Dictionary: DEADI – DEADZ

► DEADIE n. a dead person → 1970 sl.
► DEAD-ILL adj. sick with a mortal malady → 1897 Sc.
n. a mortal illness → 1822 Sc.
► DEAD INDIAN n. an empty bottle → 1960 US sl.
► DEAD IN THE SHELL adj. utterly worn out → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► DEADISH adj. somewhat dead → 1450
► DEAD-KIST n. a coffin → 1878 Sc.
► DEAD-KNOWLEDGE n. deceitfulness, cunning → 1900 Ireland (Bk.)
► DEAD-KNOWLEDGE MAN n. a cunning or deceitful man → 1900 Aust. sl.
► DEADLEG  n. 1. a numb feeling in the leg following a kneeing in the thigh by an attacker → 20C Brit. sl.
n. 2. a feeble, lazy, or disappointing person → 1950 Brit. sl.
n. 3. a down-and-out, a failure → 1960 sl.
n. 4. a useless person → 2003 UK sl.
vb. to knee someone in the thigh, thus causing a numb feeling in the leg → 20C Brit. sl.
► DEAD LETTER PERFECT adj. of an actor: absolutely certain of your lines → 1952 UK sl.
► DEAD-LEVEL BEST n. the best of one’s abilities; utmost → 1956 Amer. dial.
► DEAD LICE ARE DROPPING OFF phr. used for describing someone who is very slow-moving or lazy → 1960 US sl.
► DEAD LICE ARE FALLING OFF phr. used for describing someone who is very slow-moving or lazy → 1960 US sl.
► DEAD LIFT n. a position in which one can do no more, an extremity; a difficulty without assistance → 1567 arch. or Eng. dial.
► DEADLIGHTS n. the eyes → 19C sl.
► DEADLIHEAD n. dead condition; the state of the dead → 1612 obs.
► DEADLIHOOD n. dead condition; the state of the dead → 1659 obs.
► DEADLILY adv. in a deadly manner; mortally, fatally; excessively → 1621
► DEADLINE n. 1. in marbles: the line toward which the players roll their marbles before beginning a game to determine the order of shooting → 1890 Amer. dial.
n. 2. the red-light area of a town or city → L19 US sl.
n. 3. (as ‘dead line”) in prison: a line the crossing of which will bring gun fire from the guards → 1962 US sl.
vb. to remove from action for repairs → 1991 US Vietnam war usage
► DEADLINED adj. of a vehicle: laid up for repairs → 1945 World War II Amer. sl.
► DEADLINESS n. the condition of being subject to death; mortality → 1225 obs.
► DEAD-LIVERED adj. dead-alive; stupid, dull, sluggish → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEAD LOAD n.  a great quantity of anything → 1869 Amer. sl.
► DEAD LOADS n. a great quantity; many → 1869 Amer. sl.
► DEAD-LOCK n. 1. a lock the key of which is lost → 1887 Eng. dial.
n. 2. (usually as ‘deadlock) a ‘lock’ hospital, a hospital for venereal disease → L19 sl.
n. 3. (usually as ‘deadlock’) solitary confinement, forfeiture of privileges → 1930 US prison sl.
► DEADLOCKER n. one who is in solitary confinement or deprived of privileges → 1940 US prison sl.
► DEAD LOSS adj. useless, unsuccessful, unprofitable → 1920 sl.
n. 1. an absolutely useless person, idea, or undertaking; a useless, unworkable object; a complete failure; an absolute waste of time or money → 1927 sl., orig. Royal Air Force
n. 2. a boss → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► DEAD-LOWN adj. of the atmosphere: quite still → 1820 Sc.
► DEAD LURK n. 1. breaking into houses while the occupiers are at church → M19 UK criminals’ sl.
n. 2. empty premises → M19 sl.
vb. (as dead-lurk’) to break into a house when the occupants are away, esp. when they are at church on a Sunday → L19 UK criminals’ sl.
► DEAD LURKER n. a thief specializing in theft from quiet or semi-dark places → M19 UK criminals’ sl.
► DEADLY adj. 1. subject to death, mortal → 1000 obs.
adj. 2. without life, inanimate → 1225 obs.
adj. 3. in danger of death; likely to die → 1300 obs.
adj. 4. excessive, terrible, awful, very bad, utterly unpleasant → 1660 colloq.
adj. 5. very boring → 1955 US sl.
adj. 6. excellent; fantastic; brilliant; cool → 1960 sl.
adv. 1. in a way that causes death; mortally, fatally, to death → 1050 obs.
adv. 2. excessively, exceedingly, extremely, very → 1688
n. a mortal; usually as plural: mortals, human beings → 1450 obs.
► DEADLY EMBRACE n. in computing: the condition resulting when two processes cannot proceed because each is waiting for another to do something → 1981 US sl.
► DEADLY-LIVELY adj. combining dullness and liveliness; lively in a gloomy and depressing way → 1838 colloq.
► DEADLY NEVERGREEN n. the gallows → L18 sl.
► DEADLY NIGHTSHADE n. a prostitute; a very low prostitute → 19C Brit. sl.
► DEADLY TREADLY n. a bicycle → 2003 Aust. sl., rhyming elaboration of ‘treadly’ with the suggestion that it is risky to ride
► DEAD MAN n. 1. a baker; ‘properly speaking, it is an extra loaf smuggled into the basket by the man who carries it out, to the loss of the master → 1764 sl.
n. 2. empty liquor bottle → L18 cant
n. 3. the inedible gills of a crab → 1899 Amer. dial.
n. 4. a scarecrow, esp. when made in the traditional manner of old clothes stuffed with straw → L19 sl.
n. 5. a weekly insurance collector → 1930 Irish sl.
n. 6. a $1 bill → 1940 US sl.
n. 7. any large object used as an anchor for hawsers, guy-ropes, etc. → 1980 NZ sl.
► DEADMAN CHOPPERS n. false teeth → 1966 Amer. dial.
► DEAD MAN’S ARM n. a steamed roll pudding → 1985 NZ sl.
► DEAD MAN’S EARS n. stewed dried apricots → 1992 NZ sl.
► DEADMAN’S FINGERS n. the gills or lungs of a crab, considered poisonous → 1880 African-American sl.
► DEADMAN’S FLOAT n. the faking of a drowned person effected by floating face down in the water → 20C Aust. sl.
► DEAD MAN’S HAND n. 1. a poker hand of mixed aces and 8s, or jacks and (red) 7s or 8s → 1888 US sl.
n. 2. bad luck → 1960 sl.
► DEAD MAN’S HEAD n. 1. a skull, or figure of a skull → 1557 obs.
n. 2. a spherical plum pudding → 1994 NZ sl.
► DEAD MAN’S LEG n. meat-loaf → 1980 Aust. sl.
► DEAD MAN’S PINCHES n. small discoloured marks on the skin; black and blue spots on one’s skin that one cannot account for → 1883 Ireland & Amer. dial.
► DEAD MAN’S PLUNGE n. a mode of throwing a stone into water in such a way that is makes no splash → 1900 Ireland (Bk.)
► DEAD MAN’S PULL-UPS n. an exercise in which a person hangs with their arms extended from a bar, lifts their chin over the bar, and then lowers themself to the full arm-extended position → 1996 sl.
► DEAD MAN’S ROUNDS n. ammunition held pointed toward the bearer → 1991 US sl.
► DEAD MAN’S SHOES n. anything that one would rather not have to experience but that cannot really be avoided → 20C African-American sl.
► DEAD MAN’S WAGON n. a hearse → 1954 Amer. dial.
► DEAD MAN’S ZONE n. a demilitarized zone → 1984 US sl.
► DEADMAN TEETH n. false teeth → 1966 Amer. dial.
► DEAD-MAN WALKING n.  someone whose life is under threat → 20C Irish sl.
► DEAD MARINE n. a bottle which had contained beer, whisky, etc., but is now empty → 1831 sl.
► DEAD MARINE ZONE n. a demilitarized zone → 1984 US sl.
► DEAD MEAT n. 1. a corpse → 19C colloq.
n. 2. a person who is facing certain death → M19 sl.
n. 3. a prostitute, esp. an older woman → L19 sl.
n. 4. a horse that has no chance of winning a race → 20C sl.
n. 5. the flaccid penis → 1960 sl.
n. 6. used for expressing a very high degree of trouble; orig. applied only in situations where death was certain, but then softened to include lesser consequences → 1974 US sl.
n. 7. a dull, stupid person → 1980 sl.
► DEAD-MEAT TICKET n. an identity tag → 1910 Aust. & NZ sl.
► DEAD MEN n. empty bottles, at a drinking-bout, etc. → 1700 colloq.
► DEAD MEN’S BELLS n. the foxglove → 1848 Sc.
► DEAD MEN’S FINGERS n. the inedible gills of a crab → 1899 Amer. dial.
► DEAD MONEY n. 1. obviously counterfeit paper money → 1956 US sl.
n. 2. in poker: money bet by a player who has withdrawn from a hand → 1992 US sl.
► DEAD NAIL n. 1. a shrewd, imposing criminal; a person of an over-reaching, imposing disposition → 1812 sl.
n. 2. a gambler who cheats and/or refuses to pay his losses → 1818 sl.
► DEAD-NAP n. a cheat; a downright rogue; an absolute villain → 1900 (Bk.)
► DEAD NARK n. 1. a spoilsport → 20C Aust. sl.
n. 2. a very bad temper → 20C Aust. sl.
► DEADNECK n. a very stupid person→ 1910 sl.
► DEADNER n. a blow, a thump → 2003 Ireland sl.
► DEAD NIP n. 1. an unimportant project that turns out to be a failure → L19 sl.
n. 2. a complete swindle → 1900 Sc. (Bk.)
► DEAD-NOSED adj. puny-faced with a lifeless expression → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEAD NUMBER n. the last house in a row or street; the end of a street → L19 sl.
► DEAD-NUTS adv. completely, absolutely, keenly for or against something → 1887 US sl.
► THE DEAD NUTS n. the truth; a certainty → 1970 sl.
► DEAD NUTS ON adj. very fond of, obsessed with; in love with → 1853 sl.
► DEADO adj. 1. very drunk → M19 sl.
adj. 2. dead → L19 sl.
adj. 3. as if dead → 1900 sl.
adj. 4. deep asleep; unconscious → 1984 UK sl.
n. a corpse → 1919 US sl.
► DEADOH adj. 1. very drunk → M19 sl.
adj. 2. dead → L19 sl.
adj. 3. as if dead → 1900 sl.
adj. 4. (as ‘dead-oh’) deep asleep; unconscious → 1984 UK sl. 
► DEAD ON  adj. 1. very fond of; determined to do something → M19 sl.
adj. 2. exactly right; correct → 1888 US sl.
adj. 3. dealing very strictly and severely with a situation or person → L19 sl., orig. US
adj. 4. very good at dealing with → L19 sl., orig. US
► DEAD ON ARRIVAL n. 1. phencyclidine → 1993 US sl.
n. 2. heroin → 1998 UK sl.
► DEAD ONE n. 1. a horse that seems not to have been raced to its full capacity → M19 sl.
n. 2. a fool → L19 US sl.
n. 3. a useless, unsociable, impoverished, or mean person → L19 US sl.
n. 4. someone or something that is doomed, on the verge of death or actually dead → 1900 US sl.
n. 5. a reformed or retired tramp or criminal → 1900 US criminals’ sl.
n. 6. a drunkard → 1930 US tramps’ sl.
n. 7. a $1 bill → 1940 US sl.
► DEAD ON ONE’S FEET adj. tired to exhaustion → 1890 Amer. sl.
► DEAD OODLES n. a great quantity → 1869 Amer. sl.
► DEAD OODLINS n. a very great quantity → 1895 Amer. dial.
► DEAD OOGENS n. a great quantity; many → 1905 Amer. dial.
► DEADPAN adj. without expression; displaying no emotion → 1928 US sl.
adv. in an expressionless, emotionless manner → 1930 US sl.
n. a complete lack of facial emotion; an expressionless stare → 1927 US sl.
vb. to speak without expression, esp. in a situation that would normally demand some emotion → 1937 sl., orig. US
► DEAD PAY n. pay continued to a soldier, etc. no longer in active service; a soldier receiving such pay → 1585 obs.
► DEADPICKER n. 1. one who robs passed-out drunks → 1930 US tramps’ sl.
n. 2. a term of abuse → 1930 US sl.
► DEAD-PIG n. a thing thoroughly settled → 1930 US sl. (Bk.)
► DEAD PIGEON n. 1. one who has been caught breaking a rule or committing a crime → 1910 US prison sl.
n. 2. a guaranteed and absolute failure; often in context of a forthcoming election → 1910 US sl.
n. 3. a person who is destined to lose → 1919 US sl.
n. 4. a criminal enterprise, a double-crosser → 1964 US sl.
► DEAD PONY GAFF n. of circus and fairgrounds: a bad site → 1961 UK travelling showmen’s usage
► DEAD PORK n. a corpse → 1920 US tramps’ sl.
► DEAD PRESIDENT n. a $1 bill → 1940 US sl.
► DEAD PRESIDENTS n. US currency notes of any dollar denomination; hence, money → 1944 US sl.
► DEAD PUDDING n. something easy → L19 US students’ sl.
► DEAD QUIET n. absolute secrecy → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DEAD RABBIT n. 1. a street thug, a hoodlum → M19 US sl.
n. 2. a very athletic rowdy fellow → 1859 Amer. sl.
n. 3. a hopeless person, one who has absolutely no chance → 1900 sl.
n. 4. anything which has become worthless → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
n. 5. the penis in a flaccid state → 1964 US sl.
► DEAD RAG n. a dead gang member → 1980 African-American gang usage
► DEAD RECRUIT n. an empty bottle → 20C sl.
► DEAD RING n. an exact likeness → 1915 Aust. sl.
► DEAD RINGER n. an exact likeness → 1891 US sl.
► DEAD-RIGHT adj. unassailable → 20C US sl.
► DEAD ROAD n. MDMA → 2003 UK sl.
► DEAD ROTTEN adj. unpleasant; disagreeable → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DEAD-RUN adj. weary in the extreme → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
n. (as ‘dead run’) a run at full speed without any let-up → 1844 US
► DEADS adj. heavily intoxicated with alcohol → E20 Brit. navy sl.
n. remnants or remains in general → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEAD-SET adj. 1. fully committed; determined → M19 sl.
adj. 2. quite true → 20C Aust. sl.
adj. 3. superlative, in both positive and negative uses → 1940 Aust. & US sl.
adj. 4. complete, utter → 1965 Aust. sl.
adv. 1. completely, utterly → 1947 Aust. sl.
adv. 2. definitely, certainly → 1970 Aust. sl.
adv. 3. really; honestly → 1987 Aust. sl.
int. an exclamation of affirmation → 1970 Aust. sl.
(nouns usually as ‘dead set’)
n. 1. a scheme aimed at defrauding a victim through crooked gambling → 18C UK criminals’ sl.
n. 2. a pointed attack on or approach to another person, often in the context of wooing → L18 sl.
n. 3. a complete failure to learn and recite the lesson → 19C US students’ sl.
► DEAD SET AGAINST adj. totally hostile towards → E19 sl.
► DEAD SET ON adj. fascinated by, obsessed with, in love with, determined → L19 sl.
► DEADSHIT n. 1. a despicable person → 1961 Aust. sl.
n. 2. a term of abuse → 1980 Aust. sl.
► DEAD SHOT n. 1. very poor-quality or adulterated whisky → M19 US sl.
n. 2. sexual intercourse, whether vaginal or anal → 1970 African-American sl.
► DEAD SKIN n. the white inner peel of an orange → 1982 Bahamas
► DEAD-SLAYER n.one guilty of manslaughter → 1535 obs.
► DEAD SLED n. in the used car business: a car in extremely poor condition → 1997 US sl.
► DEAD SLOW adv. slowly → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DEAD SOLDIER n. 1. an empty alcohol bottle or beer can → 1899 US sl.
n. 2. a formed lump of excrement → 20C sl.
n. 3. a concrete or cement block buried in the ground and used to support a pole, as for a clothesline → 1968 Amer. dial.
► DEAD SOLDIERS n. worthless money → 1968 Amer. dial.
► DEAD SPIT n. an exact likeness; said of another person (often a relative) → 1901 UK sl.
► DEAD SPOTTED LING OF n. the absolute image of → 1930 Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘dead ring of’
► DEAD-STARK adj. as stiff as a corpse → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEAD-STARVED adj. cold as death, so cold as to have lost the use of one’s limbs → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEAD-STICK adj. of landing an aircraft: without engine function → 1999 US sl.
vb. to land an aircraft without engine function → 1962 US sl.
► DEAD STOCK n. a non-event → 1990 W. Indies sl.
► DEAD-SWEER adj. lazy, indolent, unwilling; undecided → 1721 Sc.
► DEAD THICK adj. very clever → L19 Sc. sl.
► DEAD THREADS n. in the language surrounding the Grateful Dead: the layers of clothes worn by a concert-goer → 1994 US sl.
► DEAD TIME n. 1. any period of one’s prison sentence when one is prohibited from associating with other prisoners → 1970 US prison sl.
n. 2. time served in jail which does not cont towards fulfilment of the prisoner’s sentence → 1973 US sl.
► THE DEAD TIME OF YEAR n. mid-winter → 1900 Sc. (Bk.)
► DEAD TO RIGHTS adv. certain, sure → M19 sl.
phr. said of a criminal who is caught red-handed → 1859 Brit. sl.
► DEAD TO SHAME adj. no longer capable of feeling shame; grown hardened to shame → 1780
► DEAD TO THE CURB adv. completely, utterly, comprehensively → 1950 African-American sl.
► DEAD-TO-THE-NECK adj. exceedingly stupid → 1952 Amer. sl.
► DEAD TO THE PAN adj. in horse racing, of a horse: likely to win → 20C sl.
► DEAD TO THE WIDE WORLD adj. 1. completely drunk → 20C sl.
adj. 2. utterly and completely exhausted; very deeply asleep or unconscious → 20C sl., orig. US
adj. 3. unconscious of one’s surroundings, lost in a dream, day-dreaming → 20C sl., orig. US
► DEAD TO THE WORLD adj. 1. utterly and completely exhausted; very deeply asleep or unconscious → 1899 sl.
adj. 2. unconscious of one’s surroundings, lost in a dream, day-dreaming; inattentive, absent-minded → 20C sl., orig. US
adj. 3. completely drunk → 1926 sl., orig. US (Bk.)
► DEAD TREE FORMAT n. paper on which computer output is printed → 1990 UK sl.
► DEAD TROUBLE n. an extremely difficult situation; deep trouble → 1971 UK sl.
► DEAD TUMBLE n. a discovery or arrest of someone found in the act of committing a crime → 1930 US criminals’ sl.
► DEAD TURKEY n. a hopeless person; a person or thing that has absolutely no chance → 1940 sl.
► DEAD ‘UN n. 1. a racehorse deliberately ridden to lose → 1877 Aust. sl.
n. 2. a bankrupt company → L19 sl.
n. 3. an uninhabited house; unoccupied premises → L19 UK criminals’ sl.
n. 4. a half-quartern loaf → L19 sl.
n. 5. an empty bottle → 20C sl.
► DEAD WAGON n. a vehicle used for transporting the dead; a hearse; sometimes also an ambulance → 1894 Amer. dial.
► DEAD WHITEBOY n. a dollar bill of any denomination → 1990 African-American sl.
► DEAD-WIND n. a calm → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEADWOOD adj. absolute, complete, unequivocal → M19 US sl.
n. 1. a coffin → M19 US sl.
n. 2. an incompetent or otherwise useless person → 1887 US sl.
n. 3. an advantage or control over someone, the thing a member of the underworld fears most, usually arrest or being caught in the act → L19 US criminals’ sl.
n. 3. in bowling: pins that have been knocked down but remain on the alley or in the gutter → 20C sl.
n. 4. unsold tickets for a performance → 1934 US sl.
n. 5. non-playing observers of gambling → 1974 US sl.
n. 6. a person caught outright committing a crime → 1992 US sl.
n. 7. a flaccid penis → 1995 US sl.
vb. to gain advantage over someone; to control over → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► DEAD-WOOD EARNEST adj. quite earnest → 19C Amer. dial.
► DEAD WOWSERS n. trousers → 20C Aust. rhyming sl.
► DEADY n. gin, or a particular quality of gin → 1819 sl.
► DEAD YARD n. a ceremony after burial in the deceased’s yard → 2003 Jamaica