"Gg" in Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English docx

In Royal Air Force use; rhyming slang, based on the name of Lybian leader Colonel Moammar el GadaffiUK, 2002 gad daigs!used for expressing surpriseBAHAMAS, 1982 gadgetnoun1used as a gene

Gnoun1one thousand dollars; one thousand pounds; one thousand

FromGRAND US , 1928.2a gram Used mainly in a drug contextUK,

1997.3one grain (of a narcotic)US, 1966.4a generic manufactured

cigaretteUS, 1992.5a gang memberUS, 1990.6a close friendUS, 1989.

7a girlfriendUS, 1991.8a G-stringUS, 1992

g’adjectivegood, especially in g’day, g’night, g’morningUK, 1961

gaarnounthe buttocksTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1987

gabnoununimportant conversationUK, 1790

gabacho; gavachonouna white person Derogatory border Spanish

used in English conversation by Mexican-AmericansUS, 1950

gabalashverb(of quilting) to lash the quilt into the frame with big

stitches, so that the precise, tiny stitches of the quilting design

itself may be done The word may derive from blending the two

words ‘gab’ and ‘lash’, as the quilting sessions are also occasions

for talkCANADA, 1999

gabbernounany central nervous system stimulantUS, 1987

gabblegutsnouna talkative personAUSTRALIA, 1966

gabby benchnouna bench favoured by idle talkersBAHAMAS, 1982

gabbygutsnouna talkative personAUSTRALIA, 1969

Gabby Hayes hatnounthe field hat worn by US soldiers in

Vietnam Likened to the narrow brim and low crown of the hat

worn by the US western film star Gabby HayesUS, 1977

gabfestnouna group talk, usually about gossip or trivial mattersUS,

1897

gabinsnounmoneyTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 2003

Gabrielnicknamea prisoner who plays the chapel organUK, 1950

gabsnoun trousers made of gabardine (a twill-woven cloth) UK, 1955

gacknoun1cocaineUK, 1997.2a despised personUS, 1997

gackverbin poker, to fold holding a hand that would have won had

the player stayed in the gameUS, 1996

gack-blowingnounthe process of anally ingesting cocaineUK, 2002

gackedadjectivecocaine-intoxicatedUK, 2003

gack-nag; gak-nagnouna cocaine userUK, 2002

gack scabnouna crusting of damaged mucous membrane that

forms around the nostrils as the result of inhaling cocaine

CombinesGACK(cocaine) with conventional ‘scab’UK, 1999

gadnounin horse racing, the whip used by jockeysUS, 1976

gadaboutnouna Lada car Citizens’ band radio slangUK, 1981

Gadaffinounthe NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) In

Royal Air Force use; rhyming slang, based on the name of Lybian

leader Colonel Moammar el GadaffiUK, 2002

gad daigs!used for expressing surpriseBAHAMAS, 1982

gadgetnoun1used as a general term for any cheating device used

in a card gameUS, 1988.2in poker, any special rule applied to a

game using wild cardsUS, 1967.3a G-string or similar female article

of clothingUS, 1980.4a US Air Force cadetUS, 1944

gadgienoun1a man; an idiot or foolUK: SCOTLAND, 1985.2an old

man Urban youth slangUK, 2005

gaffnoun1a locationUK, 1999.2a place of residence; home; a shop

or other place of businessUK, 1932.3a prison cell A narrower sense

of ‘a place of residence’UK, 1996.4a fair or fairground; a place of

public amusement Circus usageUK, 1753.5a cheating deviceUS,

1893.6a device used to hide the shape of a male transvestite’s

penisUS, 1973

gaffverb1to fix or rig a deviceUS, 1934.2to cheatUK, 1811.3to talk

gaffernoun1used as a form of address A loose variation of ‘gaffer’

as ‘boss’ or ‘old man’, usually showing respectUK: ENGLAND, 1748.

2an employer, a boss, a foremanUK, 1659.3a senior electrician in afilm unitUS, 1969.4on the railways, a track crew supervisorUS, 1977.

5in motorcyle racing, a leader of a racing teamUS, 1965.6in circusand carnival usage, a managerUS, 1981

gafflenounin street gambling, a protocol under which the winnershares his winnings with other playersUS, 1997

gaffleverb1to stealUS, 1900.2to arrest; to catchUS, 1954.3to cheat,

to swindle, to defraudUS, 1998

gaffsnoundice that have been altered for cheatingUS, 1950

gaff shotnounin pool, an elaborate shot, especially an illegal one

5an indefinite prison sentenceUS, 1958.6a small group of closefriendsUS, 1994.7a quick use of cocaineUS, 1997.8in craps, a betthat the shooter will make his even-numbered point in pairsUS, 1950

gagverbto panic in the face of a great challengeUS, 1988

gagaadjective1infatuated, sillyUK, 1917.2mad, especially as a result

of senilityUK, 1920

gag-awfuladjectivehorribleUS, 1981

gagenoun1marijuana Also variants ‘gayge’ and ‘gages’US, 1934.

2alcohol, especially whiskyUS, 1932.< get a gage upto smoke amarijuana cigaretteUK, 1998

gage buttnouna marijuana fashioned cigaretteUS, 1938

gagedadjectivedrug-intoxicatedUS, 1932

gage out; gauge outverbto become, or be, sleepy as a result ofmarijuana intoxicationUK, 1996

gagers; gaggersnounmethcathinoneUS, 1998

gaggedadjectivedisgustedUS, 1968

gaggingadjectivedesperately craving something, such as a cigarette,

a drink or sexUK, 1997

gagging for a blaggingadjectiveused of banks, etc, that exhibitpoor security A combination ofGAGGING(desperate for something)andBLAGGING(a robbery with violence)UK, 2001

gagglenouna formation of several military aircraft flying the samemissionUS, 1942

gagglernoun1MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy

UK, 2003.2amphetaminesUK, 2003

gag me!; gag me with a spoon!used for expressing disgust Aquintessential Valley Girl expression of disgustUS, 1982

gagsternouna comedianUK, 1935

Gainesburgernounin the military, canned beef patties Alluding to

a dog food product Vietnam war usageUS, 1983

Gainesville greennounmarijuana grown in or near Gainesville,FloridaUS, 1976

galnouna woman or a girl This gal is a woman with a chequeredhistory: ‘Cockney for girl’, 1824, but then the pronunciationworked its way up the social ladder until, by about 1840, it was

a ‘harlot’, and from about 1860, a ‘sweetheart’ as used by Albert

Chevalier in My Old Dutch, 1893 The current sense is recorded in

US jazz and jive circles from the 1930s By the turn of the

millennium, having passed through respectability once again, ‘gal’

was patronising or kitsch, and rarely found without ‘guys’UK, 1795

galacticadjectivegreat, wonderful, amazingUS, 1998

galahnouna fool From the name of an endemic Australian

cockatoo, commonly kept as a cage bird, and able to be coaxed

into antic behaviour The name of the bird comes from the

Australian Aboriginal language YuwaalaraayAUSTRALIA, 1938

galbanounthe penisTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 2003

gal blocknouna section of a prison reserved for blatantly

homosex-ual prisonersUS, 1972

gal-boynounan effeminate young manUS, 1987

galfnouna girlfriend A reduction of ‘galfriend’US, 1979

Galilee stompersnounin homosexual usage, sandalsUS, 1987

gallnouneffrontery, impudenceUS, 1882

gallery 13nouna prison graveyardUS, 1982

gallery godnouna theatre-goer who sits in the uppermost balcony

gallopernouna racehorseAUSTRALIA, 1960

gallopingadjectiveworseningUK, 1785

galloping bonesnoundiceUS, 1920

galloping dandruffnounbody liceUS, 1920

galloping dominoesnoundiceUS, 1918

galloping horsenounheroin An elaboration ofHORSE(heroin)US,

1959

gallopsnounhorse racingAUSTRALIA, 1950

gallupnounheroin Building on theHORSEimageUK, 2002

gallus; gallowsadjectiveattractive, wonderful; self-confident,

quick-witted, brave, ostentatious, nonchalant; also used as an intensifier

A phonetic slurring of ‘gallows’, suggesting ‘fit for the gallows’ and

thus ‘wicked’ – a very early example of ‘bad’ means ‘good’ In the

US from the 1840s to 1940sUK, 1789

galoot; gallootnouna man, especially if hulking, stupid, boorish,

foolish, clumsy or otherwise objectionable Possibly from Dutch

gelubt (a eunuch) UK, 1818

gal palnoun1a woman’s female friendUS, 2001.2a female friend of

a male homosexualUS, 1977

gal tanknouna holding cell in a jail reserved for homosexual

prisonersUS, 1972

galvanisenounsheets of corrugated ironBARBADOS, 1965

galvonoungalvanised iron Iron corrugated sheets are a common

building material in rural AustraliaAUSTRALIA, 1945

gamnoun1the leg Originally applied to a crippled leg, later to a

woman’s legUK, 1785.2an act of oral sex Also variant ‘gambo’UK,

1954

gamverb1to pretendIRELAND, 1989.2to boastUS, 1970.3to perform

oral sexUK, 1910

gamahuchenounan act of oral sex Possibly a combination of Scots

dialect words gam (gum, mouth) and roosh (rush), hence a

‘rushing into the mouth’; more likely from French gamahucher

which shares the same senseUK, 1865

gambagenounshowing offTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1940

Gamble and Procter; gamblenouna doctor Rhyming slang,

formed on a reversal of the pharmaceutical company Procter and

GambleUK, 1998

gambler’s bankroll; gambler’s rollnouna bankroll consisting of a

large-denomination note on the outside of a number of

small-gamenoun1an athlete’s style and abilityUS, 1997.2a person’s style,visual and oralUS, 1976.3a conventional attitude A countercultureconcept that refuses to accept non-drop-out society as anythingmore than a game with unnecessary rulesUK, 1967.4a criminalactivity; crime as a professionUK, 1739.5businessAUSTRALIA, 1877.

6an attempt to conUS, 1975.7sex appealUS, 1999.8an interest inthe opposite sexUS, 2001.9a romantic or sexual relationshipoutside your primary relationship Synonymous withPLAY AROUND;also, ‘game’ has strong sexual overtones, as inON THE GAME(engaged in prostitution)UK, 1958.< give the game awaytocease doing something; to abandon; to give upAUSTRALIA, 1953.

< on the gameto be working as a prostituteUK, 1898.< out of

the gamemarried, engaged or dating only one personUS, 2001.

< run a gameto fool, to swindleUS, 1940.< the gamethebusiness of prostitutionUK, 1898.< the Gamethe criminal life-styleUS, 1976

gameverb1to deceive, to mislead, to trickUS, 1963.2to flirt; to woo

US, 1988

game!used for expressing that enough is enoughUS, 1997

game as a pissantadjectivevery courageousAUSTRALIA, 1944

game facenounin sports, a serious expression and demeanourreflecting complete concentration on the competition at hand.Now used outside of sports, extended to any serious situationUS, 1972

gamelessadjectiveunskilledUS, 1983

game of napnoun1a cap Rhyming slang, from the card gameUK,

1976.2an act of defecation Rhyming slang forCRAP UK , 1992

game over!used for expressing that enough is enoughUS, 1997

gamernoun1a video game or role-playing game enthusiastUS, 1977.

2an athlete who can always be counted on for a gritty, all-outeffortUS, 1977.3a person engaged in swindles and hustles as a way

of lifeUS, 1975

game refugenounany institution where traffic violators who areunder pursuit are free from further pursuit once they pass thegatesUS, 1962

games and sports; gamesnounwarts Rhyming slangUK, 2003

gamey eyenouna tendency to flirtIRELAND, 1995

gamma delta iotanouna college student who is not a fraternity orsorority member; a notional fraternity or sorority comprised ofstudents who don’t belong to fraternities or sororities A back-formation fromGDI(god damn independent)US, 2000

gammonnounone microgram The unit of measurement for LSDdoses, even in the non-metric USUS, 1969

gammon rashernouna superlative thing Rhyming slang for

SMASHER UK , 1974

gammyadjective1inferior, of low quality As in ‘gammy gear’(inferior goods)UK, 1979.2lameUK, 1879

gammy chantnouna bad situationIRELAND, 1997

gamooshnouna fellow, usually not referring to a winner in the sum game of lifeUS, 1988

zero-gamotnounheroin; morphineUK, 1998

gandernouna lookUS, 1914.< cop a ganderto look at someone orsomething, especially with discretionUS, 1950.< get your gander

upto become annoyed or angry A variation, probably by hearing, ofDANDER UK , 2002

mis-Gandhi’s flipflopnounused in similes as an example of extremedryness Mahatma Gandhi, 1869–1948, wore sandalsUK, 1999

gandiesnoununderwearUS, 1970

G and Tnoungin and tonic InitialismUK, 1966

gandynounin Newfoundland, a pancakeCANADA, 1966

gandy dancernoun1a railway track worker Thought to be so calledfrom the Gandy Manufacturing Company of Chicago, which mademany of the tools used by the section gangsUS, 1918.2a roadworkerUS, 1976.3in trucking, a tractor trailer that weaves back andforth on the roadUS, 1971

gandy gang

gangnoun1a work crew Still heard on occasion, but largely replaced

with the standard English ‘crew’US, 1989.2a person’s social group

From earlier conventional sensesUK, 1945.3a great manyUS, 1811.

4marijuanaBAHAMAS, 1982

gangverbto engage in serial, consecutive sex, homosexual or

het-erosexual, especially to engage in multiple rape A shortened form

ofGANGBANG UK , 1972

gangbangnoun1successive, serial copulation between a single

person and multiple partnersUS, 1945.2an orgy at which several

couples have sex.3a cluster of reporters descending on a public

figure with microphones, cameras, notepads and shouted

questions Sometimes shortened to ‘bang’ or the variant ‘major

bang’US, 2001.4a social gathering A humorously ironic use of the

orgiastic senseUK, 1977.5a group of friends talking together on

citizens’ band radioUS, 1977.6a television writing session involving

multiple writersUS, 1997.7the utilization of a large number of

computer programmers to create a product in a short period of

timeUS, 1991.8a fight between youth gangsUS, 1967

gangbangverb1to engage in successive, serial copulation with

mul-tiple partners Also in figurative useUS, 1949.2to be an active part

of a gang; to battle another gangUS, 1968

gangbangernouna youth gang memberUS, 1969

gangbusternouna zealous, energetic police official or prosecutor

who targets organised crimeUS, 1936

gangbustersnoun< like gangbustersaggressively, with forceUS,

1940

gang cheatsnountwo or more people working as confederates in a

cheating schemeUS, 1988

gangenounmarijuana A shortening ofGANJA(marijuana)US, 1971

gang-fucknounan uncoordinated messUK, 1995

gang-fuckverbto engage in serial, consecutive sex, homosexual or

hetereosexualUS, 1916

gangienounSerial sex between one person and multiple, partners,

consensual or notNEW ZEALAND, 1971

gangplanknouna bridgeUS, 1976

gangplank fevernounin the military, a fear of transfer to an

assignment overseasUS, 1945

gang-shagnounsuccessive, serial copulation between a single

person and multiple partnersUS, 1927

gang-splashnounserial sex between one person and multiple

partners, heterosexual or homosexual, consensual or notAUSTRALIA,

1971

gangstanouna young black member of a (criminal) gang A

deliberate respelling of ‘gangster’US, 1998

gangstaadjectivegood, exciting Hip-hopUS, 2002

gangsta-lettenouna female gang memberUS, 2001

gangstamuthafuckanouna gangster, especially one who is

con-sidered powerful An intensification ofGANGSTA UK , 1997

gangsta rap; g-rapnouna rap music genre characterised by explicit

sex and violence which, it is claimed, reflects black urban

exist-ence CombinesGANGSTAor ‘g’ (a black urban anti-hero) withRAP

(a musical style)US, 1992

gangsta rappernouna rap artist who reflects on the black urban

experience in an explicitly sexual and violent manner.GANGSTA RAP

has been an influential music genre since the late 1980sUS, 1990

gangsternoun1marijuana Promotes the outlaw self-image enjoyed

by smokers of the illegal substance; possibly playing onGANJA US ,

1960.2a cigaretteUS, 1972

gangster bitchnouna female who associates with youth gang

membersUS, 2001

gangster doorsnounany four-door sedanUS, 1980

gangster leannoun1a style of driving a car in which the driver

leans towards the right side of the car, leaning on an arm rest,

steering with the left hand; by extension, a slouching walk or

postureUS, 1973.2a car with hydraulic shock aborbers that are set

gangster pillnounany barbiturate or other central nervous systemdepressantUS, 1994

gangster whitewallsnounshowy, flashy, whitewalled tyresUS, 1972

gang-upnounserial sex between multiple active participants and asingle passive oneUS, 1951

gangynouna close friend; a fellow member of a clique Hawaiianyouth usageUS, 1982

ganjanoun1marijuana, notably from Jamaica Hindi word for

‘cannabis’, possibly derived fromBHANGand adopted around 1920

by ‘Anglo-Indian drug addicts’, by 1970 the UK Home Office ‘couldascribe it to West Indians’ Celebrated in song by, among manyothers, Clancy Eccles, ‘Ganja Free’, 1972 and Leslie Butler, ‘AshantiGanja Dub’, 1975 With many spelling variations including ‘ganj’,

‘ganjah’, ‘ganjuh’ and ‘ganga’JAMAICA, 1972.2the whiteestablishmentUS, 2000

ganjaadjectivewhite-skinnedUS, 2000

ganknoun1marijuanaUS, 1989.2a substance sold as an illegal drugthat is actually fakeUS, 1994

gankverb1to stealUS, 1996.2in Internet game-playing, to ‘kill’ aplayer, especially unfairly Also used as a nounUK, 2003

gankyadjectiveugly, repulsiveIRELAND, 2004

GAPnounthe Great American PublicUS, 1965

gapverbto watch, to witness a crimeUS, 1949.< gap itto make aquick exitSOUTH AFRICA, 2000.< gap your axeto annoyNEW ZEALAND, 1998

gapenouna completely relaxed, distended anus A term used byanal sex fetishists, especially on the InternetUS, 1999

gapeverbto idle, to wanderUS, 1966

gapernoun1a dolt An abbreviation ofGAPING ASSHOLE US , 1966.2anovice skier, or a non-skier watching others skiUS, 1990.3a mirror

gaping assholenouna doltUS, 1966

GAPOnoun used as an abbreviation of gorilla armpit odour US, 1967

gaposisnouna notional disease involving a gap of any kindUS, 1942

gap outverbto daydream and miss something for lack of attention

CANADA, 1993

gappernouna mirror Prisoner usage to describe a mirror used towatch for approaching guards as the prisoners do somethingwhich they ought not to doUS, 1934

gappingsnouna salaryUS, 1955

gap upverbto fill capsules with a powdered narcoticUS, 1971

garnoun1a black person An abbreiviation ofNIGGER US , 1962.

2marijuana rolled in cigar leaf US, 2001

garadjectiveexcellent, pleasingUS, 1993

garagenouna subset of a criminal organisationUS, 1975

garage actionnouna legal action for libel (usually against anewspaper) brought by the police on their own behalf Thedamages awarded are often substantial enough to buy a newgarage for the police officer’s homeUK, 1998

garage bandnounan amateur rock group with a basic, three-chordapproach to music From the custom of practising in the garage atthe home of the parents of a band memberUS, 1977

garage man’s companionnouna truck manufactured by GeneralMotors Corporation A back-formation from the initials GMCUS, 1971

garans!certainly Hawaiian youth usage; shortened from

‘guaranteed’US, 1981

garbagenoun1anything of poor quality or little or no worth;nonsense From the sense as ‘refuse’UK, 1592.2heroin; low qualityheroinUS, 1962.3farm produceUS, 1976.4any and all food, usually

dietUS, 1984.5cocktail garnishesUS, 1998.6in hot rodding, a surfeit

of accessories unrelated to the car’s performanceUS, 1960.7in

poker, the cards that have been discardedUS, 1967

garbage bargenouna tuna fish sandwichUS, 1985

garbage downverbto eat quicklyUS, 1959

garbage dumpnounthe California State Prison at San QuentinUS,

1992

garbage gutsnouna gluttonAUSTRALIA, 1977

garbage haulernouna truck driver hauling fruit or vegetablesUS,

1971

garbage headnounan addict who will use any substance available

A term used in twelve-step recovery programmes such as

Alcoholics AnonymousUS, 1970

garbage in – garbage outa catchphrase employed as an

admonition to computer users: if you program mistakes into a

computer then an output of rubbish will surely resultUS, 1976

garbage mouthnouna person who regularly uses profanityUS, 1970

garbage rocknouncrack cocaine, especially of inferior qualityUK,

garbage timenounthe minutes at the end of an athletic contest

when the outcome is not in doubt and substitute players are used

freely by either or both teams; games at the end of a season when

a team’s record is such that a win or loss will not make a

differ-ence and substitute players are freely usedUS, 1971

garbage upverb1to eatUS, 1955.2in bodybuilding, to eat food that

is not in your regular dietUS, 1984

garbage wagonnouna standard Harley-Davidson motorcyle The

term came from those who stripped the Harley of all the ‘garbage’

they didn’t want, keeping only the functional necessitiesUS, 1966

garbanzosnounthe female breastsUS, 1982

garbonoun1a rubbish collectorAUSTRALIA, 1953.2a rubbish bin

AUSTRALIA, 1987

garbologistnouna rubbish collectorAUSTRALIA, 1973

garburatornouna garbage disposal unit mounted in the sink

CANADA, 1998

gardennoun1a woman’s pubic hairUS, 1982.2a railway yardUS, 1946

Gardena miraclenounin a game of poker, a good hand drawn after

a poor dealt hand Gardena is a city near Los Angeles where poker

rooms are legalUS, 1982

gardenernoun1a bookmaker who extends his prices beyond his

competitorsAUSTRALIA, 1989.2in pool, a betting player who winsUS,

1990

garden gatenoun1eight pounds, £8UK, 1992.2a magistrate

Rhyming slangUK, 1859

garden gateverbto perform oral sex on a woman Rhyming slang

forPLATE(to engage oral sex)UK, 2002

garden gnomenouna comb Rhyming slangUK, 1992

garden plant; gardennounan aunt Rhyming slangUK, 1992

garden punknouna male homosexualBAHAMAS, 1982

garden toolnouna promiscuous girl or woman Alluding, of course,

to a ‘hoe’US, 1990

Gareth Gateverbto masturbate Rhyming slang, inspired by the

name of pop singer Gareth Gates (b.1984) who came to fame in

2002UK, 2003

Gareth Huntnounan unpleasant or despicable person Rhyming

slang, formed on the name of a well known London-born actor

(1943–2007)UK, 2003

garglenounalcoholic drinkAUSTRALIA, 1965

garknouna scratchNEW ZEALAND, 1998

garlo

garmnounclothing; an item of clothing An abbreviation of

‘garment’; current in the black communityUK, 1997

garmed upadjectivefashionably or smartly dressedUK, 1997

gar-mouthverbto issue threats which cannot and will not beimplemented In honour of the ‘gar’, a fish of the pike family withlong jaws – a big mouthUS, 1984

garmsnounclothes From conventional garmentsUK, 2006

garn!go on!AUSTRALIA, 1911

garnishnouncashUS, 2003

garnotnounheroinUK, 2002

Garrison finishnounin horse racing, a sprinting finish by a horsethat has lagged back until the final momentUS, 1890

garrityadjectivemadly over-excited Presumably after someone whoexhibited such characteristics; possibly Freddie Garrity (b.1940),prancing and dancing lead singer of Freddie & The Dreamers, a1960s pop group from ManchesterUK, 1999

Gary Ablettnouna tablet, especially of MDMA, the recreational drugbest known as ecstasy Rhyming slang, ironically based onAustralian Rules Football player Gary Ablett whose career wasmarred by a controversial involvement with drink and drugs Theetymology is confused by Liverpool FC player Gary AblettAUSTRALIA, 1992

Gary Coopernounin craps, a roll of 12 From Cooper’s starring role

in the western film High Noon US, 1983

Gary Glitternounthe anus; a lavatory Rhyming slang forSHITTER.The original 1980s use for entertainer Gary Glitter (Paul FrancisGadd b.1944), as inspiration for a rhyming slang term was as

‘bitter’ (beer), however in the mid-90s allegations of under-age sexchanged the public’s perception and Gary Glitter became an

ARSEHOLEor was associated with toilets In 2006 he was foundguilty in Vietnam of charges concerning under-age sex Unlikemuch rhyming slang this is generally used in full, if only to avoidconfusion withGARY LINEKER(vinegar)UK, 2001

Gary Linekernounvinegar Imprecise rhyming slang, based on thename of Gary Lineker (b.1960), a popular footballer and televisionpersonality Walkers Crisps, whose advertising he is closely associ-ated with, introduced a ‘Salt and Lineker’ flavour after this slangterm was in circulationUK, 1998

Gary Player; Garynoun an ‘all-dayer’ event Rhyming slang, based

on the name of South African golfer Gary Player (b.1936)UK, 2002

gasnoun1a pleasing and/or amusing experience or situation A jazzterm that slipped into mainstream youth slangUS, 1953.2anabolicsteroids The term drew national attention in the US on 14th July

1994, when Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) testified in criminalproceedings against wrestling promoter Vince McMahon inUniondale, New York Asked if he had heard any slang for steroids,Bollea/Hogan answered ‘Juice Gas’US, 1994.3batteries From theradio asCARmetaphorUS, 2002.4moneySOUTH AFRICA, 1977.5inpool, momentum or forceUS, 1993.< cut the gasto stop talking

US, 1951.< take gasto be knocked from a surfboard by a wave;

to fall from a skateboardUS, 1963.< take the gasto lose yourcomposureUS, 1961

gasverb1to talk idly; to chatter The ‘gas’ is hot airUS, 1847.2totease, to joke, to kidUS, 1847.3to please, to exciteUS, 1941.4toinhale glue or any volatile solvent for the intoxicating effectUS,

1970.5to straighten (hair) with chemicals and heatUS, 1953

gasbagnouna very talkative individual, a boaster, a person of toomany wordsUS, 1862

gas-cookerverbto catch out; to put in a difficult position; to trick

or delude Glasgow rhyming slang forSNOOKER UK: SCOTLAND , 1988

gaseechnouna faceUK, 1992

gas ’em stopnouna petrol stationUS, 1976

gas factornoun(among Canadian forces personnel) a measure of a

person’s commitment to a project The initials represent ‘give a shit’ CANADA, 1995

gas gunnouna large-bore shotgun loaded with tear-gas cannisters

gas-guzzlernouna motor vehicle that demands immoderate

quan-tities of fuel, either by design or in consequence of a driver’s

excessive demandsUS, 1973

gashnoun1the vagina; sex with a woman; a woman as a sex object

US, 1866.2a male homosexual who is sexually passiveUS, 1950.

3rubbish, refuse A British contribution to South Pole slang

ANTARCTICA, 1958.4a second helping of foodAUSTRALIA, 1943.

5marijuanaUS, 1986

gashverbto have sexUS, 1989

gashadjectiveuseless, of poor qualityUK, 1997

gas-headnoun1an abuser of industrial solvents for their

psychoactive effectsUK, 1996.2a person with chemically

straightened hairUS, 1968

gash houndnouna man who is obsessed with womenUS, 1955

gasketnoun1any improvised seal between the end of a dropper

and the hub of a needleUS, 1970.2a doughnutUS, 1942

gasket jint; gasketnouna pint, especially of beer Glasgow rhyming

slang, formed on the local pronunciation of ‘joint’UK: SCOTLAND,

1988

gasoline!in oil drilling, used as a shouted warning that a boss is

approachingUS, 1954

gasoline alleynounin motor racing, the area at the race track

where race teams repair and prepare cars for the raceUS, 1965

gasp and grunt; gruntnounthe vagina; a woman or women

sexually objectified Rhyming slang forCUNT UK , 1961

gas-passernounan anaesthetistUS, 1961

gaspernoun1a cigarette Descriptive of the respiratory effect of

tobacco-smoking Originally military slang for an inferior cigarette,

popularised in World War 1, in wider usage by 1930UK, 1914.2a

marijuana cigarette From the earlier sense (cigarette)US, 1984.

3something that is astonishingUS, 1970.4in typography, an

exclamation mark (!)UK, 2003

Gaspersnicknamethe Asper family of Winnipeg, Manitoba, socially,

culturally and politically prominentCANADA, 2002

gasper sticknouna marijuana cigaretteUK, 1998

Gaspe steaknounfried bolognaCANADA, 1998

gas pump jocknounin the days before self-service, a petrol station

attendantUS, 1986

gas queennouna male homosexual who patronizes young male

prostitutes working on the streetUS, 1997

gassedadjective1tipsy, drunk World War 1 military use from the

stupefying effects of gas; then, its origins soon forgotten, just

another synonym for ‘drunk’US, 1919.2describes a drug that is

considered to be terrific or very enjoyable, used especially of

marijuana,US, 1946

gassernoun1something wonderful, very exceptional; extraordinarily

successfulUS, 1944.2a cigarette Partidge suggests ‘perhaps a

slovening of the synonymGASPER’; a darker etymology reflecting

the cough-inducing and life-shortening properties of tobacco is

also possibleAUSTRALIA, 1984.3an anaesthetist Medical slang Often

teamed with surgeons as ‘gassers andSLASHERS’UK, 2002.4in drag

racing, a car that only uses petrol for fuelUS, 1965.5in oil drilling, a

well that produces no oilUS, 1954

gassyadjectiveexcellent, pleasant, humorousUS, 1962

Gastownnounnow a section of downtown Vancouver, named after

a Victorian-era saloonkeeperCANADA, 1952

gastronoungastroenteritisAUSTRALIA, 1975

gatnoun1a gun, especially a pistol; in the Royal Air Force, a rifleUS,

1897.2the anus From Afrikaans (a hole)SOUTH AFRICA, 1968

gatverbto shootUS, 1990

gat-creepernouna sycophant FromGAT(the anus), and kruiper

(creeper)SOUTH AFRICA, 1985

gatenoun1a jazz musician; hence a fashionable man A pun on

‘swinging’ (swing gate, abbreviated fromGATOR US , 1936.2used as a

.

3a young personUS, 1936.4release from prisonUS, 1966.5a veininto which a drug is injectedUS, 1986.6the mouthUS, 1936

gateverbin private dice games, to stop the dice while rolling, either

as a superstition or to check for cheatingUS, 1963

-gatesuffixused as an embellishment of a noun or name to suggest

a far-reaching political scandal From the Watergate scandal thatconsumed and ultimately destroyed the Nixon presidency between

1972 (the burglary) and 1974 (the resignation from office)US, 1973

gate-crashverbto achieve entrance to a place, or an event such as

a party, without proper credentials or an invitationUS, 1922

gate-crashernouna person who achieves entrance to a place, or anevent such as a party, without proper credentials or an invitation

gate jawnounin trucking, a driver who monopolises conversation

on the citizens’ band radioUS, 1976

gatekeepernouna person who introduces another to a first LSDexperienceUS, 1967

gate moneynounthe cash given to a prisoner upon release fromprisonUS, 1931

gatemouthnouna gossipUS, 1944

Gatemouthnicknamejazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong (1901–1971)

US, 1936

gatesnoun1used as a term of address, male-to-male, usuallycollegialUS, 1936.2marijuanaUS, 1966.3a houseBERMUDA, 1985

Gatesheadnoun< get out at Gatesheadduring sex, to withdraw

the penis from the vagina just before ejaculation, to practise coitus interruptus UK, 1970

gates of Romenounhome Rhyming slangUK, 1960

gate to heaven; jade gatenounthe vagina Notable for whatseems to be the first slang uses of ‘gate’ as ‘vagina’ – not for thesub-‘Perfumed Garden’-style of metaphorical imageryUS, 2001

Gateway to the SouthnounBalham, a district in South London

An ironic title, coined in the early 1960s for a satirical ‘travelogue’

‘Balham – Gateway to the South’ written by Frank Muir andperformed by Peter SellersUK, 1977

gateyadjectiveof prisoners, suffering anxiety as the date of releasefrom prison approaches UK, 1959

gathernouna police officerUK, 1999

gatherverbto arrest Usually as the passive ‘be gathered’AUSTRALIA, 1975

Gatnicknoun London Gatwick airport A pun onNICK(to steal),based on the reputation of the baggage handlersUK, 1999

gatonoun heroin Spanish gato (a cat) US, 1980

gatornoun1an alligatorUS, 1844.2an all-purpose male form ofaddress Originally a Negro abbreviation of ‘alligator’; in the 1930s

it was adopted intoJIVE(black/jazz slang) as an equivalent ofCAT(a

man); gato is a ‘male cat’ in Spanish Eventually rock ’n’ roll

spread the word and it died outUS, 1944.3a swing jazz enthusiast

An abbreviation ofALLIGATOR US , 1944

GatornicknameRon Guidry (b.1950), one of the best pitchers to everplay for the New York Yankees (1975–88) Guidry came fromLouisiana, a state with swamps that are home to alligatorsUS, 1978

gator boy; gator girlnouna member of the Seminole Indian tribe

US, 1963

gator gripnounin television and film-making, a clamp used toattach lights An abbreviation of ‘alligator grip’, from theresemblance to an alligator’s jawsUS, 1987

gatted

gatternouna drink; alcohol, especially beer English gypsy useUK,

1841

gatteredadjectivedrunk Possibly a variation ofGUTTERED UK , 2003

gauchingadjectiveused to describe the glazed-eyed, open-mouthed

state of an intoxicated drug takerUK, 1996

gaugenouna shotgunUS, 1993

gavel and wig; gavelverbto probe your eye or your anus in order

to relieve an irritation Rhyming slang forTWIG UK , 1992

gavversnounthe police English gypsy and underworld useUK, 2000

gawd; gaw; gornoungod Phonetic spelling of Cockney

pronunciation, subsequently treated as almost euphemisticUK, 1877

gawd love-a-duck!; cor love-a-duck!used as a mild expression of

shock or surprise A variation ofLORD LOVE-A-DUCK! UK , 1948

gawjonoun 8see:GORGER

gawknounin circus and carnival usage, a local who loiters as the

show is assembled or taken downUS, 1981

gaynouna homosexualUS, 1953

gayadjective1homosexualUS, 1933.2catering to or patronised by

homosexualsUS, 1954.3bad, stupid, out of style General pejorative

in juvenile use; a reversal of the politically correct norm much as

‘good’ isBADandWICKEDis ‘good’US, 1978

gay 90snounUS Treasury 3.5% bonds issued in 1958, due to return

in 1990US, 1960

gay and friskynounwhisky Rhyming slangUK, 1919

gay and heartynouna party Rhyming slangAUSTRALIA, 1969

gay as a French hornadjectiveundoubtedly homosexualUK, 2001

gay-assadjectiveextremely out of fashionCANADA, 2002

gay barnouna bar catering to a homosexual clienteleUS, 1953

gay bashingnounviolent beatings targeted on homosexualsUS, 1997

gay boynouna homosexual male, especially one who is flamboyant

and youngUS, 1945

gaycatverbto have a good, carefree timeUS, 1924

gay chickennouna young homosexual maleUS, 1959

gaydar; gadarnounthe perceived or real ability of one homosexual

to sense intuitively that another person is homosexualUS, 1982

gayernouna homosexual An elaboration ofGAY UK , 2003

gay for payadjectivesaid of a heterosexual man who portrays a

homosexual man in a film or other theatrical performanceUS, 1997

gay ghettonouna section of a city largely inhabited by openly

homosexual men Probably coined by Martin Levine, who wrote

‘Gay Ghetto’, published in Journal of Homosexuality, Volume 4

(1979) Examples include Greenwich Village and Chelsea in New

York, the North Side in Chicago and the Castro in San Francisco

Unlike all other ghettos, they are affluentUS, 1971

gay gordonnouna traffic warden Rhyming slang, probably formed

from the Gay Gordons, a traditional Scottish danceUK, 1992

gaylordnouna homosexual man An elaboration ofGAYvia a

somewhat obscure male forename; introduced to the UK, and

possibly coined by, comedian Sacha Baron-Cohen (b.1970)UK, 2001

gaylyadverbin a manner that is recognised as obviously homosexual

UK, 2002

gay-marryverbto commit to a lifelong relationship with someone

of the same sexUS, 1999

gaymonounused as an insult by very young childrenUK, 2004

gayola; gay-olanounextortion of homosexuals by the policeUS, 1960

gay plaguenounAIDS This term, with overtones of pious hate and

biblical retribution, spread the misconception that the AIDS

epidemic was exclusively reserved for ‘ungodly’ homosexualsUS,

1982

gay radarnounthe ability to recognise a homosexualAUSTRALIA, 1994

gay-tasticadjectiveespecially wonderful or fabulous in a way that

gazebbiesnounthe female breasts Vietnam war usageUS, 1965

gazellenoun< in a gazellefeeling good Obsolete teen slang

CANADA, 1946

gazillionnouna very large, if indefinite, numberUS, 1995

gazongasnounthe female breastsUS, 1978

gazooknoun1a loud loutUS, 1901.2a boyUS, 1949

gazookusnounin carnival usage, a genuine articleUS, 1924

gazoonynoun1a fellow, especially a low-lifeUS, 1914.2a manuallabourer in a carnivalUS, 1966.3the passive participant in anal sex

US, 1918

gazoozieverbto swindleUS, 1992

gazumpverb1to raise the selling-price of a property after agreeingthe terms of sale; hence to outbid an agreed sale A specialisation

of the sense ‘to swindle’UK, 1971.2to swindleUK, 1928

gazumpingnounthe act of raising the selling-price of a propertyafter agreeing the terms of sale; hence, outbidding an agreed sale.From the verbGAZUMP UK , 1971

gazundernouna chamberpotAUSTRALIA, 1981

gazunderverbof a house-owner or a swindler, to reduce the sellingprice of a property, especially shortly before exchange of contracts,with a threat that the sale must go through on the new terms Aplay onGAZUMP UK , 1988

GBnoun1sex between one person and multiple, sequentialpartners An abbreviation ofGANG BANG US , 1972.2any barbiturate

or central nervous system depressant An abbreviation ofGOOFBALL

US, 1966.3goodbyeUS, 1945

GBHnoun1the criminal charges of grievous bodily harm and

malicious wounding; the act of causing serious injury Initialism

UK, 1949.2the recreational drug GHB A jumbling of the letters inGHB gives an abbreviation forGRIEVOUS BODILY HARM UK , 1996

GBH of the brainnounthe activity of studying FromGBH(physicalassault and damage)UK, 1996

GBH of the eardrumsnounloud music FromGBH(physical assaultand damage)UK, 1996

GBH of the earhole; GBH of the earnouna verbal assault.Extended from the criminal offence ofGBH(grievous bodily harm).

Usually jocularUK, 1984

G bitnouna prison sentence to a federal penitentiaryUS, 1950

g’byegoodbyeUK, 1925

G-carnouna federal law enforcement agency carUS, 1981

GCM!used as an expression of frustration or wonder An initialism

of ‘God, Christ, Moses’SOUTH AFRICA, 1984

g’day; gooday; giddayhello! An extremely common, and nowiconic, Australian greetingAUSTRALIA, 1928

GDInouna college student who is not a fraternity or sorority

member, a god-damn independent US, 1966

G-dognouna good friendUS, 1998

GEnounthe electric chair Homage to General ElectricUS, 1990

gearnoun1marijuana; heroin; drugs in generalUS, 1954.2anything,especially anything illicit, intentionally undefinedAUSTRALIA, 1975.

3the equipment and paraphernalia associated with drug use,especially syringes, etcUK, 1996.4stolen goodsUK, 1956.5stuff,thingsUK, 1415.6clothesAUSTRALIA, 1970.7(of a woman) the obviousphysical attributes Extended from the purely genital senseUS, 1953.

8a homosexualUS, 1972.< get your arse into gear; get your

ass into gearto stop idling, to apply yourself to an activity, tostart doing something usefulUS, 1914

gearadjectivevery good, outstanding Brought to the world by theBeatles, dropped from fashionable use in the mid-1960s; revived inthe UK, later C20, and continues in ironic useUK, 1951.< gear for

something

gear bonger; gear bangernouna poor driver, especially one who

crashes the gearsUS, 1971

gear-boxnounthe vagina A survival and technological updating of

obsolete ‘gear ’(the vagina), used in East Anglia, notably SuffolkUK,

1972

gear downverbto dress upBARBADOS, 1965

gearedadjectiveavailable for homosexual relationsUS, 1935

geared upadjectivedressed up Also used of motorcyclists in full

protective wearUK, 1979

gear headnounin mountain biking, a bicycle mechanicUS, 1992

gear jammernouna truck driver who has a difficult time shifting

gears, especially one who is constantly clashing the gears as he

shiftsUS, 1929

gear-levernounthe penis Historically ‘gear’ has meant both male

and female genitals so the derivation here is ambiguous

Remembered by Beale as the term used by UK National

Servicemen (National Service ran from 1946–60)UK, 1973

gearsnounthe testiclesUS, 1952

gedankenadjectivein computing, impractical or poorly designed

From the German for ‘thought’US, 1983

gedunknoun1ice-cream, sweets, potato crisps and other junk food;

the ship store where junk food can be bought A US Navy termUS,

1927.2a place where sweets and snacks are soldUS, 1956

gedunk trucknouna catering truckUS, 1992

geenoun1a man, a fellowUS, 1907.2opium; heroin Possibly a

respelling of the initial letter of a number of synonyms, or from

Hindi ghee (butter), or playing on the sense asHORSE(heroin)US,

1938.3$1,000 From the first letter ofGRAND($1,000)US, 1936.4a

piece of praise Possibly from the verb sense ‘to encourage’UK, 1998.

5a market trader’s or circus entertainer’s assistant who is

discreetly positioned in the crowd to incite responsesUK, 1934.6a

strong, respected, manipulative prisonerUS, 1951.7any device used

to secure a needle to an eye dropper as part of an improvised

mechanism to inject drugsUS, 1960.8the vagina The term gives

rise to the ‘gee bag’ condom, ‘missed by a gee hair’ (a near miss

or accident) and the expression ‘do ya the gee’ said by a boy to a

girl and meaning ‘do you have sex’IRELAND, 1991.9a horseUK, 1879

geeverb1to encourage, to incite From the commands to a horse:

‘gee up!’UK, 1932.2to inform From the initial letter ofGRASS(to

inform)UK, 1996

gee!; jee!an exclamation used for expressing surprise,

astonishment or shock Probably a euphemism for ‘Jesus!’; later

use is often ironicUS, 1895

geechnounmoneyUS, 1968

geecheenounan uneducated, rural black person, especially one who

is not easily understoodUS, 1905

gee’d upadjective1drug-intoxicated Originally of opium (GEE),

gradually less discriminatingUS, 1936.2excited Influenced by the

meaning as ‘drug-intoxicated’ but actually fromGEE(to encourage)

UK, 1932.3dressed in clothing associated with youth gangsUS, 1995

geedusnounin circus and carnival usage, moneyUS, 1981

gee-eyedadjectivecompletely drunkIRELAND, 2001

gee-geesnoun1horse races Singular ‘gee gee’ is a ‘(race)horse’ and

‘the gee gees’ means ‘horse racing’UK, 1869.2veterinary drugs

IRELAND, 1996

gee headnouna frequent Paregoric userUS, 1970

geeknoun1a carnival freak, usually an alcoholic or drug addict, who

would sit and crawl in his own excrement and occasionally bite

the heads off snakes and chickens Perhaps from German gucken

(to peep, to look) or synonymous German slang or dialect kefken

US, 1928.2a student whose devotion to study excludes all other

interests or society; someone who is considered too studious;

someone obsessed with computers PejorativeUS, 1980.3an

offensive, despicable person; a clumsy person; a socially awkward

personUK, 1876.4a prostitute’s customer with fetishistic desiresUS,

1993.5an awkward skateboarder or a pedestrian who gets in the

wayUS, 1976.6crack cocaine mixed with marijuanaUK, 1998.7a

geekverb1to display severe anxiety when coming off cocaineintoxicationUS, 1993.2to act foolishlyUS, 1998.3to look, watch, peer

AUSTRALIA, 1966

geek-a-monouna geekUS, 1991

geekedadjective1in a psychotic state induced by continuous use ofamphetamine or methamphetamineUS, 1989.2sexually arousedwhile under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant

US, 1989.3marijuana-intoxicatedUS, 2002.4jittery, childishly excited

US, 1984

geeked outadjectiveunordinary; injuredUS, 2002

geekernoun1a user of crack cocaineUS, 1990.2a starerAUSTRALIA, 1979

geekeratinounan elite grouping of people involved in informationtechnologyUS, 2000

geeker rentalnouna car stolen by a crack cocaine addict who thentrades use of the car for drugsUS, 2002

geekingadjectiveinept; unfashionable; awkwardUS, 1987

geekishadjectiveobsessed with computers; socially ineptUS, 1986

geek outverbto enter a highly technical mode which is too difficult

to explainUS, 1991

geek-o-zoidnouna student whose devotion to study excludes allother interests or society, hence an unpopular student; someonewho is considered too studious; someone obsessed withcomputers An elaboration ofGEEK UK , 2002

geeksploitationnounan act, or general policy, of taking profitableadvantage of the enthusiasm and willingness to work of youngcomputer programmers; also used of entertainment designed toappeal to the technologically-obsessed A combination ofGEEK(astudious-type or IT obsessive) and ‘exploitation’US, 1996

geeksternouna geekUS, 1991

geekyadjectivesocially inept; overly involved with computersUS, 1981

geesnounhorse racingUK, 1959

geesernouna small amount of an illegal drugUS, 1952

geetnouna dollarUS, 1947

geetsnounmoneyUS, 1949

geetusnounmoneyUS, 1926

gee-upnoun1an act or instance of stirringAUSTRALIA, 1995.2aswindler’s confederate who leads others to spend their money

geeznoun1a friendUK, 2003.2a look A variant ofGEEK AUSTRALIA , 1981

geeze; geazeverbto inject by hypodermic needleUS, 1966

geeze; geaze; greazenounheroin; an injection of heroin; narcotics

US, 1967

geezernoun1a man Possibly from Basque giza (a man), picked up

by Wellington’s soldiers during the Peninsular War (1808–14);

alternatively it may derive from C15 English dialect guiser (a

mummer) Variant spellings include ‘geyser’ and the abbreviated

‘geez’UK, 1885.2an old person, somewhat infirm An objectionablereference to a senior citizenUK, 1885.3a fellow-prisonerUK, 1958.4aman who is easily dupedUK, 1959.5a young manual worker wholives with his parents and spends his disposable income on leisureand pleasure Created by a research company as a sociologicallabel for commercial and marketing purposes; a specialised vari-ationUK, 2003.6an intravenous drug user Sometimes spelled

‘geazer’ from the variant verb spelling geeze; geazeUS, 1967.7asmall amount of a drugUS, 1971

geezerbird; geezerchicknouna young woman characterised byher behaviour and positive involvement in activites (drinking,swearing, sport, etc) stereotypically enjoyed by males Combines

GEEZER(a man) with a less-than-politically correct term for a ‘youngwoman’

geezonoun1a hardened prison inmateUS, 1951.2an armed robbery

US, 2001

geggie; geggnounthe mouth Glaswegian useUK: SCOTLAND, 1985

gehunclenouna crippleUS, 1954

gelnoun1a girl With a hard ‘g’UK, 1969.2dynamite used for

opening a safeUS, 1972.3a socially inept personUS, 1991

gelly; jellynoungeligniteAUSTRALIA, 1941

gelt; geldnounmoney Originally conventional English, then out of

favour, then back as slang German, Dutch and Yiddish claims on

its originUK, 1529

gennouninformation Originally military, possibly deriving from the

phrase ‘for the general information of all ranks’ UK, 1940

gen; gen upverbto learn; to inform, to brief After the nounUK, 1943

gendarmenouna police officer Adopted directly from the French

gendarme UK, 1906

gender bendernouna person with an ambiguous or androgynous

sexual identity, or with asexual identity divergent from their

bio-logical sexUK, 1980

gender mendernouna computer cable with either two male or two

female connectorsUS, 1991

generalnouna railway yardmasterUS, 1946

Generalnickname< The General1Frank Sinatra, American singer

(1915–1998)US, 1963.2Ireland’s most famous criminal, Martin

CahillIRELAND, 1995

General Boothnouna tooth Rhyming slang, formed from the

name of William Booth, 1829–1912, the founder of the Salvation

ArmyUK, 1992

general electionnounan erection Rhyming slang, the source of

many jokes about standing members, even if we only get one

every four or five yearsUK, 1992

general mess of crapnouna truck manufactured by General

Motors Corporation A humorous back-formation from the initials

GMCUS, 1971

General Smuts; generalsnounthe testicles Rhyming slang for

NUTS, formed from the name of a South African statesman,

1870–1950UK, 1992

General WesthisfacenicknameUS Army General William

Westmoreland Not particularly kindUS, 1977

Generation X; Gen Xnounthe marketing category that defines

people born between the late 1950s and mid-70s Originally the

title of a sociological book by Charles Hamblett and Jane

Deverson, 1965; moved beyond jargon when adopted as the name

of a UK punk band in the mid-1970s; in 1991 Douglas Coupland

employed it to describe a new generation; usage is now almost

conventional Generation Y does not appear to have caught onUS,

1965

Generation Xer; Gen-Xer; Xer; Xnounin marketing terms,

someone born between the late 1950s and mid-70s, seen as well

educated but without directionUS, late 1970s

Generation XLnouna (notional) sociological group of children,

teenagers or young adults who are clinically obese A play on

GENERATION Xand XL, the retail abbreviation for ‘extra large’UK, 2003

genericadjectivestupid, dull, boringUS, 1988

geni-assnouna smart and diligent student A play on ‘genius’US, 1968

geniusnoun1a person skilled at performing oral sex A pun based

onHEAD(oral sex)US, 2002.2in computing, an obvious or easily

guessed passwordUS, 1990

genny; jennynoun a generator UK, 1956

gentnoun1a good man, an honourable man, a man who is

admired From ‘gentleman’ and charactertistics generously

ascribed to the stereotypeUK, 1987.2a man with pretentions to

class or status Used in a derisory contextUK, 1605.3money

Survives as a variant ofGELT(money) but, in fact, derives not from

German gelt but French argent (silver; money); original use was

especially of silver coinsUK, 1859.4a maggot used as fishing bait

gentleman jockeynounin horse racing, an amateur jockey,especially in a steeplechase eventUS, 1947

gentleman of leisurenouna pimpUS, 1973

gentleman’s callnounin pool, an understanding that a shot neednot be called if it is obviousUS, 1992

gentleman’s fevernouna sexually transmitted infectionBAHAMAS, 1982

gentlemen’s relishnounspermUK, 2002

gentsnouna gentlemen’s public convenienceUS, 1960

Geoff Hurst; geoffnoun1a first class honours degree Rhyming

slang, based on the name of Geoff Hurst (b.1941), the onlyfootballer to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup finalUK, 1998.

2a thirstUK, 1994.3urination Rhyming slang for ‘burst’UK, 2002

Geoffrey Chaucernouna saucer Rhyming slang formed on thename of the great English poet, who lived from about 1343 to

1400, and who, fittingly, used slang in his rhymeUK, 1992

geog; geoggersnoungeography, especially as a subject of studyUK, 1940

geologistnouna physician who considers his patients to be asintelligent as a rockUS, 1978

Georgenoun1a gambler who tips the dealer or places bets in thedealer’s nameUS, 1974.2in American casinos, a skilled and luckygamblerUS, 1985.3used as a term of address for any PullmanporterUS, 1939.4an act of defecation A euphemism bypersonification, but why a George should be so honoured is notrecordedUK, 1959.< call it Georgeto agree that a matter issettledGUYANA, 1962

GeorgeadjectiveexcellentUS, 1930

George and Ringonounbingo Rhyming slang, formed from thenames of two of the Beatles, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, andprobably not heard since the Beatles broke upUK, 1992

George and Zippyadjective(of weather) cold, chilly Rhyming slangforNIPPY, based on two of the puppet characters in long-running

Thames television children’s programme Rainbow (from 1972) UK, 2002

George Bernard Shaw; George Bernardnouna door Rhymingslang, formed from the name of the Irish playwright, 1856–1950

UK, 1992

George Blakenouna snake Rhyming slang, formed from the name

of a notorious British security and intelligence operative who spiedfor the KGB from 1944–61UK, 1992

George Martinnounfarting Rhyming slang, formed from the name

of orchestral arranger and producer Sir George Martin (b.1926)UK, 2003

George Mellynounthe belly, a paunch Rhyming slang, formedfrom the name of the jazz singer and surrealist (1937–2007)whose shape echoes the senseUK, 1992

George Michael; Georgeverbto cycle Popney rhyming slang,based on popular singer George Michael (b.1963) Popney was orig-

inally contrived for www.music365.co.uk, an Internet music site;

this is one of several terms that caught onUK, 2001

George Raftnoun1a draught Rhyming slang, formed on the name

of US film actor George Raft (1895–1980)UK, 1979.2hard work.Rhyming slang forGRAFT UK , 1992

George Smack; GeorgenounheroinUS, 1967

George Spelvinnounused in a theatre programme as a fictitiousname for an actorUS, 1908

George the Thirdnoun1a bird Rhyming slang, recorded as analternative toRICHARD THE THIRD UK , 1961.2a lump of excrement.Rhyming slang forTURD UK , 1992

George W.nouna person with an inflated sense of self-worth Anunkind allusion to US President George W BushUS, 2001

Georgia; Georgieverbto cheat, to swindle; (of a prostitute) to havesex with a customer without collecting the fee Especially used inthe context of prostitutionUS, 1960

Georgia buggy

Georgia hamnouna watermelonUS, 1971

Georgia homeboynounthe recreational drug GHB A disguise for

the initialsGHB US , 1993

Georgia night ridernouna trucker who drives at night in the hope

of avoiding policeUS, 1976

Georgia overdrivenouncoasting down a hill with the car or truck

in neutralUS, 1963

Georgia scufflenoun1a swindle which fails because the intended

victim is not smart enough to be swindledUS, 1992.2in carnival

usage, rough handling of an extremely naive customer in a

swindleUS, 1950

Georgie Bestnoun1a pest, especially a drunken pest Rhyming

slang, reflecting footballer George Best’s fall from grace to

alcoholismUK, 1992.2the female breast Rhyming slangUK, 2003.

< be my Georgie Best!do as you wish; you are welcome to

have whatever has been asked for Rhyming slang for ‘be my

guest’, formed on the name of Irish footballer George Best

(1946–2005)UK, 1977

gerverbget A slovenly pronunciation that occurs when the following

word commences with a vowel, in uses such as ‘ger along’UK, 1895

gerbil aroundverbin car repair, to work at a somewhat frantic pace

in an effort to hide the fact that the problem at hand, or car

repair in general, is too difficultUS, 1992

geriatricknounan older homosexual man as a one-time sex-partner

UK, 1979

germnoun1a GermanUK, 1915.2a despised personUS, 1942

Germaine Greernouna glass of beer Rhyming slang, formed from

the name of an Australian feminist and academic who has

become a media personality (b.1939)AUSTRALIA, 1987

Germannoun(used by prisoners) a prison officer A hangover from

World War 2 when the Germans were the enemyUK, 1996

German bandnounthe hand Rhyming slangUK, 1979

Germansnoundrug dealers from the Dominican Republic as

perceived by African-American drug dealers competing for the

same market – the enemyUS, 1992

germsnoungentlemen, as a form of address A jocular slurring,

especially in the pairing ‘Ladeez and Germs’UK, 2001

Geronimonoun1an alcoholic drink mixed with a barbiturate A

dangerous cross reactionUS, 1970.2a barbiturateUS, 1990

gerook; gerookedadjectivedrug or alcohol-intoxicated From

Afrikaans for ‘cured/smoked’SOUTH AFRICA, 1970

gerricknounpiece of rolled up silver foil used as a filter in

marijuana pipes The ‘gerrick’ is made by laying out a piece of foil

(usually from a cigarette box), or thin cardboard (usually from the

same box) into a square, rolling it up, bending it into a circle and

wedging it into the bottom of a bottleneck pipe to keep the

marijuana from falling out when the smoke is sucked inSOUTH

AFRICA, 2003

gerrynicknamean old person An abbreviation of ‘geriatric’NEW

ZEALAND, 1998

gertadjectivegreat A C14 dialect word that is now widely familiar

beyond its regional use as a result of media exposureUK, 1997

gertcha!; gercha!; gertcher!I don’t believe you!; used for

registering disbelief An alteration of ‘get away!’; immortalised in

song by Chas and Dave, 1979UK, 1937

Gertie Gitana; Gertienouna banana Rhyming slang, based on

the name of music hall entertainer Gertie Gitana, 1888–1957;

originating in the first decade of C20 with her name replacing the

refrain ‘Have a banana’ in the song ‘Let’s All Go Down the Strand’

Still in useUK, 1961

gert stonkersnounlarge female breastsAUSTRALIA, 1988

Gestaponoun1the police Originally used of the military police

during World War 2 in a (presumably) jocular allusion to the

German Secret Police of the Third Reich Often used with ‘the’UK,

1941.2uniformed personnel (such as bus inspectors) or others

(such as teachers) who enjoy the little power of their authorityUK,

.

ision Police use (especially the Metropolitan Police Drugs Squad);probably inspired by the jackboots and black breeches uniformUK, 1999

getverb1to understand, to appreciateUS, 1892.2to worry, to vex, toannoyUS, 1867.3to enthral, to appeal to, to affect emotionally, toobsessUK, 1913.4to obtain sexual intercourseAUSTRALIA, 1970.< get

above yourselfto become conceited, arrogantUK, 1923.< get

amongstto perform some task or take part enthusiastically

AUSTRALIA, 1970.< get any; get anything; get enough; get a

little bitto have sexUS, 1947.< get it1to be punished,especially physicallyUK, 1851.2to be killedUS, 1964.3to becomeinfected with a sexually transmitted infectionUK, 1937.< get it in

oneto understand immediatelyUK, 1942.< get it on1to havesexUS, 1970.2to fightUS, 1959.3to join battle US Marines usage inVietnamUS, 1991.< get it upto achieve an erectionUS, 1943.

< get some1to have sexUS, 1970.2to kill enemy soldiersUS, 1976.

< get well2to make moneyUS, 1995.< get wetto kill someoneusing a knife or bayonetUS, 1991.< get withto have sex withUK,

1987.< get with the programto start to behave in a responsiblemanner A generally figurative application of the recoveryprogrammes promoted by Alcoholics Anonymous, GamblersAnonymous, etc; usually as an injunctionUS, 1983.< get your

end awayto have sexUK, 1975.< get your leatherto have sex

CANADA, 1985.< get your own backto get revengeUK, 1910.< get

your skates onto hurry up Often as an imperative OriginallymilitaryUK, 1895.< get your skinto have sexCANADA, 1999.< get

yoursto get the punishment you deserveUS, 1905.< have got

something on someoneto possess evidence against someone

UK, 1928

get!; git!go!; go away!US, 1884

get a black dog up you!go to hell!AUSTRALIA, 1992

get acrossverbto make yourself (or your subject) understoodUS, 1913

get a dog up you!go to hell!AUSTRALIA, 1996

get a grip!control yourself!US, 1982

get a life!used to tease someone who is revealing a lack ofgrounding in reality or who is too obsessed with somethingUS, 1989

get along!used for registering incredulity Similar to the later ‘getaway!’UK, 1984

get along with you!go away! be quiet!UK, 1837

get a roll of stamps and mail it inused as a humorouscomment on a lack of effort Coined by ESPN’s Keith Olberman todescribe ‘a lackluster effort on the part of a player or team’US, 1997

get a room!used for discouraging public displays of affectionUS, 1999

get atverb1to attack verbally, to teaseUK, 1891.2to mean, to imply

a meaningUS, 1899.< get at itto tease someone, to make a fool

of someoneUK, 1958

getawaynounthe last morning of a military tour of dutyUS, 1968

get away!; gerraway!don’t talk nonsense!; don’t flatter! In 2002 atravel company used the slogan ‘Get away’ in a televisionadvertising campaign, punning on the conventional sense (toescape, to go on holiday) with an exclamation of disbelief thatsuch holidays could be so cheapUK, 1848

getaway daynounin horse racing, the last day of a racing meetUS, 1962

get-backnounan act of revengeUS, 1984

get bent!used as an exclamation of defiance, roughly along thelines of ‘go to hell!’US, 1970

getcha vinenouna thorny vine found in the jungles of VietnamUS, 1990

get downverb1to depressUK, 1930.2in sports betting, to place a bet

US, 1974.3to be a part of, or to relate to, as in ’get down with thekids’UK, 1999.< get down to itto begin to work with seriousapplication, sometimes used of sexual activityUS, 1937

get-down time; git-down timenounthe time of day or nightwhen a prostitute starts workingUS, 1972

get-’em-off an exit ramp; a motorway exit

get ’em off!; geremoff!used as a jocular imperative to stripUS,

1995

getersnounmoneyUS, 1975

get-go; git-go; gitty upnounthe very startUS, 1966

get-hardadjectivesexually arousing to menUK, 2000

get her! 8see:GET YOU!

get-highnouncrack cocaineUS, 1990

get in; get-inverbof a staged entertainment, to bring in and set up

staging and technical equipment The reverse (to deconstruct and

entirely remove staging equipment) is ‘get out’ Also used as

nouns.UK, 1996

get-in Bettynouna crowbar used by burglarsUS, 1950

get intoverbto come to know and likeUK, 1968

get-it-onadjectivevigorous, energetic in approachUS, 1970

get knotted!used for expressing contempt Usage was frozen in

time and soon considered archaic Later use is marked with irony

UK, 1958

get lost!used as a contemptuous imperative of dismissalUS, 1902

get offverb1to form an initial liaison with someone sexually

attractive, especially with a view to greater intimacyUK, 1925.2to

achieve sexual climaxUS, 1867.3to use a drug; to feel the effects of

a drugUS, 1952.4by extension, to take pleasure from somethingUS,

1952.5to crash while riding a motorcyle Sarcastic and euphemistic

biker (motorcyle) usageUS, 2003

get off!; get off it!used as a register of impatience or incredulity

UK, 1969

get-off housenouna place where you can both purchase and inject

heroinUS, 1990

get off onverbto greatly enjoy something AfterGET OFF(to achieve

sexual climax)UK, 1973

get off the stove, I’m ridin’ the range tonight!used for

expressing enthusiasm about an upcoming dateUS, 1951

get onverb1of people, to agree, to co-exist Often with a modifying

adverbUK, 1816.2to become elderlyUK, 1885.3to use drugsUS, 1952.

4to haveUS, 1990

get-outnoun1an escape, an excuse, an evasionUK, 1899.2an

extreme degree of somethingUS, 1838

get outverb(used of a bettor) to recoup earlier lossesUS, 1951

get out of here!used for expressing disbelief at what has just been

saidUS, 1994

get out of here, Mary!used for expressing doubtUS, 1987

get out of it!used for expressing a lack of belief in what has just

been saidUK, 1984

get-overnounsuccess through fraudUS, 1997

get oververbto take advantage of someone, making yourself look

good at their expenseUS, 1981.< cannot get overto be

astoundedUK, 1899.< get over onto seduceUS, 1987

get over it!used as a suggestion that the hearer move on from the

issue that is dominating the momentUS, 1994

get over you!used in order to deflate a person’s excessive sense of

importanceUS, 1997

get realverbto face the facts Often as an imperativeUS, 1998

get real!used for expressing scorn at that which has just been said

US, 1982

get roundverbto circumventUS, 1849

get shagged!used as a general expression of disbelief or contempt

UK, 1997

get stuffed!used as a general expression of disbelief or contempt

UK, 1952

getting any?used as a male-to-male greeting Instantly jocular due

to the inquiry as to the other’s sex lifeUS, 1958

getting onadjective(of time) late; growing lateUK, 1882

get to

get-upnoun1an outfit or costumeUK, 1847.2manufactured evidencethat is intended to incriminateUK, 1967.3a piece of criminaltrickery, an elaborate deceitUK, 1970.4the last morning of a jailsentence or term of military serviceUS, 1967

get upverb1to be released from prisonUS, 1967.2to succeed inpainting your graffiti tag in a public placeUS, 1994.3to win; tosucceedAUSTRALIA, 1904.4to cause a racehorse to winAUSTRALIA, 1969

get-up-and-gonounvigour, energy, drive Earlier variations fromwhich this derives are ‘get-up’ and ‘get-up-and-get’US, 1907

get up off ofverbto concede something of importance or valueUS, 1985

get with the words!verbexplain yourself!US, 1965

get you!; get him!; get her!verb1(with an emphatic stress on thepronoun) used to deflate a conceited male ego or to imply anunmasculine oversensitivity or homosexualityUK, 1958.2used forexpressing disbelief at what has just been said Homosexual use

US, 1949

get your arse to an anchor!verbsit down! Adapted from nautical(likely fisherman) usage, this phrase came ashore for generalpurposesCANADA, 1978

get your kit off!verbused as ribald encouragement to undressUK, 1985

GFE; girl friend experiencenouna dinner date followed by sex as

a service offered by a prostituteUK, 2005

G force!used as an expression of enthusiastic assent From aJapanese comic stripUS, 1987

GFYgo fuck yourself Used when discretion suggests avoiding the

word ‘fuck’US, 1987

GGnoun in transsexual usage, a genuine or genetic girl US, 1987

GHnoun General Hospital, a popular television daytime drama US, 1981

Ghannounan Afghan In outback Australia this referred to thenumerous immigrants from Afghanistan and nearby regions whocame to work in the desert regions as camel-drivers Not used torefer to recent migrants from AfghanistanAUSTRALIA, 1911

ghananounmarijuana Possibly a variant spelling ofGANJA(Jamaicanmarijuana) although current usage doesn’t acknowledge thisetymology nor specify an alternative, such as marijuana fromGhanaUK, 1989

gharnounthe buttocks From the Hindi for ‘donkey’TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1976

GHBnouna pharmaceutical anaesthetic used as a recreational drug.Gamma hydroxybutyrate is a foul-tasting liquid, invented in the1960s by Dr Henri Laborit, who swore by its powers as anaphrodisiac The drug has been marketed as an anaesthetic and ahealth supplement, but it is a heightened sense of touch,sustained erections and longer orgasms that make it popular with

‘up-for-it clubbers’US, 1990

gheidnouna Paregoric userUS, 1971

gheraoverbin India and Pakistan, to surround someone and notallow him or her to go from an office, desk, etc, as a demon-

stration against that person From Hindi gherna (to surround, to

beseige)INDIA, 1967

gherkinnounthe penis, especially a small penis A variation of

‘pickle’ (the penis), especially in the phraseJERK THE GHERKIN(tomasturbate)US, 2002

ghettonounthe anusUS, 1973

ghettoadjectiveinferior, shoddy, badUS, 1995

ghetto-prefixused to qualify an adjective as being in the style ofblack culture Has positive connotations when used by the blackcommunity but can be patronising and derogatoryUS, 2001

ghetto birdnouna police helicopter, especially one flying at nightwith a bright spotlightUS, 1993

ghetto blaster; ghetto boxnouna large, portable radio and tapeplayer; a portable music system Can be considered offensivebecause it is culture-specific and stereotypicalUS, 1981

ghetto bootie

ghetto fabulousadjectiveostentatious, exemplifying the style of the

black hip-hop communityUS, 1996

ghetto lullabynouninner-city nightime noises – sirens, gunfire,

helicopters, etcUS, 1993

ghetto ragsnounclothing typical of the inner-city ghettoUS, 1970

ghetto slednouna large, luxury carUS, 1997

ghetto starnouna youth gang leaderUS, 1993

’Ghininouna Lamborghini car A hip-hop abbreviation and

aspirationUS, 1999

ghostnoun1a faint, secondary duplicate video image in a television

signal, caused by the mixing of the primary signal and a delayed

version of the same signalUS, 1942.2a blank stop on a casino slot

machineUS, 1993.3in poker, a player who frequently absents

himself from the tableUS, 1996.4LSD Usually used with ‘the’US,

1967.< do a ghostto leave quicklyUS, 1995.< when the ghost

walksin oil drilling, pay dayUS, 1954

ghostverb1to transfer a prisoner from one prison to another at

night after the prison has been securedUS, 1982.2to vanishUS, 1969.

3to relax, especially while evading duty Military useUS, 1982

ghost battalionnounduring the Vietnam war, the First Battalion,

Ninth Marines So named because of the large number of

casualties suffered at Con Thien and Khe SanhUS, 1991

ghostbustnounto search in an obsessive and compulsive way for

small particles of crack cocaineUS, 1992

ghostedadjectiveout of sightUK, 1994

ghost handnounin poker, a hand or part of a hand that is dealt to

the same player twice in a rowUS, 1988

ghost townnoun< send to ghost townto transfer a prisoner

without warningUK, 1996

ghost trainnoun< on the ghost trainused of a prisoner who is

being moved without warning from one prison to another

overnight FromGHOST(to transfer overnight)UK, 1996

ghost-walking daynounin circus and carnival usage, paydayUS, 1981

ghoulienounthe vagina Something frightening that lurks in the

darkUS, 1998

ghoulieadjectiveghoulishUS, 1993

GInoun1an enlisted soldier in the US ArmyUS, 1939.2an American

Indian who has abandoned his indigenous culture and language in

favour of mainstream American culture; a government Indian US,

1963

GIverb1to clean thoroughlyUS, 1944.2to stripUS, 1968

Gianluca Vialli; gianlucanouncocaine Rhyming slang forCHARLIE

(cocaine); based on the name of Gianluca Vialli (b.1964), a famous

Italian football player and managerUK, 1998

gibnouna man’s buttocksUS, 1986

GIBnounthe back seat member of the crew on a fighter aircraft An

initialism for ‘guy in back’ US, 1967

Gibnickname Gibraltar UK, 1822

GIBadjective skilled in sex An initialism for ‘good in bed’ US, 1977

gibbernouna small stone used for throwing From the extinct

Australian Aboriginal language Dharug (Sydney region) Originally,

since 1833, referring to ‘large boulders’, it has undergone a

reduction in size over the decades As a technical term of

geol-ogists it refers to smallish stones of dark reddish chaceldony that

litter the surface of large areas of the arid inland Colloquially it is

used of any rock, stone or pebble suitable for throwingAUSTRALIA,

1902

gibbledadjective(of a machine) broken downCANADA, 1989

gibbsnounthe lipsUS, 1990

gib-gibnounused for mocking another’s laughter From an

advertisement for Gibbons Chicken RationTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1994

gibletnouna stupid, foolish or inept person Playing on a turkey

imageUS, 1984

gibletsnoun1the female gentaliaUK, 2003.2showy chrome

Gibson girlnounan emergency radio used when a military aircraft

is shot down over a body of waterUS, 1943

gicknounexcrementIRELAND, 1993

gickverbto defecateIRELAND, 1996

giddynouna tourist, especially on a package holiday Used byholiday repsUK, 1997

giddyap; giddyupnounthe beginning; the inceptionUS, 1974

giddy as a kipperadjectivedizzy A ‘giddy kipper’, although not inthis sense, has been a feature of English slang since the late C19

giffedadjectivedrunkUK, 2003

giffernouna pickpocketUS, 1949

giftnounin a sex club, used as a coded euphemism for payment forspecial servicesUS, 1997.< the giftthe bleed period of themenstrual cycleUS, 2001.< the gift that keeps givinga sexuallytransmitted diseaseUS, 1986

giftedadjectiveexperiencing the bleed period of the menstrual cycle

US, 2001

gift of the sun; gift of the sun godnouncocaineUK, 1998

gignoun1a musical performance or concert Originally musicians’slang for an engagement at a single venueUS, 1926.2a jobUS, 1908.

3a partyUS, 1954.4a prison or jail sentenceUS, 1977.5a policeinformer A clipping ofFIZGIG AUSTRALIA , 1953.6a busybodyAUSTRALIA,

1944.7a person who stands out because they look foolish; a fool

AUSTRALIA, 1943.8the vaginaUS, 1967.9a look; a peekAUSTRALIA, 1924.

10a demerit or other indication of failureUS, 1968.11in an illegalnumber gambling lottery, a bet that a specific three-digit numberwill be drawnUS, 1846.12in harness racing, a sulkyUS, 1997

gigverb1to work; to have a jobUS, 1939.2of a musician or group ofmusicians, to play an engagement or a series of engagementsUK,

1939.3to go out to bars, clubs and/or partiesUS, 2000.4to look orstare; to take a peekAUSTRALIA, 1959.5to teaseAUSTRALIA, 1969.6incarnival usage, to win all of a player’s money in a single trans-actionUS, 1985

giggingnounteasingAUSTRALIA, 1966

giggle and titter; gigglenounbitter (beer)UK, 1992

giggle bandnounthe decorative hemmed edge at the top of astocking Get beyond that and you’re laughingUK, 2001

giggle binnounan institution for containment and care of thementally disturbedUK, 1964

giggle factorynounan insane asylumAUSTRALIA, 1968

giggle housenounan insane asylumAUSTRALIA, 1919

giggle juicenounalcoholUS, 1939

gigglernouna scene in a pornographic film involving sex with twowomen From theGIRL-GIRLdesignationUS, 1987

giggles; good gigglesnounmarijuanaUS, 1986

giggle smokenounmarijuana; a marijuana cigaretteUS, 1952

gigglesoupnounany alcoholic beverageUS, 1972

giggle waternounalcohol, especially champagneUS, 1926

giggle weednounmarijuana From the definite effectWEEDhas onyour sense of humourUS, 1937

giggling academynouna mental hospitalUS, 1949

gigglyadjectivevery good Probably from the euphoric reaction tomarijuana West Indian and UK black useUK, 2002

giggy; giginounthe anus and rectumUS, 1953

GI ginnouncough syrupUS, 1964

gig-lamps; gigsnounspectacles, eye-glasses From the lights placed

to each side of a ‘gig’ (a light carriage); ‘headlights’ (glasses), a latercoinage, reflects similar inspiration

GIGOin computing, used as a reminder that output is only as good

as input – (garbage in, garbage out) US, 1964

gig shotnounin carnival usage, the method used by an operator to

win all of a player’s money in a single transactionUS, 1985

gig wagonnountransportation used by a rock band during a

concert tourUK, 1985

GI Joenouna quintessential American soldier A term fuelled by a

cartoon in the 1940s, a Robert Mitchum movie in 1945 and a line

of toys starting in 1964US, 1935

gildyadjectivefancy, ornateUK, 2002

gilfnouna sexually appealing mature woman A variation ofMILF(a

sexually appealing mother) andDILF(a sexually appealing father);

an acronym of ‘grandma I’d like to fuck’ US, 2003

gil-gilnounused for mocking another’s laughterTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO,

1993

gilhooleynounin motor racing on an oval track, a spinUS, 1965

gill; gillsnounin circus and carnival usage, a customer, especially a

gullible oneUS, 1981

Gillie Pottersnoun1pig’s trotters Rhyming slang; formed from the

name of British comedian, an early star of BBC radio, Gillie Potter,

1887–1975UK, 1980.2the feet Rhyming slang forTROTTERS UK , 1980

gillie suitnouncamouflaged uniforms used by the US Army Special

Forces Gulf war usageUS, 1992

Gilligannoun a hapless, socially inept person From the Gilligan’s

Island television programme, in which Gilligan was a hapless,

socially inept personUS, 1991

Gilligan hitchnounany and every method to bind with a chain or

tie with a ropeUS, 1919

gillionnounten to the ninth power; untold millionsUS, 1991

gillynoun1a member of an audience, especially a woman

Theatrical and circus usageUK, 1933.2a man, especially a gullible

rustic Market traders and English gypsy use, from the previous

sense as ‘a member of a circus audience’US, 1882

gilly-galloonounin circus and carnival usage, an outsiderUS, 1981

gils!used for expressing pleasant surpriseUS, 2002

giltnoun money Derives from German gelt (gold) and conventional

‘gilt’ (silverplate)UK, 1708

GI marblesnoundice Because of the love for dice games displayed

by American soldiers, especially during World War 2US, 1950

Gimli glidernouna Boeing 737 which ran out of petrol and glided

to a safe landing in Gimli, Manitoba; later, any car that has run out

of petrol The incident happened because of a confusion between

metric and English ways of measuring petrol during the fill-up

One of the pilots had been a glider pilotCANADA, 2000

gimmenoun1a request or demand for money From ‘give me’UK,

2001.2an easy victory or accomplishmentUS, 1986.3a pistolUS, 1994.

4in pool, a shot that cannot be missed or a game that cannot be

lostUS, 1990

gimmeverbused for ‘give me’ A lazy phonetic abbreviationUS, 1883

gimme fivenouna mutual hand-slapping used as greeting or to

sig-nify mutual respect From the phrase ‘give me your hand’;

‘gimme’ (give me) ‘five’ (fingers, hence hand)UK, 1999

gimmelnounin betting, odds of 3–1 Probably coined by a Jewish

bookmaker with a sense of humour, from gimel (the Hebrew letter

which, in Judaic teaching, symbolises a rich man running after a

poor man) which, in turn, derives from Hebrew gemul (the giving

of reward and punishment)UK, 1991

gimmesnouna selfishly acquisitive characteristicUS, 1918

gimmicknoun1a gadget, an ingenious device or contrivance such

as may be used in crime and magic to deceive or distract, or

commercially, especially in the entertainment industry, to attract

publicity and attention ‘You Gotta Get a Gimmick’, Stephen

Sondheim, 1959, is a song performed by striptease artistes

demonstrating their ingenious methods of standing out from the

crowdUS, 1926.2characteristics such as costume, haircut or

out as a unique marketable commodityUS, 1993.3the actual deviceused to rig a carnival gameUS, 1968.4in poker, a special set of rulesfor a gameUS, 1988

gimmickverbto rig for a resultUS, 1922

gimmicksnounthe equipment needed to inject drugsUS, 1967

gimmienounmarijuana and crack cocaine mixed together forsmoking in a cigaretteUS, 1994

gimpnoun1a limp; a crippleUS, 1925.2an incompetent or weakpersonUS, 1924.3a sexual submissive who seeks satisfaction indehumanising, full fetish clothing and crippling bondage Aspecialisation of the previous senses made very familiar by

Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction, 1993 – the film featured a

masked-creature (taking his pleasure at the hands of a dominatrix)known only as ‘the gimp’US, 1993

gimper; gimpsternouna crippleUS, 1974

gimp outverbto panic in the face of great challengeUS, 1988

gimpynouna (long-haired) member of the counterculture, a hippy

UK, 1998

gimpyadjective1crippled; handicappedUS, 1929.2inferiorUS, 1970

gimsnounthe eyesUS, 1945

ginnoun1a black prostituteUS, 1962.2an Aboriginal femaleAUSTRALIA,

1985.3cocaineUS, 1971.4a street fight between youth gangsUS, 1993

ginverb1(used of a woman) to have sexUS, 1976.2to fightUS, 1972

gin and Jaguar birdnouna wealthy, usually married, woman fromthe upper-class districts surrounding London, especially Surrey,regarded as a worthwhile target for sexual adventuring ABIRD(awoman) who lives in the ‘gin and Jaguar belt’UK, 1977

ginchnoun1the vaginaUS, 2003.2a woman; a woman as a sexobjectUS, 1936

ginchyadjective1fashionable, attractive, pleasingUS, 1959.2witted, clever, shrewd A variation of the sense as ‘attractive’UK, 1988

sharp-ginernounthe vaginaUS, 2004

gin flatnounan apartment where alcohol is served illegally to apaying not-so publicUS, 1951

gingnouna handheld catapult; a slingshotAUSTRALIA, 1903

gingernoun1a sandy- or red-haired person; often as a nickname.Originally (1785) used of a cock with reddish plumageUK, 1885.

2the backside FromGINGER ALE AUSTRALIA , 1967.3a prostitute whosteals from her clients Also ‘ginger girl’, ‘gingerer’AUSTRALIA, 1953.

< on the ginger(of prostitutes) working at gingering their clients

AUSTRALIA, 1979

ginger ale; gingernoun1jail Rhyming slangUK, 1992.2bail.Rhyming slangNEW ZEALAND, 1963.3the backside Rhyming slang for

TAIL AUSTRALIA , 1967

ginger beer; gingernoun1a homosexual man Rhyming slang for

QUEER UK , 1959.2a member of the Royal Australian Engineers.Rhyming slang for ‘engineer’AUSTRALIA, 1941

ginger beer; gingeradjectivehomosexual Rhyming slang forQUEER

ginger popnoun1a police officer Rhyming slang forCOP UK , 1992.

2ginger beerUK, 1827

gingersnapsnoun< (have had) too many gingersnaps last

nightto have had too much alcohol to drinkCANADA, 1998

ginger-topnouna redhead FromGINGER UK , 1998

ginheadnouna habitual drinker of ginUS, 1927

gin jockeynouna white man who cohabits with an AboriginalwomanAUSTRALIA, 1955

ginknoun1a naive rustic; a doltUS, 1906.2a look; a peek Perhaps anasalised variant ofGEEK AUSTRALIA , 1945.3an unpleasant smellUK: SCOTLAND, 1988

gink

ginkyadjectiveout of styleUS, 1969

gin millnouna bar The term has shed most of its unsavoury

connotations of the past and is now generally jocularUS, 1866

ginnedadjectivedrunkUS, 1900

ginny barnnouna prison for females or a section of a prison

reserved for femalesUS, 1967

ginolaadjectivesupremely attractive A tribute to the good-looking

French footballer David Ginola (b.1967); recorded in use in

contemporary gay societyUK, 2003

ginormousadjective very large Pronounced ‘jye-normous’ UK, 1962

gin’s pissnounpoor quality or weak beer From ‘gin’ meaning ‘a

female Australian Aboriginal’; from the extinct Australian

Aboriginal language Dharug (Sydney region)AUSTRALIA, 1972

ginzonounan Italian-American or Italian Offensive Probably a

derivative ofGUINEA US , 1931

Giorgio Armani; giorgionouna sandwich Rhyming slang for

‘sarnie’, formed from the name of the Italian fashion designer

(b.1934)UK, 1998

gip-gipnounused for mocking another’s laughterTRINIDAD AND

TOBAGO, 1997

gipsy’s gingernounhuman excrement found out of doors From a

characteristic colour of excrement combined with a denigratory

stereotype of gipsy lifeUK, 1984

gipsy’s kiss; gipsey’snounan act of urination Rhyming slang for

PISS UK , 1979

gipsy’s warning; gipsy’snoun1a sinister warning, a final warning,

a warning of immediate reprisal Negative stereotypingUK, 1918.

2morning Rhyming slangUK, 1960

giraffenoun a half ounce, especially of drugs Rhyming slang UK, 2003

girdlenoun1a waistband Recorded in use in contemporary gay

societyUK, 2003.2an over-the-shoulder car seat beltUS, 1962.3in

motor racing, the main support for the engineUS, 1993

girlnoun1cocaineUS, 1953.2crack cocaineUK, 2003.3heroinUS, 1981.

4a lesbian A term used by lesbiansUS, 1995.5a homosexual male,

especially an effeminate oneUS, 1912.6(especially in sporting

contexts) an effeminate maleAUSTRALIA, 1986.7in a deck of playing

cards, a queenUS, 1967

girl and boynouna toy Rhyming slangUK, 1992

girl-debnouna girl who spends time with a boy’s youth gang,

whether or not she is a gang member’s girlfriendUS, 1967

girlfnouna girlfriendUK, 2003

Girl Fridaynouna young woman who is very useful to have about

the place as an assistant From Defoe’s tale of Robinson Crusoe

and his Man FridayUS, 1940

girlfriendnoun1a male homosexual’s lover or friendUS, 1965.2used

as an affectionate term of address for a friend or acquaintanceUS,

1997.3cocaine An elaboration ofGIRL(cocaine)US, 1979

girl-girlnouna scene in a pornographic film, or an entire

pornographic film, involving two womenUS, 2000

girl-girladjectivein pornography, involving two womenUS, 1973

girlienouna young woman Patronising and derisiveUK, 1860

girlieadjectivemildly pornographic, featuring naked women but not

sexual activity Mainly in use from the mid-1950sUS, 1921

girlie barnouna drinking place at which ‘hostesses’ are availableUS,

1971

girlie filmnouna film featuring naked women but no sexual activity

US, 1973

girlie magazinenouna commercial publication that features many

pictures of naked women The sex industry sells ‘girlies’ not

‘women’CANADA, 1920

girlsnouna woman’s breasts From the television situation comedy

Anything but Love (1989–92), in which the character played by

Jamie Lee Curtis proudly nicknamed her breasts ‘the girls’US, 2001

girls and boysnounnoise Rhyming slangUK, 1992

girl’s blouse

girls in bluenounfemale police officersAUSTRALIA, 1998

girls’ schoolnouna reformatory for female juvenile offendersUS, 1982

girl’s weeknounthe bleed period of the menstrual cycleUS, 2001

girl thingnoun1a problem or subject best understood by females

US, 1992.2the various hygiene steps taken by a female pornographyperformer before a sex scene Also called ‘girl stuff’US, 1995

girly-girlnoun1a stereotypically feminine femaleUS, 1991.2a femalefriendUS, 1997.3a tamponUS, 1999

gironoun1a fraud perpetrated on the social security systemwhereby a Giro cheque benefits payment is signed and cashed bysomeone other than, but with the connivance of, the intendedpayee who then reports the cheque as lost and waits for a dupli-cate paymentUK, 1996.2a social security/benefits cheque Anabbreviation of ‘Giro cheque’UK, 1981

GI’s; GI shitsnoundiarrhoeaUS, 1944

GI showernouna military hazing or punishment in which a group

of soldiers forcibly clean a dirty peer with wire brushesUS, 1956

gism potnounthe vaginaUK, 2001

git; getnounan objectionable individual; an idiot ‘Get’ was tional English from the C14 to C18, meaning ‘a child’, ‘one of hisget’ (one of his begetting); hence a useful synonym forBASTARD.Usuage is now mainly in northwest England ‘Git’ is amispronunciationUK, 1940

conven-gitboxnouna guitarUS, 1937

gitenouna bed and breakfast In Quebec, even anglophones knowand use ‘gite’, but it is often accompanied by ‘bed and breakfast’

so tourists from the US are not confused: Le Gite Park Ave., Bedand Breakfast Au Gite Olympique is located on a major street inMontrealCANADA, 2002

git-facedadjectivehaving an objectionable countenanceUK, 2000

git-fiddlenouna guitar A decidedly rural termUS, 1935

Gitmonicknamethe US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, CubaUS, 1959

G-Ivannouna Russian enlisted soldierUS, 1946

givenouninside informationUK, 1980

giveverb1to tell a secret Mainly imperativeUK, 1956.2to consent tohave sexUS, 1935.3to have sex with a womanUK, 1970.< give a

fuckto care, to be concerned Often in the negativeUS, 2001.

< give good X; give great Xto be notable for the noun thatfollows On the original model ofGIVE HEAD(to perform oral sex)

US, 1971.< give her tarpaperto work very hard Used inMichigan’s Upper PeninsulaUS, 2003.< give it1to behave in themanner of whatever noun or adjective followsUK, 1999.2either byspeech or action, to make your attitude to someone or somethingobviousUK, 1996.< give it all thatto brag, to show offUK, 1977.

< give it awayto engage in sex without pay; to engage in sexpromiscuouslyUS, 1945.< give it someto put a great deal ofeffort into something Possibly abbreviated from ‘give it somewellie’UK, 2001.< give it the nifty fifty(used of a male) tomasturbateUS, 1983.< give it the offto go, to leaveUK, 1997.

< give it toto copulate withUS, 1992.< give it upto applaud.Often as an imperative to an audienceUS, 1990.< give Jack his

jacketto give credit where credit is dueBARBADOS, 1975.< give

laugh for pea soupto bring gossip or interesting news whenyou visit, hoping for a meal in exchangeJAMAICA, 1977.< give

leatherto thrust forcefully while having sexTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO,

2003.< give me a break; gimme a breakused as an expression

of dismay at that which has just been said Ubiquitous in the1990sUS, 1993.< give skinto slap hands in greetingUS, 1964.

< give someone hellto deal with someone in a harsh or severemannerUK, 1851.< give someone oneto have sex withsomeoneUK, 1974.< give someone the redsto anger TeenslangUS, 1951.< give someone their hatto release from prison

US, 1976.< give the officeto signal or give informationUK, 1804.

< give the skinsto have sex with someoneUS, 1990.< give two

fucksto care, to be concerned An elaboration ofGIVE A FUCK, andusually in the negativeUS, 1974.< give up as a bad jobtoabandon something that has no prospect of successUK, 1862.

< give what forto beat, to thrash, to scold Derives, apparently,

asked ‘What for?’ and received the formulaic answer ‘I’ll give you

what for’UK, 1873.< give wingsto inject someone else with

heroin or to teach them to inject themselvesUS, 1968.< give

your right ball/testicle forto give everything forAUSTRALIA, 1988

give-and-getnouna bet Rhyming slangUK, 1998

give-and-takenouna cake Rhyming slang.UK, 1960

give-a-shit lobenounthe frontal lobe of the brain If shot in the

frontal lobe, the patient rarely cares about anythingUS, 1990

give-awaynouna revelation or betrayal, either deliberate or

inadvertentUS, 1882

give awayverbto cease doing something; to give upAUSTRALIA, 1944

give over!stop it!UK, 1984

giznounthe vaginaUS, 1975

giz!give me; give us A slurring of ‘give us’, where ‘us’ is often used

for ‘me’UK, 1999

gizmoverbto outfit with a deviceUS, 1977

gizmo; gismonouna gadget, device or contraption, the exact name

of which is forgotten by, or unimportant to, the speakerUS, 1942

gizzverbto gazeUK, 1975

gizza; gissaused for making a demand Phonetic compound of

‘give us [me] a’ ‘Gizza job’ became a catchphrase in the

mass-unemployment circumstances of the early 1980sUK, 1982

gizzardnoun250 or 300 dollars An allusion to a ‘monkey’ ($500),

with the gizzard being the guts of the monkeyAUSTRALIA, 1989

gizzitnouna looted item Short for ‘give us it’; used by the military

in the 1982 Falklands warUK, 1982

gizzutsnounguts, courageUS, 1993

GJnoun grand jury US, 1997

G-jointnoun1a federal penitentiaryUS, 1992.2a crooked carnival

game ‘G’ is for ‘gaffed’ (rigged)US, 1946

GLAnoun a car theft; grand larceny automobile US, 1973

glacinesnounheroin Possibly a misspelling of ‘glassine’, a material

used to make bags in which the drug may be suppliedUK, 1998

glacionouna glaciologistUK, 1985

gladnoun a gladiolus; a cut gladiolus flower AUSTRALIA, 1968

glad bagnoun1a body bag, used to cover corpses Coined in

Vietnam; still in use in the Gulf war and afterUS, 1983.2a condom

UK, 1998

gladdy; gladdienoun a gladiolus; a cut gladiolus flower AUSTRALIA,

1947

glad eyenouna come-hither lookUS, 1903

glad handnoun1a welcome, rousing if not always sincereUS, 1873.

2on the railways, the metal air hose coupling between carriages

The interlocking connectors vaguely resemble hands clasped in a

handshakeUS, 1975

glad-handverbto greet with profuse, if insincere, enthusiasm Often

found in the context of politiciansUS, 1895

glad-handingadjectiveinsincere and falseUS, 1992

gladiator schoolnouna violent prisonUS, 1981

glad ladnounan attractive maleUS, 1945

glad-onnounan erection A happy variation ofHARD-ON(an erection)

UK, 2001

glad plaidnouna bright plaid pattern Mexican-American youth

(Pachuco) usage in the American southwestUS, 1947

glad ragnouna piece of cloth saturated with glue or an industrial

solvent, used for recreational inhalingUS, 1971

glad ragsnounyour best clothesUS, 1899

glad stuffnounany hard drug; cocaine, heroin, morphine, opium

US, 1953

glad we could get togetherused as a humorous farewell A

catchphrase television sign-off by John Cameron Swayze on NBC

glaiketadjectivefoolish; having a foolish appearance From an earliersense as ‘inattentive to duty’UK, 1985

glamnounglamourUS, 1937

glamadjective1glamorousUK, 1964.2flamboyant, especially in dressand appearanceUS, 1993

glam; glam upverbto dress more smartlyUK, 1937

glamazonnouna beautiful, well-muscled woman A compound of

‘glamour’ and ‘Amazon’, 2001

glammed-upadjectivedressed or presented in a glamorous manner

UK, 1924

glamottlenouna 13 ounce bottle of Budweiser™ beer Budweiseradvertised that it was a ‘glass that holds more than a bottle’,which is corrupted hereUS, 1948

glamournouna sexually attractive femaleAUSTRALIA, 1983

glamour boynouna US Air Force flierUS, 1946

Glamour-don’tnouna huge fashion mistake From a fashion ‘do’s

and don’ts’ column in Glamour Magazine CANADA, 1993

glamour groovienouna fashion-conscious personUS, 1947

glamour-pussnouna sexually attractive person, especially one whohas enhanced a natural beauty with artificial glamourUS, 1941

G-landnounGrajagan, Indonesia A surfing destinationUS, 1991

glare glasses; glaresnounsunglassesINDIA, 1979

glarkverbto decipher a meaning from contextUS, 1991

Glasgow grin; Glesga grinnouna slash or slash-scar on the face

glassnoun1amphetamine powder; methamphetamine powderUK,

1998.2heroinUK, 2003.3a hypodermic syringeUS, 1942.4a shopwindowUS, 1973.5a five ounce glass of beerAUSTRALIA, 1972.6asmooth water surfaceUS, 1979.7a diamondUS, 1918.8in drag racingand hot rodding, fibreglass, used to reduce weightUS, 1968 8see:

GLASS OF WATER

glassverb1to attack someone’s face using a glass or bottle as aweaponUK, 1936.2in hot rodding, to repair a car body with leadcompound, or fibreglassUS, 1960

glassbottlenounpieces of broken glass set into the top of a wall

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1920

glass ceilingnouna notional barrier to personal advancement,especially in the employment prospects of a woman, a disabledperson or anyone from an ethnic minority ‘You can’t see it butyou know it’s there’ – or ‘the sky’s the limit’US, 1984

glass chandeliernounhomosexual; a homosexual Rhyming slangforQUEER UK , 2003

glass chequenouna bottle with a deposit on itUK: SCOTLAND, 1988

glass chinnouna window built in the area immediately below andslightly behind the nose of a bomberUS, 1988

glass dicknouna pipe used to smoke crack cocaineUS, 1995

glass dietnounan addiction to crack cocaineUS, 1997

glass gunnouna hypodermic syringe and needleUS, 1949

glass housenoun1a guard room, detention barracks or militaryprison From the glass-roofed North Camp military prison inAldershotUK, 1931.2in prison, a detention cell or cellsUK, 1996.3insurfing, a smooth ride inside the hollow of a waveUS, 1987

Glass Housenicknamethe Parker Center police headquarters in LosAngelesUS, 1963

glassienouna clear glass marbleAUSTRALIA, 1934

glass itchnounirritation of the skin by fibreglass dust Surfing usage

glass jawnouna weak jaw in the context of boxing or fightingUS,

1955

glass of beernounthe ear Rhyming slangUK, 1961

glass of plonknounthe nose Rhyming slang forCONK UK , 1992

glass of water; glassnouna quarter of an ounce (seven grams) of

cocaine Rhyming slang forQUARTER UK , 2002

glass packnounin hot rodding, a muffler that has been stuffed

with fibreglass, increasing the roar of the engineUS, 1960

glass worknounin poker, the use of a small mirror or other

refective surface to cheatUS, 1968

glassyadjective(used of an ocean condition) smooth, not choppyUS,

1963

Glastonoun the Glastonbury Festival; to a lesser extent, the town of

Glastonbury The festival began in 1970 when it was known as The

Glastonbury Fayre The earliest references to the event as ‘Glasto’

seem to be late 1990sUK, 2003

glazeverbto daydreamNEW ZEALAND, 1998

glazedadjectivedrunkUS, 1972

glazey doughnutnounthe residue of vaginal secretions ringing a

cunnilinguist’s mouthUK, 2002

gleamverb< gleam the tube(of a female) to masturbateUS, 2001

gleamernounany reflective surface used by the dealer for cheating

in a card gameUS, 1969

gleamingadjectiveexcellentUS, 1997

gleeknounin poker, three of a kindUS, 1967

gleesome threesomenoungroup sex with three participants

AUSTRALIA, 1971

Glen Hoddle; Glennounan objective achieved with ease; in sport,

and easy win or simple victory Rhyming slang for ‘doddle’, based

on the name of footballer and former England coach Glen Hoddle

UK, 2002

glide timenouna flexible work scheduleNEW ZEALAND, 1977

glimnoun1a lightUK, 1676.2the eyeUK, 1789.3a railway lanternUS,

1946

glimverbto seeUS, 1912

glimmernoun1a lightUK, 1566.2any reflective surface used by a

dealer to cheat in a game of cardsUS, 1962

Glimmer Mannicknamea man appointed by the Gas Company

during World War 2 to inspect homes for any contravention of the

rationing of gasIRELAND, 1968

glimmersnounthe eyes or eyeglassesUK, 1814

glimmer twinsnicknameMick Jagger and Keith Richard of The

Rolling Stones A self-given nickname, apparently – according to

Keith Richard – in response to the question ‘Who ARE you?

What’s it all about? Come on, give us a clue Just give us a

glimmer’UK, 1968

glimpverbto peer, to peep Military; an abbreviation of ‘glimpse’ (to

see briefly)UK, 1987

gliss aroundverbto make small talkUS, 1947

glitchnouna malfunction From the Yiddish for ‘slip’US, 1962

glitchingnouna temporary or intermittent loss of control (of a

radio-controlled aircraft) when interference from another signal

occursUK, 1979

glitternounsaltUS, 1981

glitter fairynouna style-conscious, effeminate homosexual man

Usually derogatoryUS, 1978

glittergalnounin circus and carnival usage, a female performerUS,

1960

glitter gulchnoundowntown Las Vegas, NevadaUS, 1953

glitznounsuperficial glamour, especially as applied in show-business

US, 1977

glitzyadjectiveostentatious, gaudy, especially with a sense of tawdry

show-business glamour; often applied to something that glittersUS,

GLMnoun (in doctors’ shorthand) good looking mum Medical slang

UK, 2003

glonouncrack cocaineUS, 1994

globnounexpectorated sputumUS, 1989

globbernounan expectorationUS, 1988

globesnounthe female breastsUS, 1889

globetrotternouna heroin addict who contacts many heroindealers in search of the best heroinUS, 1970

globulenouna contemptible personUK, 1988

glomverb1to steal, to snatch, to grab Scots dialect glam, glaum, (to

clutch or grasp)US, 1897.2to attach to, to seize upon, to grab hold

of for oneselfUS, 1972.3to eat hastilyUS, 1990

gloom notenounin college, a notification of academic deficiency

US, 1968

glopverb1to drink noisily; to drink quickly; to slurp Derives from

‘glop’ (a viscous liquid), or from a mispronunciation of ‘gulp’UK,

1987.2to pour or apply with gustoUS, 1992

glopheadnouna habitual drunk CombinesGLOP(to drink) with

-HEAD(a user)UK, 1987

gloppernounsomeone who is unfashionably dressed Used amongfoot-propelled scooter-ridersUK, 2000

Gloria Gaynorsnountrainers Rhyming slang, formed from thename of soul singer Gloria Gaynor (b.1949).UK, 1998

Gloria Soamesnounglorious homesAUSTRALIA, 1965

glorynounon the railways, an accidental deathUS, 1946.< get the

glorywhile in prison, to become religious – a state of being thatmay well outlast the prison sentenceUK, 1950

glory benountea (the beverage or the meal) Rhyming slangUK, 1998

glory be!used as an expression of delight or astonishment.Shortened from ‘Glory be to God!’ but often having to do withoutGod in spirit as well as wordUK, 1893

glory cardnouna licence from the Federal CommunicationsCommission to operate a citizens’ band radioUS, 1976

glory fitnounan exhibition of religious emotional frenzyCANADA, 1946

glory holenoun1a hole between private video booths in apornography arcade or between stalls in a public toilets, designedfor anonymous sex between menUS, 1949.2any unpleasant place

or situationNEW ZEALAND, 1951.3any room or cupboard whereoddments are storedUK, 1984.4the officer’s sleeping quarters on anavy shipUS, 1889.5a clear spot in an otherwise cloudy sky throughwhich a fighter aircraft can reach its targetUS, 1991

glory hournounthe hour between noon and 1 pm on Sundays, theonly hour of the day when drinking is permitted in pubsFALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS), 1982

glory seedsnounseeds of the morning glory plant, eaten for theirpsychoactive propertiesUS, 1992

glory wagonnouna brakevan (caboose)US, 1977

glossnouna shineUS, 1969

glossynoun1a photographUS, 1931.2a ‘glossy’ magazineUS, 1945

glovenouna condom Leading to the safe-sex slogan ‘No glove, nolove’US, 1958

gloveverbto examine a prisoner’s rectum for contrabandUS, 1972

glovesnoun< the gloves are off; take the gloves offused forexpressing a commitment to action without compromise, com-passion or hesitationUK, 2001

gloveworknounin cricket, a wicketkeeper’s skill or performanceUK, 1996

glownouna pleasant, warming sense of intoxicationUS, 1942

glubnouna slob or lazy personNEW ZEALAND, 2002

glub outverbto idle; to relax completelyNEW ZEALAND, 2002

gluenoun1semenUK, 1998.2the residue produced during heroinmanufactureUS, 1992.3in computing, any interface protocolUS,

1991.4a police detectiveUS, 1950.< do glueto sniff glue for the

gluedadjectivedrunkUS, 1957

glued upadjectiveintoxicated as a result of solvent abuse, especially

glue-sniffingUK, 2001

glue gunnouna weapon which fires a hardening resin to paralyse

the human targetUK, 2001

glueheadnouna person who inhales glue or any volatile solvent for

the intoxicating effectUS, 1970

gluepotnoun1the vagina Rhyming slang forTWAT, combined,

perhaps, with allusive imageryUK, 1992.2a racehorse that performs

very, very poorlyUS, 1924.3in cricket, a wicket with a ‘sticky’ surface

(caused by the sun drying wet turf )UK, 1985

gluernouna person who sniffs model glue for the psychoactive

effectUS, 1982

glueynouna person who inhales glue or any volatile solvent for the

intoxicating effectUS, 1967

glugnouna swallow, a mouthful, a swig of a drink EchoicUS, 1971

glutes; glootsnounthe gluteus maximus muscles (the three large

muscles in the buttocks)US, 1984

g-manoungrandmotherUS, 1997

GMFU; GMBUnouna situation of organisational choas Initialism of

‘grand military fuck up’ or ‘grand military balls up’; probably since

World War 2UK, 1982

GMOFnoun a grossly obese hospital patient A ‘great mass of flesh’

US, 1989

GMTnountime to clean out the refrigerator Back-formation from

the Greenwich standard, abbreviating here ‘green meat time’

CANADA, 2002

gnarlatiousadjectiveextremely impressiveUS, 1991

gnarlyadjective1treacherous, challenging Originally surfer slang

applied to waves and surf conditions, and then broadened to an

all-purpose adjectiveUS, 1977.2bad, disgustingUS, 1978.3excellent

An absolute reversal of the original sense, used amongst

foot-propelled scooter-ridersUS, 1982

gnashersnounthe teethNEW ZEALAND, 1984

gnat bitesnounsmall female breastsUK, 1980

gnat-brainnounan idiotUK, 2002

gnat’snounsomething very small A reduction of, or a suggestion of,

many terms including: ‘gnat’s arse, ‘gnat’s chuff’ and ‘gnat’s

whiskers’; in such uses as ‘within a gnat’s’ and ‘tight as a gnat’s

arse’, etcUK, 2001

gnat’s bloodnountea purchased from a railway canteen or

refreshment barUK, 1970

gnat’s eyelashnouna very small distance The variant bodyparts

are seemingly infinite, with ‘eyelash’ as the earliest recordedUS,

1937

gnat’s pissnouna weak beverage such as tea or beerUK, 1984

gnawingnounkissingNEW ZEALAND, 1998

gnawing-the-nananounoral sex on a manAUSTRALIA, 1971

gnomenouna socially inept outcastUS, 1959

G-notenouna $1000 noteUS, 1930

gonoun1a turn at something; an attemptUK, 1825.2an opportunity

AUSTRALIA, 1965.3a fair chance Commonly used in the phrase ‘give

someone a go’AUSTRALIA, 1937.4an attackAUSTRALIA, 1965.5a look

AUSTRALIA, 1930.6a preferenceAUSTRALIA, 1977.7approval, agreement

US, 1878.8high-spirits, vigour, energy, as a human characteristic

Originally, and still, applied to horsesUK, 1825.9used of a busy

period or energetic activityUK, 1965.10a fight, especially a

prize-fight; an argumentUS, 1890.11an eventAUSTRALIA, 1979.12a drag

race eventUS, 1954.13amphetamines From the ‘get up and go’

nature of the drug’s effectsUK, 2003.14MDMA, the recreational

drug best known as ecstasyUK, 2003.15a goanna ‘Goanna’ is the

Gyuana Indian name for ‘lizard’, attached here to the monitor

lizardAUSTRALIA, 1904.< from the word gofrom the very start

Derived from the starting of a raceUS, 1838.< have a go atto

criticise From the sense ‘to attack’UK, 1977.< make a go of itto

goverb1when reporting a conversation, to say A thoroughlyannoying quotative device found as early as 1942, favoured byteenagers in the 1970s and 80sUS, 1942.2to take on themannerisms and customs of a place or group of peopleUS, 1917.

3to find acceptable, to wish for, to enjoy Especially, and usually,when applied to food or drinkUK, 1953.4to urinate; to defecate.Probably a shortening of ‘go to the toilet’, now a euphemismUK,

1926.5to attack physically; to fightAUSTRALIA, 1924.6to raceUS, 1965.

7to become (of a political constituency, as in ‘to go Tory’)US, 1937.

8in a casino, to earn in tipsUS, 1980.9to weighUS, 1999.10of atelephone, to ringUK, 2000.< go all the wayto have sexualintercourseUS, 1924.< go Alzheimersto forget Public awareness

of Alzheimer’s confuses the disease with the premature seniledementia it causesUK, 2000.< go bent1to become dishonest.FromBENT (crooked)UK, 2002.2(of a police witness) to retract astatement or renege on an undertaking The implication is thatthe witness is behaving in a criminal manner,BENT UK , 1970.< go

big, go fatto achieve substantial height or distance in snowboardingUS, 1995.< go both waysto be willing to play both theactive and passive role in homosexual sexUS, 1972.< go down

-the rabbit holeto use drugs An allusion to Lewis Carroll and

Alice in Wonderland CANADA, 1993.< go for a burton1to to bekilled in an air crash Military slang of uncertain etymologyUK, 1941.

2to be destroyed or ruined, to be forgottenUK, 1957.< go great

gunsto do very well, to prosperUK, 1913.< go off like a

two-bob rocketto lose your temper in a very unsubtle wayUK: SCOTLAND, 1996.< go onto talk at lengthUK, 1822.< go over

jackass hillto be a teenagerCANADA, 1992.< go over the wall

1to secretly depart from anywhere you are duty-bound to be.Applies to escape from prison and the wider worldUS, 1933.2to go

to prisonUK, 1917.< go some1to fightUS, 1968.2to go well, toproceed with notable vigourUS, 1911.< go south1to deteriorate;

to breakUS, 2000.2in a gambling cheating scheme, to take dice ormoney off the gaming tableUS, 1997.< go through the cardtocover everything that is available in a given circumstance.Originally a horse racing termUK, 1978.< go to batto stand trial

A baseball metaphorUS, 1965.< go to groundto go into hiding

US, 1990.< go to higher gameto launch a legitimate businessafter a period in an underworld enterpriseUS, 1972.< go to New

Norfolkto be crazy A reference to the asylum located in NewNorfolkAUSTRALIA, 1988.< go to the wallto exert yourself at allcosts without regard to the consequencesUS, 1976.< go up fool’s

hillto be a teenagerCANADA, 1999.< go upside someone’s head

to hit someone on the headUS, 1959.< go westto be spoiled orruined; to dieUK, 1925.< go west on someoneto fail, to letsomeone downCANADA, 1999.< go with the flowto acquiesceUS,

1977.< not go much onto not like muchAUSTRALIA, 1932

go!used for expressing approval and encouraging further effortUS, 1957

go-aheadadjectiveprogressive; anxious to succeedUS, 1840

go ahead, make my dayused to summon defiance From thefilm character Dirty Harry played by Clint Eastwood US PresidentRonald Reagan used the line in a speech to the American BusinessConference in March 1985: ‘I have only one thing to say to the taxincreasers Go ahead – make my day!’ He liked the line so muchthat he repeated it in a speech at his 83rd birthday in 1994US, 1983

go-ahead mannounin horse racing, a person working withsomeone selling ‘inside’ information on the horses and racesUS, 1962

go-aheadsnounthong sandalsUS, 1962

goalienoun1a goal-keeper In football and ice hockey; first recorded

in the modern spelling in 1957 – as ‘goalee’, known since 1921

UK, 1957.2the clitorisUS, 1972

goannanouna piano Rhyming slang for ‘pianna’, a variantpronunciationAUSTRALIA, 1918

goatnoun1a person responsible for a failure or loss, especially aplayer in an atheltic contest A short form of ‘scapegoat’US, 1894.

2in horse racing, a poor-performing racehorseAUSTRALIA, 1941.3afool Often, and originally, in the phrase ‘act the goat’UK, 1879.4inmotor racing, a Dodge carUS, 1965.5in hot rodding, an old carUS,

. an engine used in a railway yard . a goatee .

< get someone’s goatto succeed in making someone lose

their temperUS, 1904

goat boaternouna surfer who uses a surfboard/canoe hybrid craft

Mainly derogatoryUK: WALES, 2002

goat fucknouna colossal, confused messUS, 1971

goat hairnounillegally manufactured alcoholic drinkUS, 1970

goat headnounin electric line work, an angle-iron punchUS, 1980

goat heavennounblissBARBADOS, 1965

goat kneenouna callus, especially one on the head from carrying

heavy loadsBARBADOS, 1965

goat landnounin oil drilling, non-productive landUS, 1954

goat lockernounin the US Navy, the kitchen and dining hall

reserved for officersUS, 1990

goat mouth; goat bitenouna curse; bad luckTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO,

1827

goat pasturenounany worthless land sold as part of a confidence

swindleUS, 1985

goat ropenouna rumour Gulf war usageUS, 1991

goat screwnouna disorganised, confusing situationUS, 1988

goat tracknouna rough, winding hill roadNEW ZEALAND, 2002

go awayverbto be sent to jail or prisonUS, 1990

go-away gearnouna truck’s highest gearUS, 1971

gobnoun1the mouth Originally Scots and northern English dialect

UK, 1550.2a slimey lump or clot, especially of spittle In

convention-al use until early C19UK, 1964

gobverb1to spitUK, 1872.2to eatUK, 1999

go back onverbto break a promise or a trustUK, 1859

gobblenounan act of oral sexUK, 1984

gobbleverb1to perform oral sex on a manUS, 1966.2to talkUS, 1947.

3in drag racing, to achieve very high speedsUS, 1965.< gobble

the goopto perform oral sex on a manUS, 1918

gobble alleynounthe upper balcony in a cinema favoured by

homosexualsUS, 1966

gobble downverbin computing, to obtainUS, 1983

gobbledygooknoundense, pompous, and unintelligible jargonUS,

1944

gobble holenounin pinball, a hole near the centre of the playing

field which takes a ball from play while scoring a large number of

pointsUS, 1979

gobble offverbto perform oral sex on a man A more complete

elaboration ofGOBBLE UK , 2003

gobblernouna hospital patient with petty complaintsUS, 1980

gobbling ironsnouna knife, fork and spoon A trawlermen’s term

UK, 1969

gobbling rodsnouna knife, fork and spoon Gulf war usageUK, 1991

gobboadjectivestupidUK, 2002

gobbynouna small lump of dried nasal mucusUK, 2000

gobby; gobbieadjectiveloquacious, too talkative; impudentUK, 1993

gobdawnoun1an ordinary foolIRELAND, 1989.2a dolt, a gullible

personIRELAND, 2003

go betweennouna cow gateCANADA, 1987

gobgrabbingnoun in prison, the practice of trying to grab and steal

drugs concealed in someone’s gob (the mouth) UK, 1996

goblet of jamnounmarijuana From the direct translation from

Arabic m’juni akbar (a hashish-based confection) US, 1969

gob offverbto talk loudly or too muchUK, 1995

gobsnoun1a great deal of In the C16, a ‘gob’ or ‘gubbe’ referred

specifically to a ‘great deal of money’ or a ‘large mouthful of fatty

meat’ By World War 2, the term had acquired this broader

meaning, as evidenced by the title of Johnny Viney’s 1943

gobsmacknouna shock that renders you speechless A back-formation from the verbUK, 2001

-gobsmackedadjectivebeing speechless or lost for words as theresult of amazement or shock Adopted from northern dialect;silence is the suggested result of a ‘smack’ (hit) in theGOB

(mouth)UK, 1971

gobsmackingadjectiveshockingUK, 1996

gobsmackinglyadverbsurprisinglyNEW ZEALAND, 2003

gobstoppernoun1a large ball-shaped sweet that reveals layers ofcolour as sucking diminishes its size CombinesGOB(the mouth)with the effect of a large sweetUK, 1928.2the penis Rhyming slangforCHOPPERrejoicing in puns of size and sweetnessUK, 1992

gobstoppersnounthe testicles FromGOBSTOPPER(a ball-shapedsweet)UK, 2002

gobstruckadjectivevery surprised FromGOB(the mouth) and

‘struck’ (hit)UK, 1988

go buttonnouna car’s acceleratorUS, 1993

go-bynouna passing byUS, 1949

gobynouna middleman in a criminal enterprise From ‘go-between’

UK, 1970

go-by-the-wallnouna cornerboyIRELAND, 1989

God Almightynouna woman’s nightdress, a ‘nightie’ RhymingslangUK, 1998

God-awfuladjectiveterrible, dreadful ‘God’ as the intensifier of allthat is badUS, 1897

God bless younounused as a mnemonic device in snooker forremembering the correct spotting of ball colours – green, brown,yellowUS, 1993

God-botherer; God-pesterernounan immoderately religious vidualUK, 1937

indi-God Calls Me indi-Godnouna GCMG (Grand Commander of St Michaeland St George) A pun elaborated on the initials; used by civilservants demonstrating a jocular familiarity with the honourUK, 1961

God damnnounjam (the preserve) Rhyming slangUK, 1992

-goddamn-infixused as an intensifierUS, 1968

godfathernounin horse racing, someone who provides financialassistance to a financially failing operationAUSTRALIA, 1989

God forbid; Gawd forbid; Gawd fer bidnoun1a child Rhymingslang forKID UK , 1909.2a Jewish person Rhyming slang forYID UK , 1960

Godfreynounused in oaths in place of ‘God’US, 1959

God hates a cowardin poker, used for luring a reluctant bettor tobetUS, 1951

godheadadjectiveexcellent at playing Internet games Possibly anelaboration of ‘good’UK, 2003

godivanoun 8see:LADY GODIVA

God love hernouna mother Rhyming slangUK, 1974

go downverb1to happenUS, 1946.2to be arrested and/orimprisonedUK, 1906.3while working as a police officer in a patrolcar, to park and sleepUS, 1973

go-down mannounin an illegal betting operation, the employeedesignated to identify himself as the operator in the event of apolice raid, accepting risk in place of the actual operatorUS, 1951

go down on; go down; go down southverbto perform oral sex

US, 1914

go downtownverbto have sex Coined for US television comedy

God save the Queensnoungreen vegetables, especially cabbage.

Rhyming slang for ‘greens’UK, 1992

God’s fleshnoun1psilocybin, a hallucinogenic mushroomUS, 1970.

2LSDUK, 2003

God’s gift to women; God’s giftnounof a man, a great lover A

familiar idiom, also used in other contexts as ‘God’s gift to

something or someone’; generally heavily ironicUS, 1927

God’s honest truthnounthe absolute truthUK, 1959

God shopnouna churchUS, 1965

God-sizeadjectivevery, very largeUS, 1968

God slotnouna regular position in a television or radio broadcast

schedule given over to religious programmesUK, 1972

God’s medicine; God’s own medicinenounmorphine; opiumUS,

1925

God squadnoun1church authorities; evangelical enthusiastsUS,

1965.2the US military Chaplains CorpsUS, 1965

God’s waiting roomnouna nursing home; a rest homeUS, 1989

goernoun1a proposition that seems a likely successAUSTRALIA, 1974.

2an enthusiastic participant in sexual activityUK, 1984.3in hot

rodding, a fast carUS, 1954.4a person with get-up-and-goAUSTRALIA,

1983.5a horse being honestly ridden to winAUSTRALIA, 1966

go-fastnounany amphetamine or other central nervous system

gofer; gopher; go-fornoun1a low-level assistant who typically runs

petty errands He or she goes for this and goes for that US, 1930.2in

the military, a special team assigned with the task of bypassing

normal channels to acquire needed suppliesUS, 1990

goffernoun1a cold drink of mineral water or lemonade Derives

from drinks manufacturer Goffe & Sons LtdAUSTRALIA, 1945.2a wave

washing inboardUK, 1987.3a punch, a blowUK, 1886.4a salute

AUSTRALIA, 2003

go forverb1to attack with words (spoken or written) or with

physi-cal forceUK, 1880.2to pay forUS, 1975

go for it!used as a general exhortationUS, 1978

go forth and multiply!go away! Genesis 1:28 provides this archly

euphemistic variation of ‘fuck off!’.US, 1985

go for the gusto!used as an exhortation to take risks and live life

fully From a slogan for Schlitz beer; often used ironicallyUS, 1988

gognoun a person from North Wales From Welsh gogledd (north) UK:

WALES, 2002

go-getternouna very active, enterprising personUS, 1910

gogganoun1something frightening, monstrous or unwanted,

especially in a political or business context From the sense as ‘an

insect’SOUTH AFRICA, 1934.2any insect A generic term, from

Khoikhoi xo-xon via Afrikaans SOUTH AFRICA, 1905.3a germ, a disease

SOUTH AFRICA, 1963

goggatjie; gogganounused as a term of endearment From

Afrikaans for ‘little insect’SOUTH AFRICA, 1972

goggleverb< goggle the horizonused by motorcylists to mean a

number of things, most commonly to keep an eye outUS, 2003

goggle boxnouna television Conventional ‘goggle’ (to stare)

elabor-ates viewers’ response to the box (television)UK, 1959

gogglernouna male homosexualUS, 1970

gogglesnounspectacles From the conventional sense (spectacles for

go-goadjectiveassociated with a discotheque A very big word for a

go-go birdnouna CH-47 transport helicopter fitted with mounted machine guns and used as a gunship Not a successfulexperimentUS, 1991

window-go-go boynounan attractive, usually homosexual, young man who

is a paid dancer at a nightclub or barUS, 1971

go-go dancernouna paid dancer at a nightclubUS, 1967

go-go dancingnoundancing for pay at a nightclub in a cage orplatform above the patronsUS, 1993

go-go juice; go juicenounpetrol; dieselUS, 1976 8see:GO-JUICE

go homeused as a humorous farewell A catchphrase television

sign-off on The Tracey Ullman Show (Fox, 1987–90) Repeated with

referential humourUS, 1987

gohongnounduring the Korean war, food or chow From the Koreanword for ‘rice’ applied by American soldiers to food in generalUS, 1951

goienouna central nervous system stimulant such as Dexedrine™ orBenzedrine™US, 1960

go-innouna fightAUSTRALIA, 1900

going!used for encouraging another’s action Hawaiian youth usage

US, 1982

going home gearnouna truck’s highest gearUS, 1971

going-overnoun1a beating; a verbal assaultUS, 1942.2a detailedinspection, a searchUS, 1919

goings-onnounbehaviour or proceedings Usually with a pejorativeimplicationUK, 1775

goitrenouna large quantity of banknotes, usually folded into atrouser pocket From the unsightly bulgeUK, 1977

go-juicenounalcohol (liquor)US, 1968

go jump in the creekgo away!, be off with you!AUSTRALIA, 1947

GOKGod only knows An informal medical acronym UK, 2003

goldnoun1moneyUS, 1940.2used generically for jewellery, especiallygoods that are traded illicitlyUK, 2000.3a type of bet in an illegallotteryUS, 1957.4potent marijuana Often combined with a placename for the formation of place plus colourUS, 1968.5in dragracing and hot rodding, a trophy or prizeUS, 1968

goldanouna Jewish homosexual Gay slang, formed on the nameGolda and originating among Cape colouredsSOUTH AFRICA, 2000

Goldbergnounused as a stereotype of a Jewish merchantUS, 1965

goldbricknouna person who shuns work or dutyUS, 1918

goldbrickverbto avoid a work detailUS, 1918

goldbrickernouna swindlerUS, 1902

goldbugnouna person who buys and hoards goldUS, 1981

gold buttonsnouna conductor on a trainUS, 1977

Gold Coastnickname1a high-rise, high-rent district on LakeshoreDrive bordering Lake Michigan in northern Chicago, IllinoisUS, 1950.

2an area in Harlem, New York, where police bribes are commonand lucrativeUS, 1972.3the Atlantic coast of South FloridaUS, 1983.

4a stretch along the east coast of Queensland, Australia, noted forextraordinarily good surfingAUSTRALIA, 1991

gold-diggernounsomeone who pursues another romanticallybecause of their wealth Used to characterize women as predators

goldennounmarijuana From the colour of the leafUK, 2003

goldenadjectivesuccessful, excellent, charmedUS, 1958

golden armnounin craps, a player with a long streak of good luckrolling the diceUS, 1993

golden BB