• B
n. 1. 1851 euphemism – an unpleasant, contemptible, or despicable person, usually male (Bugger or Bastard)
n. 2. M19 sl. – a bug
n. 3. L19 sl. – a kiss
n. 4. 1900s sl. – a policeman
n. 5. 1960s sl. – nonsense, rubbish
n. 6. 1960s Aust. sl. – an MGB, the ‘B’ model of the MG sports car
n. 7. 1971 US sl. – a matchbox full of marijuana
n. 8. 1980 US sl. – a Cadillac Brougham car
n. 9. 1986 US sl. – Benzedrine™, a stimulant
n. 10. 1990s African-American sl. – a woman
n. 11. 1994 African-American sl. – a woman
n. 12. 1995 US sl. – a buddy, a brother; used as an address
n. 13. 20C teen & high school sl. – frisbee
• B19
n. Bk1944 services’ sl. – a hefty or fat female
• B2B
adj. 1999 US sl. – of a business transaction: between two businesses
• B-40
n. 1998 US sl. – a cigar laced with marijuana and dipped in malt liquor
• B-52
n. 1993 US drugs sl. – a powerful amphetamine tablet
• B.A.
adj. 1933 US sl. – naked, nude (Bare-Assed)
n. 1. 1900 US Army sl. – an officer, esp. a cadet officer, who has been reduced in rank (Busted Aristocrat)
n. 2. 1925 US nautical sl. – Buenos Aires, Argentina
n. 3. 1950s W. Indies sl. – a term of great dislike for a person (Big Arse)
n. 4. 1961 UK sl. – nothing whatsoever; ‘Bugger All’
n. 5. 1970 US sl. – a bare ass
n. 6. 1970 US college sl. – an act of exposing one’s buttocks, esp. from the window of an automobile, as an obscene prank; mooning (Bare Ass)
n. 7. 1977 sl. – a bullshit artist; anyone with a good line of persuasive, if insincere patter
vb. 1970s US college sl. – to expose one’s buttocks for the purpose of evoking shock and/or amusement (Bare Ass)
• BA
n. 1. Bk1890 gypsy usage – brother, friend
n. 2. 1975 Irish sl. – a crybaby
vb. c1386 obs. – to kiss, as a child
• BAA
int. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – an exclamation of surprise or astonishment
n. 1975 Irish sl. – a crybaby
vb. 1706 Sc. – to lull to sleep
• BAA-BAA
n. 1924 Amer. dial. – a sheep
• BAA CHEAT
n. E18 sl. – a sheep
• BAACHIE
adj. 1930 Amer. dial. – nasty tasting; filthy
int. 1939 Amer. dial. – dirty! filthy!
• BAAD
n. Bk1855 Eng. dial. – a woman of bad character; a disreputable woman
• BAADASS
adj. 1971 US sl. – very bad, very dangerous
• BAAL AGALA
n. Bk1982 Jewish usage – an ignoramus; an uncouth person
• BAA-LAMB
n. 1. 1910s euphemism – a bastard, a contemptible, objectionable person
n. 2. Bk1984 sl. – anyone mild, pleasing, or amicable – often used by women of malleable men
n. 3. 20C rhyming sl. – a tram
• BAALING
n. 1854 – a little lamb
• BAALIST
n. a1603 – a worshipper of Baal; a worshipper of false gods or idols; a devotee of any false religion; an idolater
• BAALITE
n. 1639 – a worshipper of Baal; a worshipper of false gods or idols; one who idolizes any unworthy or grovelling object; a devotee of any false religion
• BAALTY-BRAINS
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a stupid person
• BAANA
n. 20C W. Indies sl. – the buttocks
• BA-ARGE
n. Bk1855 Eng. dial. – a fat, heavy person
• BAARIE
n. 1970s S. Afr. sl. – a fool; one who has newly arrived at a township from the countryside
• BAAS
n. 1. 1625 – a Dutch ship’s captain
n. 2. 1625 S. Afr. – a master; an employer of labour; a manager; a head man of any sort
• BAA-WAA-BODY
n. 1892 Eng. dial. – a silly or insignificant person
• BAAYBY
n. Bk1888 Eng. dial. – a baby
• BAAYLEY
n. Bk1888 Eng. dial. – a farm bailiff or overlooker of labourers
• BAAZ
n. Bk1898 Sc. – a large, fat, clumsy person
• BAB
n. 1. 1567 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a babe or baby; a child
n. 2. 1598 obs. nursery usage – dad or papa
n. 3. 1816 Sc. – a posy or nosegay of flowers; a tassel or bunch of ribbons
n. 4. 1856 Eng. dial. – a child’s name for a picture of any kind
n. 5. Bk1911 Sc. – a slight blow
n. 6. Bk1911 Sc. – a taunt; a gibe
n. 7. Bk1911 Sc. – the smartest or sprightliest lad or lass in a company
n. 8. 1919 Aust. & NZ sl., from rhyming sl. – a cook, esp. one who works in a sheep station, army, camp, etc.
n. 9. 1920s Aust. & NZ sl. – a criminal
n. 10. 1970s W. Indies sl. – a policeman
n. 11. n. 2000 UK sl. – a kebab
vb. 1. 1716 Sc. – to dance
vb. 2. 1806 Sc. – to close, to shut; to shut one’s eyes
• BABA
int. 1891 Eng. dial. – used as a warning to children not to touch or taste anything hurtful or disagreeable
n. 1. 1759 – a spiritual leader or minister of religion of a Sufi order; spec., the head of a tekke; also, a title or form of address
n. 2. 1771 orig. & chiefly South Asian – father; also used as a respectful form of address for an older man
n. 3. 1811 orig. & chiefly South Asian – a spiritual leader, teacher, or healer; a holy man; also, used as a title or as a form of address
n. 4. 1841 orig. & chiefly South Asian – a baby; a child; also, a term of endearment
n. 5. Bk1860 – in the East Indies, a lady
n. 6. 1882 – in Russia & other parts of Eastern Europe, & among people of Eastern European descent: a peasant woman; an old woman; a grandmother
n. 7. 1898 – in South Africa: a respectful form of address to, or title for, an older man
n. 8. 1967 Amer. dial. – a grandfather
n. 9. 1969 Amer. dial. – a grandmother
vb. 20C W. Indies sl. – to dribble
• BABACHY
n. 1810 Anglo-Indian – a male cook
• BABAI
n. 1972 Amer. dial. – a girl or woman
• BABALAAS
adj. 1940s S. Afr. sl. – suffering from a hangover
n. 1940s S. Afr. sl. – a hangover
• BABALAASDOP
n. 1940s S. Afr. sl. – the drink taken to alleviate the hangover; the ‘hair of the dog’
• BABALAASED
adj. 1940s S. Afr. sl. – suffering from a hangover
• BABALAZI
n. 1940s S. Afr. sl. – a hangover
• BABALO-DYE
n. Bk1890 gypsy usage – a grandmother
• BABALONIAN
n. 1990s US college sl. – a good-looking woman
• BABALOOBIES
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – water-worn limestones used to decorate walls or houses; weathered stone copings
• BABAN
n. 1. c1230 obs. – an infant, a young child; a doll, a puppet
n. 2. 1972 Amer. dial. – grandmother
• BABANIA
n. 1970s US drug culture sl. – drugs in general; heroin
• BABANQUA
n. 1837 Sc. – a quaking bog, a quagmire
• BABAREEBA
adj. Bk1942 US sl. – excellent, ‘super’
int. Bk1942 US sl. – an expression of approbation, as upon the approach of an attractive girl
• BABBART
n. c1300 obs. – an old name for the hare
• BABBER
n. 1. 2003 UK sl. – a baby or infant
n. 2. 2003 UK sl. – a friend, a companion, a mate
• BABBER-LIPPED
adj. 1377 obs. – having thick projecting lips
• BABBIE-SHOP
n 1970s S. Afr. sl. – an Indian-owned store
• BABBIS
vb. 1. 1825 Sc. obs. – to browbeat
vb. 2. 1825 Sc. obs. – to scoff, to gibe
• BABBISH
adj. 1. 1876 Eng. dial. – weak, helpless, faint
adj. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – childish, puerile
• BABBITT
n. 1. 1923 Amer. sl. – a conventional person; a conformist
n. 2. 1959 – a self-opinionated, self-satisfied small-town bourgeois, with all the prejudices of such a figure; a narrow-minded, middle-class materialist
• BABBLATIVE
adj. 1583 – given to babbling; talkative, loquacious, garrulous, prating
• BABBLE
adj. 1835 Sc. – half-witted; idiotic
n. 1. 1855 Eng. dial. – an idle, foolish story; gossip
n. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a lie
n. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – the noise made by hounds when they give tongue before being sure of the scent
n. 4. 20C sl. – baby
vb. 1967 Amer. dial. – of hunting dogs: to bark confusedly while running in a pack
• BABBLEMENT
n. 1892 Eng. dial. – noisy, foolish chatter
• BABBLE-MERCHANT
n. 19C sl. – a chatterbox
• BABBLER
n. 1. 1366 – a person who talks foolishly or at great length, esp. to little purpose; a chatterer
n. 2. 1555 – one who tells too freely what he knows; a prating gossip; a teller of secrets; a blabber; a talebearer
n. 3. 1732 hunting usage – a hound that bays or barks inopportunely
n. 4. Bk1753 – an enemy to good manners
n. 5. 1919 Aust. & NZ rhyming sl. (Babbling Brook) – a cook, esp. a cook on a sheep station, army camp, etc.
n. 6. 1928 rhyming sl. for ‘crook’ (Babbling Brook) – a criminal, a villain
n. 7. 1932 US college sl. – a mediocre person; an unlikable person
• BABBLERY
n. 1532 obs. – idle talk, chattering, senseless babble or prating; a foolish tale
• BABBLES
n. B1911 Sc. – foolish nonsense
• BABBLES AND SAUNTERS
n. 1868 Eng. dial. – gossiping tales and repetitions
• BABBLING
n. 1962 US sl. – cooking
• BABBLING BROOK
n. 1. 1904 Aust. rhyming sl. – a cook, esp. a cook on a sheep station, army camp, etc.
n. 2. 1913 US sl. – a gossip, a chatty person, an incessant talker
n. 3. 1919 Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘crook’ – a criminal
• BABBLINS
n. Bk1919 Aust. services’ sl. – an army cook
• BABBLISH
adj. 1574 obs. – full of idle talk
• BABBLY
adj. 1865 – full of babble, chattering, prating, garrulous
• BABBO
n. 1. 1992 US sl. – a naive, law-abiding citizen
n. 2. Bk1997 mobsters’ usage – an idiot; a useless underling
• BABBON
n. 1570 obs. – an infant, a young child; a doll, a puppet
• BABBS
n. 1824 Sc. obs. – the slimy matter a razor scrapes off the face in shaving
• BABBY
n. 1. Bk1828 Eng. dial. – a baby
n. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a child’s name for a picture
n. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a doll, a puppet; any model of the human figure
• BABBY-CARDS
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – picture or court cards
• BABBY-CLOUTS
n. 1864 Sc. & Eng. dial. – clothing or napkins for babies
• BABBY-HOUSE
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a doll’s house
• BABBY-JOB
n. 1890 Eng. dial. – a midwifery case
• BABBY-LAKER
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – one who entertains foolish speculations
• BABBY-LAKIN
n. 1. 1883 Eng. dial. – playing with pictures; drawing for amusement
n. 2. 1891 Eng. dial. – a child’s toy; hence, a trifling thing; a triviality
• BABBYRAGGS
n. 1902 Sc. – small bits
• BABBY-WARK
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – doings; sometimes used in contempt for things bearing fine names
• BABE
n. 1. 1393 – an infant; a young child
n. 2. 1530 obs. – a doll or puppet
n. 3. 1542 rare – an adult regarded as being like a child in some way; a childish or foolish person; an inexperienced, naive, or innocent person
n. 4. 1860 UK criminals’ sl. – a confidence trickster’s accomplice
n. 5. 1871 US Military Academy usage – the youngest member of a class of cadets
n. 6. B1890 Eng. sl. – the latest member of the House of Commons
n. 7. 1890 colloq., orig. US – a lover, a sweetheart; often used as a term of endearment
n. 8. 1898 US sl. – a man, a fellow, esp. one who is somehow remarkable; now only used in direct address
n. 9. 19C – a thief
n. 10. 1906 US sl. – a term of address used between men
n. 11. 1910s sl. – something excellent or desirable
n. 12. 1915 colloq. – an attractive girl or young woman; also, an affectionate term of address for a lover
n. 13. 1915 Amer. dial. – a pet name for a lad
n. 14. 1920s Amer. sl. – a large, fat man, esp. a large, fat baseball player
n. 15. 1927 US college sl. – a freshman
n. 16. 1973 US college sl. – among young women: an attractive young man
n. 17.1980s US college sl. – an unpleasant woman
• BABE ALERT
n. 1996 Aust. sl. – a notification that there are attractive people nearby
• BABE-A-LONIAN
n. 1990s US college sl. – a good-looking woman
• BABEHOOD
n. 1548 arch. – infancy
• BABE IN ARMS
n. 1. 1731 – a very young child, not yet able to walk; a baby; an infant
n. 2. Bk1999 – a naive or gullible person
• BABE IN THE WOOD
n. L17 sl. – one who is imprisoned in the stocks or pillory
• BABE IN THE WOODS
n. 1. 1795 – a person likened in some way to the ‘babes in the wood’, esp. in being an inexperienced, innocent, or naive person in a potentially dangerous situation; usually in plural
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a gullible person; a dupe; one who is easily deceived
n. 3. Bk1988 Aust. sl. – an inexperienced novice; a newcomer
• BABEL
adj. 1. M17 – confused, turbulent
adj. 2. M17 – lofty, visionary
n. 1. a1529 – a confused turbulent medley of sounds; meaningless noise
n. 2. 1625 – a scene of confusion; a confused or noisy assembly
n. 3. 1667 – a high building, a lofty structure
n. 4. 1711 – a visionary scheme
• BABELAAS
n. 1940s S. Afr. sl. – a hangover
• BABE LAIR
n. 1990s US sl. – an apartment used by a man for the seduction of women
• BABELARD
n. 1678 obs. – a babbler, a chatterer
• BABELAVANT; BABELAVANTE
n. a1400 obs. – an absurd or foolish person; a babbler, a talker of nonsense
• BABEL BUILDER
n. 1610 – a person likened to a builder of the Tower of Babel, esp. in being arrogant or unrealistic
• BABELDOM
n. 1882 – noisy confusion
• BABELET
n. 1856 rare – a tiny babe; an infant; also, a term of endearment
• BABELICIOUS
adj. 1992 US sl. – of a person of the opposite sex, esp. a woman: stunningly attractive
• BABELISH
adj. 1605 obs. – noisily confused
• BABELISM
n. 1834 – noisy confusion of speech; a strange utterance
• BABELIZE
vb. 1600 – to bring to confusion
• BABELO-DYE
n. Bk1890 gypsy usage – a grandmother
• BABE MAGNET
n. 1980s sl. – a man who is irresistibly alluring to a woman
• BABE OF GRACE
n. E19 sl. – one who acts holier-than-thou, but is not; a hypocrite
• BABE OF LOVE
n. E18 euphemism – an illegitimate child
• BABE RUTH
n. 1970s NZ prison rhyming sl. – the truth
• BABE RUTHER
n. Bk1999 baseball usage – one who plays Babe Ruth Baseball (a nonprofit organization founded in 1951 and located all over the United States that supports summer leagues for age groups 9-12, 13-15, and 16-18)
• BABERY
n. c1384 obs. – grotesque ornamentation in architecture and books; grotesque absurdity
• BABES
n. 1. 1930s sl. – a term of affection or simply of address between either sex
n. 2. Bk1960 US – a set of Baltimore rowdies
• THE BABES
adj. 1988 Sc. sl. – excellent, good, exactly as required
n. 1. Bk1860 sl. – the lowest order of ‘knock-outs,’ who are prevailed upon not to give opposing biddings at auctions, in consideration of their receiving a small sum (from one shilling to half-a-crown) and a certain quantity of beer
n. 2. 1910s sl. – something excellent or desirable
• BABESHIP
n. 1542 obs. – infancy
• BABES IN THE WOOD
n. 1. 1795 – inexperienced persons
n. 2. Bk1891 – simple, trustful children
• BABES IN THE WOODS
n. Bk1922 – a pair of harmless, but ill-used orphans, a boy and a girl
• BABE-SLAYER
n. Bk2000 Aust. sl. – a ladies’ man
• BABES OF GRACE
n. 1. Bk1890 sl. – puritanical, sanctified looking persons
n. 2. Bk1890 sl. – drunken psalm-smiting cobblers
• BABETTE
n. 1970s US homosexual sl. – a very youthful-looking homosexual male
• BAB-HOUSE
n. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a child’s toy-house
n. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a term of contempt for any ugly, useless, clumsy thing made by hand
• BAB-HOUSING
n. 1865 Eng. dial. – child’s play, nonsense
• BABHUH
n. Bk1992 Amer. South – a barber
• BABI
n. 1377 obs. – baby
• BABIA-MAJORA
n. Bk2007 US sl. – an extremely attractive woman
• BABIE
n. 1533 – a baby
• BABIES
n. 1. 1598 obs. – pictures in books
n. 2. 1974 US sl. – dice
n. 3. 1980s US homosexual sl. – semen
• BABIES IN CHRIST
n. 1526 – newly-made converts to Christianity
• BABIFY
vb. M19 – to make baby-like or babyish
• BABION
n. 1. 1599 obs. – a baboon; an ape
n. 2. a1529 obs., derogatory – a term of contempt for a person; a stupid or foolish person
• BABISH
adj. 1. 1532 obs. – infantile, baby-like
adj. 2. 1553-87 arch. – babyish, childish, silly; used contemptuously
vb. c1460 obs. – to scoff at, to scorn; to treat with contempt as mere children
• BABISHED
adj. 1535-75 obs. rare – made babyish or childishly silly
• BABISHLY
adv. 1567 Sc. – in a babyish fashion
• BABISHNESS
n. 1557 obs. – babyishness
• BABI-SHOP
n. 1970s S. Afr. sl. – an Indian-owned store
• BABISM
n. 1653 obs. rare – a childish practice
• BABIST
adj. B1700 Sc. – scoffed at, scorned
• BABLATRICE
n. 1595 obs. nonce word – a female babbler; a talkative person
• BABLE
n. 1570 Sc. – a trifle; a trifling thing or person
• BABLER
n. Bk1699 cant – a great talker
• BABLIAMINY
n. 1608 obs. nonce word – a babbler, a foolish or idle talker, a chatterer
• BABO
n. 1967 US sl. – nalorphine, a morphine derivative that acts to reverse the effects of morphine and other narcotics
• BABONYA
n. 1970s US drug culture sl. – drugs in general; heroin
• BABOO
n. 1. 1782 Anglo-Indian – a native clerk or official who writes English – sometimes applied disparagingly to a Hindu or, more particularly, a Bengali, with a superficial English education
n. 2. 1914 Trinidad and Tobago – an Indian man; a term of respect within the culture, but a term of disrespect when used by outsiders
n. 3. 20C W. Indies sl. – an old East Indian man, usually bearded and poor
• BABOON
n. 1. c1500 – an ugly or uncouth person; a stupid person; an inferior person; an oaf, a jerk; also, a term of abuse
n. 2. c1500 – a thug, a ruffian, a ne’er-do-well
n. 3. 1909 sl. – a term of abuse for a Black or coloured person
n. 4. 1930s US criminals’ sl. – a very hard-working prostitute
• BABOON BUTT
n. 1988 US sl. – the red, sore buttocks of someone riding as a passenger on a motorcycle
• BABOONERY
n. 1. 1383 obs. – grotesque ornamentation
n. 2. a1848 – unrefined manners or behaviour
• BABOON-FACED
adj. 1942 US sl. – having a face like that of a baboon; very ugly
• BABOONISH
adj. E16 – foolish
• BABOONIZE IT
vb. 1611 obs. – to play the ape; to use apish or foolish tricks or knavish pranks
• BABOON OWL
n. 1891 Amer. dial. – a barn owl
• BABOON-VISAGED
adj. 1940s sl. – very ugly
• BABOUNE
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a pouting expression; a look of displeasure
• BABOUNES
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – lips
• BABTIS
n. Bk1992 Amer. South – a Baptist
• BABU
n. 1. 1921 Jamaica – an East Indian
n. 2. 20C W. Indies sl. – an old East Indian man, usually bearded and poor
n. 3. 20C W. Indies sl. – an ugly old man
n. 4. 20C W. Indies sl. – an imaginary figure, ugly and old, conjured up to frighten children
• BABUINA
n. 1882 – a female baboon
• BABU-MAN
n. 20C W. Indies sl. – an old East Indian man, usually bearded and poor
• BABUS
n. Bk1890 gypsy usage – grandfather
• BABUSHKA
n. 1834 – in Russia: a grandmother; more generally: an elderly Russian woman; also used as a form of address
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Updated: Feb. 26, 2023
Lexicophilia 