NTCs thematic dictionary of american slang

Terms and Symbols ᮀ marks the beginning of an example. Amerindian related to native American cultures and people. and indicates an alternative element, either an alternative entry form or an alternative pronunciation. black typically used by or originated by Americans of African descent. blend made up of sounds from two other words, such as smoke + fog = smog. catchphrase an expression that is meant to catch attention because of its cleverness or aptness. combining form a sense of a word used only in combination with another word, as with bug in camera bug. deliberate spoonerism euphemistic exclam. in. a deliberate interchanging of initial consonants in a pair of words, such as “queer old dean” for “dear old queen.” relatively refined and having no negative connotations. exclamation. intransitive. Expressions that are intransitive verbs or intransitive verb phrases (an intransitive verb, its auxiliaries, and modifiers) are marked 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, adjective phrases, adverbs, adverb phrases, etc.) are marked mod. nominal. Expressions functioning as nominals (nouns, noun phrases, etc.) are marked n. phrase. prep. preposition. pro. pronoun. see Go to the entry indicated. see also sent. tr. x Find additional information at the entry indicated. sentence. transitive. Expressions that are transitive verbs or transitive 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 1 ABSENCE 1 ABSOLUTELY 1 ABSTINENCE 1 ABUNDANCE 2 ABUSED 2 ACCELERATOR 3 ACCEPTANCE 3 ACCIDENT 4 ACCOST 4 ACCOUNTANT 4 ACHIEVEMENT 5 ACQUIESCENCE 5 ACTIVITY 5 ACTOR 5 ADDICTION 5 ADDICTION - AGAIN 6 ADDICTION - END 6 ADDITIONAL 6 ADHESIVE 6 ADJUSTMENT 7 ADVANTAGE 7 ADVERTISING 7 ADVICE 7 AFFAIR 7 AGE 7 AGENT 8 AGGRESSIVENESS 8 AGREEMENT 8 ALCOHOL 9 ALCOHOL/DRUGS 9 ALCOHOL - BAD 14 ALCOHOL - BEER 14 ALCOHOL - BUBBLY 15 ALCOHOL - CHAMPAGNE 15 ALCOHOL - DRINKING 16 ALCOHOL - GIN 16 ALCOHOL - ILLICIT 16 ALCOHOL - LACKING 16 ALCOHOL - LOCATION 16 ALCOHOL - PARAPHERNALIA 16 ALCOHOL - SALOON 16 ALCOHOL - STRONG 16 ALCOHOL - VODKA 17 ALCOHOL - WHISKEY 17 ALCOHOL - WINE 17 ALERTNESS 17 ALTERNATIVES 18 ALWAYS 18 AMATEUR 18 AMAZEMENT 18 AMBITION 20 AMBULANCE 20 AMOUNT 20 AMOUNT - EXCESSIVE 21 AMOUNT - LARGE 21 AMOUNT - MANY 21 AMOUNT - MAXIMUM 21 AMOUNT - MORE 21 AMOUNT - MUCH 21 AMOUNT - SMALL 22 AMOUNT - ZERO 22 ANGER 22 ANNOYANCE 25 ANTICIPATION 27 ANUS 28 ANXIETY 28 APPEALING 29 APPEARANCE 29 APPEARANCE - NEGATIVE 30 APPLIANCE 30 APPRECIATION 30 APPROVAL 30 ARGUMENT 31 ARISE 31 ARMPITS 31 AROUSAL 31 ARREST 31 ARRIVAL 34 ARROGANCE See HAUGHTINESS 206 ARTS 34 ASSISTANCE 34 ASSISTANT 34 ATTACK 34 ATTENTION 34 ATTENTION - LACKING 34 ATTRACTIVE 35 ATTRACTIVENESS 35 AUDIENCE 35 AUDIO 35 AUTHORIZATION 35 AUTOMATIC 36 AUTOMOBILES See CARS 52 AVAILABLE 36 AVERAGE 36 AVIATION 36 AVOIDANCE 37 AWARENESS 37 AWARENESS - LACKING 37 BACKFIRE 38 BAD See HORRIBLE 209, NASTY 286, UNDESIRABLE 422 BADGE 38 BALDNESS 38 BASIC 338 BATHROOM 38 BEARD 38 BED 38 BEGGING 39 BEGINNINGS 39 BEHAVIOR 40 BEHAVIOR - BAD 40 BEHIND 41 BELCH 41 BELIEF 41 BELLY 41 BENEFIT 42 BEST 42 BETRAYAL 42 BICYCLE 43 BIRTH 43 BISEXUAL 43 BOASTING 43 BOAT 43 BODY 43 BODY - DEAD 44 BOREDOM See DULL 143 BRAGGING See BOASTING 43 BRAIN 44 xi Copyright 1998 by NTC Contrmporary Publishing Group, Inc. Click Here for Terms of Use. ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang BRAVERY See COURAGE 81 BREASTS 44 BRIBERY 45 BROADCASTING 45 BROKE See MONEY LACKING 276 BROTHEL 45 BURDEN 46 BUREAUCRAT 46 BUS 46 BUSINESS 46 BUSY 48 BUTTOCKS 48 BUXOM 49 CALCULATION 50 CALM 50 CANCEL See STOPPING 388 CANDIDACY 51 CARDS 51 CARELESSNESS 51 CARING 52 CARING - LACKING 52 CARPENTER 52 CARS 52 CATALOG 54 CAUTION 54 CELEBRATION See PARTY 302 CELEBRITY 54 CEMETERY 54 CERTAINTY 55 CHALLENGE 55 CHANCE 56 CHARITY 56 CHARM 56 CHATTER 56 CHEAPNESS 57 CHEATING See DECEPTION 95 CHECKS 58 CHILDREN 59 CHOCOLATE 60 CHOICE 60 CITIES 60 CLARITY 61 CLEANLINESS 61 CLEVERNESS 61 CLOCK 61 CLOTHING 61 CLUMSINESS 63 COFFEE 63 COINCIDENCE 63 COLD 63 COLLEGE 63 COMEDIAN 63 COMFORT 64 COMMAND 64 COMMERCE 64 COMMOTION 66 xii COMMUNICATION 66 COMMUNIST 66 COMPETITION 66 COMPLAINT 66 COMPLETENESS 67 COMPLICATION 68 COMPUTER 68 COMPUTER - ABBREVIATIONS 69 COMPUTER - ERROR 71 CONCEAL 71 CONCENTRATION 72 CONCERN 72 CONCLUSION 72 CONCURRENTLY 73 CONDITIONAL 73 CONFESSION 73 CONFIDENCE 73 CONFRONTATION 73 CONFUSION 73 CONNECTION 75 CONSEQUENCES 75 CONSUMPTION 75 CONTACT 75 CONTENTMENT 75 CONTRACEPTION 75 CONTRACTION 75 CONTROL 76 CONTROL - LACKING 76 CONVERSATION 76 COOKING 77 COOPERATION 77 COOPERATION - LACKING 77 COPULATION 77 COPY 79 CORPSE See BODY - DEAD 44 CORRECT 79 CORRUPT 79 COST 79 COUNTRY 80 COUPLE 80 COURAGE 81 COWARDICE 81 CRANKSHAFT 82 CRAZINESS 82 CRIME 84 CRIMINAL 86 CRISIS 87 CRITICISM 87 CULTURE 88 CULTURE - LACKING 88 CURSING 89 DANCING 90 DANGER 90 DATING 90 DAY 91 DEAD 91 DEATH 92 DEBT 94 DECEPTION 95 DECLINE 99 DEFEAT 99 DEFECATION 100 DEFLATE 101 DELAY 101 DELICIOUS 101 DELIRIUM TREMENS 101 DEMONSTRATION 101 DEPART 102 DEPRESSION 104 DESCRIPTION 105 DESIRE 105 DESTRUCTION 106 DETAILS 106 DETECTIVE 106 DIARRHEA 106 DIETING 107 DIFFERENCE 107 DIFFICULTIES 107 DIGRESSION 109 DIRECTION 109 DISABLED 109 DISAGREEMENT 109 DISAPPOINTMENT 109 DISAPPROVAL 110 DISCARD 110 DISCOURAGEMENT 110 DISCOVERY 110 DISGUSTING 110 DISHONESTY 112 DISHWASHING DISINTEREST 112 DISLIKE 112 DISMISSAL 112 DISPLAY 112 DISPOSAL See DISCARD 110 DIVORCE 114 DOCTOR 114 DOG 114 DOMINANCE 115 DRAWBACK 115 DRINKING 115 DRINKING - BOUT 117 DRINKING - EXCESS 117 DRINKING - PARAPHERNALIA 119 DRINKING - PLACE 120 DRINKING - PORTION 120 DRINKING - TOAST 122 DRIVING 122 DRUGS 122 DRUGS - ADDED 125 DRUGS - AMPHETAMINE 125 DRUGS - ANALGESIC 126 DRUGS - BARBITURATE 126 DRUGS - COCAINE 126 DRUGS - FEELING 127 list of themes DRUGS - HASHISH 127 DRUGS - HEROIN 128 DRUGS - LSD 128 DRUGS - MARIJUANA 129 DRUGS - MESCALINE 131 DRUGS - METHADONE 131 DRUGS - MUSHROOMS 131 DRUGS - NEED 131 DRUGS - OPIUM 132 DRUGS - PARAPHERNALIA 132 DRUGS - PARTY 133 DRUGS - PCP 133 DRUGS - PEYOTE 133 DRUGS - PORTION 133 DRUGS - POWDER 134 DRUGS - PURCHASE 134 DRUGS - REACTION 135 DRUGS - REHABILITATION 135 DRUGS - RUINED 135 DRUGS - SELLER 135 DRUGS - STRONG 135 DRUGS - SUPPLY 135 DRUGS - TRANQUILIZERS 135 DRUGS - USE 136 DRUGS - USER 137 DRUGS - WEAK 140 DRUNK See INTOXICATED ALCOHOL 221 DRUNKARD 140 DULL 143 DUPE 144 DWELLING See LODGING 258 EAGERNESS 146 EARLY 146 EARN 146 EARS 147 EARTHY 147 EASY 147 EATING 148 EAVESDROPPING 150 EFFECT 150 EFFEMINATE150 EFFICIENCY 150 EFFORT 150 EJECTION 151 ELBOW 151 ELECTRICITY 151 ELECTRONICS 151 ELEGANCE 151 ELIMINATE 152 EMBARRASSMENT 152 EMOTION 152 EMOTION - LACKING 153 EMPLOYMENT 153 ENCOUNTER 153 ENCOURAGEMENT 154 ENDEARMENT 154 ENDINGS 154 ENDLESS 155 ENDURE 155 ENERGETIC 155 ENGINE 156 ENJOYMENT 157 ENMITY 157 ENTHUSIASM 157 ENTICEMENT 157 ENTRANCE 157 EQUIPMENT 157 ERROR 157 ESCAPE 159 ESSENCE 159 ESTIMATION 160 EVASION 160 EVEN 160 EVENT 160 EVERYTHING 161 EVERYWHERE 161 EVIDENCE 161 EXACTLY 162 EXAGGERATION 162 EXAMINATION 162 EXCELLENCE 162 EXCITEMENT 168 EXCREMENT 170 EXCUSE 171 EXERCISE 171 EXHAUSTION 171 EXIT See DEPART 102 EXPERIENCE 173 EXPERIENCE - LACKING 173 EXPERT See SKILL 376 EXPLANATION 173 EXPLOSIVES 174 EXPRESSION 174 EXTINGUISH 174 EXTORTION 174 EXTRAVAGANCE174 EXTREME 175 EYELIDS 175 EYES 175 FACE 176 FAILURE 176 FAKE 178 FALL 178 FALSE 178 FAN 179 FANTASY 179 FARMER 179 FARMING 179 FASHIONABLE 179 FAT 180 FEAR 180 FEELINGS180 FEET 180 FEMININE 181 FIDELITY 181 FIGHTING 181 FINALITY 181 FINANCIAL 181 FINGER 185 FIREFIGHTER 185 FIST 185 FLAMBOYANT 185 FLATTERY 185 FLATULENCE 186 FLIRTATION 186 FOCUS 187 FOG 187 FOOD 187 FOOLPROOF 189 FOOT 189 FORBIDDEN 189 FORCE 189 FRANKNESS 189 FREEDOM 190 FRIEND 190 FRIENDLINESS 191 FRIGHT 191 FRUSTRATION 192 FUEL 192 FUN 192 FUNCTIONAL 192 FURNITURE 192 GADGET 193 GAMBLING 194 GAS See FLATULENCE 186 GATHERING 194 GAY 194 GENERALITY 195 GENEROSITY 195 GENETIC 196 GENTILE 196 GENUINE 196 GIFT 196 GLASSES 196 GLUTTONY 196 GOALS 197 GOOD-BYE 197 GOOSE 198 GOSSIP 198 GOVERNMENT 199 GRATITUDE 199 GREED 199 GREETING 199 GRIEF 201 GROOMING 201 GROUCHY 201 GROUP 201 GROWTH 202 GUESSING 202 GUILT 202 HAIR 203 HANDKERCHIEF 203 xiii ntc’s thematic dictionary of american slang HANDS 203 HANGOVER 203 HAPPENING 204 HAPPINESS 204 HARASSMENT 204 HARM 205 HAT 205 HAUGHTINESS 206 HAUNT 206 HEAD 206 HEALTHY 207 HEART 207 HEAT 207 HEIGHT 207 HELL 207 HELP See ASSISTANCE 34 HETEROSEXUAL 207 HIDING 207 HINDER 207 HOBO 207 HOMELESSNESS 208 HOMOSEXUAL See GAY 194 HONESTY 208 HOPE 209 HORRIBLE 209 HORSE 209 HOSPITAL 209 HOUSING See LODGING 258 HUMILIATION 209 HUMILITY 209 HUNGER 209 HURRY 210 HYGIENE 210 IDEA 212 IDENTIFICATION 212 IGNORE 213 IMMEDIATELY 213 IMPACT 214 IMPETUOUS 214 IMPORTANCE 214 IMPORTANCE - LACKING 214 IMPRESS 214 IMPRESSIVE 215 IMPROVEMENT 215 IMPUDENCE 215 INCREASE 216 INDECISION 216 INDEPENDENCE 216 INDULGENCE 216 INEFFICIENT 216 INFERIORITY 216 INFLUENCE 216 INFLUENCE - LACKING 217 INFORM See TATTLING 400 INFORMATION 217 INJURY 218 INNOCENCE 218 INOFFENSIVE 219 INSECT 219 xiv INSINCERITY 219 INSULT 219 INTELLIGENCE 220 INTEREST 221 INTERJECTION 221 INTERROGATION 221 INTERRUPTION 221 INTESTINES 221 INTOXICATED - ALCOHOL 221 INTOXICATED ALCOHOL/DRUGS 225 INTOXICATED - DRUGS 240 INTOXICATION 241 INTOXICATION - BAD 242 INTOXICATION - DRUGS 242 INTOXICATION - END 242 INTOXICATION - ONSET 242 INTOXICATION - RECOVERY 243 INTOXICATION - SEVERE 243 INTOXICATION - SLEEP 243 INTRUSION 243 IRRELEVANCE 244 JAIL 245 JEER 246 JEWELRY 246 JOINING 246 JOKING 246 JUNKYARD 247 JUSTICE 247 KEY 248 KINDNESS 248 KINSHIP 248 KISS 249 KNEES 250 KNOWLEDGE 250 KNOWLEDGEABLE 251 KNOWLEDGE - LACKING 251 LABOR 252 LAUGHTER 252 LAW-ABIDING 253 LAWYER 253 LAZY 253 LEGAL 253 LEGS 254 LEISURE 254 LEND 255 LESBIAN 255 LICE 255 LIFESTYLE 255 LIMITATION 255 LIMITATION - LACKING 255 LINT 256 LIST 256 LISTENING 256 LOCATION 256 LOCATION - UNDESIRABLE 257 LODGING 258 LONELY 258 LOOT 258 LOSE See DEFEAT 99, LOSS 259 LOSS 259 LOUDNESS 259 LOVE 259 LOVER 259 LUCK 260 LUCKY 260 LUCK - LACKING 260 LUGGAGE 260 LUNGS 260 LUXURY 261 LYING 261 MACHINERY 262 MAIL 262 MAKEUP 262 MALFUNCTION 262 MAN 263 MANAGE 263 MAN - ATTRACTIVE 264 MAN - FRIEND 264 MAN - GOOD 264 MAN - IMPORTANT 264 MAN - MEEK 265 MAN - MUSCULAR 265 MAN - NEGATIVE 265 MAN - OLD 266 MAN - RECKLESS 266 MAN - SEX 266 MAN - STRANGE 267 MAN - STRONG 267 MAN - STUPID 267 MAN - UGLY 267 MAN - VULGAR 268 MARBLES 268 MARINE 268 MASCULINE 268 MEAN 268 MECHANIC 268 MEDDLE 268 MEDICAL 269 MEDICAL - PARAPHERNALIA 269 MEDICINE 269 MEEKNESS 270 MEETING 270 MENSES 270 MENTAL 270 MENTION 271 MIDDLE 271 MILITARY 271 MILK 271 MIMIC 271 MISCHIEF 271 MODERN 271 MONEY 272