NTC’s Thematic Dictionary of American Slang This page intentionally left blank NTC’s Thematic Dictionary of American Slang Richard A Spears, Ph.D Copyright © 1998 by NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group, Inc All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher 0-07-143410-0 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: 0-8442-0833-7 All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark Where such designations appear in this book, they have been printed with initial caps McGraw-Hill eBooks are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions, or for use in corporate training programs For more information, please contact George Hoare, Special Sales, at george_hoare@mcgraw-hill.com or (212) 904-4069 TERMS OF USE This is a copyrighted work and The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc (“McGraw-Hill”) and its licensors reserve all rights in and to the work Use of this work is subject to these terms Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976 and the right to store and retrieve one copy of the work, you may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, reproduce, modify, create derivative works based upon, transmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish or sublicense the work or any part of it without McGraw-Hill’s prior consent You may use the work for your own noncommercial and personal use; any other use of the work is strictly prohibited Your right to use the work may be terminated if you fail to comply with these terms THE WORK IS PROVIDED “AS IS” McGRAW-HILL AND ITS LICENSORS MAKE NO GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF OR RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED FROM USING THE WORK, INCLUDING ANY INFORMATION THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE WORK VIA HYPERLINK OR OTHERWISE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE McGraw-Hill and its licensors not warrant or guarantee that the functions contained in the work will meet your requirements or that its operation will be uninterrupted or error free Neither McGraw-Hill nor its licensors shall be liable to you or anyone else for any inaccuracy, error or omission, regardless of cause, in the work or for any damages resulting therefrom McGraw-Hill has no responsibility for the content of any information accessed through the work Under no circumstances shall McGraw-Hill and/or its licensors be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, consequential or similar damages that result from the use of or inability to use the work, even if any of them has been advised of the possibility of such damages This limitation of liability shall apply to any claim or cause whatsoever whether such claim or cause arises in contract, tort or otherwise DOI: 10.1036/0071434100 Want to learn more? , We hope you enjoy this McGraw-Hill eBook! If you d like more information about this book, its author, or related books and websites, please click here For more information about this title, click here Contents About This Dictionary vii Terms and Symbols List of Themes ix xi Thematic Dictionary of American Slang Index of Slang and Colloquial Expressions 453 Copyright 1998 by NTC Contrmporary Publishing Group, Inc Click Here for Terms of Use This page intentionally left blank About This Dictionary This dictionary is a collection of slang and colloquial expressions in frequent use in the United States in the twentieth century It contains expressions that are familiar to many Americans and other expressions that are used primarily within small groups of people The entries represent the language of the underworld, the nursery, the college campus, California beaches, urban back streets, and Wall Street We hear from prisoners, surfers, junkies, Valley Girls, blacks, weight lifters, surfers, and just plain folks Fad words, metaphors, wordplay, and various figures of speech make up the body of the dictionary The slang and colloquial expressions in this dictionary are arranged according to theme There is a list of themes on page xi Writers and students seeking a slang or colloquial manner of expressing something can easily find likely candidates by using the themes to locate a selection of expressions There is an index on page 453 that allows the user to find a particular slang or colloquial expression by showing the theme under which the expression is listed vii Copyright 1998 by NTC Contrmporary Publishing Group, Inc Click Here for Terms of Use This page intentionally left blank index of slang and colloquial expressions straight people - good straight sobriety straight tobacco straighten up and fly right behavior straight-faced seriousness strap someone with someone or something burden strap sports straphanger passenger strapped money - lacking straw boss people - important straw drugs - marijuana straw drugs - paraphernalia strawberry pimples streak movement streak nakedness streak party streaker nakedness street people homelessness street pusher drugs - user street smarts knowledge street time freedom street financial street freedom street-casting performance streeter homelessness stress annoyance stressed upset stretch one’s legs exercise stretch drugs Stretch nickname stretch punishment stretch time - period (strictly) from hunger strange strike it rich wealth strike out failure strike out sports - baseball strike drugs - portion stringbean people - thin stripper nakedness strip-search examination stroke flattery strong-arm man man - strong strong-arm tactics force strong-arm force strung out anxiety strung out intoxicated - drugs strung out romance strung-out shape exhaustion strut one’s stuff display stuccoed intoxicated - alcohol stuck on someone or something obsession stuck with someone or something burden stuck-up haughtiness stud horse stud man - sex studhammer man - sex stud-muffin man - attractive study animal student Stuff a sock in it! silence stuffed shirt people - dull stum drugs - marijuana stumblebum hobo stumbles alcohol/drugs stumbles clumsiness stump confusion stump travel stumpers shoes stumps legs stung intoxicated - alcohol stunned intoxicated - alcohol stunner people - attractive stupe people - stupid stupehead people - stupid stupid fresh excellence stupid intoxicated - alcohol style movement - style stylin(g) behavior suave charm sub drugs - marijuana sub publication sub submarine sub substitute submarine food suck face kiss suck (some) brew drinking suck someone’s hind tit obedience suck up to someone influence suck alcohol suck drinking suck influence suck undesirable suckabuck greed sucker for someone or something desire sucker list list sucker deception sucker dupe sucker gadget sucker people - negative sucky undesirable sudden death sudden suds alcohol suds drinking 527 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang suds-swiller drunkard sue the pants off (of ) someone legal sugar daddy man - old sugarcoated inoffensive suit business summer complaint diarrhea sun belt location Sunday best clothing Sunday driver driving Sunday punch violence sunny-side up cooking sunshades sunglasses super excellence super manage super-duper excellence superfly excellence supergrass drugs - marijuana superjock man - muscular superjock sports super-strap student sure as hell certainty sure thing certainty surefire certainty surf excellence surf television suss someone out understanding Suzy money swacked intoxicated - alcohol swallow the dictionary vocabulary swallow acceptance swallow drugs - portion swamped busy swamped intoxicated - alcohol swamper driving swank elegance swanky elegance swap notes (on someone or something) information swap spits kiss swear like a trooper cursing swear on a stack of Bibles honesty sweat blood work sweat bullets suffering sweat sock sports sweat something out anxiety sweat anxiety sweat trouble sweet nothings romance sweet excellence sweeten improvement sweetener encouragement sweetheart deal business sweetheart people - good 528 swell excellence swellelegant excellence swellhead people - negative swift cleverness swift sex swig drinking - excess swig drinking - portion swigged intoxicated - alcohol swill alcohol swill drinking swill drinking - portion swill nasty swill-up drinking - bout swimming in something abundance swindle sheet business swing both ways gay swing into high gear beginnings swing shift employment swing with someone or something appreciation swing achievement swing excitement swing fashionable swing sex swinger people - modern swinger people - sex swinging excellence swingman drugs - user swipe alcohol - illicit swipe drinking - excess swipe theft swipe violence swish effeminate switch off ignore switch on alertness switch on drugs - use switch on fashionable switch weaponry switched on alertness switched on excitement switcheroo reversal switch-hitter sports - baseball swizzle alcohol swizzle drinking - excess swizzled intoxicated - alcohol swizzle-stick drunkard swoozled intoxicated - alcohol syrupy emotion SYSOP computer T and A breasts T and A buttocks T and A medical T drugs - marijuana index of slang and colloquial expressions tab cost tab identification tab medicine tabbed clothing table-hop social tackhead man tacky cheapness tacky intoxicated - alcohol taco stand location - undesirable tad amount - small tag driving tag intoxication - onset tag music tag nickname tag police tag sports - baseball tag sports - boxing Tah-dah! amazement tail-end posterior tailgate party party tailgate driving tailgate party tailor-made tobacco tails clothing take a bath (on something) loss take a beating violence take a break relax take a chill pill calm take a crack at something try take a dig at someone insult take a dirt nap death take a fall arrest take a fall sports - boxing take a flyer (on something) chance take a gander (at someone or something) observation take a hike depart take a leak urination take a lot of nerve courage take a lot of nerve impudence take a nosedive fall take a page from someone’s book copy take a pop at someone violence take a powder depart Take a running jump (in the lake)! depart take a shot (at something) try take a swipe at someone or something violence take a whack at someone or something violence take a whack at something try take care of number one self take care of someone murder Take care good-bye take five relax Take it down a thou(sand)! calm take it easy easy take it easy relax take it on the chin endure take it on the lam depart take it out on someone or something anger take it slow calm take it through the nose drugs - use take it to the street communication take it endure take names list take off depart take off success take on fuel drinking - excess take one’s belt in (a notch) preparation take one’s lumps acceptance take pictures police take some doing planning take someone in deception take someone in lodging take someone off murder take someone or something apart criticism take someone or something apart violence take someone or something off theft take someone or something on responsibility take someone out dating take someone out murder take someone out sports - football take someone to the cleaners loss take someone to the cleaners overwhelm take something out ruination take something public financial take something public reveal take the cure drugs - rehabilitation take the fall arrest take the fifth legal take the fifth refusal take the (gas) pipe death take the heat off someone removal take the heat criticism take the (long) count death take the pipe failure take the pledge abstinence take the plunge nuptials 529 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang take the rap (for something) guilt take the spear (in one’s chest) acceptance take the starch out of someone scolding take the wind out of someone’s sails deflate take things easy relax take things easy success take deception take earn take movies take overwhelm taken dead taken deception taken intoxicated - drugs taken unavailable take-off artist thief take-off copy take-off parody take-off theft taker commerce takes two to tango cooperation taking care of business lifestyle tale of woe difficulties talk a blue streak chatter talk big boasting talk like a nut talking talk on the big white phone vomit talk one’s head off persuasion talk someone ragged chatter talk someone’s ear off chatter talk through one’s hat lying talk to earl vomit talk to hear one’s own voice chatter talk to Herb and Al alcohol/drugs talk turkey frankness talk until one is blue in the face chatter talking head reporter tall in the saddle pride tall one drinking - portion tall order request tall timbers location tall excellence tall intoxicated - drugs tangle with someone or something argument drinking - excess drunkard fall jail loss tank tank tank tank tank 530 tanked defeat tanked intoxicated - alcohol tanker drunkard tanky intoxicated - alcohol tanned intoxicated - alcohol tap dance like mad busy tap out death tap out loss tap someone (for something) choice taped completeness tapped arrest tapped exhaustion tapped money - lacking tapped ruination taste blood experience taste sharing Ta-ta good-bye tawny excellence TCB business tea party easy tea party party - drinking tea alcohol tea drugs - marijuana tea urination tear into someone scolding tear into something gluttony tear into something speed tear loose (from someone or something) evasion tear off depart tear someone or something apart criticism tear someone or something up violence tear someone up grief tear drinking - bout tearjerker movies teaser preview teaser tobacco techie skill techie student techie technology tech-nerd technology technicolor yawn vomit tee someone off anger teed off anger teed (up) intoxicated - alcohol/drugs teenie financial teenybopper teenager teeny-weeny size tee-tee urination telegraph one’s punches signal index of slang and colloquial expressions telegraph one’s punches sports boxing Tell it like it is truth Tell me another (one)! belief tell someone what to with something command tell someone where to get off scolding tell the (whole) world reveal telly television ten percenter agent ten best ten-four yes tenner money tennies shoes ten-spot money terrific excellence TGIF gratitude thank you very much gratitude thanks a bunch gratitude That tears it! annoyance that way gay that way intoxicated - alcohol that way romance That-a-boy! encouragement That’ll be the day! belief That’ll teach someone justice That’s a new one on me uniqueness That’s about the size of it conclusion That’s all she wrote conclusion That’s all someone needs amount excessive That’s show business (for you) reality That’s that! conclusion That’s the stuff! amazement That’s the ticket! encouragement That’s the way the ball bounces acceptance That’s the way the cookie crumbles acceptance That’s the way the mop flops acceptance (That’s the) way to go! encouragement That’s what I say agreement thawed intoxicated - alcohol the way it plays acceptance the works everything then and there time - then There will be hell to pay results There you are results There you go encouragement There you go reality There you go scolding There’s nobody home stupidity thick false thick joining thick stupidity thickheaded stupidity thick-skinned tolerant thin dime money thing interest thingamajig gadget think-box head think-piece publication think-tank knowledge thin-skinned criticism third degree interrogation third wheel intrusion thirst-aid station tavern thirsty soul drunkard This is it! amazement This is where I came in sameness thoroughbred criminal thou amount threads clothing three bricks shy of a load stupidity three fingers drinking - portion three sheets in the wind intoxicated alcohol three squares food three-two power - alcohol thriller-diller excitement throat gag alcohol throat student throne room toilet throne toilet through and through completeness through the mill exhaustion throw a fight sports - boxing throw a fit anger throw a game loss throw a map vomit throw a punch violence throw a technicolor yawn vomit throw down eating throw in the towel quit throw money at something solution throw one out on one’s ear ejection throw one’s hat in the ring candidacy throw one’s voice vomit throw one’s weight around dominance throw someone for a loop confusion throw something back consumption throw the book at someone punishment 531 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang throw the bull boasting throw up one’s toenails vomit throw confusion throw try throw-away information throw-away performance thumb a ride travel thumber begging thumbnail sketch description thumbs down disapproval thumbs up approval thunder-boomer thunderstorm thunderbox audio thunder-thighs thighs tick someone off anger tick time - short ticked (off ) anger ticker heart ticker watch ticket driving ticket precision tickle the ivories music tickled (pink) pleasure tick-tock clock tick-tock heart tick-tock watch ticky-tacky cheapness tiddled intoxicated - alcohol tie one on drinking - excess tie the knot nuptials tied up busy tie-in connection tiffled intoxicated - alcohol tiger sweat alcohol - strong tiger man - strong tight as a tick intoxicated - alcohol tight as a tick tight tight money money tight spot difficulties tight busy tight intoxicated - alcohol tight stingy tighten one’s belt preparation tightwad stingy Tijuana taxi police till hell freezes over always till kingdom come always till the fat lady sings endings Time (out)! silence time to cruise depart tin cow milk tin hat clothing tinkle urination 532 tinklebox music tinseled checks tinsel-teeth teeth tinseltown cities tints sunglasses tip one’s hand reveal tip-off evidence tipple alcohol tipple drinking - bout tipple drinking - portion tippler drunkard tippler tavern tipply intoxicated - alcohol tipster tattling tits up position tits breasts tizzy confusion TLC caring T-man police to beat the band aggressiveness to boot additional to die for desire to go commerce to hell and gone ruination To hell with that! endings to the max amount - maximum to the tune of something cost toast drunkard toast excellence toast trouble toasted intoxicated - alcohol today immediately toddle off depart toddy blossom pimples to-do uproar together organization toilet water alcohol - beer toke drugs - cocaine toke drugs - portion toke drugs - use toke symbol toke tobacco tokus buttocks tomato woman - attractive tomcat man - sex tomcat sex tomfoolery silliness tongue oil alcohol tongue-tied intoxicated - alcohol tongue-tied speech - lacking tonic alcohol tons of something amount - much tonsil bath alcohol index of slang and colloquial expressions tonsil paint alcohol too much excellence too rich for someone’s blood cost too rich for someone’s blood food Toodle(-oo) good-bye tooie drugs - barbiturate tool around travel tool cars tool dupe tool student toot drinking - bout toot drinking - excess toot drugs - portion toot drugs - use toot emotion tooter drunkard tootle along depart tootonium drugs - cocaine tootuncommon drugs - cocaine top banana comedian top banana people - important top brass people - important top dog people - important top heavy buxom top of the heap superiority top story brain top excellence top murder top sports - baseball top-drawer excellence top-flight excellence topless nakedness topsy-boozy intoxicated - alcohol topsy-turvy confusion topsy-turvy intoxicated - alcohol tore (up) emotion tore (up) intoxicated - alcohol/drugs tornado juice alcohol torpedo drinking torqued anger torqued intoxicated - alcohol toss one’s cookies vomit toss something off carelessness toss something off drinking toss something off ignore toss something off sickness toss discard toss drinking - portion toss search toss vomit toss-up chance totaled intoxicated - alcohol totaled ruination totally clueless stupidity totally completeness tote abstinence tote drugs - paraphernalia tote drugs - portion touch a sore point harm touch and go uncertainty touch base (with someone) contact touch dupe touch portion touch request touch try touched intoxicated - alcohol tough break luck - lacking tough cookie problem tough customer problem tough egg to crack problem tough guy man - negative tough luck acceptance tough row to hoe difficulties tough something out endure Tough titty! annoyance tourist trap vacation townie resident toxicated intoxicated - alcohol TP toilet - paraphernalia TP trick track agreement track music track reason - lacking trad old-fashioned traf flatulence tragic-magic drugs - heroin trammeled intoxicated - alcohol tranny cars trans cars trap location - undesirable trap mouth trash mouth people - vulgar trash insult trash overwhelm trash people - worthless trash vandalism trash waste trashed intoxicated - alcohol/drugs trashy obscene trekkie fan trial balloon try trick on someone deception tricks of the trade skill trigger beginnings trigger criminal 533 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang trigger-happy violence trip depart trip intoxication - drugs trip intoxication - onset trip people - negative trip punishment tripe nonsense tripe worthlessness triple whammy power triple drinking - portion triple-bagger people - ugly triple-bagger sports - baseball tripped out excellence trots diarrhea trotters feet trotters food trounce overwhelm trump something up promotion trumped up fake trumped up promotion Trust me! trust try someone back (again) telephone (T)sup? greeting tub of lard people - fat tube it failure tube steak food tube alcohol - beer tube failure tube surfing tube television tube tobacco tubed intoxicated - alcohol tubular excellence tude behavior - bad tunage excellence tunage music tune in (to something) awareness tune out ignore tune someone or something out ignore tuned in fashionable tuned intoxicated - alcohol tunes music turd excrement turd people - negative turf location turistas diarrhea turkey failure turkey people - stupid turn a trick prostitution turn around reversal turn belly up death turn belly up failure 534 turn in sleep turn on a dime driving turn on the waterworks emotion turn on, tune in, drop out drugs turn on drugs - use turn on excitement turn on interest turn one’s toes up death turn onto someone or something interest turn over drugs - rehabilitation turn someone off dull turn someone on excitement turn someone or something upside down confusion turn someone out corrupt turn someone’s stomach sickness turn someone’s water off humiliation turn tail (and run) depart turn thumbs down (on someone or something) rejection turn turtle endings turn up one’s nose at someone or something disgusting turn betrayal turn corrupt turned off uninterested turned on excitement turned on intoxicated - drugs turn-off repellent turnout audience turps alcohol tux clothing tweak adjustment tweased intoxicated - alcohol tweeked intoxicated - alcohol twenty-twenty hindsight prediction lacking twiddle one’s thumbs waiting twinkie teenager twirp people - unimportant twist (slowly) in the wind suffering twist someone’s arm persuasion twist woman twisted addiction - end twisted intoxicated - alcohol twister drinking - bout twister key twister tornado twit anxiety twit people - stupid two fingers drinking - portion two shakes of a lamb’s tail speed index of slang and colloquial expressions two umlauts alcohol - beer two-bit cheapness two bits money two-by-four size twofer commerce two-fisted drinker drunkard two-time loser people - negative two-time deception two-timer lover two-way street reciprocity type children ugly as sin ugliness uke vomit ump sports umpteen amount - many umpty-umpth amount Uncle nab police Uncle (Sam) government Uncle (Sam) police uncool old-fashioned under someone’s thumb dominance under the affluence of incohol intoxicated - alcohol under the gun pressure under the table intoxicated - alcohol under the table secrecy under the weather intoxicated alcohol under the weather sickness under the wire time under wraps secrecy underpinnings legs understanding legs underwater basket weaving school underwhelm failure undies clothing unearthly horrible unflappable endure ungodly horrible unit gadget unk-jay drugs unlax relax unload ejection unreal reality - lacking up a storm enthusiasm up a tree confusion up a tree intoxicated - alcohol up against it crisis up and at them encouragement up for grabs available up for grabs confusion up for something agreement up front beginnings up front honesty up front location up high drugs up in arms anger up in the air (about someone or something) indecision up in the air indecision up pot drugs - marijuana up stakes depart up the creek (without a paddle) difficulties up the pole intoxicated - alcohol up the river punishment up the wall anxiety up time computer up to here endure up to one’s eyeballs abundance up to one’s knees abundance up to one’s neck abundance up to scratch satisfactory up drugs - use up happiness up increase upbeat happiness upchuck vomit upholstered intoxicated - alcohol uppity haughtiness upshot (of something) results upside benefit uptight anxiety urge to purge vomit Use your head! thinking use drugs - use user drugs - user UVs leisure vac appliance vacation punishment vag hobo vag police vals drugs - tranquilizers Vamoose! depart vanilla dull vanilla people - white varnished intoxicated - alcohol Vatican roulette contraception V-ball sports - volleyball veejay broadcasting veep officer veg (out) relax veg food veg people - stupid vegetable intoxicated - alcohol vegetable people - negative 535 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang vegged out intoxication - bad veggie medical veggy eating veggy exhaustion veggy food vent one’s spleen anger verboten forbidden vest business vet soldier vette cars vibes feelings vic criminal vic victim vicious circle sequence vicious excellence vicked deception Vietnik peace vim and vigor energetic vines clothing vinyl music VIP people - important visit from Flo menses visit from the stork birth visiting fireman employment vital statistics body vivor success viz clothing vomatose intoxicated - alcohol vomity disgusting vote with one’s feet dislike vroom engine vroom movement wacky silliness wacky-tabbacky drugs - marijuana wad money waffle (around) indecision wag one’s chin chatter wagon police wail excellence wailing excellence walk heavy importance walk on eggs caution walk soft humility walk tall confidence walk abandonment walk easy walk release walk survival walk-in commerce walking dandruff lice walking on rocky socks intoxicated alcohol walking papers dismissal 536 walking wounded soldier walkover easy wall job deception wallet kinship wall-eyed intoxicated - alcohol wallflower people - meek wallop influence wallop violence wallpaper checks walls have ears eavesdropping wall-to-wall completeness waltz off (with something) theft waltz through something success waltz easy wampum money wana drugs - marijuana wanabe desire want list desire Want to make something of it? challenge war chest money war paint makeup war zone danger warhorse age warm body people warm someone up preparation warmed over unoriginal warped intoxicated - alcohol wart difficulties wart people - negative warts and all acceptance wash out accident wash out exhaustion wash out failure wash out loss wash someone away murder wash conceal wash drinking - portion wash financial washed out exhaustion washout failure WASP people - white waspish people - white waste murder wasted dead wasted exhaustion wasted intoxicated - alcohol/drugs Watch it! caution Watch my lips! observation Watch your mouth! warning watering hole tavern wax music wax violence index of slang and colloquial expressions waxed intoxicated - alcohol way down depression way off (base) error way out extreme way out intoxicated - alcohol/drugs way rad excellence Way! yes way completeness WBMTTP computer - abbreviation weak sister man - meek wear the pants (in the house) dominance wear endure weasel out of something evasion weasel people - negative weasel student wedgy clothing weed drugs - marijuana weed tobacco weedhead drugs - user weeds clothing weekend warrior soldier weenie food weenie penis weenie people - stupid weenie student weeper emotion weird out craziness weirded out craziness weirdo people - crazy weisenheimer people - negative welcher debt welk politeness well-fixed intoxicated - alcohol well-fixed wealth well-oiled chatter well-oiled intoxicated - alcohol (well-)upholstered fat wenchy behavior - bad Were you born in a barn? insult wet blanket people - negative wet noodle people - meek wet one alcohol - beer wet sock people - meek wet alcohol - location wet intoxicated - alcohol wet stupidity wetware brain whack someone or something up violence whack someone (out) murder whack something (out) theft whack drinking - portion whack violence whacked (out) intoxicated alcohol/drugs whacked craziness whale into someone or something violence whale on excellence whale the tar out of someone punishment whale drunkard whale people - fat wham-bang thrill whang(y)doodle gadget whang(y)doodle nonsense What (a) nerve! shock What can I you for? greeting What you say? greeting What you say? what What else is new? sarcasm What gives? what What (in) the devil? what What (in) the hell? what What in (the) Sam Hill? what What is it? greeting What someone said agreement What the deuce? what What the heck! acceptance What you see is what you get commerce whatchamacallit gadget whatever turns you on acceptance whatever perhaps What’ll it be? drinking What’s buzzin’ (cousin)? greeting What’s cooking? greeting What’s eating someone? annoyance What’s going down? greeting What’s going on? greeting What’s happ(ening)? greeting what’s his face someone What’s in it for me? benefit What’s it to you? challenge What’s new? greeting What’s poppin’? greeting What’s shakin’ (bacon)? greeting What’s the catch? drawback What’s the good word? greeting What’s the scam? what What’s up, G? greeting What’s up? greeting What’s with someone or something? problem What’s your age? greeting 537 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang What’s yours? drinking whatsis gadget whazood intoxicated - alcohol wheel and deal commerce wheel man driving wheel driving wheeler-dealer business wheels cars wheely stunt when push comes to shove results when the eagle flies employment Where (have) you been keeping yourself? greeting Where in (the) Sam Hill? where Where in the world? where where it’s at goals Where on (God’s green) earth? where where someone is at understanding where someone lives personal where someone’s head is at mental where the action is location where the sun don’t shine anus Where’s the beef? where Where’s the fire? hurry wherewithal money wherewithal motivation whiffled intoxicated - alcohol whiff-sniffer alcohol whing-ding affair whing-ding drinking - bout whing-ding gadget whip something off eating whipped excellence whipped intoxicated - alcohol whipsaw financial whipsaw violence whirlybird aviation whiskey tenor singer whistle in the dark guessing whistle-blower tattling whistler tattling white elephant undesirable white hat people - good white knuckler anxiety whitebread dull white-knuckle anxiety whitewash conceal whittled intoxicated - alcohol whiz kid skill whiz skill whiz urination Who (in) the hell? who who shot John alcohol - illicit 538 Who the deuce? who Whoa! stopping whodunit story whole bag of tricks everything whole ball of wax everything whole bunch(es) amount - much whole enchilada everything whole fam damily kinship whole new ball game difference whole nine yards everything whole schmear everything whole shebang everything whole wide world everywhere whooshed intoxicated - alcohol whoozis nickname whopper lying whopper size whopping (great) size whump impact whump overwhelm wicked excellence wide open crime wide open speed wide place in the road location wide intoxicated - drugs widget gadget widget product widow-maker danger wiener nose people - stupid wife woman - friend wig out craziness wig out excitement wigged (out) craziness wigged (out) intoxicated alcohol/drugs wiggle out of something evasion wild and wooly excitement wild excitement will yes will not wash belief willies anxiety Wilma woman - stupid wimp out (of something) cowardice WIMP computer - abbreviation wimp people - meek wimpy cowardice Win a few, lose a few defeat Win a few, lose a few loss Win a few, lose a few overwhelm windbag boasting windy chatter windy flatulence wing heavy intoxicated - alcohol index of slang and colloquial expressions wing it try wing aviation winks sleep winner excellence wino alcohol - wine wino drunkard Wipe it off! pressure wipe out accident wipe out accident wipe out people - negative wipe someone out exhaustion wipe someone out murder wipe someone out ruination wipe murder wiped (out) exhaustion wiped (out) intoxicated alcohol/drugs wiped (out) money - lacking wipe-out accident wire eavesdropping wire spying wired into someone or something joining wired alertness wired intoxicated - alcohol/drugs wise guy people - negative wise to someone or something knowledgeable wise up (to someone or something) understanding wish book catalog wish list list wishy-washy indecision with a bang flamboyant with bells on eagerness with flying colors flamboyant with it fashionable with (one’s) eyes (wide) open awareness within an ace of (doing) something proximity without a hitch easy woefits hangover wolf something down consumption wolf man - sex wombat people - strange wonk bureaucrat wonk student wonky study wood butcher carpenter wood-pussy skunk woods are full of MMM amount woody surfing woof cookies vomit woof boasting woof vomit woofled intoxicated - alcohol woofle-water alcohol woolies clothing woozy exhaustion woozy intoxicated - alcohol Word greeting Word yes work one’s tail off work work oneself (up) into a lather anger work oneself (up) into a lather work work oneself up to something preparation work oneself up emotion work someone over examination work someone over threatening workaholic work working stiff work world is one’s oyster dominance world-beater aggressiveness world-class excellence worm man - negative worm-food body - dead worms in blood food worms food worry-wart worry worship the porcelain god(dess) vomit worst-case scenario results worth one’s salt value would not be seen dead refusal Would you believe? amazement wouldn’t touch someone or something with a ten-foot pole avoidance Wow! amazement wow excitement wow impress wow symbol wrap one’s car around something accident wrap something up conclusion wrapped up (in someone or something) obsession wrapped up (with someone or something) busy wrecked intoxicated - alcohol/drugs wrinkle difficulties wrinkle idea wrinkle-rod crankshaft wrong side of the tracks location wrongo people - negative wrongo wrong 539 ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang wuss(y) people - meek WYSIWYG computer - abbreviation X marks the spot location X’d out dead X’d out eliminate XYZ zipper yack chatter yack conversation yack laughter yack people - stupid yackety-yak gossip yahoo people - stupid yak it up chatter yak joking yak talking yak vomit yakky speech yank someone around harassment yank someone’s chain harassment yank harassment yank vomit yanked arrest yap dupe yap gossip yap mouth yap nonsense yap vomit yard dog people - negative yard money yardbird jail yardbird soldier yatata-yatata chatter yawner dull yazzihamper people - negative Ye gods! amazement yea big size yeah yes yeaster drunkard Yec(c)h! disgusting yegg man - negative yegg thief yell one’s guts out complaint yell one’s head off speech - loud Yello greeting yellow cowardice yellow-bellied cowardice yellow-belly people - meek yelper siren yench deception yenta gossip Yes! yes yo mama interjection Yo! interjection 540 yock laughter yodeling in a canyon chatter yoked muscles york vomit You and who else? challenge You asked for it! results You bet your boots! yes You bet your sweet life! yes You bet your sweet patoot(ie)! yes you bet yes You betcha! yes You can say that again! agreement You can’t fight city hall surrender You can’t get there from here location You can’t win them all overwhelm You could have knocked me over with a feather surprise You don’t know the half of it complication You got it! agreement You got it! correct You guys bitchin’? greeting You (had) better believe it! belief You want to step outside? challenge young blood people - new young Turk people - negative Your guess is as good as mine guessing Your place or mine? flirtation You’re the doctor acquiescence You’ve got another think coming wrong yo-yo indecision yo-yo stupidity yoyo people - negative Yuck! disgusting yuck joking yuck people - negative yucky undesirable yummy delicious yummy pleasure yup yes yuppie people - young yutz people - stupid za food zagged intoxicated - alcohol zany silliness Zap! amazement zap defeat zap hurry zap impress zap murder index of slang and colloquial expressions zap shock zap stun zapped exhaustion zapped intoxicated - alcohol zapped intoxicated - drugs zappy energetic zarf people - negative zebra sports zeek out control Zelda woman - ugly zerk people - stupid zerked (out) intoxicated - drugs zerking strange zero people - unimportant zhlubby dull zilch nothing zing energetic zing harassment zing impact zinger insult zinger thing zings delirium tremens zip along hurry zip gun weaponry Zip (up) your lip! silence zip energetic zip hurry zip nothing zip people - stupid zipped intoxicated - drugs zipper head hair zippy energetic zissified intoxicated - alcohol zit doctor doctor zit pimples zob people - worthless zod people - negative zod student zombie exhaustion zombie people - strange zombie people - stupid zoned (out) exhaustion zoned (out) intoxicated - alcohol zoned (out) intoxicated - drugs zonk out exhaustion zonk exhaustion zonk overwhelm zonked (out) exhaustion zonked (out) intoxicated alcohol/drugs zonker drugs - user zonker drunkard zoo busy zoobang intoxicated - alcohol zooed intoxicated - alcohol zooie confusion zoom in (on someone or something) focus zoom out control - lacking zoom someone out impress zoom up movement zoom depart zoom entrance zoom intoxication - onset zoomies aviation zooted intoxicated - alcohol zootied intoxicated - alcohol/drugs zorked intoxicated - alcohol zotz murder zotz nothing Zowie! amazement zowie energetic zozzled intoxicated - alcohol zuke vomit 541 [...]... in interj interjection interrog initialism interrogative an abbreviation consisting of the initial letters of the words being shortened The letters are pronounced one by one, as with “IBM.” ix Copyright 1998 by NTC Contrmporary Publishing Group, Inc Click Here for Terms of Use ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang mod n phr modifier Expressions serving to modify, restrict, or qualify (adjectives,... or beer ᮀ Jed offered a little of his homespun round the table ᮀ How about a swig of homespun? hooch and hootch n hard liquor; any alcoholic beverage ᮀ Let’s go guzzle some hooch ᮀ More hootch for you? idiot juice and idiotic n a mixture of ground nutmeg and water (Prisons.) ᮀ Somehow a bunch of these guys got hold of some idiot juice ᮀ He drank about a gallon of idiotic to get the kick of one beer idiot... liquor ᮀ Let’s go get a little of that blotto ᮀ Let’s get some blotto and get blocked coffin varnish n strong, inferior liquor ᮀ You want some more of this coffin varnish? ᮀ Do you see what that coffin varnish you serve here has done to some of those guys? conk-buster n strong, inferior liquor ᮀ Another shot of that conk-buster and I will just pass out ᮀ Jed kept a jar of conkbuster under his bed against... gazoo here Can’t we throw some of them away? ᮀ Go away I have problems out the gazoo I don’t need any more of them from you! overkill n too much ᮀ That is enough Any more is just overkill ᮀ Your policy of overkill is wasteful and expensive scads n lots (of something) ᮀ I have just scads and scads of paper ᮀ Aunt Mary has scads of money swimming in something in having lots of something ᮀ Right now we are... drink a lot of near-beer without getting drunk nip 1 n a small, quick drink of liquor ᮀ Here, have a nip of this stuff ᮀ One nip is enough That is powerful! 2 in to take small drinks of liquor periodically ᮀ Paul has been nipping since noon ᮀ After nipping all day, Fred was pretty well stewed by dinnertime off the wagon mod drinking liquor after a period of abstinence ᮀ Poor John fell off the wagon... one of them buds in a green bottle? ᮀ I got four kinds of bud here Which do you want? ᮀ This is real fine bud! chill and chilly n a cold can of beer ᮀ Hey, toss me a chill, would ya, buddy? ᮀ You ready for another chilly? cold blood and cold coffee n beer ᮀ How would you like a little cold blood to start things off? ᮀ A nice big cold coffee would do me fine cold pop n beer ᮀ How about another can of. .. constitutional n the first drink of alcohol or dose of drugs of the day ᮀ He downed a constitutional and made ready to set out for the office ᮀ He never fails to drop a constitutional in the morning Herb and Al n marijuana and alcohol ᮀ I’m afraid that Tom’s best friends are Herb and Al ᮀ Wally asked us over to meet Herb and Al hit n a drink of liquor; a dose of a drug ᮀ He had a hit of sauce and went out to... made it ᮀ I hope I make it someday But if not, I tried pull something off tr to make something happen ᮀ I didn’t think he could pull it off ᮀ It takes a lot of skill to pull off something like that swing tr to bring something off; to execute a deal ᮀ This is a very important deal I hope I can swing it ᮀ They want to elect me president of the club I hope they can swing it ACQUIESCENCE You’re the doctor... verb phrases (a transitive verb and its auxiliaries, object(s), and modifier(s) are marked tr List of Themes The following is a list of the 1,100 themes used to classify the slang and colloquial expressions found in this dictionary The themes are also used as guide words at the top of each page in the dictionary Use this list to explore the various themes conveniently ABANDONMENT 1 ABBREVIATIONS 1 ABILITY... the bottle ᮀ The bottle plays a big role in his life breakfast of champions n a first alcoholic drink of the day, taken in the morning, instead of breakfast (Collegiate.) ᮀ Well, here it goes—the breakfast of champions ᮀ He calls it the breakfast of champions I call it a bad sign of something out of hand BYO(B) mod “bring your own (booze or bottle).” (Initialism.) ᮀ A note on the invitation says that ...NTC’s Thematic Dictionary of American Slang This page intentionally left blank NTC’s Thematic Dictionary of American Slang Richard A Spears, Ph.D Copyright... about this title, click here Contents About This Dictionary vii Terms and Symbols List of Themes ix xi Thematic Dictionary of American Slang Index of Slang and Colloquial Expressions 453 Copyright... wordplay, and various figures of speech make up the body of the dictionary The slang and colloquial expressions in this dictionary are arranged according to theme There is a list of themes on page xi