Dictionary: A – ABB

► A adj. 1. reserved for the best; the best → 1945 US sl. 
adj. 2. anal → 1997 US sl. 
int. absolutely! yes! certainly! → 1950 African-American sl. 
n. 1. a Model-A Ford automobile → 1920 US sl. 
n. 2.  amphetamine → 1967 US sl. 
n. 3. LSD → 1971 US sl. 
n. 4. in a deck of playing cards: an ace → 1988 US sl.
n. 5. a general term of dislike → 1996 W. Indies sl. 
► A1 adj. excellent, first-class, of the best; orig. used of ships, then of persons and things → 1837 colloq. 
n. 1. a title for the commander of 900 men → 1866 obs. 
n. 2. a first-class person; the best; the favourite → M19 sl. 
n. 3. something excellent → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► A-1-1 adj.  excellent; first-rate → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► A1 AND NO MISTAKE phr. prime; first-class; of the best → 1900 sl. 
► A1 COPPER-BOTTOMED phr. prime; first-class; of the best → 1876 sl. 
► A-1-ER n. 1 an exceptional person; an aristocrat → . L19 sl. 
n. 2. something excellent → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► A1 JOE n. something excellent  → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► AA n. a stream, a watercourse → 1430 obs.
► AACHIBOMBO n. codfish fritter → 1943 W. Indies 
► AAGEY-WALA n. the penis → 20C Anglo-Indian 
► AAI-AAI n. methylated spirits or absolute alcohol, as drunk by alcoholics → 1960 S. Afr. sl. 
► AALIE-LAMB n. a motherless lamb; a pet lamb → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► A AND A phr. in the military: a leave for rest and recreation (Ass and Alcohol) → 1966 US sl. 
► A AND B phr. assault and battery → 1920 US sl. 
► A AND IZZARD phr. the beginning and end, the epitome → 1835 Amer. dial. 
► AAP n. a cannabis cigarette → 1946 S. Afr. 
► AAPA n. an older sister; also used as a term of respect or familiarity to an older woman → 1998 S. Asian 
► AARDVARK n. 1.a F-111 combat aircraft or any aircraft that is awkward-looking or difficult to fly → 1963 US sl., Vietnam war usage 
n. 2. a slow-witted person; a coarse or foolish person; an oaf; a fool, a simpleton → 1968 Amer. sl. 
n. 3. hard work, onerous tasks → 1980 UK students’ sl. 
n. 4. an uncircumcised penis; a male with an uncircumcised penis → 2002 US sl. 
vb. to engage in sex → 1990 US students’ sl. 
► AARDVARKING n. sexual intercourse → 1990 US students’ sl. 
► AARON n. 1.  a person resembling the Jewish high priest Aaron, esp. a high priest, a leader → 1565
n. 2. a leader of the church → 1607 sl. 
n. 3. a cadger; a beggar → 19C sl. 
n. 4. a beggar mountain-guide → 1909 sl. (Bk.)
► THE AARON n. 1. a cadger; a beggar → 17C sl. 
n. 2. a criminal, esp. a gang leader → 17C sl. 
► AARON’S BELLS n. the testicles; sexual activity → 1681 obs. 
► AARON’S ROD n. 1. a powerful force which devours or overwhelms everything around it → 1631 
n. 2. the penis → 1891 sl. 
► AARON’S SERPENT n. a powerful force which devours or overwhelms everything around it → 1732
► AASBED n. a rough bed → 1958 W. Indies 
► AATACLAPS n. a disaster, a calamity → 1995 W. Indies sl. 
► A.B. n. 1.  an able-bodied seaman → 1875 sl. 
n. 2. an abscess that develops after injecting with an unsterile needle or an unsterile water/narcotic solution → 1930 drug culture sl. 
n. 3. Aryan Brotherhood, the White supremacist organization that unites many White convicts during (and after) their time in jail → 1973 US prison sl. 
n. 4. fools as a group (Asshole Brigade) → 1983 sl. 
n. 5. the menstrual period → 1988 NZ sl. 
n. 6. Aryan Breed, the Australian version of the “Aryan Brotherhood” → 1990 Aust. prison sl. 
► AB n. 1. moisture within timber; sap → 1587 obs.
n. 2. a Northern soldier in the US Civil War → 1862 US South 
n. 3. an Aborigine → 1870 Aust. sl. 
n. 4. an abscess, esp. as a result of injecting drugs → 1937 US sl. 
n. 5. an abdominal muscle, usually in the context of a flat stomach → 1956 colloq. 
n. 6. the Aryan Brotherhood, a White prison gang in the US → 1990 US sl. 
n. 7. the bleed period of the menstrual cycle → 1996 NZ sl. 
n. 8. abalone → 2002 Aust. sl. 
► ABA n. a traveller’s cheque → 1985 US sl. 
► ABAA adj. 1. bad; vile → 1889 sl. 
adj. 2. silly → 1909 sl. 
n. a non-unionist; a term of contempt → 1903 sl. 
► ABAA COVE n. a bad man → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► ABAA MUFF n. a silly person → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► A-B-ABS n. alphabet; rudiments, beginning → 1851 Sc. 
► ABACCERING n. loafing → 20C canalmen’s usage 
► ABACINATE vb. to blind by placing hot irons or metal plates, in front of the eyes → 1855
► ABACINATION n. blinding by means of red-hot irons held before the eyes → 1866 
► ABACIST n. one who uses an abacus in casting accounts; an arithmetician, an accountant, a calculator → 1387 
► ABACISTA n. a term used by ancient writers for an arithmetician → 1708 (Bk.)
► ABACK adv. 1. since, ago → 1768 Sc. 
adv. 2. aloof, away → 1786 Sc. 
adv. 3. behind, in the rear → 1786 Sc. 
vb. to hold or keep back → 1735 Sc. obs. 
► ABACK-O’-BEHIND adj.  far away, remote → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► ABACKWARD adv. backward → 1205 
► ABACKWARDS adv. in the opposite direction, so as to return to the place originally left → 1477 obs.
► ABACOMANCY n. divination by observing patterns of dust → 2003 (Bk.)
► ABACTER ► ABACTOR n. a dishonest drover or shepherd who connives at the stealing of cattle they are guarding; a stealer of cattle by herds or great numbers → 1538 obs. 
► ABACTION n. a driving something away; a stealing of livestock, esp. cattle, by driving them away → 1623 
► ABADA n. a rhinoceros → 1541 Anglo-Indian obs. 
► ABA-DABA n. dessert  → 1961 Amer. sl. 
► ABADDON n. 1. the Devil → 1350 
n. 2. a bottomless pit; abyss of hell → 1583 
n. 3. a treacherous thief; one who turns informer against his fellow-rogues → 1810 criminals’ sl. 
► ABAEILE vb. to anger, to offend; to provoke → 1000 obs. 
► AB AETERNO adv. from eternity; from the beginning of time; from the most remote antiquity → 1593
► ABAFELLED adj. treated scornfully or indignantly → 17C obs. 
► ABAFT adv. of direction: to or towards the rear; backward  → 1275, chiefly nautical usage 
► ABAFT THE WHEEL-HOUSE adj. crazy → 1902 sl. 
phr. just below the small of the back; thus a euphemism for the buttocks → 1909 US sl. 
► ABAIL vb. 1. to give bail for, to liberate on bail, or from bail; also, to pay bail to → 1450 obs.
vb. 2. to reach, to get to → 1513 obs.
► ABAISANCE n. the bending of the body as a mark of respect; a bow → 1486
► ABAIST  adj. abashed; ashamed; discomfited; disconcerted → 1000 
► ABAIT vb. 1. to excite, to stimulate sexual appetite → 1303 obs.
vb. 2. to incite, to urge on, to provoke → 1470 obs. 
vb. 3. to set on (a dog); to hound on; to bait → 1485 obs. 
► ABALIENATE vb. 1. to remove; to estrange in feeling → 1554
vb. 2. to cause loss or aberration of intellect → 1585 obs. 
vb. 3. to transfer or make over property to another → 1646 obs. 
► ABALIENATION n. 1. removal or transference of feeling; estrangement → 1596 
n. 2. loss or failure of the mental faculties → 1615 obs. 
n. 3. a transferring or making over property or rights to another → 1656
► ABALONEYITE n. a coast dweller, esp. of Albion, Mendocino County → 1971 Boonville California jargon (Bk.)
► ABAN vb. 1.  to summon, esp. by proclamation; to call to arms → 1000 obs.
vb. 2. to denounce, to curse, to anathematize → 1565
► ABAND vb. 1. to banish, to exile → 1559 obs.
vb. 2. to abandon, to forsake → 1587 obs. 
► ABANDANA n. a petty thief, esp. one who pickpockets bandannas → 1930 criminals’ sl. obs. 
► ABANDANAAD ► ABANDANAD ► ABANDANNAD n.  a handkerchief or bandanna thief; hence, a petty thief → 1864 thieves’ sl.
► ABANDED adj. abandoned → 1941 Amer. dial. 
► ABANDERADO n. a standard-bearer; a servant who carries the ensign for his master → 1598
► ABANDOMINIUMS n. abandoned apartments or houses where addicts use drugs → 2006 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► ABANDON adv. 1. under control or authority; at one’s disposal → 1250 obs. 
adv. 2. at one’s will or discretion; without interference or restraint; freely, recklessly; entirely, fully, without bounds → 1330 
vb. 1. to bring under complete control or authority; to subject, to subdue → 1487 obs., chiefly Sc. 
vb. 2. to banish; to expel, to cast out, to reject → 1548 obs. 
vb. 3. to release, to set free, to liberate → 1582 obs.
► ABANDONATE vb. to abandon → 1561 obs. 
► ABANDONED HABITS n. the riding dress of the up-market courtesans who frequented Rotten Row in London’s Hyde Park → 1870 sl. 
► ABANDONED WOMAN n. a woman who has been seduced, impregnated, and abandoned by a man → 19C sl. 
► ABANDONLY adv. recklessly, impetuously, unguardedly → 1487 Sc. obs. 
► ABANDONMENT n. bankruptcy of a railway company → 1880 financiers’ and brokers’ usage 
► ABANDONS n. street prostitutes → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► ABANDUM n. in law: anything which is sequestered, proscribed, or abandoned → 1729 obs. 
► ABANNATION n. a banishment, usually for a year as a punishment for manslaughter → 1721 obs.
► ABANNITION n. a banishment for one or two years for manslaughter → 1583 obs.
► ABAPTIST n. a thief → 19C sl. 
► ABAR vb. to bar, to debar → 1504 obs.
► ABARCY n. insatiableness → 1730 obs.
► ABARE vb. to make bare, to uncover, to disclose → 1000 obs.
► ABARESKIN adj. embarrassing → 1972 US homosexual sl. (Bk.)
► ABARSTIC adj. insatiable → 1623 obs.
► ABASE adv. down, low; back → 1450 obs.
► ABASER n. he who abases; one who degrades or debases → 1650 
► ABASHANCE n. abashment, dismay → 1430 obs.
► ABASHEDNESS n. abashment → 1480 
► ABASHLESS adj. unabashed, shameless → 1868 chiefly literary usage 
► ABASHMENT n. discomfiture, embarrassment → 1430 
► ABASIT adj. abashed, confounded → 1845 Sc.
► ABASSIAN adj. relating to Abyssinia, its inhabitants, or their language → 1601 
n. a native or inhabitant of Abyssinia → 1613 
► ABAST n. an illegitimate child or bastard → 1852 (Bk.)
► ABASTARD vb. to make or declare bastard or illegitimate; hence, to make spurious or degenerate; to debase, to corrupt, to deteriorate → 1573 obs. 
► ABASTARDIZE vb. to render bastard, spurious, or degenerate; to debase, to deteriorate → 1580 
► ABASTARDIZED adj. degenerate, debased, spurious → 1653 obs.
► ABASURE n. the quality of being abased; humiliation → 1647 obs.
► ABATAYL vb. to embattle → 1380 obs.
► ABATAYLMENT n. battlement → 1325 obs.
► ABATE n. 1. diminution, reduction of a quality, etc. → 1486 obs. 
n. 2. loss of vigour; weakness, faintness → 1500 
n. 3. deduction, subtraction → 1646
n. 4. an abbot or abbé → 1883 (Bk.)
vb. 1. to put an end to a condition, state of affairs, etc. → 1300 obs. 
vb. 2. to become lower, to bow; hence, to become humbled → 1387 obs. 
vb. 3. to bring down physically, socially, or mentally; to humble, to abase → 1390 obs. 
vb. 4. to remove or take away a part or portion of a whole; to deduct, to subtract → 1400 obs. 
vb. 5. to knock or tear down a structure; to destroy, to demolish, to raze to the ground → 1425 
vb. 6. in falconry: of a falcon, hawk, etc.: to beat or flap the wings, to flutter → 1475 obs. 
vb. 7. in falconry: to cause a hawk, etc. to become lean → 1575 obs. 
vb. 8. to except, to omit from consideration → 1598 
► ABATED IN THE VITALS adj. grown weak → 1866 Eng. dial. 
► ABATEMENT n. a recreation, relaxation → 1550 Sc. obs. 
► ABATE ONE’S CHEER vb. to become dispirited or downcast → 1350 obs. 
► ABATE ONE’S COUNTENANCE vb. to become dispirited or downcast → 1350 obs. 
► ABATER n. 1. one who mitigates or moderates → 1583 
n. 2. an abating, an abatement → 1653 obs.
n. 3.one who abates, lessens, or lowers → 1732 
► ABATIS n. 1. a defensive barricade or entanglement constructed using sharpened stakes or felled trees positioned with their branches pointing towards the enemy to delay or repel attackers → 1758 military usage 
n. 2. a fence, hedge, or other barrier resembling a barricade as described in n.1.; an obstruction, a cause of entanglement or delay → 1808 
► ABATON n. in Ancient Greece: a place to which access is restricted, esp. a sacred space or enclosure; a sanctuary → 1829 
► ABATTLE vb. 1. to fortify → 1380 obs.
vb. 2. to engage in battle → 1400 obs.
► ABATUDE n. something which is or has been diminished → 1729 obs.
► ABAVE vb. to put to confusion, to discomfit; also, to be confounded, disconcerted, or upset → 1303 obs. 
► ABAW vb. to suffer for → 1897 Sc. 
► ABAWE vb. to abash, daunt, astonish, lower → 1400 obs. 
► ABAWED adj. abashed; astonished; surprised; disconcerted; discomfited; upset → 1450 
► ABAY n. the barking or baying of hounds at a hunted animal, esp. when they have driven it into a position from which it is unable to flee further but must turn and face its pursuers → 1330 obs. 
vb. of a dog: to bark or bay, esp. at prey it is pursuing or has caught → 1400 obs. 
► ABAYLE vb. to reach, to get to → 1430 obs. 
​► ​ABB adj. abnormal → 1991 US sl. 
n. an abnormal person; a weirdo → 1994 surfing sl. (Bk.)
► ABBA adj. vile; silly → 1921 sl. (Bk.)
n. 1. a religious superior; father; the title of bishops, patriarchs, and heads of monasteries in some Eastern churches → 1382 
n. 2. a non-unionist → 1921 sl. (Bk.)
n. 3. one’s father; a father; often used as a form of address → 1955 Anglo-Indian 
vb. to carry on the back as a mother does her child → 1913 S. Afr. (Bk.)
► ABBACEE n. alphabet → 1922 Sc. 
► ABBACY n. an abbey → 1469 Sc. obs. 
► ABBA-DABBA adj. dark-skinned, esp. Arabic → 1975 US sl. 
n. chatter, gossip → 1961 US sl. 
► ABBADISSE n. an abbess → 855 obs. 
► ABBA FATHER n. a bishop in the Syriac and Coptic Churches → 1611 
► ABBAS n. a religious or spiritual leader; an abbot → 1550 
► ABBASE n. an abbess → 1297 obs. 
► ABBAT n. the chief ruler of an abbey → 1130 obs. 
► ABBATE n. an Italian abbot; also, a priest or clergyman in minor orders; esp. one without an assigned ecclesiastical duty, formerly often acting as a professor, private tutor, etc.; also as a title → 1750 
► ABBATESSE ► ABBATISSE ► ABBODESSE ► ABBODISSE ► ABBOTESS n. an abbess → 855 obs.
► ABBATIAL adj. belonging to an abbey, abbot, or abbess → 1445 
► ABBATICAL adj. belonging to an abbey, abbot, or abbess → 1655 
► ABBATIS n. a steward of the stables, a groom → 1775 (Bk.)
► ABBÉ n. in French contexts: an abbot; also, a priest or clergyman in minor orders → 1530 
► ABBED adj. having well-defined abdominal muscles → 2002 UK sl.
► ABBESS n. 1. the female superior of a nunnery or convent of women, having the same authority over nuns that an abbot has over monks → 1297 
n. 2. a woman in charge of a brothel; a bawd; a madame; a procuress → 1594 colloq.
► ABBEVILLIAN n. a native or inhabitant of Abbeville, a commune in the Somme department of northern France → 1863 obs.
► ABBEY n. a swindler who impersonates a priest → 1950 US sl.
► ABBEY CLOGS n. chains or fetters worn by a criminal → 1850 UK criminals’ sl.
► ABBEY COUNTER n. a medal presented to a pilgrim on visiting a shrine → 1823 
► ABBEY-CROAKER n. the chaplain of Newgate 1850 → UK criminals’ sl.
► ABBEY LABOURER n. an industrious monk, as opposed to an ‘abbey-lubber’ → 1655 obs.
► ABBEY LAIRD n. a jocular name for a bankrupt; a debtor who took sanctuary from his creditors in the precincts of Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, a privilege abolished in 1880 → 1700 obs., chiefly Sc.
► ABBEY-LOON n. an idler; a vagabond; orig. a lazy monk or hanger-on to a religious house → 1509 sl.
► ABBEY-LUBBER n. 1. an idler, a vagabond; orig. (prior to the Reformation), a lazy monk or hanger-on to a religious house → 1509 
n. 2. a lazy, thriftless person → 1750 nautical sl.
► ABBEY-LUBBER-LIKE adj. lazy, thriftless, ne’er-do-well → 1570 obs.
► ABBEY MAN n. a member of a monastery; a monk → 1483 obs.
► ABBEY-MONGER n. a person owing the property of a former abbey, after the dissolution of the monasteries → 1679 derogatory
► ABBEY-STEAD n. the site or grounds of an abbey or former abbey → 1620 
► ABBIE n. a nickname for a Jewish male → 20C US sl.
► ABBLE adj. weakly → 1880 Sc.
► ABBOD n. an abbot → 880 obs.
► ABBOT n. 1. the head or superior of an abbey – after the dissolution of the monasteries, sometimes applied to the layman to whom the revenues of an abbacy were impropriated → 1123 
n. 2. a bawd’s man; a brothel-keepers’ husband or lover; a ponce → 1591 sl.
n. 3. in Italy: a high-ranking magistrate of a city or republic; spec., esp. in the Republic of Genoa: the chief magistrate → 1734 
n. 4. a prison warden → 1835 UK criminals’ sl.
n. 5. Nembutal™, a barbiturate → 20C drug culture sl.
► ABBOTESS n. an abbess → 1000 
► ABBOT ON THE CROSS n. 1. the bully of a brothel; one employed by a brothel as a bodyguard for prostitutes; a brothel ‘bouncer’ → 19C UK sl.
n. 2. a pimp or brothel owner who runs a brothel for the purpose of robbery or extortion more than for prostitution → 1890 UK sl.
► ABBOTT n. a capsule of pentobarbital sodium, a central nervous system depressant → 1971 US sl.
► ABBOTT’S LODGE n. the King’s Bench prison → M19  sl.
► ABBOTT’S PARK n. the King’s Bench prison → 1821 sl.
► ABBOTT’S PRIORY n. the King’s Bench Prison → 1820 sl.
► ABBOTT’S TEETH n. the spikes that topped the prison wall at the King’s Bench prison → 19C 
► ABBOZZO n. 1. an outline or draft of a speech or piece of writing → 1846 obs.
n. 2. a preliminary sketch for a painting or other work of art; a rough drawing; a cartoon → 1849 
► ABBREVIARIST n. one who makes an epitome or compendium → 1679 obs.
► ABBREVIATE adj. shortened, contracted → 1425 
n. 1. an abstract, an abridgement, a summary → 1531 chiefly Sc.
n. 2. an abbreviation of a word, phrase, or name → 1607 
vb. to speak concisely → 1596 
► ABBREVIATED PIECE OF NOTHING n. a worthless or insignificant person or thing → 20C Amer. sl.
► ABBREVIATELY adv. in an abbreviated manner or form; shortly, briefly, concisely → 1599 
► ABBREVIATOR n. one who abbreviates, abridges, or shortens; one who summarizes; also, a person given to the use of abbreviations → 1529 
► ABBREVIATORY adj. tending to abbreviate or shorten → 1765 
► ABBREVIATURE n. 1. an abbreviated or shortened state, condition, or form; shortness → 1614 obs.
n. 2. an abbreviated or contracted form of a word or phrase; a contraction, an abbreviation → 1630 
n. 3. an abbreviated or abridged copy → 1650 
n. 4. the process of abbreviating; abbreviation, shortening → 1659 obs.
► ABBREVY vb. to abbreviate, to abridge → 1483 obs.
► A-B-BUFF n.  the alphabet → 1882 Sc.
► ABBY n. an Abyssinian cat → 20C colloq.
► ABBY SINGER n. in television and film-making: the next-to-last shot of the day → 1990 US sl.