The Oxford Dictionary of Slang

Citation preview

DICTIONARY OF

JOHNAYTO

The worlds most trusted reference books

Oxford Paperback Reference

SLANG Containing over 10,000 words and phrases, this is the ideal reference for those interested in the more quirky and unofficial words used in the English language. Including surprisingly old words such as booze and guzzle to the most up-to-date words like humongous and lunchbox, this fascinating book is sure to provide a stonking good read for all. •

Thematically arranged by chapter for easy browsing

•

Words are arranged chronologically within their theme to show how the language has changed

•

Contains word origins, illustrative examples from literature, and an easy-to-use A-Z index

'hours of happy browsing for language lovers' Observer

ISBN 0-19-280104-X

OXPORD UNIVERSITY P R E S S

801043 www.oup.com

£7.99 RRPS1 3.95 USA

The Oxford Dictionary of

Slang JOHN AYTO

John Ayto is a professional lexicographer and author. His publications include The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang (with John Simpson), The Oxford Essential Guide to the English Language, The Longman Register of New Words, The Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins, and Twentieth Century Words (published by OUP).

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Great Clarendon Street, Oxford 0x2 6DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogota Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Chennai Dares Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris Sào Paulo Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York ©John Ayto 1998 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published 1998 Paperback edition 1999 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Data available ISBN 0-19-280104-X 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Designed by Jane Stevenson Typeset in Swift and Univers by * Alliance Phototypesetters, Pondicherry Printed in Great Britain by Cox & Wyman Ltd. Reading, Berkshire

Contents Sustenance and Intoxication

Preface The body and its Functions

7

1. The body and its Parts 2. Nakedness 3. Physique 4. Sight, Vision 5. Hearing 6. Smell 7. Bodily Functions 8. Pregnancy & Childbirth 9. Tiredness 10. Sleep 11. Illness 12. Death

7 77 12 13 15 16 16 21 22 23 26 30

People and Society

33

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Foodstuffs Eating & Drinking Alcohol Tobacco Drugs Articles and Substances

1. Things 2. Clothing & Accessories 3. Tools, Implements, & Containers 4. Weapons 5. Explosives 6. Dirt & Cleanliness Money, Commerce, and Employment

1. Ethnic & National groups 2. People 3. Children 4. Relations 5. Terms of Address 6. Groups 7. Status 8. Social Categories 9. Conventionality 10. Friends 11. Solitude 1 2 . Sex 13. Sexual Orientation 14. Prostitution 15. Crime 16. Killing 17. Reprimanding & Punishing 18. The Police 19. Prisons 20. Vagrancy 21. Politics 22. Military, Maritime, & Airforce 23. Espionage 24. Religion Animals

33 42 49 51 52 54 55 60 61 62