• HO
n. 1. 1950s sl. – a generic term describing any woman
n. 2. 1950s sl. – a person indiscreet in sexual matters
n. 3. 1950s African-American & students’ sl. – a promiscuous or seductively dressed young woman
n. 4. 1950s sl., orig. African-American – a prostitute
n. 5. 1980s drug culture sl. – cannabis
n. 6. 1990s African-American sl. – a sexually promiscuous man
vb. 1990s African-American teen sl. – to sell out, to prostitute oneself
• HOACH AND HAW
vb. 1777 Eng. dial. – to hawk and spit
• HOAFLINS
adv. 1808 Eng. dial. – half, partially; nearly
• HOARY-EYED
adj. 1940s US sl. – drunk
• HOAVE
vb. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to walk blunderingly or stupidly
• HOAVE-GEE!
int. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – a call to a horse to go straight forward
• HOAVE-GEE WOHOP!
int. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – a call to a horse to go straight forward
• HOAX
n. L18 sl. – a deception, a fraud
vb. L18 sl. – to deceive; to ridicule
• HOAX A QUIZ
vb. L18 sl. – to tease an eccentric person
• HOB
n. L17 sl. – a rustic, a simpleton
• HOBALL
n. a1553 obs. – a clown, a fool, a dolt, an idiot
• HOB AND NOB
vb. 1. M18 sl. – to invite to drink, and then to clink glasses
vb. 2. M19 sl. – to fraternize, to be on intimate terms
• HOBBES!
int. 1980s US students’ sl. – really! honest! on my honour!
• HOBBINALL
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HOBBINOL
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HOBBINOLD
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HOBBINOLL
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HOBBITY-HOY
n. 1825 Eng. dial. – a lad growing into manhood, one between man and boy; a clumsy or awkward youth; a hobbledehoy
• HOBBLE
n. 1. L18 sl. – a difficult situation, from which it is hard to extricate oneself
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – bewilderment; perplexity
vb. 1. 18C criminal sl. – to steal; to arrest
vb. 2. L19 US sl. – to restrain
• HOBBLE-BOBBLE
n. B1900 Eng. dial. – confusion
• HOBBLED
adj. E19 sl. – arrested, committed to trial
• HOBBLEDEGEE
n. L18 sl. – a jog trot; a pace between a walk and a run
• HOBBLEDEHOY
n. a1540 – a youth between man and boy; a young lad between fourteen and twenty-one, neither man nor boy; a clumsy, awkward, or gawky youth
• HOBBLEDEJEE
n. L18 sl. – a jog trot; a pace between a walk and a run
• HOBBLE-DE-POISE
adv. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – evenly balanced; straight, correct
• HOBBY
n. M19 US sl. – an English translation of a text in a foreign language
• HOBBY BOBBY
n. 1980s sl. – a special constable
• HOBBY HORSE
n. 1. L16 sl. – a fool, a jester
n. 2. L16 sl. – a prostitute; a promiscuous woman
• HOB-GOB
n. 1. 1882 Eng. dial. – a hobgoblin, sprite, elf
n. 2. B1900 Eng. dial. – a fool, an idiot; an awkward, uncouth person
n. 3. B1900 Eng. dial. – silly, empty talk; gossip, chat
• HOBGOBLIN PIE
phr. 1965 Amer. dial. – said to a child when he asks “What are you making?”
• HOBHOUCHIN • HOBHOWCHIN
n. 1682 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – an owl
• HOBINALL • HOBINOLL
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HOB-JOB
n. L19 sl. – an unskilled job, an odd job, e.g. holding horses, carrying parcels
• HOB-JOBBER
n. M19 sl. – a man or boy walking the streets on the look out for small jobs
• HOBKNOLLING
n. B1900 Eng. dial. obs. – saving one’s own expenses by living with others on slight pretenses; sponging on the good nature of one’s friends
• HOBLOB
n. 1582 obs. – a lout; a rustic; a clown
• HOBNAIL
n. L17 sl. – a rustic; a simpleton
• HOBNAILED
adj. 18C sl. – rustic; boorish
• HOBNAIL EXPRESS
vb. 1950s NZ sl. – to walk, to travel by foot
• HOB-NOB
adv. c1540 – at random, hit or miss
n. L18 sl. – a toast
vb. L18 sl. – (as ‘hob nob’)to invite to drink and then to clink glasses
• HOB-NOBBLE
vb. 1861 Eng. & Amer. dial. – to talk intimately and confidentially together
• HOBNOBS
n. 1990s Irish sl. – members of the upper classes
• HOBNOL
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HOBO
n. 1. L19 US sl. – a tramp, a vagrant, an itinerant worker, often using the US rail system as a means of free transport
n. 2. 1910s US sl. – the penis
n. 3. Amer. World War I sl. – a provost-sergeant
vb. L19 US sl. – to live or travel as a tramp
• HOBO CELL
n. 1900s US sl. – the iron cage in a prison for locking up minor offenders
• HOBO COCKTAIL
n. 1940s US sl. – a glass of water, esp. when requested (rather than alcohol) in a restaurant
• HOBOKEN
n. 1. 20C US sl. – an insignificant, out-of-the-way place
n. 2. 20C US sl. – hell
• HOBOLAND
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a train with a crew friendly to tramps
• HOBO LIMITED
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a train with a crew friendly to tramps
• HO BOOTS
n. 1970s African-American sl. – ostentatiously sexy, high, tight, high-heeled woman’s boots
• HOBOSEX
n. 1990s sl. – sex with a number of strangers in a short period of time
• HOBOSEXUAL
n. 1990s sl. – one who enjoys ‘hobosex’
• HOBOY
n. 1. 1575 – an oboe
n. 2. 1633 – an oboe player
• HOB’S KNOB
n. 20C US sl. – the smart, rich area of a town
• HOBSON’S (CHOICE)
n. 1937 Brit. rhyming sl. – the voice
• HOBUCK
n. 1807 Eng. dial. – a clumsy fellow, a lout; a country bumpkin; a noisy, rough, turbulent young man
• HOBYNOLL
n. 1579 obs. – the name of a shepherd in Edmund Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender; hence, a countryman, a rustic, a peasant
• HO CAKE
n. 1990 African-American sl. – the vagina
• HOCK
n. 1. 18C sl. – the foot; the foot and the ankle
n. 2. 20C rhyming sl. on ‘cock’ – a male homosexual
vb. 1. 1878 sl., orig. US – to pawn
vb. 2. 1930s US sl. – to steal
vb. 3. 1940s US sl. – to pester, to nag; to chatter incessantly
vb. 4. 1960s NZ sl. – to get hold of, to obtain
vb. 5. 1970s US sl. – to kick
• HOCK-DOCKIES
n. M19 sl. – shoes
• HOCKER
n. 1. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – one who stammers
n. 2. 1960s US teen sl. – a gob of phlegm or spit
vb. 1990s sl. – to hawk up
• HOCKERTY-COCKERTY
adv. 1742 Sc. obs. – riding on a person’s shoulders, with a leg over each
• HOCKEY
adj. L18 sl. – drunk, spec. with strong, stale beer known as ‘old hock’
n. 1. 19C sl. – excrement, both human and animal
n. 2. 1930s US sl. – nonsense; lies
n. 3. Bk1975 US sl. – semen
vb. 19C sl. – to excrete
• HOCKEY BOX
n. 1970s US sl. – the buttocks
• HOCKEY PUCK
n. 1960s US sl. – a stupid person
• HOCKEY STICK
n. 1940s NZ sl. – a mutton chop
• HOCKHOLLER
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – hollyhock
• HOCK-HOUSE
n. Bk1902 sl. – a brothel
• HOCKIE
n. 1. 19C sl. – excrement, both human and animal
n. 2. 1930s US sl. – nonsense; lies
vb. 19C sl. – to excrete
• HOCKS
n. M19 sl. – the feet
• HOCK-SHOP
n. 1871 sl. – a pawnshop
• HOCKY
adj. 1970s US students’ sl. – unpleasant, nasty
n. 1. 19C sl. – excrement, both human and animal
n. 2. 1930s US sl. – nonsense; lies
vb. 19C sl. – to excrete
• HOCUS
adj. E18 sl. – drunk
n. 1. M17 sl. – juggling, imposture
n. 2. M17 sl. – a juggler, a magician, a charlatan
n. 3. 19C sl. – drugged liquor
n. 4. 1980s drug culture sl. – marijuana
n. 5. 20C drug culture sl. – opium, morphine, heroin, or cocaine
vb. 1. M19 sl. – to drug a person with a mixture of snuff and beer before robbing them
vb. 2. 1940s US gambling sl. – in gambling, to make dice crooked
• HOCUS-POCUS
n. 1. L17 sl. – a juggler
n. 2. E18 sl. – a juggler’s trick; thus any form of imposture, trickery
n. 3. E18 sl. – an astrologer
• HOD
n. 1. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a pipe
n. 2. 1920s US cabdrivers’ usage – a Black passenger
• HO-DAD • HO-DADDY
n. 1. 1960s US surfers’ usage – a person who claims knowledge and authority he or she does not possess
n. 2. 1960s US surfers’ usage – a nonparticipant who seeks the company of athletes and performers; a hanger-on
n. 3. 1960s US surfers’ usage – an obnoxious and contemptible person
• HO-DAD WITH A SHUFFLIN’ ROD
phr. 1965 Amer. dial. – said to a child when he asks “What are you making?”
• HODDY
adj. 1664 Eng. dial. – in good condition, physically or mentally; healthy; in good humour or spirits; pleasant, cheerful
n. 1895 Eng. dial. – a snail; the shell of a snail
• HODDY-DODDY
adj. 1. 1790 Eng. dial. – giddy, drunk
adj. 2. a1809 Eng. dial. – confused, in a whirl
adj. 3. 1824 – short and dumpy or clumsy; disproportionately stout; squat
n. 1. a1553 obs. – a short and dumpy or thickset person
n. 2. 1598 obs. – a cuckold; a henpecked man
n. 3. 1646 obs. – a foolish or ridiculous person; a simpleton; a dupe
n. 4. 1777 Eng. dial. – a revolving light
n. 5. 1869 Eng. dial. – a snail, a snail shell
• HODDY-NODDY
n. 1600 obs. rare – a fool, simpleton, noodle
• HODDYPEAK
n. 1. 1500 obs. – a fool, a simpleton, a blockhead
n. 2. 1500 obs. – a cuckold
• HODGY
n. 1954 US sl. – the penis
• HODIERN
adj. 1500-20 obs. – of this day; belonging to the present day
• HODNER
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – odder
• HOE
n. 1. 1950s sl. – a generic term describing any woman
n. 2. 1950s sl. – a person indiscreet in sexual matters
n. 3. 1950s African-American & students’ sl. – a promiscuous or seductively dressed young woman
n. 4. 1950s sl., orig. African-American – a prostitute
n. 5. 1990s African-American sl. – a sexually promiscuous man
• HOE-BUCK
n. 1807 Eng. dial. – a clumsy fellow, a lout; a country bumpkin; a noisy, rough, turbulent young man
• HOEDOWN
n. 1. 1950s US sl. – a lively and noisy argument
n. 2. 1950s US sl. – a riotous fight; a brawl
• HOE IN • HOE INTO
vb. 1935 sl. – to begin to eat or drink heartily
• HOE ONE’S ROW
vb. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – to do one’s own work
• HOES AND SOME
n. 20C sl. – in dominoes: twenty-five points
• HOFUL
adj. 1565 obs. – careful, wary, prudent
• HOG
n. 1. Bk1903 sl. – sixpence
n. 2. Bk1903 sl. – 1 shilling
n. 3. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a slovenly person; a grasping person
n. 4. 1915 US railroad sl. – a locomotive, orig. a heavy freight engine
n. 5. 1915 US railroad sl. – a railroad engineer
n. 6. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a hippopotamus
n. 7. 1960s US motorcyclists’ sl. – a Harley-Davidson motorcycle
n. 8. 1960s Amer. sl. – a Cadillac
n. 9. 1960s US drug culture sl. – PCP or a similar addictive drug
n. 10. 1980s US students’ sl. – a sexually appealing male
vb. Bk1903 sl. – to possess carnally
• HOG-AGE
n. 1848 Amer. dial. – the awkward, ill-mannered age between boyhood and manhood; male adolescence
• HOG AND A KYE
n. Bk1903 sl. – 1 shilling and sixpence
• HOG AND HOMINY
n. US Civil War usage – southern rations
• HOGAN’S BRICKYARD
n. 1900s US baseball sl. – a rough baseball diamond
• A HOG FOR
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – avaricious, greedy
• HOGGER
n. 1915 US railroad sl. – a railroad engineer
• HOG-GRUBBER
n. a1700 obs. – a mean, stingy, sneaking fellow; a close-fisted fellow; a miser, a niggard
• HOGGY
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – avaricious, greedy
• HOG-HEAD
n. 1915 US railroad sl. – a railroad engineer
• HOG-HEADED
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – stupidly obstinate, pig-headed
• HOG HEAVEN
n. 1940s US sl. – a place of total bliss, esp. for the gluttonous
• HOG KILLIN’ TIME
n. 1. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a cold snap
n. 2. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a highly enjoyable time
• HOGLEG
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a six-chambered firearm, esp. a revolver
• HOGOPOLIS
n. 1. M19 sl. – Chicago
n. 2. M19 US sl. – Cincinnati
• HOG PARADISE
n. 1940s US sl. – a place of total bliss, esp. for the gluttonous
• HOGRY-MOGRY
adj. 1869 Sc. – disorderly, in a confused state; untidy, slovenly
• HOGS
n. 1940s US sl. – dollars, esp. only a few dollars
• HOG-SAFF
n. 1892 Eng. dial. – mutton from a sheep that has died a natural death
• HOG’S-BREATH
n. 1990s US sl. – a despicable person; a disgusting wretch
• HOGSHEAD
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – an engineer of a locomotive
• HOGSLOP
n. 1990s US sl. – empty and pretentious talk; nonsense; baloney
• HOG-SLOSH
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – nonsense
• HOGSTER
n. 1980s US sl. – an owner, admirer, etc. of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle
• HOGWASH
n. 1. 1882 Amer. sl. – empty and pretentious talk; nonsense
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something worthless
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – weak, inferior liquor
• HO, HO AND A COUPLE OF HUMS!
int. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – expressive of boredom
• HO-HUM
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – boring, dull, tedious
int. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – (as ‘ho hum!) expressive of boredom “
n. 1960s Amer. sl. – boring matter; dull tripe
• HOIST
n. a1790 sl. – shoplifting
vb. 1. 1708 sl. – to possess carnally
vb. 2. 1931 sl., orig. US – to steal or rob
vb. 3. 1940s US sl. – to drink some beer or liquor
• HOISTER
n. 1790 sl. – a shoplifter or pickpocket
• HOISTING
n. 1936 sl. – shoplifting
• HOIT-A-POIT
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – assuming airs of importance unsuitable to years or action; presuming, forward
• HOITY-TOITY
adj. 1668 sl. – haughty, conceited, snobbish, pretentious
• HOKE
n. 1. 1921 Amer. sl. – nonsense
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something absurdly erroneous
vb. 1935 US sl. – to make fun of; to treat insincerely
• HOKED-UP
adj. 1940s US sl. – false; dishonestly confected
• HOKE UP
vb. 1935 sl., orig. US – to render something insincere or artificial
• HOKEY
adj. 1927 sl., orig. US – sentimentally or melodramatically artificial; pretentious
• HOKEY-DOKEY
adj. 1930s US sl. – good, fine, acceptable
int. 1930s sl., orig. US – OK!
• HOKEY-POKEY
n. 1. 1840s Amer. sl. – pretentious nonsense; false and meretricious material; deception
n. 2. Bk1913-17 Amer. college sl. – a cheat
• HOKIE
adj. 1945 sl., orig. US – sentimentally or melodramatically artificial; pretentious
• HOKIE DOKIE!
int. 1936 Amer. sl. – O.K.; all right, very well
• HOKUM
n. 1. 1917 Amer. sl. – nonsense
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something absurdly erroneous
• HOKUS
n. 1930 US drug culture sl. – any narcotic
• HOKY
adj. 1945 sl., orig. US – sentimentally or melodramatically artificial; pretentious
Back to INDEX H
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Updated: February 26, 2023
Lexicophilia 