• ALMA GRAY
n. 1940s Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘tray’ – a threepenny piece
• ALMA MATER
n. 1949 US sl. – a prison where a criminal has served time
• ALMANACH; ALMANACK
n. L19 sl. – the female genitals, the vagina
• ALMERY
n. 1768 Eng. dial. – a chest or cupboard where food is kept, a pantry
• ALMIGHTIES
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a jocular name for people who are, or think they are, the best society of a community
• ALMIGHTILY
adv. 1612 – to a great extent; greatly; very much
• ALMIGHTY
adj. 1824 colloq. – of high intensity or degree; very great; enormous; considerable; outright, complete
adv. 1833 Amer. dial. – extremely, exceedingly, greatly, very
• THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR
n. 1836 Amer. sl. – the dollar viewed as a symbol of power or greed
• ALMOND
n. 1764 obs. – each of the pendant pieces of crystal used to ornament the branches of a chandelier, candelabrum, etc.
• ALMOND-EYE
n. 20CAmer. sl., World War II usage – an Oriental
• ALMOND FOR A PARROT
phr. 18C Eng. sl. – a trifle for a small mind
• ALMOND (ROCK)
n. 1. 1969 rhyming sl. for ‘cock’ – the penis
n. 2. 1979 UK rhyming sl. – a frock, a dress
• ALMOND ROCKS
n. 1979 Eng. rhyming sl. – socks
• ALMONDS
n. 1979 UK rhyming sl. (Almond Rocks) – socks
• THE ALMOST
n. c1955 US sl. – something or someone not quite the most
• ALMOUS
n. 1. 1805 Sc. – a meritorious act
n. 2. 1820 Sc. & Eng. dial. – money or food bestowed in charity
n. 3. 1882 Eng. dial. – a small portion; a definite quantity
• ALMS
n. 1914 Sc. – deserved punishment
• ALMSHOUSE
adj. 1980s W. Indies & Black British sl. – of behaviour or attitude: negative
• ALMSHOUSE BUSINESS
n. 1980s W. Indies & UK sl. – violence
• ALMYRA
n. 1450 Anglo-Indian – a wardrobe, chest of drawers, or like piece of closed furniture
• ALOES TO CATCH MEDDLERS
phr. 1927 Amer. dial. – used as an evasive answer to a question, esp. ‘What’s that?”
• ALOFT
adj. L18 sl. – dead
• ALOHA STATE
n. 1959 colloq. – the state of Hawaii
• ALOMANCY
n. 1864 – divination by means of salt
• ALONE
adj. 1921 colloq. – of a person, place, etc.: isolated, lonely, solitary
• ALONE-LIVER
n. 1556 obs. rare – a person who lives alone
• ALONE PLAYER
n. 1961 US sl. – a card cheat who works alone
• ALONG
adv. 1746 Eng. dial. – slanting
• ALONG FOR THE RIDE
adj. Bk1994 sl. – unofficially associated with
• ALONG IN YEARS
adj. Bk2004 – elderly; growing old
• ALONGST
adv. 1660 Eng. dial. – lengthwise
prep. B1900 Eng. dial. – along
• ALONG-STRAIGHT
adv. 1893 Eng. dial. – lying at full length
• ALOO
n. Bk1886 Anglo-Indian – the potato
• ALOOR!
int. 1885 Sc. – alas! alack!
• ALOOSE
adj. 1884 Eng. & Amer. dial. – loose, free
• ALOW
adv. 1. c1440 rare – in a low voice
adv. 2. c1450 now arch & Eng. dial. – low down, below; downwards
adv. 3. 1818 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – ablaze, on fire
• ALOW AND ALOFT
adv. 1827 Amer. dial. – throughout, completely, all over
• AL PACINO
n. 2003 UK rhyming sl. – a cappuccino coffee
• ALPEEN
n. 1828 Anglo-Irish – a cudgel; a stout-headed stick
• ALPENGLOW
n. 1871 – the rosy light of the setting or rising sun seen on high mountains
• ALPESTRIOUS
adj. 1623 obs. – alpine, mountainous
• ALPHA AND OMEGA
n. 19C sl. obs. – female genitals, the vagina
• ALPHABET
n. 2000s US prison sl. – an extremely long prison sentence
• ALPHABETARIAN
n. E17 rare – a learner of the alphabet
• ALPHABET CITY
n. 1980 New York City usage – the Lower East Side of New York City in the vicinity of Avenues A, B, C, and D
• ALPHABET JOB
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – an easy assignment or task; a government civilian job
• THE ALPHABETS
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – tuberculosis
• ALPHABET SLINGER
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – a schoolteacher
• ALPHABET SOUP
n. 20C Amer. sl. – initialisms and acronyms in general
• ALPHA CHARLIE
n. 20C Amer. sl. – a bawling out; a severe scolding (AC = ace-chewing)
• ALPHA GEEK
n. 1993 US sl. – a person regarded as being very knowledgeable about computers and related technology, esp. the most knowledgeable in a given group or community
• ALPHA MALE
n. 1938 – a man tending to assume a dominant or domineering role in social or professional situations, or thought to possess the qualities and confidence for leadership
• ALPHA MINUS
adj. 1914 – nearly excellent or first-rate
• ALPHA PLUS
adj. 1898 – superlatively excellent or first-rate
• ALPHA POWDER
n. 1950s US drugs sl. – any powdered narcotic
• ALPHITOMANCY
n. Bk1991 – divination involving the examination of barley
• ALPHONSE
n. 1. L19 UK rhyming sl. for ‘ponce’ – a pimp
n. 2. L19 sl. – a gigolo
n. 3. 2003 UK rhyming sl. for ‘ponce’ – a homosexual
• ALPINE SNOW
n. 2001 UK sl. – cocaine ingested off a woman’s breasts
• ALPINE STICK
n. 1984 NZ sl. – an oversized frankfurter
• ALPO
n. 1996 US sl. – sausage topping for a pizza
• ALREADIES
adv. 1925 Sc. – already
• ALREADY YET
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – formerly; before
• ALREET
adj. Bk1942 US sl. – excellent, ‘super’
• ALREET GAL
n. Bk1942 US sl. – an admirable or attractive female
• ALRIGHTNIK
n. 1916 US sl. – one who has succeeded in life financially but is regarded as vulgar or self-satisfied; one who has raised himself from immigrant poverty to material success; a nouveau-riche person; esp. used of New York Jews
• ALRIGHTY
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
int. 1997 Aust. sl. – used to express agreement or satisfaction
• ALSATIA
n. 1. 17C sl. – the criminal part of London
n. 2. 18C Eng. sl. – a sanctuary
• ALSATIAN
adj. L17 sl. – criminal, roguish
• ALSATIANS
n. 18C sl. – members of London’s criminal underworld
• ALSATIAN’S ARSEHOLE
phr. 20C Brit. sl. – what people with bad breath are said to have a mouth like
• ALSATIA PHRASE
n. E17 sl. – terms from slang or criminal jargon
• ALSO-RAN
n. 1896 Amer. colloq. – a loser in a race, contest, election, or competition of any kind; anyone not performing very well; a useless person; a failure
• ALTA KAKER
n. 1968 US sl. – a mean and nasty old man
• ALTAMEL
n. L17 sl. – a financial summary or account produced without detail and demanded as a lump sum
• ALTAR
n. 1920s US sl. – a toilet; the water-flush toilet bowl; a chamber pot
• ALTAR-BOUND
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – eager to get married
• ALTAR-CONSCIOUS
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – eager to get married
• ALTAR-CRAZY
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – eager to get married
• ALTAR OF HYMEN
n. L16 sl. – the vagina
• ALTAR OF LOVE
n. L16 sl. – the vagina
• ALTAR OF PLEASURE
n. 19C euphemism – the vagina
• ALTAR OF VENUS
n. L16 sl. – the vagina
• ALTAR ROOM
n. 1920s sl. – the lavatory
• ALTE KACKER
n. E20 US sl. – a dirty old man; a seasoned lecher
• ALTEMAL
n. L17 sl. – a financial summary or account produced without detail and demanded as a lump sum
• ALTER
n. 1. 1844 Sc. – a change of weather
n. 2. 1939 Amer. dial. – an old man
n. 3. 1950s US drugs sl. – an opium pipe
vb. E19 Aust. & NZ – to castrate, to spay
• ALTERATE
adj. c1450 obs. – altered, changed
vb. c1475 obs. – to alter, to change
• ALTERATED
adj. 1968 Amer. dial. – castrated
• ALTERATION
adj. B1900 – of the weather: changeable, uncertain (Eng. dial.)
n. B1900 – difference (Eng. dial.)
• ALTERATION HAND
n. 1901 – one who alters or remakes readymade clothes to suit customers’ requirements, or repairs or renovates old or secondhand garments
• ALTERCATIVE
adj. M18 – characterized by disputing or wrangling (obs.)
• ALTERCHANGE
vb. 1802 – to exchange (Sc. obs.)
• ALTER COCKER
n. 1943 – a dirty old man; a seasoned lecher (US sl.)
• ALTER COYOTE
n. 1943 – an old fogy (often derisive); a dirty old man (Amer. dial.)
• ALTERED
adj. 1991 – very drunk (US sl.)
• ALTER EGO
n. 1990 – a false identification card that permits a minor to be served alcohol (US sl.)
• ALTERING
adj. 1875 – likely to improve (Eng. dial.)
• ALTERITY
n. 1. ? a1000 – an alteration (obs.)
n. 2. a1500 – the state of being other or different
• ALTER KACKER
n. 1920s – an old fool; an old fogy (sl.)
• ALTER KOCKER
n. 1943 – an old fogy; a mean, disgusting and nasty old man; a seasoned lecher (Amer. dial., often derisive)
• ALTER KUCKER
n. E20 – a dirty old man; a seasoned lecher (US sl.)
• ALTERN
adj. L16 – alternate, alternating (arch.)
adv. M17 – in turns, one after the other (arch.)
• ALTERNANT
adj. M17 – alternating; changing from one to the other
• ALTERNATER
n. Bk1942 – a substitute (Amer. sl.)
• ALTERNATING FLAME
n. 20C – mutual oral sex (sl.)
• ALTER SOMEONE’S DIAL-PLATE
vb. E19 – to disfigure someone’s face (sl.)
• ALTERY
adj. B1900 – of the weather: looking like rain (Eng. dial.)
• ALTHAM
n. 16C – the wife or female companion of a mendicant villain (UK criminals’ sl.)
• ALTITUDE-HAPPY
adj. 1955 – giddy from the effects of too much oxygen (Amer. aviation usage)
• ALTITUDINOUS
adj. 1808 – high, lofty
• ALTO
n. 1892 – a hill, an eminence, generally without trees (Amer. dial. rare)
• ALTOGETHER
adj. 1. c1400 – existing at the same time; simultaneous; immediate (obs.)
adj. 2. 1896 – characterized by nudity; naked (obs.)
• THE ALTOGETHER
n. 1894 – complete nakedness or nudity (sl.)
• ALTOGETHERS
n. 1. 1655 – miscellaneous items used or considered collectively (obs.)
n. 2. 1913 – a set of tights for the whole body; a leotard (rare)
• ALTOGETHERY
adj. a1909 – tipsy, drunk (sl.)
• ALTOPHOBIA
n. Bk1991 – an abnormal fear of being at great heights
• ALTUMAL
adj. 1711 – relating to sailors or the sea; nautical (sl., rare)
n. E18 – sailor’s slang, nautical jargon (sl.)
• ALUM
n. 1934 – an alumnus or alumna (US sl.)
• THE ALUM
n. 1879 – precisely what is wanted, the ideal (Amer. sl.)
• ALUMINIUM COOKIE
n. 2002 – a compact disc (CD) (UK sl.)
• ALUMINIUM COW
n. 1950 – a CF-100 Canuck jet fighter aircraft (Can. sl.)
• THE ALUMINUM
n. 1989 – in horse racing; the inside rail (Aust. sl.)
• ALUMINUM OVERCAST
n. 1961 – any very large multi-engined aircraft (US Air Force usage)
• ALUMINUM WOMB
n. 1965 – the US Air Force Academy (US Air Force usage)
• ALUMNA
n. 1892 – a female pupil or student of a school, college, or university
• ALUMNACH
n. 20C – an Englishman (Irish sl.)
• ALUMNUS
n. 1800 – a former pupil or student (typically male) of a particular school, university, etc. (orig. US)
• ALUNT
adv. 1811 – in a blazing state, burning, on fire (Sc.)
• ALURE
n. c1325 – an aisle (obs.)
• ALVEROMANCY
n. Bk2003 – divination by sounds
• ALVIN
n. 1942-49 – a gullible fellow, esp. a countryman; a naive, easily cheated person (Amer. carnival usage)
• ALVO
adj. 1990s – excellent, wonderful (US students’ sl.)
• ALWAYS-AGO
adv. 1914 – long ago (Amer. dial.)
n. 1922 – a long time ago (Amer. dial.)
• ALWAYS AROUND LIKE A PICKED UP DINNER
phr. Bk1913 – easily at hand (Amer. dial.)
• ALWAYS AT A WOMAN’S APRON-STRINGS
phr. 18C – dangling after a woman (sl.)
• ALWAYS IN TROUBLE LIKE A DRURY LANE WHORE
phr. L19 – reprehends one who wallows in self-pity, also one who deplores a series of personal misfortunes
• ALWAYS LATE IN TAKE OFF, ALWAYS LATE IN ARRIVAL
phr. 2002 – Italian Airlines, Alitalia (sl.)
• ALYO
n. 1. 20C – a condition of calm or safety (Amer. sl.)
n. 2. 20C – a person not easily disconcerted (Amer. sl.)
n. 3. 20C – an arrangement between criminals and the police giving the former immunity from arrest or harassment (Amer. sl.)
n. 4. 20C – any routine task (Amer. sl.)
• ALZHEIMER’S AVENUE
n. 1987 – an area in a hospital or nursing home frequented by memory-impaired patients (Aust. sl.)
Back to INDEX A
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Updated: February 27, 2023
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