• PAT
adj. 1. fit, proper, appropriate; ready, fluent, perfect, accurate …1703 Sc. & Eng. dial.
adj. 2. aristocratic, upper-class …M19 US college sl.
adj. 3. pleased, pleasant …1873 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a jocular term for the head …1790 Sc.
n. 2. (derogatory when used as a generic term) a nickname for an Irishman …1806 sl.
n. 3. a Chinese …20C Aust.
n. 4. a blow, a stroke …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 5. marijuana …1960s drug culture sl.
vb. 1. to beat; to hit frequently; to make a succession of quick, sharp strokes or sounds …1814 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 2. of the heart: to throb, to palpitate …1814 Sc. nonce use
vb. 3. to tap or stamp one’s foot or clap one’s hands in time to music or dancing; to beat time …1848 Amer. dial., chiefly Black usage
vb. 4. to coat with breadcrumbs or batter before frying …1968 Amer. dial.
• PAT-A-CAKE
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a pancake or similar quick bread
• PATACCA
n. 1970s sl. – worthless rubbish, esp. fake jewellery, watches, etc.
• PATAGUED
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – fatigued
• PATAGUEING
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – tiresome, provoking
• PATA-KYAT
n. 1940s W. Indies sl. – a thief
• PAT AND CHARLIE
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – one’s own legs
• PAT AND JERRY
vb. 1966 Amer. dial. – to walk, to go on foot
• PAT AND MICK
adj. L19 rhyming sl. – sick
n. 19C Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘prick’ – the penis
vb. 20C Aust. rhyming sl. – to lick, to beat, to thrash
• PAT AND MIKE
n. 1. 20C rhyming sl. for ‘bike’ – a bicycle
n. 2. 1970s US sl. – the act of two men having sex with one woman
• PATA-PATA
n. 1970s S. Afr. sl. – sexual intercourse
• PAT CASH
vb. 1990s rhyming sl. for ‘slash’ – to urinate
• PATCH
n. 1. L18 sl. – pubic hair
n. 2. 19C Brit. sl. – the female genitals
n. 3. 1867 Eng. dial. – the stone of fruit
n. 4. 1877 Amer. dial. – a small town or neighourhood of ramshackle houses, esp. one associated with a mine; a shantytown; also used with ‘the’
n. 5. 1900 Eng. dial. – a term of contempt; an ill-natured, disobliging person
n. 6. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a sandbank
n. 7. 1940s US criminals’ sl. – a go-between who ‘arranges’ security for criminals in a given area
n. 8. 1950s sl., orig. US – any form of insignia as worn by criminal or youth gangs, as the Hell’s Angels, US prison gangs, street gangs, etc.
n. 9. 1958 Brit. sl. – a cloth piece sewn on to a uniform in order to identify a prisoner as an escapee
n. 10. 1965 Amer. dial. – a remote place, or a very small or unimportant place
vb. 1. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to pelt with eggs
vb. 2. 1960s Can. prison sl. – to arrange for bribes to paid, deals to be made, etc.
• THE PATCH
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – the part of a town where the poorer people, or foreign groups live
• PATCHEL
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to mend clothes, to patch
• PATCHMAN
n. 1890 Eng. dial. – a body-snatcher
• PATCH NEEDLE AND BURN THREAD
vb. 20C W. Indies sl. – to waste one’s time in an irritating manner
• PATCH UP
vb. 1. 1970s US homosexual sl. – to dress fashionably; to apply make-up
vb. 2. 1970s NZ sl. – to become a full gang member
• PATCH UPON
vb. to impute blame rashly or wrongfully …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PATCHY
adj. cross, irritable, testy, uncertain in temper …1883 Eng. dial.
• PATE
adj. weak and sickly …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a badger …1649 Eng. dial.
n. 2. prating, chatter …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PATEFY
vb. to reveal, show, declare, disclose; to make open or manifest …1533 obs.
• PATE-HEAD
n. a silly, senseless person …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PATEN-CUT
n. tobacco cut up and prepared for smoking …1843 Eng. dial.
• PATENT COAT
n. a coat with the pockets on the inside, making it harder to pick …M19 sl.
• PATENT-DIGESTER
n. brandy …M19 sl.
• PATENT GENTRY
n. cheating gamblers …M19 US sl.
• PATENT LEATHER
n. a steak …L19 US sl.
• PATENT POSTHOLE
n. a fictitious device used by farmers in a practical joke …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PATER
n. 1. one’s father …E18 school sl.
n. 2. chatter, talk; a word …1838 Sc.
vb. to amble along …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• THE PATER
n. one’s father …E18 school sl.
• PATE-SORE
adj. crazy …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PATESS
n. a nickname for an Irishwoman …19C
• PATH
n. a part in the hair …1973 Amer. dial.
• THE PATH
n. the path to the garden privy; the privy itself …1967 US colloq.
• PATHA PATHA
n. sexual intercourse …1977 S. African sl.
• PATHETIC
adj. ineffectual, incompetent …1937 sl.
• PATHETICATE
vb. to make pathetic …1885 nonce word
• PATH HOUSE
n. an outside toilet building …1967 Amer. dial.
• PATIATE
vb. 1653 obs. rare – to suffer from an illness or disability
• PATIENCE ALONG
vb. to endure patiently …1942 Amer. dial.
• PATIENT
vb. to make patient; to content …1895 Amer. dial.
• PATIENTFU’
adj. long-suffering, very patient, submissive …1773 Sc.
• PATLAND
n. Ireland …M19 sl.
• PATLANDER
n. an Irish person …E19 sl.
• PAT MALONE
adv. alone …1930s rhyming sl.
• PAT MALONEY
adv. alone …1930s rhyming sl.
• PATO
n. a male homosexual …1960s US sl.
• PAT-OFF
adj. fit, proper, appropriate; ready, fluent, perfect, accurate …1703 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• PATOOT
n. the buttocks; the anus …1920s sl.
• PATOOTIE
n. 1. an attractive young woman …1910s US sl.
n. 2. the buttocks; the anus …1920s sl.
n. 3. a girlfriend or female lover …1921 US sl.
n. 4. the penis …1920s US sl.
• PATRIZATE
vb. to take after, imitate, or follow the example of one’s father or ancestors …1623 obs.
• PATRUITY
n. the relationship of an uncle …1844 rare
• PATSY
adj. excellent; first-rate; satisfactory …1930 US sl.
n. a gullible person …1903 sl., orig. US
• PATTER
n. 1. a loquacious, talkative person, usually applied to a woman, a chatterbox …1825 Sc.
n. 2. talk; chatter …Bk1896 sl.
vb. 1. to move with short, light, fussy steps …1828 Sc.
vb. 2. to trample ground down by constant treading …1866 Sc.
• PATTER FLASH
vb. to talk in thieves’ lingo …1827 sl.
• PATTERIN’
adj. walking or working aimlessly, trifling, pottering …1828 Sc.
• PATTER-PATTER
vb. to move with short, light, fussy steps …1880 Sc.
• PATTICK
n. a fool, simpleton, a silly person; one who talks nonsense; a merry fellow …1856 Eng. dial.
• PATTIES
n. the buttocks …1970s US homosexual sl.
• PATTLE
vb. to tread or trample down the ground …1965 Sc.
• PATTY
n. 1. a nickname for an Irishman …L18 derogatory when used as a generic term
n. 2. a pig, esp. a young one …1845 Sc.
n. 3. a White person, though not always Irish …1940s African-American sl.
• PATTY BOY
n. a nickname for a Caucasian …M20 African-American usage
• PATTY-CAKE
n. a pancake or similar quick bread …1966 Amer. dial.
• PATTY-GO-ROUND
n. a bullfrog …1963 Amer. dial.
• PATULICATE
vb. to be opened, or made wide; to become open, to expand …1656 obs. rare
• PAUCE
n. the caper or prancing step of a high-spirited horse …1808 Sc.
vb. to strut around on one’s dignity; to prance with rage or irritation; to assume a stiff, offended demeanour …1808 Sc.
• PAUCHLE
n. 1. a bundle, a small load, a burden, a pack-load …1743 Sc.
n. 2. a feeble old person, a tottering old body …1824 Sc.
n. 3. a tip, a gratuity to a porter, etc. …1923 Sc.
n. 4. a quantity of anything …1927 Sc.
n. 5. a state of confusion, a flurry, a disorganized state of affairs …1958 Sc.
n. 6. a swindle, a piece of trickery …1963 Sc.
vb. 1. to move feebly but persistently; to shuffle, to hobble; to struggle along, to make slow and painful progress, to move painfully forward …1880 Sc.
vb. 2. to do odd jobs for a gratuity, to earn tips …1898 Sc.
vb. 3. to struggle, to strive, to contend, to expend effort and energy …1921 Sc.
vb. 4. to shuffle playing cards …1930 Sc.
vb. 5. to steal, to pilfer, to embezzle, to make off with …1950 Sc.
vb. 6. to work in an ineffectual way, to bungle, to potter, to trifle …1965 Sc.
• PAUCHLED
adj. worn-out, exhausted, drained of all energy …1937 Sc.
• PAUCHLER
n. 1949 Sc. – a clumsy, unskilful person; a bungler
• PAUCILOQUENT
adj. 1656 rare – speaking briefly; uttering few words
• PAUGE
vb. 1. 1825 Sc. obs. – to prance, to pace about waiting for one’s chance to hover around with some design in mind
vb. 2. 1825 Sc. obs. – to tamper, to meddle in a rash or injudicious manner
• PAUGHTILY
adv. 1838 Sc. – superciliously, in a conceited or impertinent manner
• PAUGHTINESS
n. 1913 Sc. – arrogance, conceit, pomposity
• PAUGHTY
adj. 1. a1586 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – proud, conceited, haughty; impertinent, saucy, insolent
adj. 2. 1773 Sc. – stout-hearted, spirited, gallant
adj. 3. 1875 Sc. – discreet
adv. 1720 Sc. – superciliously, in a proud and haughty manner
• PAUL
vb. 1832 Sc. – to puzzle, to perplex, to nonplus, to thwart, to baffle
• PAULA PRY
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – a meddlesome or interfering woman
• PAUL BUNYAN
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a liar
• PAUL BUNYAN MOSQUITO
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – an extra big mosquito
• PAULER
n. 1858 Sc. – a puzzle, a poser, a knockout blow
• PAUL HENRY
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – one’s signature
• PAUL JONES
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – one’s signature
• PAUL PRY
n. a meddlesome or interfering person …1840 Amer. dial.
• PAULT
n. refuse, rubbish …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PAULTER
vb. to wreck or pilfer stranded vessels and ill-use shipwrecked sailors …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PAULTERLY
adj. paltry, worthless, mean …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PAUM
n. a stroke with a strap or cane on the palm of the hand as a punishment …1787 Sc.
vb. 1. to squeeze the hand …1796 Sc.
vb. 2. to lay hands on; to finger; to handle awkwardly; to maul …1827 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• PAUMIE
n. a stroke with a strap or cane on the palm of the hand as a punishment …1787 Sc.
• PAUMISH
adj. awkward in handling …1873 Eng. dial.
• PAUMY
n. a blow from the ‘tawse’ on the palm of the hand … 1812 Sc.
• PAUNCH
vb. to take into the stomach, to consume, to imbibe, usually with implication of haste or greed …1821 Sc.
• PAUNCHINGS
n. the intestines of animal, esp. as used for food, tripe served in potato soup …1866 Sc.
• PAUNDERER
n. an idler, a dawdler …1872 Sc.
• PAUPER
n. a school pupil who received free education in return for various cleaning and supervisory duties about the school …1801 Sc. obs.
• PAUPING
adj. aimless, idle, vagrant, wandering …1813 Sc. obs.|
• PAUTRONS
n. a nickname or pet name for a cat …1887 Sc.
• PAVE
n. a pavement, causeway …1880 Sc.
• PAVONIZE
vb. 1838 obs. rare – to behave as a peacock; to flaunt one’s appearance in a vain fashion; to strut
• PAWM
vb. to rub the hands together …1857 Eng. dial.
• PAWMIE
n. a stroke on the palm of the hand, given as a punishment …1785 Sc.
• PAWMY
n. a blow from the ‘tawse’ on the palm of the hand … 1812 Sc.
• PAVEFACTION
n. 1658 obs. rare – a terrifying or making afraid
• PAVEFY
vb. 1656 obs. rare – to make afraid, to frighten
• PAVEMENT PRINCESS
n. 1976 Citizens’ band jargon – a prostitute who touts for business over the radio network
• PAVE WALK
n. 1986 Amer. dial. – a sidewalk
• PAVID
adj. 1656 rare – fearful, timid, shy, quaking
• PAVIE
n. 1. 1698 Sc. – a trick, a prank, a practical joke
n. 2. 1768 Sc. – a caper, a fantastic movement of the body; a flamboyant or affected gesture, a stylish or grandiose flourish of the limbs; a stately or strutting carriage
n. 3. 1806 Sc. – a fuss, bustle, commotion, a great to-do about nothing; a great state of excitement, either from pleasurable anticipation, or rage
n. 4. a1850 Sc. – a frivolous, giddy person; one who loves display, a show-off; one who puts on airs; an idle, trifling child
vb. 1. 1804 Sc. – to caper, to frisk, to move in a quick light way; to cavort, to waltz around
vb. 2. 1811 Sc. – of a man: to flirt, to dally with or pay attention to a girl
vb. 3. 1837 Sc. – to adopt an exaggeratedly courtly bearing; to strut, to parade oneself, to show off
vb. 4. 1838 Sc. – to wave about; to flourish ostentatiously
vb. 5. a1850 Sc. – to trifle away one’s time at work; to play around
vb. 6. 1914 Sc. – to talk in a guarded manner; to prevaricate, to equivocate; to hedge
• PAW
n. 1. 1605 sl. – the hand
n. 2. 1873 Amer. dial. – father
• THE PAW
n. 1969 Amer. euphemism – a male animal kept for breeding purposes; a bull
• PAWCHLIE
n. 1824 Sc. – a stupid person, a simpleton; a silly person of low stature
• PAWGE
vb. 1825 Sc. obs. – to tamper, to meddle in a rash or injudicious manner
• PAWMERER
n. 1866 Sc. – a clumsy, heavy-footed person
• PAWMIE
n. 1. 1787 Sc. – a stroke with a strap or cane on the palm of the hand as a punishment
n. 2. 1825 Sc. – the knave of clubs
n. 3. 1825 Sc. – the knave of any other suit
• PAWNCE
n. L19 sl. – water
• PAWNI
n. L19 sl. – water
• PAW-PA
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a grandfather; rarely, a father or stepfather
• PAW-PAW
n. 1956 Amer. dial. – a grandfather; rarely, a father or stepfather
• PAWPY
adj. 1881 Sc. – of persons: conceited, stiff with self-esteem, stuck-up, officious, pompous
• PAWTRENS
n. 1887 Sc. – a nickname or pet name for a cat
• PAY
n. 1878 Brit. sl., orig. & chiefly naval usage – a form of address for the paymaster
• PAY A CALL
vb. 1959 UK colloq. – to go to the toilet
• PAYBOB
n. 1916 Brit. naval sl. – the paymaster
• PAY IT NO MIND
phr. 1960s Amer. sl. – don’t worry about it
• PAYLING
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a driving, beating shower
• PAY-OFF
n. 1. 1915 sl. – a type of confidence trick in which the victim loses a large sum of money trying to follow the apparent good luck of the trickster
n. 2. 1930 sl., orig. & chiefly US – a bribe
n. 3. 1965 Amer. dial. – (usually as ‘payoff’) the last straw; the limit of one’s patience
• PAYOLA
n. 1938 sl., orig. US – a bribe or other secret payment to induce someone to use their influence to promote a commercial product, esp. one made to a disc jockey for plugging a record
• PAY ONE’S DUES
vb. 1960s Amer. sl. – to pay for making a mistake
• PAY ON THE STUMP
vb. Bk1904 sl. – to disburse readily and promptly
• PAY OUT THE SLACK OF ONE’S GAMMON
vb. L18 sl. – to recount too many anecdotes
• PAY RESPECTS
vb. 1. 1897 Eng. dial. – to court, to woo
vb. 2. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – of horses: to kick up the heels
• PAY SAUCE
vb. 1678 obs. – to pay dearly
• PAY THE DEBT OF NATURE
vb. 1494 – to die
• PAY THE FIDDLER
vb. 1867 Amer. dial. – to suffer the consequences of one’s acts
• PAY THE KAIN
vb. 1736 Sc. – to pay the penalty, to suffer the consequences
• PAY THE MAIL
vb. 1807 Sc. – to get one’s deserts, to suffer for the wrongs one has done, to pay the penalty
• PAY THROUGH THE NOSE
vb. 1672 – to pay a high price
• PAY WITH A HOOK
vb. Bk1892 Aust. thieves’ sl. – to steal
• PAY WITHIN AN INCH OF ONE’S LIFE
vb. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to thrash soundly, to give a good beating to
• PAZE
vb. 1. 1783 Eng. dial. – to raise with a lever; to force open; to lift
vb. 2. 1824 Eng. dial. – to weigh, esp. to weigh in the hand; to estimate the weight of
• P.B.I.
n. 1916 sl. – a Poor Bloody Infantry(man)
• P.C. PLOD
n. 1977 Brit. sl. – a police officer
• P.D.Q.
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – immediately; shortly (Pretty Damn Quick)
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Updated: February 27, 2023
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