• APREE LA GARE
phr. 1916 military catchphrase – sometime, or never
• APRICATE
vb. a1691 rare – to bask in the sun; to expose to sunlight
• APRICOCK
n. 1679 obs. – the apricot
• APRICOCK WATER
n. 1. 1728 sl. – apricot ale
n. 2. E18 sl. – gin
• APRICOT!
int. 1999 UK students’ sl. – a term of approval; ‘peachy’!
• APRICOT (AND PEACH)
n. 1990s rhyming sl. – the beach
• APRICOTS
n. 1985 Aust. sl. – the testicles
• APRIL-ERRAND
n. 1879 Eng. dial. – an errand upon which a person is sent on the first of April, as a practical joke
• APRIL FOOL COPPER
n. 1. 1950s US criminals’ sl. – a small-town policeman; a private detective; a badly dressed policeman
n. 2. 1990s US prison sl. – a prison guard
• APRIL FOOLS
n. 1. L19 rhyming sl. – tools
n. 2. c1910 sl., chiefly public house usage – stools
n. 3. c1930 rhyming sl. – football pools
n. 4. 2002 UK rhyming sl. for ‘tools’ – weapons, such as handguns, knifes, etc.
• APRIL-GAWBY
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an April fool
• APRIL GENTLEMAN
n. 16C colloq. – a man newly married
• APRIL-GOB
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an April fool
• APRIL-GOBBY
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an April fool
• APRIL-GOWK
n. 1777 Eng. dial. – an April fool
• APRILIAN
adj. 1901 – of or characteristic of April
• APRIL IN PARIS
n. 1998 rhyming sl. for ‘arris’ – the buttocks, the behind
• APRILISH
adj. 1759 – like April
• APRILLED
adj. 1. 1746 Eng. dial. – made sullen or sour
adj. 2. 1790 Eng. dial. – of milk or beer: sour, on the point of turning sour
• APRIL-NODDY
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an April fool
• APRIL SHOWERS
n. 1960 UK rhyming sl. – flowers
• APRON
n. 1. 1878 Eng. dial. – the diaphragm of an animal
n. 2. 1925 African-American sl. – a negative expression for a woman; a wife
n. 3. 1929 African-American sl. – a bartender
n. 4. c1930 Royal Air Force usage – the tarmac surround of a hangar
n. 5. 1966 Amer. dial. – the shoulder of a road
n. 6. 1990 US sl. – the gross daily receipts from a carnival concession
n. 7. 20C sl. – in gambling: the cloth band worn by dealers around their waist
n. 8. 20C Aust. sheep farmers’ usage – the neck fold of a merino ram
• APRON AND GAITERS
n. 1913 Eng. colloq. – a bishop; a dean
• APRON CHASER
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – one fond of woman; a seducer
• APRON CHILD
n. 1958 Amer. dial. – a child old enough to stand by holding on to its mother’s apron
• APRON CRAZY
n. 20 Amer. sl., World War II usage – one fond of woman; a seducer
• APRON DIZZY
n. 20 Amer. sl., World War II usage – one fond of woman; a seducer
• APRONEER
n. c1650 colloq. – a shopkeeper
• APRONER
n. c1600 colloq. – a barman, a waiter
• APRON-FACED
adj. 1942 Amer. dial. – of a horse: having a large white patch on the forehead
• APRON HUSBAND
n. E17 sl. – a man who is seen as involving himself excessively in his wife’s business
• APRON JUMPER
n. 20 Amer. sl., World War II usage – one fond of woman; a seducer
• APRON-MAN
n. 1. E17 sl. – a bartender
n. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a tradesman, a mechanic
• APRON PREACHER
n. M17 sl. – a lay preacher
• APRON-ROGUE
n. 17C colloq. – a labourer; an artisan
• APRON SCREWY
n. 20 Amer. sl., World War II usage – one fond of woman; a seducer
• APRON-SQUIRE
n. 1. 16C Brit. sl. – a kept man
n. 2. 16C Brit. sl. – a pimp
• APRON STRING
n. 1936 Amer. dial. – a noodle (food)
• APRON-STRINGED
adj. 1950s sl. – of a man: henpecked by a woman
• APRON-STRING FARMER
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an effeminate town-bred farmer
• APRON-STRING HOLD
n. L17 colloq. – a tenure held only during a wife’s life
• APRON-STRING TENURE
n. L17 colloq. – a tenure held only during a wife’s life
• APRON-TRADE
n. 1873 Eng. dial. – women
• APRON-UP
adj. 19C colloq. – pregnant
• APRON-WASHINGS
n. 1903 sl. – porter
• APRON WITH A FLICKERING FLAME
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – a cold or unresponsive woman
• APRON WITH A NIP
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – a virgin; a virtuous, respectable woman
• APRON WITH ROUND HEELS
n. 20C Amer. sl., World War II usage – a woman of loose morals
• AP-SAY
n. Bk1942 Amer., Pig Latin for ‘sap’ – a gullible person; a dupe; an oaf, a dullard
• APSE
n. 1857 Eng. dial. – an abscess, a tumour
• APSE UPON THEE!
int. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an exclamation of surprise or reproof
• APT
adj. 1893 Ireland – of persons: certain, sure
adv. 1966 Irish sl. – certainly
• APTCOCK
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a clever little fellow
• APTISH
adj. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – intelligent, quick-witted
adj. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – skilful, useful, accurate
• APTLY
adv. Bk1898 Ireland – certainly, without fail
• APT-TINDING
adj. 1605 obs. – having a tendency to ignite
► APTYCOCK n. a clever or sharp little fellow → 1879 Eng. dial.
• A-PURPOSE
adv. 1816 Eng. & Amer. dial. – on purpose, deliberately, intentionally
• APURT
adj. 1790 Eng. dial. – sulky, sullen, disagreeable
adv. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – in a sulky manner; disagreeably
• APURTED
adj. 1876 Eng. dial. – sullen
• AQUA
n. 1. M19 sl. – water
n. 2. 1916 Sc. – whisky
• AQUABIB • AQUABIBE
n. 1731 – a water drinker
• AQUABOB
n. 1790 – an icicle → Eng. dial.
• AQUA BOOT
vb. 1991 – to vomit into the ocean → US sl.
• AQUADIENTE
n. 1825 – any strong alcoholic drink → Amer. dial.
• AQUADINTE
n. 1854 – any strong alcoholic drink → Amer. dial.
• AQUA FLUMINIS FILTRATA
n. 20C Aust. pharmaceutical chemists’ usage – water from the well
• AQUAKE
adv. 1876 poetic usage – quaking
• AQUA LUNG
n. 1980s US drugs sl. – a long pipe for smoking marijuana, which is placed in a bucket of water to cool the smoke
• AQUA POMPAGINIS; AQUA PUMPAGINIS
n. 1785 sl. – water from the well
• AQUA PURA
n. Bk1921 sl. – water
• AQUARIUM
n. Bk1975 US Army & students’ sl. – a Roman Catholic rectory, priest’ house, or chaplain’s quarters
• AQUART
adv. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – across, athwart
adv. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – in a state of disagreement; at cross purposes
• AQUAT
adv. 1. 1691 Eng. dial. – full to satiety
adv. 2. 1834 Eng. dial. – in a squatting position
• AQUATICS
n. M19 Eton usage – a game of cricked played by the oarsmen; the playing-field used by them
• AQUAVIVARIUM
n. 1856 – an aquarium
• AQUEDENT
n. 1818 Amer. dial. – any strong alcoholic drink
• AQUEESH
prep. 1768 Sc. – between
• AQUOT
adv. 1691 Eng. dial. – full to satiety
• AQUOTT
adv. 1834 Eng. dial. – in a squatting position
• A.R.
n. 1970 – an Armed Robbery → Can. criminals’ sl.
• A-RAB
n. 1940 – an Arab → US sl., derogatory
• ARAB
n. 1. 1788 – an unruly or belligerent person → obs., derogatory
n. 2. 1847 – a young vagrant; a poor boy playing much in the streets; a homeless child, a street urchin
n. 3. 1850 – an unkempt or wild-looking person, esp. a child → Amer. sl.
n. 4. ..20C – any dark-complexioned person, esp. if belonging to a group traditionally considered to be somewhat excitable or primitive in emotional matters; a Jew or a Turk → Amer. sl.
n. 5. 1927 – a Jew → Amer. dial.
n. 6. 1935 – a huckster; a street peddler of vegetables and fruits → Amer. dial.
n. 7. 1950 – a street bookmaker; an illicit bookmaker → US sl.
n. 8. 1958 – among loggers: a workman who always manages to be away when there’s dirty or heavy work to be done → Amer. dial.
n. 9. 1976 – a term of abuse or contempt → UK sl., derogatory and offensive
n. 10. 1985 – a dolt → Bermuda sl.
vb. 1. 1948 – to go huckstering → Amer. dial.
vb. 2. 1949 – to search about → Amer. dial.
vb. 3. 1950 – to work as a street bookmaker → sl.
• ARABBER
n. 1. ..20C – a street urchin → sl.
n. 2. 1942 – a huckster; a street peddler of vegetables and fruits → Amer. dial.
• ARABIAN BIRD
n. 1606 – the phoenix; hence. a unique thing or person
• ARAB LOVER
n. 1976 – a driver who obeys the fifty-five miles an hour speed limit → US sl.
• ARAB’S KNEES
n. 2000 – keys → Irish rhyming sl.
• ARACHNEPHOBIA
n. 1991 – an abnormal fear of spiders (Bk.)
• ARAIN
n. 1691 – a spider; a cobweb → Eng. dial.
• ARAIN-WEB
n. 1881 – a cobweb → Eng. dial.
• ARANEOLOGIST
n. 1875 – one versed in the study of spiders
• ARANEOLOGY
n. 1884 – the study of spiders
• A-RANT!
int. 1905 – in the game of marbles: when playing marbles and anyone comes up and steals some of them, it’s called ‘a-rant, a-rant’; on this cry being raised the boys playing rush forward and seize the marbles → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
• ARAN-WEB
n. 1881 – a cobweb → Eng. dial.
• ARAUGHT
adj. 1393 – taken away, seized by violence → obs.
• ARB
n. 1977 – a person who trades in securities, commodities, etc., hoping to profit from price differentials in various markets → orig. US
• ARBITRARY
adj. 1. 1898 – hard; greedy, grasping → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
adj. 2. 1898 – independent, impatient of restraint → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
adj. 3. 1986 – insignificant, unimportant → US sl.
• ARBORATOR
n. 1664 – one who attends to the culture of trees → obs.
• ARBOR-AWAY
n. 1967 – a children’s game played with a stick; the stick was thrown and ‘it’ had to get it and get back to base before anyone else touched base → Amer. dial.
• ARBOR-DOWN
n. 1967 – same as ‘arbor-away’ → Amer. dial.
• ARBORICIDAL
adj. 1866 – given to cutting down trees
• ARBOR VITAE
n. L18 – the penis → sl.
• ARBOUR
n. L19 – the vagina → sl.
• ARBROATH!
int. 1885 – a Scottish sporting catchphrase to anyone boasting → Sc.
• ARBUCKLE
n. 1. ..20C – a fool → teen & high school sl.
n. 2. 1933 – a greenhorn cowboy → Amer. dial.
n. 3. 1942 – a gullible person; a dupe → Amer. sl.
n. 4. 1944 – any coffee → Amer. dial.
• ARBUCKLE’S
n. 1944 – any coffee → Amer. dial.
• ARC
vb. 1997 – in computing: to archive something → US sl.
• ARCAN
n. 1. 1997 – a lively, light-hearted fellow → Irish sl. (Bk.)
n. 2. 1997 – a stunted adult or child → Irish sl. (Bk.)
• ARC AROUND
vb. 1986 – to engage in enthusiastic and energetic, if meaningless and aimless, activity → US naval aviator usage
• ARCETER
n. 1440 – one skilled in the arts; a master of arts who has passed on to the study of philosophy → obs.
• ARC GIRL
n. 1968 – a female representative of the American Red Cross → US Vietnam war usage
• ARCH
n. 1898 – an aim → Sc. (Bk.)
• ARCHBISH
n. 1560 – an archbishop
• ARCHBISHOP LAUD
n. 1960 – fraud → rhyming sl.
• ARCH-COVE
n. M19 – the leader of a gang of thieves → UK criminals’ sl.
• ARCH-DELL
n. E18 – the woman accomplice of a criminal gang-leader → UK criminals’ sl.
• ARCH-DOXY
n. E18 – the woman accomplice of a gang-leader → UK criminals’ sl.
• ARCH-DUKE
n. E18 – a comical or eccentric person → sl.
• ARCHER
n. 1990 – £2000 → sl.
• ARCHER UP
n. L19 – a certainty → sl.
• ARCH-GONNOF
n. M19 – the leader of a gang of thieves → UK criminals’ sl.
• ARCHIBALD
n. 1917 – an anti-aircraft gun → US military sl.
• ARCHIE
n. 1. 1915 – in World War I: an anti-aircraft gun firing shrapnel; originally applied to those used by the Germans
n. 2. 1919 – an antiaircraft gunner or crewman → US military sl.
n. 3. 1946 – a young station-hand, probably a well-connected young man out from the UK → Aust. sl.
vb. 1917 – to fire at with an anti-aircraft gun
• ARCHIE BUNKER
n. 1971 – a man whose background, outlook, and behaviour are likened to those of the television character Archie Bunker, esp. a blue-collar worker having (and vehemently expressing) views considered ignorant or bigoted; also, a person characterized as having ignorant or bigoted views and a vehement, outspoken manner → US colloq., derogatory
• ARCHING FOR IT
adj. 2004 – sexually aroused; said of a woman → UK students’ sl.
• ARCHITECT
n. 1988 – in poker: a player who bets heavily → US sl.
• ARCHITORTURE
n. 1990 – a course in architecture → US students’ sl.
• ARCH NOSE
n. 1967 – a hooked nose → Amer. dial.
• ARCH ONE’S BACK
vb. 1. 1944 – to show anger → Amer. dial.
vb. 2. 1944 – of a horse: to start to buck → Amer. dial.
• ARCH-ROGUE
n. E17 – the leader of a gang of thieves → sl.
• ARCH-STONE STATE
n. 1840 – the “Keystone State’, Pennsylvania → US
• ARCHY
n. L19 – a young station-hand, probably a well-connected young man out from the UK → Aust. sl.
• ARCHYCHOKE
n. 1531 – the artichoke → obs.
• ARCIFINIOUS
adj. 1859 – having a frontier which forms a natural defense
• ARCISTER
n. 1440 – one skilled in the arts; a master of arts who has passed on to the study of philosophy → obs.
• ARCITENENT
adj. 1656 – which bears or shoots with a bow → obs.
• ARCT
adj. 1545 – narrow, confined, tight → obs.
• ARCTATION
n. 1656 – a straightening or making narrow, a crowding → chiefly medical usage (Bk.)
• ARCTED
adj. 1914 – closely allied, joined (Bk.)
• ARCTIC
adj. 1. 1593 – of a person, place, or thing: ice, remote, desolate
adj. 2. 1876 – of weather or conditions: extremely cold, freezing → colloq.
adj. 3. 1996 – in poker: said of a very poor hand or series of very poor hands → US sl.
adj. 4. 2007 – bad → UK sl. (Bk.)
adj. 5. 2007 – excellent, fashionable → UK sl. (Bk.)
• ARCTIC EXPLORER
n. 1959 – a user of cocaine and/or heroin → US drug culture sl.
• ARCTIC HIGHLANDER
n. 1819 – a member of a people inhabiting northern Greenland; a Polar Eskimo or Inughuit
• ARCTICIAN
n. 1. 1841 – an animal that is well adapted to the Arctic or comfortable in Arctic conditions
n. 2. 1860 – a specialist in matters related to the Arctic; an Arctic explorer
• ARCTICIZE
vb. 1891 – to accustom to arctic or very cold conditions
• ARCTICS
n. 1868 – thick waterproof overshoes for winter wear → US, mostly historical usage
• ARCTIC WINE
n. 1939 – straight whisky → Alaska
• ARCTITUDE
n. 1828 – tightness, narrowness, straitness
• ARCTLY
adv. 1545 – closely, tightly → obs.
• ARCTOPHILIST
n. 1991 – a collector of teddy bears (Bk.)
• ARCTOPHILY
n. 1991 – the collecting of teddy bears (Bk.)
• ARCUATILE
adj. 1731 – bowed or bent → obs.
• ARCUATION
n. 1696 – curving into the shape of an arch
• ARCUATURE
n. 1731 – the bowing or bending of an arch → obs.
• ARD
adj. 1. ..17C – hot, sexually aroused → Brit. sl., obs.
adj. 2. 1852 – high → obs. (Bk.)
n. ..17C – the foot → UK criminals’ sl.
• ARDAGH
n. 1483 – ploughing, the quantity of land that may be ploughed in a day or other space of time → obs.
• ARDAR
n. 1898 – a plough → Eng. dial. obs. (Bk.)
• ARDAUNT
adj. 1481 – ardent → obs.
• ARDAWE
n. 1483 – ploughing, the quantity of land that may be ploughed in a day or other space of time → obs.
• ARDELIO • ARDELION
n. 1624 – a busybody, meddler → obs.
• ARDENE
n. 1852 – a command; an ordinance → obs. (Bk.)
• ARDENT
n. 1849 – whisky; liquor → sl.
• ARDENTNESS
n. 1632 – the quality of being ardent; ardour, earnestness
• ARDER
n. 1581 – a ploughing, esp., the fallowing of vacant land → obs.
• ARDI
adj. 1852 – hardy → obs. (Bk.)
• ARDOR • ARDOUR
n. 14C – very strong lust; heated passion → sl.
• ARDRI
n. 1889 – a head king
• ARDUITY
n. 1623 – steepness; arduousness; difficulty → obs.
• ARDUR
n. 1898 – a ploughman → Eng. dial. obs. (Bk.)
• ARDURE
n. 1386 – heat of passion or desire; vehemence, ardent desire; warmth of emotion, zeal, fervour, eagerness, enthusiasm → obs.
• ARDUROUS
adj. 1770 – full of ardour, ardent → poetic usage
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