bikenouna bicycle The ‘push’ providing a motive distinction
from a motorbikeUK , 1913
pushedadjectiveshort of something, usually time or moneyUK , 1942
pushernoun1a drug dealerUS , 1935.2in the circus or carnival, a
foremanUS , 1980
push-innouna robbery accomplished by knocking on a door and
pushing your way into a house or apartmentUS , 1982
pushingadverbof years of age, approaching, nearlyUK , 1974
push in the bushnounvaginal sexUS , 1980
push in the trucknounan instance of sexual intercourse Rhyming
slang forFUCKin the transport industryUK , 1992
pushkenouna drive soliciting funds The term comes from Yiddish,
and derives from a charitable collection box in Jewish homes
passed around on Sabbath eve to collect for philanthropic
purposesCANADA , 2002
push-me-toenounany thong sandalTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 2003
push-olinenoungasoline, petrolUS , 1977
push outin the language of hang gliding, used as an all-purpose
greeting or farewellUS , 1992
pushovernoun1someone who is gullible or easily manipulated; a
person who is easily persuaded into sexual activityUS , 1944.
2something that is easy to doUS , 1906
pushundernouna chamber potBARBADOS , 1965
push waternounpetrol or diesel fuelUS , 1977
pushyadjective1self-assertive, especially when unpleasantly soUS ,
1936.2used of a woman, in the second stage of labourUS , 1994
pusillanimous polecatnounused as a general term of disapproval
A term used by George ‘Gramps’ Miller, played by George
Cleveland, on the television drama Lassie (CBS, 1954–57).
Repeated with referential humourUS , 1957
pussnoun1the vagina; sexUK , 1958.2a girl or woman; an effeminate
manUK , 1991.3a ‘feminine’ lesbianUK , 1977.4the mouth; the face
A term hatched simultaneously in Ireland and the USUS , 1891.5a
disgruntled facial expression From Irish pus IRELAND , 2004
puss-ball; pus-ballnouna contemptible personUK , 2003
puss bootsnountrainers, sneakersJAMAICA , 1996
pusser; pusser’sadjectiveofficial Royal Navy slang, adapted from
the old navy rank of Purser; used in many combinationsUK , 1987
pusser’snounrum Royal Navy slang; derives from ‘pusser’s ’
(official issue), not to be confused with branded Pusser’s RumUK ,
1989
pusser’s brownnountoilet paper Royal Navy slangUK , 1984
pusser’s cownountinned milk Naval slangAUSTRALIA , 1943
pusser’s dipnouna candle Royal Navy slang; originally ‘purser’s
dip’UK , 1948
pusser’s dirknouna service clasp-knife Royal Navy slang; a variant
of ‘pusser’s dagger’UK , 1960
pusser’s dustnouninstant coffee powder Royal Navy slangUK , 1988
pusser’s fix-allnounWD40™, a multi-purpose lubricant Royal Navy
slangUK , 1988
pusser’s hardnounnavy-issue soap Royal Navy slangUK , 1962
pusser’s leafnounnavy-issue rolling tobacco Royal Navy slangUK ,
1988
pusser’s medalnouna food stain on clothing Royal Navy slangUK ,
pussifiedadjectiveeffeminateUS , 1994
pussinnounthe vagina; a woman as a sexual objectTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1993
pussynoun1the vagina; a woman as a sexual object; sexUK , 1880.
2the mouth (as an object of sexual penetration)US , 1988.3a weak
or effeminate boy or man; a cowardUS , 1942.4a fur skin or fur garment Criminals’ slangUK , 1937.5anchovies Based on the puerile comparison of the smell of fish and the vaginaUS , 1996.
6the middle position in the back seat of a carUS , 1980.< pet the pussy(of a female) to masturbateUS , 2001.< sling pussyto work
as a prostituteUS , 1990
pussyadjectiveweak; effeminate; not manlyUS , 1986
pussy; pussy inverbto move quietly; to enter unobtrusively To a degree synonymous with conventional ‘pussyfoot’AUSTRALIA , 1975
pussy-assnouna weak or effeminate man; a cowardUS , 1995
pussy beardnounfemale pubic hairUS , 1967
pussy bumpingnoungenital-to-genital lesbian sexUS , 1949
pussycat; pussy catnoun1the vaginaUS , 1980.2a sexually attractive womanUS , 1965.3a pleasant, surprisingly gentle or amenable personUS , 1978
pussy cat has a nosebleeda woman who is in the bleed period
of the menstrual cycle A euphemistic elaboration onPUSSYCAT(the vagina)US , 2001
pussyclot; pussyclaatnounsomeone despicable CombinesPUSSY
(vagina) and ‘clot’ (West Indian pronunciation of ‘cloth’) to mean
‘sanitary towel’; however ‘clot’ may be understood conventionally
as coagulated blood which intensifies the insultJAMAICA , 1978
pussy clothnounany improvised sanitary towelJAMAICA , 1985
pussy collarnouna desire for sexUS , 1963
pussycraticadjectiveobsessed with sexJAMAICA , 1976
pussy drunknouna sex offender; a rapistUK , 1996
pussy eaternouna practitioner of oral sex on womenUS , 2002
pussy fartnounan eruption of trapped air from the vagina during sexual intercourseUS , 1995
pussyfencenouna receiver of stolen fursUK , 1956
pussy fingernounthe index fingerUS , 1977
pussyfootverbto act with such caution that your behaviour appears evasive or cowardly From the cautious progress of catsUS , 1903
pussyfooternouna railway police officerUS , 1977
pussy gamenounprostitutionUS , 1978
pussy hairnounfemale pubic hairUS , 1969
pussy holdernounthe passenger seat on a motorcyleUS , 1967
pussy holenouna despicable person or object; used abusively A synonym forCUNT; seemingly euphemistic but possibly more derogatory than the originalPUSSY(the vagina), with extra detailUK , 1994
pussyholenouna despised personUK , 2006
pussy hooknouna thief who specialises in stealing furs A combi-nation ofPUSSY(a fur) andHOOK(a thief )UK , 1956
pussy houndnouna man obsessed with sex and womenUS , 1984
pussy lipsnounthe labiaUS , 1969
pussy mannouna pimpUS , 1967
pussy Nellie; pussy Nellynouna male homosexual Mainly naval usage, apparently from early in the C20UK , 1984
pussy outverbto back out of a task because of fearUS , 1992
pussy patrol; pussy posse; pussy squadnouna police vice squad focusing on prostitutionUS , 1973
pussy possenoun1a police vice squadUK , 1963.2a group of female friendsUS , 2001
pussy queernouna lesbianUS , 1982
pussy-sellernouna prostituteBAHAMAS , 1982
pussysucker; pussysugger
Trang 2pussywhipverb(used of a woman) to dominate a manUS , 1974
pussy-whippedadjectivedominated by a womanUS , 1956
pussy whiskernouna pubic hairUS , 1986
pussy willownouna pillow Rhyming slangUK , 1968
pussy-woodnounstolen firewood Coalminers’ useUK , 1984
putverbto dilute a drugUS , 1992.< put a (number) onto dilute a
drug by the identified numerical factorUS , 1971.< put it aboutto
be sexually promiscuousUK , 1975.< put it onto declare hostilities
with another youth gangUS , 1953.< put it to someoneto have
sex with someoneUK , 2001.< put me ingive me some drugsUK ,
1985.< put next toto introduce one person to another or to
acquaint one person with anotherUS , 1906.< put onto fool
someone, to tease someone, to deceive someoneUS , 1958.< put
one on1to plan a crimeUK , 1996.2to hit or punch someoneUK ,
1974.< put paid toto put a stop to somethingUK , 1919.< put
yourself about1to get around and be seen Originally police
usage, now widespread probably as a result of television and film
crime dramasUK , 1970.2to work as a prostitute A variation of the
previous senseUK , 1980
putanouna sexually promiscuous woman; a prostitute From
Spanish puta (a whore) US , 1964
put awayverb1to eat or drink something especially in large
quan-titiesUK , 1878.2to put someone in jailUK , 1883.3to bribe a jockey
to lose a raceUK , 1978
put-downnouna verbal belittling or criticismUK , 1984
put downverb1to belittle someone; to treat someone with
humiliating contemptUS , 1958.2to euthanise an animalUK , 1899.
3to implicate someone as guiltyUS , 1965
put it thereused as a greeting, soliciting a handshakeUS , 1978
putonouna male homosexual Border Spanish used by
English-speakers in the American southwestUS , 1965
puto markverb to cross something out Puto is Spanish slang for ‘a
male prostitute’US , 2000
put-onadjectiveaffected, insincereUK , 1621
put outverb1to consent to sexUS , 1947.2to be deserving of some
punishmentIRELAND , 1997
put-putnoun 8see:PHAT-PHAT
putridadjectiveexcellent; brilliantAUSTRALIA , 1993
put some water on it!used as a demand that a person using a communal toilet flush to rid the room of the smell of faecesUS , 2001
puttverbto fart Also used as noun; a childish variation ofPOOT,
probably coined in the mid-1990s by Sylvia Branzei for Grossology
US , 1996
putternounin hot rodding, a car that has been customised for show rather than performance and is used for ‘putting around’US , 1993
put the name in the hatverbto informUK , 1996
putting greennounin pool, the largest regulation-size tableUS , 1990
putt-puttnouna boat or vehicle with a puny motorUS , 1959
puttynoun< up to puttyno goodAUSTRALIA , 1916
put upverbto serve time in prisonUS , 1976
put-up jobnouna pre-arranged deceptionUK , 1838
put up or shut up!used as a challenge to take action to defend what you say, or be quietUS , 1878
put you up toverbto incite, induce or persuade you to do somethingUK , 1824
putznoun1the penisUS , 1934.2by extension, an inept, contemptible personUS , 1964
putzverb< putz aroundto idle; to do nothing; to waste timeUS , 1972
PWadjectivedominated by a female An abbreviation of
PUSSY-WHIPPED US , 1966
p-whippedadjectivedominated by a female An abbreviated and euphemisedPUSSY-WHIPPED US , 1999
pyjama cricket; pyjama gamenounone-day cricket So-called from the colourful uniforms worn by players instead of the usual cricket whitesAUSTRALIA , 1982
pyjama-pythonnounthe penisAUSTRALIA , 1971
pylonsnounthe legsUS , 1947
PYOPick-Your-Own, applied to soft fruits and farm vegetables.
Usually seen in roadside advertisingUK , 1982
pyronouna pyromaniac; pyrotechnicsUK , 1977
pythonnounthe penisAUSTRALIA , 1971
Pythonesqueadjectiveof an event, or series of events, more than bizarre but less than surreal From the television comedy series
Monty Python’s Flying Circus, BBC, 1969–74 UK , 1979
Trang 3Qnoun1a homosexual An abbreviation ofQUEER US , 1968.2of drugs,
generally marijuana, a quarter of an ounceUK , 1997.3the
rec-reational drug methaqualone, best known as Quaaludes™US , 1977.
4in a deck of playing cards, a queenUS , 1991.5barbecueUS , 2001.
6in American casinos, a $25 chip An abbreviation ofQUARTER US ,
1983
Qnicknamethe San Quentin state prison in San Rafael, CaliforniaUS ,
1951
Q and Aa question and answer sessionUS , 1997
qatnoun1methcathinoneUS , 2003.2leaves of catha edulis, a
stimu-lant also called K, khat or kat, originating in the Horn of Africa and
the Arabian peninsula, legally available in the UK and similar to
amphetamine in effect when chewed Also known as ‘qaadka’UK ,
1996
Q boatnounan unmarked police car with plain clothes officers
From the name given to disguised naval vessels in World War 1UK ,
1977
QEverb to turn Queen’s Evidence (to give evidence for the
prosecution against your alleged accomplices)UK , 1996
Q-shipnounamong hot rodders, a high-performing car that appears
to be a conventional car Taken from the early C20 meaning of an
armed and camouflaged merchant ship used as a decoyUS , 1965
Q-signnounof a very sick hospital patient, the open mouth with the
tongue hanging out Medical wit; the ‘Q’ is an image of the mouth
and tongue as described TheO-SIGNis not quite as seriousUK , 2002
QTnoun< on the QTquietly, in strict confidenceUK , 1884
Q tipnounin poker, a queen and a tenUS , 1996
quacknoun1a doctor of medicine Following an earlier (mid-C17)
sense as ‘a pretended doctor’, abbreviated from ‘quacksalver’ (one
who sells his salves by noisy patter or ‘quacking’) The current
sense, spread through military use, does not imply any lack of
qualification or a degree of salesmanshipAUSTRALIA , 1919.2a
hospital patient who feigns symptoms in order to receive
attention, prescription medication or bothUS , 1978.3in poker, a
player who complains loudly when losingUS , 1979.4the recreational
drug methaqualone, best known as Quaaludes™US , 1985.5a
firefighter New York police slangUS , 1997.6a novice surferUS , 1977
quackernouna Kawasaki motorcycleUK , 1979
quackerynounforensic scientists; a forensic science department
Police use; always used with ‘the’ Probably a pun onQUACK(a
doctor)UK , 1971
quackienouna white personTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1971
quack-quacknoun1a duck An echoic term, used by, or to, infants
UK , 1865.2a commotionTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO , 1982
quadnoun1a quadriplegic US , 1980.2in trucking, a quadriplex
trans-mission that provides twenty forward gears and four reverseUS ,
1971.3the recreational drug methaqualone, best known as
Quaaludes™US , 1980.4a carburettor with four barrelsUS , 1965.5a
clumsy, inept fool An evolvedSQUARE CANADA , 1993
quad-fiftynouna quadruple mount 50 calibre machine gun, a
devastating truck-drawn trailer-mounted weapon Originated in
World War 2US , 1953
quadrupletsnounin poker, four cards of the same rankUS , 1979
quadsnoun1the quadriceps musclesUS , 1984.2in poker, a hand with
all four cards of the same rankUS , 1996
quaffverbto drink alcoholUK , 1955
quailnoun1a womanUS , 1859.2a girl under the legal age of consent
A shortened form ofSAN QUENTIN QUAIL US , 1976.3a twenty-five cent
betting token used in of craps
Quaker oatnouna coat Rhyming slang, formed from Quaker Oats™, a brand of porridgeUK , 1932
qualitynoun< the qualityanyone who is not a member of the travelling communityIRELAND , 1993
quangonouna government-financed, notionally independent body with a powerful interest in a given field of interest An acronym for
Quasi Non-Government(al) Organisation or Quasi-Autonomous National Government Organisation UK , 1973
quankernounin Nova Scotia, a duck-calling deviceCANADA , 1945
quareadjectivemediocreUK , 1983
quare hawknounsomeone who is unconventional in some way
IRELAND , 1989
quare onenounwifeIRELAND , 1997
quar icenounwater that has oozed through the ground through snow and frozen on the surfaceCANADA , 1955
quarked outadjectiveunder the influence of drugsUS , 1999
quarmverb(used of a man) to behave in an exaggerated, effeminate mannerBAHAMAS , 1982
quartnoun1a twenty-five cent pieceBARBADOS , 1965.2in poker, four cards of the same suit in sequenceUS , 1979
quarternoun1a quarter of an ounce of drugs, especially cocaineUS ,
1968.2a quarter of a kilo of drugsUK , 1996.3twenty-five dollars’ worth of drugs Also called a ‘quarter bag’US , 2001.4a prison sentence of 25 yearsUS , 1964.5a jail sentence of three months Also referred to as ‘quarter bit’ and ‘quarter stretch’UK , 1977.6in American casinos, a $25 chipUS , 1980.7twenty-five pounds of weights used in liftingUS , 1989.8a cigaretteUS , 1958
quarter birdnounone quarter pound of cocaineUS , 1999
quarter-deckverbduring US Marine Corps basic training, to administer physical discipline or Incentive Physical TrainingUS , 2004
quarter housenouna place where mid-level heroin dealers do businessUS , 1978
quarter rocknouncrack cocaineUS , 1993
quart storenouna store that sells beer on the retail levelUS , 1997
quartznounmethamphetamine that is smokedUK , 1998
Quasarnouna woman A strained allusion to a Quasar television advertising slogan – ‘works in a drawer’, and then punning on
‘drawers’ as an item of female underwearUS , 1976
quashienouna country-dweller; an unsophisticated peasant Possibly
from C18 Quashee, an African name, adopted by white people as
a general name for any black personUK , 1997
Quasimodonounsoda water Rhyming slang, formed from ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’UK , 1992
quatnounin betting, odds of 4–1UK , 1991
quaternountwenty-five cents A corruption of ‘quarter’US , 1980
quater; quarter; quatereradjective four Polari, from Italian quattro
UK , 1996
quaververb1to dither, especially over whether or not to make a purchaseUK , 1979.2to potter about; to tinkerUK , 1979
quaverernouna vacillating, or uncertain, customer FromQUAVER UK , 1979
quawknoununcooked frozen meat or fishCANADA , 1947
quay; quasnounthe recreational drug methaqualone, best known as Quaaludes™US , 1997
queannoun1an effeminate male homosexual; an ageing passive homosexualUK , 1935.2a lesbian A term used by male
Trang 4homosex-quean upverbin male homosexual society, to adopt girlish
mannerisms and affectations; to use cosmetics and to primp
British gay slangUK , 1972
queased outadjectivenauseated, sickUS , 1993
Quebec wrenchnouna beer bottle opener The high consumption
rate of beer in Quebec is the source of this oral slang itemCANADA ,
2001
quebernouna social outcastUS , 1987
queebnouna bisexualUS , 1988
queefnounthe passing of air from the vaginaUS , 2002
queefverbto expel air from the vagina, intentionally or notUS , 2000
queennoun1an obviously homosexual maleAUSTRALIA , 1924.2a
mother As the ruler of the houseUK , 2002.3a popular girlUS , 1959.
4a girlfriend, mistress or prostituteUS , 1968.5an enthusiast of the
preceding thing or activityUS , 1999
Queennoun< for the Queenused to describe extra days added as
punishment to a sentence of imprisonmentUK , 1996.< go
Queen’s; turn Queen’sto turn Queen’s evidence, that is, to give
evidence against co-defendants, usually to your own advantageUK ,
1996.< the Queenthe National Anthem Before this we stood for
‘the King’UK , 1952
Queen Anne is deada catchphrase retort on old news Later
vari-ations – ‘Queen Elizabeth and my Lord Baldwin’ – have not
survivedUK , 1722
queen beenoun1the alpha male in a group of homosexuals
Punning onQUEAN The Guild Dictionary of Homosexual Terms,
1965, offers this definition: ‘usually, but not always, an auntie with
money, an entourage, and numbers (sex-partners) Frequently he is
elderly and, most always, an agreeable person.’US , 1965.2a
hetero-sexual woman who seeks out the company of homohetero-sexual men
US , 1957
Queen Charlotte tuxedonouna heavy grey Stanfield’s undershirt
CANADA , 1989
queenienouna prostituteUS , 1964
QueenienicknameQueensland, AustraliaAUSTRALIA , 1994
Queen Marynoun1a surfboard that is too big for the surfer using
it Named after the ocean liner, not a royal femaleUS , 1964.2a large
tank truck An ocean liner referenceUS , 1954
Queen of MeannicknameLeona Helmsley (b.1920), American
hotelier and prototype of greed during the Reagan eraUS , 1997
Queen of the JukeboxnicknameDinah Washington (1924–1963), a
brilliant vocalist in the jazz, pop and R&B genresUS , 1975
Queen of the Southnounthe mouth Rhyming slang, formed from
the name of a Scottish football clubUK , 1992
Queen’s Cowboysnicknamethe Royal Canadian Mounted Police
CANADA , 1989
queen’s gaffnounthe anus An allusion toWINDSOR CASTLE, a royal
GAFF(residence) in Berkshire which also serves as rhyming slang
for ‘arsehole’UK , 1992
Queenslandernouna type of weatherboard house raised on stilts
AUSTRALIA , 1994
Queen’s Necklacenicknamein Mumbai, the view after dark of the
sparkling lights on Marine Drive (now Netaji Subhash Road)INDIA ,
2002
Queens Park Rangernouna stranger Rhyming slang, formed from
the full name of QPR, the London football club, Queens Park
RangersUK , 1961
queen’s rownounan area in a prison reserved for blatantly
homo-sexual prisonersUS , 1967
Queen Street bushie; Queen Street cowboy; Queen Street
ringernounin Queensland, a city person with pretences to country
living, such as dressing like a cowboy or driving a 4WDAUSTRALIA ,
2003
queen tanknouna jail holding cell reserved for flamboyantly
effeminate homosexual menUS , 1988
queenyadjective1blatantly homosexualUS , 1979.2showy,
queernoun1a homosexual man or a lesbian Usually pejorative, but also a male homosexual term of self-reference within the gay underground and subcultureUS , 1914.2counterfeit moneyUK , 1812
queerverbto spoil something; to ruin something; to interfere with somethingUK , 1812.< queer a pitchto spoil a situation or a circumstance; to undermine someone’s effortsUK , 1875
queeradjective1homosexual Derogatory from the outside, not from withinUS , 1914.2catering to or patronised by homosexualsUS , 1957.
3driven by deep and perverse sexual desiresUS , 1967.4not good; out of fashion Like ‘gay’, ‘queer’ has been hijacked from its homosexual contextUS , 1997.5counterfeitUS , 1951.< to be queer forto be fond of someone or somethingUS , 1953
queer and nasty, try another servicenicknamethe Australian airline QANTAS Most airlines seem to be the subject of jocular puns ‘Queers and Nancies Trading as Stewards’ had some circulation in the 1980sAUSTRALIA , 2002
queer as a clockwork orangeadjective1obviously homosexual Plays onQUEER(unusual/homosexual)UK , 1973.2unusual or
suspicious Predates the novel Clockwork Orange (1962) by
Anthony BurgessUK , 1980
queer as a four-speed walking stickadjectiveunusual;
ostentatiously homosexual Popularised by raconteur ‘Blaster’ Bates (b.1922)UK , 1984
queer as a left-handed corkscrewadjectiveunusual;
ostentatiously homosexualUK , 1970s
queer as a nine-bob noteadjective1ostentatiously homosexual Plays onQUEER(unusual/homosexual)UK , 1984.2unusual or suspicious The most ‘queer’ (unusual) thing about a nineBOB
(shilling) note is that it has never existed; the phrase survived decimalisation in 1971, which ‘bob’ failed to doUK , 1984
queer as a nine-bob watchadjectivesuspicious So cheap it must
be suspectUK , 1984
queer as a three-dollar billadjectiveostentatiously homosexualUS , 1966
queer as fuckadjectivedefinitely homosexual; ostentatiously gay
QUEER(homosexual) plus ‘as fuck’ (an intensifier); punned in the
popular television drama series about gay culture, Queer As Folk
AUSTRALIA , 1997
queerbait; queer-baitnouna man who commands the attention
of homosexual men, whether he is homosexual or notUS , 1957
queer-bashingverban attack (usually physical) of a homosexual because of his sexualityUK , 1970
queer beernounweak, watery beer More commonly reduplicated as
‘near beer’US , 1976
queerienouna homosexualNEW ZEALAND , 1998
queer jacknouncounterfeit moneyUS , 1949
queer-rollingnounthe practice of attacking and robbing homosex-ualsUK , 1977
queer’s lunch boxnounthe male crotchUS , 1964
Queer Streetnoun< in Queer Street; on Queer Street
experiencing difficulties, especially financial difficulties; in a vulner-able positionUK , 1952
queeveverbto experience a loss of energyUS , 1984
queggnouna homosexual Possibly a compound ofQUEER (homose-xual or odd) andEGG(a person)UK , 2001
Quel ChagrinnounQueen’s Counsel From the initials QCCANADA , 2002
querynouna test or examinationUS , 1976
quesnounthe question mark (?) character on a computer keyboard
US , 1991
queuenoun< put on a queue(of a woman) to have sex with a line of partners, one after the otherAUSTRALIA , 1970
quezzienouna questionUK , 2002
quiche-eaternouna sensitive male; an effeminate maleUS , 1984
quiche outverbto concede defeat in a cowardly manner; to behave
in a weak or effeminate manner Probably from the notion that
Trang 5quick and dirtyadjectiveconstructed as quickly as possibleUS , 1991
Quickdraw McGrawnounthe US Secret Service agent who is
closest to the president Quickdraw McGraw was a Hanna Barbera
cartoon that first aired in 1959; ironically, the character Quickdraw
McGraw was not a quick draw, but his name has survived,
implying that which the character was notUS , 1981
quick-gonounin a sport, a player who does not last very long on a
teamUS , 1972
quickienoun1a sexual encounter that is carried out quicklyUS , 1950.
2an alcoholic drink taken hastilyAUSTRALIA , 1969.3something that is
accomplished quicklyUS , 1940.4an unexpected, quickly executed
manoeuvre or piece of trickeryUS , 1950
quickieadjectivecarried out quicklyUS , 1940
quick-lunchnouna fast-food small restaurantCANADA , 1959
quicknessnoun< with a quicknessas soon as possibleUS , 1997
quick onenounan unexpected act of betrayalUS , 1950
quick one off the wristnoun 8see:ONE OFF THE WRIST
quick pussynouna secure NATO communications systemCANADA ,
1995
quick-smartadverbquicklyAUSTRALIA , 1952
quick-startsnounrunning shoesUS , 1990
quick thinking, Batman!used for a humorous, if sarcastic,
response to another’s observation or conclusion From the
Batman comic and television series (1966–1968) The television
series launched several catchphrases into the vocabulary to a far
greater extent than the comic books hadUS , 1968
quick-turn burnnounthe refuelling and reloading of an F-18 fighter
jet in less than five minutesUS , 1991
quidnoun1a pound sterling; pounds sterling Deriving perhaps from
Latin quid (what?), later suggesting ‘the wherewithal’ Note too UK
dialect quid (a wad of tobacco) The quid has survived
decimalisation (1971) and several centuries of inflation; originally
coined as ‘a guinea’ (1 pound, 1 shilling), in C 19 it became ‘a
sovereign’UK , 1688.2some money Still in use despite the fact that
pounds went out in 1966 when Australia changed over to decimal
currency (dollars and cents)AUSTRALIA , 1976.3five dollars If a pound
is five dollars, so must be a quidUS , 1988.< not the full quid
without a full complement of intelligenceAUSTRALIA , 1944
quid dealnouna drug sale involving one pound’s worth of drugs,
usually marijuanaUK , 1983
quidsnouna large amount of moneyAUSTRALIA , 1930.< not for
quidsnot for anythingAUSTRALIA , 1941.< wouldn’t be dead for
quidsI am generally happy with my life and circumstances
AUSTRALIA , 1986
quids inadjectiveprospering; at an advantage Figurative use of
actual profit measured by theQUID( £1)UK , 1919
quietienouna quiet drinkAUSTRALIA , 1995
quiet-sideadjectivesecretUS , 1976
quiffnoun1the vagina; a woman as sex object; a prostitute Archaic
in the US, but understood in contextUK , 1923.2by extension, a male homosexualUS , 1977
quillnoun1anything used to snort powdered drugs; the drugs themselvesUS , 1935.2cocaineUK , 1998.3heroinUK , 1996
quill pignouna porcupine Michigan Upper Peninsula usageUS , 2003
quiltyadjectiveluxuriousUS , 1976
quimnounthe vagina; used objectively as a collective noun for women, especially sexually available womenUK , 1735
quimbynouna person completely lacking in social gracesUS , 1997
quimmonouna fool; an unpleasant individual ExtendingQUIM(the vagina) as a synonym forCUNT UK , 1999
quincenounan effeminate male; a homosexualAUSTRALIA , 1941.
< get on your quinceto annoy youAUSTRALIA , 1941
quinellanounin horse racing, a bet on the first two to finish in either orderUS , 1991
quininenounin the game of craps, the number nineUS , 1950
quintnounin poker, five cards of the same suit in sequenceUS , 1979
quint majornounin poker, a sequence of five cards, same suit, ending with the face cardsUS , 1988
quitternouna suicideUS , 1982
quivernoun1a selection of surfboards used for different surf con-ditionsUS , 1977.2cocaineUK , 1999
quivver-givernounan attractive personUS , 1947
quiznouna roadside sobriety testUS , 1976
quiz roomnouna room where the North Vietnamese interrogated
US prisoners of warUS , 1990
quizzyadjectivenoseyNEW ZEALAND , 1988
quoitnounthe anus; the backsideAUSTRALIA , 1919
quokka soccernounon Rottnest Island, running around kicking quokkas as a type of entertainment The ‘quokka’ is a small rare
native marsupial, Setonix brachyurus, of southwestern West
AustraliaAUSTRALIA , 1999
quongnounthe testicle Usually in the pluralUK , 2002
quorumnounin poker, the agreed-upon minimum number of players to continue a gameUS , 1979
quoteverbin criminal circles, to vouch for someoneUK , 2000
quo vadisnoununfashionable or unpopular music Probably refers
to the 1951 film Quo Vadis and the rock group Status Quo, formed
in 1967 and, in 2003, still working, with the implication that both entertainments are datedUK , 2003
quozzie; quoznouna disabled or deformed person Derived from Quasimodo, ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’UK , 2000
Trang 6RAnoun< the RAthe Irish Republican ArmyIRELAND , 2003
raasnoun1an arse; hence your beingJAMAICA , 1994.2a contemptible
person Probable origin in the phrase ‘your arse’, although some
suggest Dutch raas (rage) The early, especially West Indian, sense
was considered extremely offensive, however modern UK black
usage is roughly equivalent toARSEorARSEHOLE There is a,
poss-ibly disingenuous, belief amongst some Jamaicans that Raas was a
king of AfricaJAMAICA , 2000.3nonsense From West Indian Black
usageUK , 2000.< the raasused in order to intensify Synonymous
with ‘the hell’, ‘the fuck’, etcUK , 1994
raasclatnounused as an extreme derogative CombinesRAAS(arse)
and ‘clat’ (West Indian pronunciation of ‘cloth’) to mean ‘a
sanitary towel’JAMAICA , 1978
raasholenouna contemptible person; used as a general term of
abuse A cross-cultural variation onARSEHOLE, using West Indian
and UK blackRAAS(an arse)UK , 2000
rabbinouna mentor or protectorUS , 1970
rabbitnoun1a woman who has a large number of children
Collected at a UK prison, August 2002JAMAICA , 2002.2a man who
ejaculates with little stimulationUS , 1987.3a white personUS , 1991.
4a nervous, timid, cautious personUS , 1951.5a new member of a
Rastafarian gangNEW ZEALAND , 1988.6a prisoner who is known for
attempting to escape prisonUS , 1972.7a person who regularly
borrows money from an illegal money lender and pays back
promptlyUS , 1950.8on the railways, a side track on a downhill
incline used to divert runaway trains and prevent crashesUS , 1946.
9a poor poker playerUS , 1967.< go like a rabbitto demonstrate
eagerness during sexUK , 1972.< the rabbit diedused for
indicat-ing a state of pregnancy From the (former) methodology used to
test pregnancy that was introduced in 1949UK , 1998.< the
rabbit’s hoppingexperiencing the bleed period of the menstrual
cycle A reversal of the phraseTHE RABBIT DIED(pregnant)US , 2001
rabbitverbto run awayUK , 1887
rabbit and pork; rabbitnounthe act of talking; a conversation
Rhyming slang for ‘talk’UK , 1980
rabbit and pork; rabbitverbto talk Rhyming slang ‘To rabbit on’
is ‘to talk at length’UK , 1941
rabbit bloodnouna seemingly unstoppable urge to try to escape
from prisonUS , 1950
rabbit earsnoun1a v-shaped aerial placed on top of a television set
US , 1967.2in a casino Keno game, the two clear plastic tubes
through which the number balls are blownUS , 1993.3an athlete or
official who is quick to take offence at teasingUS , 1967
rabbiter’s breakfastnouna visit to the toilet and a cigaretteNEW
ZEALAND , 1975
rabbit fevernounthe urge to try to escape from prisonUS , 1962
rabbit food; rabbit’s foodnounany salad vegetable, especially
lettuce A generally dismissive term from the carnivorous lobbyUK ,
1936
rabbit huntverbin poker, to look through undealt cards after a
hand is completed to see what might have beenUS , 1967
rabbit hutchnounthe crutch or crotch Rhyming slangUK , 1980
rabbit-killernouna short and vicious punch to the neck, generally
with the open handAUSTRALIA , 1941
rabbit-oh; rabbit-onouna door-to-door seller of slaughtered rabbits
From the cry ‘rabbit oh!’, used by the vendor to attract attention
AUSTRALIA , 1902
rabbit seasonnounspring, when prisoners are inclined to try to
rabbit’s paw; rabbitverbto talk Rhyming slang forJAW The shortened form is identical in sense to the shortened form of
RABBIT AND PORK UK , 1961
rabbit tracksnounin craps, a six rolled with a pair of threesUS , 1985
rabbit turdsnounItalian sausage Limited usage, but graphicUS , 1996
racenoun1a single game in an illegal numbers lotteryUS , 1963.2a single game of KenoUS , 1973.< not in the racenot having any chance of successAUSTRALIA , 1904.< the racethe game of roller derbyUS , 1960s and 70s
raceverb< race for pink slips (pinks)in drag racing, to compete for the prize of ownership of the opponent’s carUS , 2003.< race offto conduct a person away to some other place for the purpose
of seductionAUSTRALIA , 1965
race birdnounan enthusiastic fan of horse racingUS , 1971
race facenounin motor racing, the look of total concentration and focus seen on drivers just before a race beginsUS , 1993
racehorsenoun1an accomplished, sought-after prostituteUS , 1972.
2a thinly rolled cigaretteAUSTRALIA , 1944
racehorse Charlie; racehorse Charleynounheroin; cocaine Perhaps from the long-ago brand name White HorseUS , 1936
race recordnouna recording by a black artist; rock ’n’ roll before whites discovered rock ’n’ rollUS , 1927
racerheadnounin mountain biking, someone who competes in races A mild put-down to describe riders so into competition that they have lost their perspective on the cosmic absurdity of mountain bikingUS , 1992
racersnounclose-fitting nylon swimwear used for competitive swimming So-called because they are used in competitive swimmingAUSTRALIA , 2003
racesnoun< at the racesunsuccessful, uncompetitiveIRELAND , 2003
racetrackernounin horse racing, a person who makes their living
in some capacity at racetracksUS , 1951
racing stripenouna faecal stain in the underpantsUS , 1991
racing tacklenounamphetamines or other central nervous system stimulantsUK , 1983
racknoun1a woman’s breastsUS , 1982.2a set of antlersUS , 1945.
3bedUS , 1955.4a room or apartmentUS , 1993.5a maximum security prison cellUS , 1982.6a hotel’s front deskUS , 1954.7a foil-wrapped package of amphetaminesUS , 1997.8a packet of five bar-biturate capsules or other drugs, give or take severalUS , 1972.9a one-month supply of birth control pillsUS , 1980.10a six-pack (of beer)US , 1991.11a case (24 cans) of beerUS , 2000.< hit the rack
to go to bed; to go to sleepUS , 1973.< on the rackavailable for prostitutionUS , 1977
rackverb1to go to sleepUS , 1993.2to stealUS , 1997.3to shopliftUS ,
2001.4to perform wellUS , 1955.5to load (a gun)US , 1997.6in the television and film industries, to adjust the camera lens in the middle of a shot to keep the subject in focusUS , 1990.< rack the barsto open or close a prison cell doorUS , 1992
rack attacknouna nap; sleepUS , 1975
rackedadjectiveasleepUS , 1075
racked upadjectiveupsetUS , 1970
racketnoun1a criminal enterprise; a swindle or a means of deception Any illicit or dubious enterprise may be termed a
‘racket’ by prefixing the area of criminal operation, hence
‘narcotics racket’, ‘loan-shark racket’, etcUK , 1894.2a job, trade or profession A jocular reference: ‘What racket are you in?’ or ‘What’s your racket?’UK , 1891.3a private, police-only partyUS , 1987.4any
Trang 7racket boynouna member of an organised criminal enterpriseUS ,
1953
racket jacketnounthe jacket of a zoot suitUS , 1945
racketty coonouna Jewish person Rhyming slang for ‘Jew’
AUSTRALIA , 1971
racketyadjectivenoisyUS , 1975
rackeynouna boy who affects a style of dressing reminiscent of a
gangster Teen slangUS , 1955
rack facenounlines on your face left from a blanket, sheet or pillow
US , 1996
rack monsternouna person who spends a great deal of time in
bedUS , 1976
rack offverbto go away Commonly but not exclusively used in the
imperative A euphemistic alternative toPISS OFFandFUCK OFF
Origin unknown The Oxford English Dictionary (supplement)
suggests a connection with ‘rack’ meaning ‘of a horse, to move by
alternately raising two legs on one side’, but this seems hardly
creditable due to the rarity of that term in AustraliaAUSTRALIA , 1975
rack off hairy legs!go away! An intensive form of the usualRACK
OFFwith the rather feeble insult ‘hairy legs’ tacked onAUSTRALIA , 1988
rack outverbto go to sleepUS , 1991
rack upverb1to accumulate things; to score pointsUS , 1961.2in a
casino or gambling establishment, to have your chips placed in a
chip rack to be cashed inUS , 1982.3to prepare lines of cocaineUK ,
1997.4in prison, to return prisoners to their cellsUS , 1990
racy boppernouna female fan of motor racing whose attraction to
the sport is a function of her attraction to the race participantsUS ,
1993
radnoun1a political radical UK , 1973.2a radiator UK , 1935.3a radio UK ,
1996
radadjectiveextreme; intense; exciting; good An abbreviated ‘radical’
US , 1982
radarnouna petty thief Someone who will ‘pick up anything’
AUSTRALIA , 1989
radar alleynounany stretch of a motorway heavily patrolled by
radar; especially, Interstate 90 between Cleveland and the New
York state lineUS , 1971
radar Charlienouna poker player with a strong intuitive sense of
other players’ handsUS , 1988
RadCannounRadio Canada, the francophone side of the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation The ‘Rad’ in RadCan suggests ‘radical’, a
view held by Canadian federalists of Radio Canada (pronounced,
even by anglophone speakers, in the French way, as ‘Raaahdio
Canada’)CANADA , 2002
raddienoun1an Italian or Anglo-Italian living in London From the
raddled-seeming complexion of some Italians compared to that of
a pale Londoner, possibly influenced byREDDY(an Italian)
Originally used of Italian families in ClerkenwellUK , 1938.2a
politi-cal radipoliti-cal UK , 1964
radgenouna psychotic; a madmanUK , 1995
radgeadjective1used in order to express approvalUK , 2003.2mad;
psychoticUK , 2003.3silly Northen dialect radgy (mad) UK , 1961
radgepotnoun a fool Probably direct from Northern dialect radge
(mad) Natural derivations are ‘radgy’ and ‘radgified’UK , 1979
radiateverb< radiate a mortgagein Quebec, to cancel a
mortgageCANADA , 2001
radiator whiskeynounstrong, homemade whiskyUS , 1999
radicnouna police officer, especially armed police Shortened from
‘eradicator’UK , 1994
radicaladjectiveextreme; outrageous; good Originally surfer slang,
then migrated into the argot of the San Fernando Valley and then
into mainstream US youth slangUS , 1967
radionouna prisoner who talks loudly and without paying attention
to who might be listeningUS , 1976
Radio Onesnoundiarrhoea Rhyming slang forTHE RUNS, formed on
radio rental; radio rentals; rentalsadjectivewonderful, amazing; insane, crazy Rhyming slang forMENTAL; based on Radio Rentals, a high street shopUK , 1973
radio that!; radio that shit!used in prison as a demand for quiet
US , 1981
’radonouna Cadillac El Dorado carUS , 1980
rad padnounin skateboarding, a rubber wedge used as a shock pad that changes the angles at which the axle assembly is mountedUS , 1976
radsnounthe policeUK , 2000
Rafferty’s rules; Rafferty rulesnounan entire lack of rules altogether From the Irish surname Rafferty, with the implication that the Irish were unruly Connection with the Northumberland
dialect word raffety ‘irregular; applied by sinkers to stratified deposits’, and the Lincolnshire term raffatory ‘refractory’ (see English Dialect Dictionary), amount to nothing more than hopeful
guessworkAUSTRALIA , 1918
raffle ticket; rafflenouna mistake Rhyming slang forRICKET UK , 1992
raftnouna large amountUS , 1830
ragnoun1a sanitary towelUS , 1966.2the bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS , 1971.3a despicable personUS , 1997.4a newspaper, especially a disreputable oneUK , 1889.5a used car that
is in very poor conditionUS , 1980.6a well-worn tyreUS , 1961.7a banknote; paper moneyUK , 1817.8in pool, a cushionUS , 1985.9in horse racing, an outsider (a horse considered unlikely to win a race)UK , 1991.10in poker, a useless card in the dealt hand or a drawn card that does not improve the handUS , 1978.11in a carnival midway game, a small prize in a plastic bagUS , 1985.12a railway pointsmanUS , 1946.< get your rag outto lose your temper A combination ofLOSE YOUR RAGand the earlier ‘get your shirt out’UK , 1956.< lose your ragto lose your temperUK , 1959.
< on the rag; have the rag on1experiencing the bleed period
of the menstrual cycleUS , 1974.2figuratively, to be distracted and irritableUS , 1963
ragverbto mock, bully, tease or ridicule someoneUK , 1808
ragadjectiveunpleasant, badNEW ZEALAND , 1998
ragamuffinnounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycle A play on
RAG(a sanitary towel)AUSTRALIA , 2001
rag and bonenoun1a telephone Rhyming slangUK , 1984.2a lavatory pedestal and receptacle, especially the lavatory seat Rhyming slang forTHRONE UK , 1992
rag and bonernouna telephone Extended from rhyming slangRAG AND BONE(telephone)UK , 1984
raga-ragaadjectiveof clothes, worn-out, ragged A variation on con-ventional ‘ragged’JAMAICA , 1943
ragbagnoun1an odd assortmentUK , 1999.2an untidily or shabbily dressed personUK , 1888.3in circus and carnival usage, a show that has fallen on hard times or is fundamentally dishonestUS , 1981
ragenouna large waveUS , 1991
rageverb1to enjoy a party with great enthusiasmUS , 1992.2to dominate someone or somethingUS , 1984
-ragesuffixwhen combined with a subject noun, an outburst of enraged hostility within or occasioned by that subject areaUK , 1998
ragernoun1a skilled, aggressive surfer or skateboarderUS , 1997.2a large partyUS , 1990
ragga; ragamuffin; raggamuffinnouna ruffian, usually of West Indian racial origin Originally a West Indian and UK black term with an approving tone; probably derived from the conventional sense of a ‘raggedy’ (a disreputable person); ultimately from Ragamoffyn, a demon in the Middle English poem ‘Piers Plowman’ by William Langland (perhaps 1330–86) The derivation
is likely to be influenced by Jamaican ‘raga-raga’ (ragged) and
‘ragamofi’ (ragged clothes)UK , 1996
raggagansta; raggagangstanouna West Indian/UK black gangster CompoundsRAGGAMUFFIN(a ruffian) withGANGSTA(a gangster)UK ,