• P.L.
n. 1. a forged personal cheque …1920s forgers’ sl.
n. 2. a favoured student (Paper Leg) …Bk1942 Amer. college sl.
• PLACE
n. a lavatory …1901 euphemism
• PLACE A HATCH BEFORE THE DOOR
vb. to keep silence …1579 obs.
• PLACE DOWN BELOW
n. hell …1966 Amer. dial.
• PLACENTIATE
vb. to please, to satisfy …1694 nonce word obs.
• PLACENTIOUS
adj. pleasing, or disposed to please; complaisant, amiable, agreeable, suave …a1661 obs. rare
• PLACE OF WAR
n. a fortified building or place …1375 obs.
• PLACER
n. 1. a sheep which remains in one place …1921 Aust. & NZ sl.
n. 2. a dealer in stolen goods …1969 Brit. sl.
• PLACIDIOUS
adj. 1607 – mild, gentle; calm, peaceful; unruffled, tranquil, serene; not easily upset or excited → obs.
• PLACKET HOUSE
n. 1960 – an outdoor privy → Amer. dial.
• PLACKET-RACKET
n. 17C – the penis
• PLAGIATOR
n. 1889 – a plagiarist; one who plagiarizes the ideas, work, etc. of another → rare
• PLAGUE
vb. to embarrass; to annoy; to confuse …1923 Amer. dial.
• THE PLAGUE
n. a woman’s menstruation …1969 Amer. dial.
• PLAGUED
adj. 1. embarrassed …1924 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. bothersome, annoying …1975 Amer. dial.
• PLAGUED OUT
adj. embarrassed …1965 Amer. dial.
• PLAGUEY
adj. annoying, troublesome, vexatious; damned …1834 Amer. dial.
adv. annoyingly, vexatiously; very, damned …1815 Amer. dial.
• PLAIN
adj. of drinks: unmixed with water …Bk1902 colloq,
• PLAIN AS A PACKSTAFF
adj. a plain as a pikestaff, quite obvious and unmistakable …1542 obs.|
• PLAIN AS PARRITCH
adj. 1. self-evident, obvious to all, as clear as crystal (parritch = porridge) …1761 Sc.
adj. 2. of persons: homely, unattractive in appearance; very plain (parritch = porridge) …1899 Sc.
• PLAIN AS THE BALLS ON A TALL DOG
adj. very obvious …1967 US sl.
• PLAIN AS THE LETTER S
adj. perfectly plain …1873 Eng. dial.
• PLAIN JANE
n. an unattractive woman …1912 sl.
• THE PLAIN OF MARS
n. in palmistry: the fleshy part of the thumb ..1653
• PLAIN VANILLA
adj. plain, simple, no frills, esp. used of sexual activity …1970s sl.
• PLANE
vb. to travel in an airplane …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLANE-HOP
vb. to travel in an airplane …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLANETICOSE
adj. given to wandering or roaming …1849 nonce word
• PLANGIFEROUS
adj. producing or accompanied by the noise of beating …1620 obs. rare
• PLANILOQUENT
adj. plain-speaking; speaking without reserve …1656 obs. rare
• PLANK
n. a fast throw …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLANK DOWN
vb. M19 sl. – to pay money down, to lay out money
• PLANK IT
vb. 2000s Irish sl. – to be anxious
• PLANK OUT
vb. M19 sl. – to pay money down, to lay out money
• PLANK-OWNER
n. a member of the original crew of a ship, or a long-serving marine …1901 naval sl.
• PLANKSPANKER
n. 2000s sl. – a masturbator
• PLANNED-OVERS
n. intentional leftovers …1968 Amer. dial.
• PLANT
n. 1. E19 sl. – a blow
n. 2. 1926 sl. – something hidden in a person’s clothing, among their possessions, etc. in order to incriminate them
vb. 1. 17C sl. – to have sexual intercourse: said of a man
vb. 2. 1855 sl., orig. US – to bury
vb. 3. 1865 sl. – to hide stolen goods, etc. in order to incriminate the person in whose possession they are found
vb. 4. 19C UK criminals’ sl. – usually of police: to hide evidence in the clothes, home, or car of a suspected person in order to ensure they have something with which to charge their victim
vb. 5. 19C sl. – to post a spy, a detective, or any individual, or listening device, for the purposes of surreptitious surveillance
vb. 6. E19 sl. – to hit; to kill; to shoot dead
vb. 6. M19 sl. – to mark out a potential victim for robbery
vb. 7. M19 sl. – to pass counterfeit coins or notes
vb. 8. L19 sl. – to abandon, to leave
vb. 10. 1920s sl. – to hide oneself
vb. 11. 1930s sl. – to swindle, to deceive; to play a trick
• PLANTAGE
n. 1. 1606 obs. rare – plants in general; anything that is planted; vegetation
n. 2. 1632 obs. – the cultivation of plants, planting
• PLANTAIN LEAF
n. 1940s W. Indies sl. – a £1 note
• PLANT A MAN
vb. 18C sl. – to have a sexual intercourse: said of a man
• PLANTATION
n. 1907 Amer. dial. – a foot, esp. a large one
• PLANTATION DOG
n. 1803 Amer. dial. – a watchdog
• PLANTATION MATCH
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – a wooden match that can be struck on any rough surface
• PLANT CORN A-FORE THE FENCE IS BUILT
vb. 1984 Amer. dial. – to have a baby in progress before marriage; to conceive a child
• PLANTED
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – dead and buried
• PLANTER
n. 1. M19 sl. – a person who passes counterfeit coins or notes
n. 2. M19 Anglo-Indian – a bad-tempered horse
n. 3. L19 Aust. sl. – a person who steals and then hides cattle
n. 4. L19 Ulster sl. – an outsider
• PLANTER’S MEDICINE
n. M19 W. Indies sl. – a flogging
• PLANTER’S NOSE
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a nose with a hump
• PLANT HOME
vb. L19 sl. – in an argument: to make a telling point
• PLANTING
n. 1. L18 Aust. sl. – the hiding of stolen items, esp. horses, and then ‘discovering’ them as soon as a reward is offered
n. 2. 1936 Amer. dial. euphemism – a funeral
• PLANTING BEETS
n. 1980s Aust. sl. – a vomiting
• PLANTING CART
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a hearse
• PLANTING CRATE
n. 1936 Amer. dial. euphemism – a coffin
• PLANTING GROUND
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a cemetery
• PLANTING SPOT
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a cemetery
• PLANT ONE’S CORN BEFORE ONE BUILDS THE FENCE
vb. 1935 Amer. dial. – of a couple: to conceive a child before getting married
• PLANT ONE’S CROP BEFORE ONE BUILDS THE FENCE
vb. 1982 Amer. dial. – of a couple: to conceive a child before getting married
• PLANTS
n. 17C sl. – the feet
• PLANT THE WHIDS AND STOW THEM
vb. 17C UK criminals’ sl. – to talk carefully, to guard one’s tongue
• PLANT YOU NOW, DIG YOU LATER
phr. 1940s African American sl. – goodbye for now, see you later
• PLAQUE
n. 1. 1940s Irish sl. – the human face
n. 2. 1990s US students’ sl. – the accumulation of dirt, food particles, etc. beneath the keys of a computer keyboard
• PLARRY
n. 20C Ulster sl. – an unappealing mess of food
• PLASMA
n. 1980s US students’ sl. – coffee
• PLASTER
n. 1. M19 US sl. – a banknote
n. 2. L19 sl. – an outsize collar
n. 3. L19 sl. – butter
n. 4. 1910s US sl. – a fine
n. 5. 1920s Can. sl. – a mortgage
n. 6. 1930s Aust. sl. – a bill; an account
n. 7. 1930s Irish sl. – an unpleasant person
n. 8. 20C US sl. – a follower, a ‘tail’
n. 9. 20C Irish sl. – an encumbrance, a burden
n. 10. 20C Irish sl. – one’s wife
vb. 1. L19 sl. – to bet heavily on
vb. 2. 1910s sl. – to hit
vb. 3. 1915 sl. – to bomb or shell heavily
vb. 4. 1920s Can sl. – to pay money towards a mortgage
vb. 5. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to intoxicate; to make dead drunk
vb. 6. 1960s Irish sl. – to persuade
vb. 7. 1970s African-American sl. – to flatter
vb. 8. 1970s African-American sl. – to shoot someone
• PLASTERED
adj. 1912 sl. – drunk, fully intoxicated
• PLASTERED TO THE BALLS
adj. 1963 US sl. – completely drunk
• PLASTERER’S TROWEL AND SERINGAPATAM
n. L19 rhyming sl. – a fowl and ham
• PLASTER OF PARIS
n. 1990s rhyming sl. for ‘arris’ – the buttocks
• PLASTER PEARLS
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – false teeth
• PLASTERS
n. Bk1903 sl. – money
• PLASTIC
n. a credit card …1980 sl., orig. US
• PLASTIC MONEY
n. a credit card …1974 sl., orig. US
• PLATE
n. money … Bk1903 sl.
vb. to perform oral sex on …1961 sl.
• PLATER
n. 1. in horse racing: a horse that competes in minor, low-paying races …1923 US sl.
n. 2. in horse racing: a farrier …1976 US sl.
• PLATES
n. 1. the feet … 1896 rhyming sl. (Plates of Meat)
n. 2. a wife …1960 UK rhyming sl. for ‘missis’ (Plates and Dishes)
• PLATES AND DISHES
n. a wife …1960 UK rhyming sl. for ‘missis’
• PLATES OF MEAT
n. the feet …1857 rhyming sl.
• PLATFORM
n. a large foot …1968 Amer. dial.
• PLATS
n. platform shoes …1997 US sl.
• PLATTER
n. a phonograph record …1931 US sl.
• PLATTER PUSHER
n. a radio disc jockey …1973 US sl.
• PLATTERS
n. the feet … 1945 rhyming sl. (Platters of Meat)
• PLATTERS OF MEAT
n. the feet …1923 rhyming sl.
• PLATTER STOOL
n. a large toadstool …1967 Amer. dial.
• PLAUDITORY
adj. applauding, commending, laudatory, praising, extolling …a1845
• PLAY
n. a party featuring lively games, dancing, or quasi-dancing, usually without instrumental music …1916 Amer. dial.
vb. to engage in dancing, or a dance-like game …1917 Amer. dial.
• PLAY ABOBBED WITH
vb. c1390 obs. – to play blindman’s buff with a blindfolded person; also, to fool, to make sport of
• PLAY A DEAD HORSE
vb. to work for wages already paid …M17 sl.
• PLAY A DEAD ONE
vb. to waste one’s time; to act mistakenly …M19 sl.
• PLAY A FLANKER
vb. 1923 UK sl. – to swindle, to double-cross
• PLAY ALLIGATOR AND DRAG ASS
vb. 1975 US sl. – to leave, to clear out
• PLAY A LONE HAND
vb. to do or live alone …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY A PERSON A REEL
vb. to play him a trick, to give him a scare …1884 N. Ireland
• PLAY A RIG
vb. to play fast and loose …Bk1903 sl.
• PLAY AT HAND OVER HEAD
vb. to act precipitately or rashly …1589 obs.
• PLAY AT IN-AND-IN
vb. to copulate …1635 sl.
• PLAY AT IN-AND-OUT
vb. to copulate …1620 sl.
• PLAY AT ITCH-BUTTOCKS
vb. to copulate …1598 sl.
• PLAY AT RANTUM SCANTUM
vb. to have sexual intercourse …M18 sl.
• PLAY BABY
vb. to act in an infantile manner; to whine or complain; to feign innocence …1872 Amer. sl.
• PLAY BALL
vb. 1. to begin, to get going, esp. as one of a group …1891 US sl.
vb. 2. to cooperate …1902 US sl.
• PLAY BINK
vb. to yield …1828 Sc.
• PLAYBOY
n. a philanderer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY CAGEY-CANNON
vb. to be cautious or ‘cagey’ …1968 Ireland
• PLAY CANASTA
vb. to ogle other men’s crotches …1950 US homosexual sl.
• PLAY CAPS AND BELLS
vb. to act like a prankster; to play tricks or jokes on people …1969 Amer. dial.
• PLAY CATCH-UP
vb. to attempt to catch up …1971 US sl.
• PLAY CREEP-MOUSE
vb. to tickle babies and make them laugh …1877 Eng. dial.
• PLAY-DADDY
n. a philanderer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY-DIDDLE
n. any piece of playground equipment …1991 Amer. dial.
• PLAY DIRL
vb. to cause vibration by striking, accompanied with a tingling pain …1785 Sc.
• PLAY DIRLIM DING
vb. to cause vibration by striking, accompanied with a tingling pain …1785 Sc.
• PLAY DOWF
vb. 1850 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – to thump
• PLAYED OUT
adj. tiresome, boring …Bk1998 teen sl.
• PLAYER
n. 1. a person who two-times or flirts …Bk1998 teen sl.
n. 2. a promiscuous person …Bk1998 teen sl.
• PLAYFUL PAPA
n. a philanderer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY HABBIE-GABBIE
vb. to throw up one or more stones or other small objects and try to catch them as they fall …1908 Sc.
• PLAY HAMLET WITH
vb. to ‘play the deuce with; to give one a ‘good blowing up’ …1874 Eng. dial.
• PLAY HARRY OVER ANY ONE
vb. to beat or punish severely …Bk1902 Eng. dial.
• PLAY HELL WITH
vb. 1. to cause trouble or harm to …1803 sl.
vb. 2. to ruin; to destroy …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY HOOKEY; PLAY HOOKY
vb. to play truant …1848 sl., orig. US
• PLAY HORSE
vb. to play the fool or engage in horseplay …1892 US sl.
• PLAY HORSE WITH
vb. 1. tease, to ridicule, to annoy, to make merry with …1896 US sl.
vb. 2. to confuse; to confound; to defeat; to take advantage of; to overcome easily …1900 US sl.
• PLAYING GAMES
n. dancing …1917 Amer. dial.
• PLAYING TOO CLOSE
phr. becoming over-familiar and invading the privacy of a fellow inmate …1960s US prison sl.
• PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK
phr. to be aware, intelligent …1960s sl.
• PLAY IN PEORIA
vb. to succeed in rural, provincial areas …20C sl.
• PLAY IN SOMEONE ELSE’S YARD
vb. to have an adulterous affair …1950s African-American sl.
• PLAY IN SOMEONE’S FAMILY
vb. to indulge in a bout of ritualized name-calling, based on insulting each other’s mother …1920s African-American sl.
• PLAY IN THE FAMILY
vb. to indulge in a bout of ritualized name-calling, based on insulting each other’s mother …1920s African-American sl.
• THE PLAY IS NOT WORTH THE CANDLE
phr. not worth the mere cost of supplying the necessary light; not worth the labour expended …a1690
• PLAY IT BY EAR
vb. to act in an ad hoc manner; to behave spontaneously …1960s sl.
• PLAY IT BY SKYHOOK
vb. to act in an ad hoc manner; to behave spontaneously …1960s sl.
• PLAY IT COOL
vb. to keep one’s composure; to remain relaxed …1942 sl.
• PLAYMATE
n. a loved one; a sweetheart …Bk1892 Amer. sl.
• PLAYMENT
n. a toy, a plaything …1936 Amer. dial.
• PLAY MERRY-COME-UP
vb. to play havoc, to ravage …1895 Eng. dial.
• PLAY MERRY HELL WITH
vb. to cause trouble or harm to …1803 sl.
• PLAY OFF
vb. 1. to shirk responsibility; esp. to evade work; to absent oneself or escape from some responsibility without adequate excuse …1783 Amer. dial.
vb. 2. to stay away from school without an excuse …1965 Amer. dial.
• PLAY OFF ON
vb. to deceive, to fool, to trick …1863 Amer. dial.
• PLAY OFFSIDE
vb. to act excessively …1910s Aust. & NZ sl.
• PLAY OLD GOOSEBERRY
vb. to make a great disturbance or commotion; to turn everything into confusion; to cause havoc …1828
• PLAY OLD HARRY WITH
vb. to play the devil or the mischief with; to work mischief upon; to ruin …1837
• PLAY ONE A PAGEANT
vb. to play him a trick; to impose upon or deceive him …1530 obs.
• PLAY ONE A PRETTY PAVIE
vb. to play a trick on someone; to lead one a merry dance …1801 Sc.
• PLAY ONE FOR A JAY
vb. to dupe; to swindle …Bk1896 sl.
• PLAY ONE’S ACE
vb. to use one’s best resource
• PLAY ONE’S PAGEANT
vb. to act one’s part …1470-85 obs.
• PLAY-PARTY
n. a party featuring lively games, dancing, or quasi-dancing, usually without instrumental music …1889 Amer. dial.
• PLAY-PATCH
n. a child fond of play …Bk1896 Amer. dial.
• PLAY POCKET BILLIARDS
vb. to play with the testicles with one’s hands in one’s trouser pockets, for masturbatory stimulation …1940 sl., orig. schoolboys’ usage
• PLAY POCKET PINBALL
vb. to play with one’s genitals through a trouser pocket …1940s sl.
• PLAY POCKET POOL
vb. to play with one’s genitals through a trouser pocket …1940s sl.
• PLAY POSSUM
vb. pretend to be asleep or unconscious when threatened…Bk1905 Amer. dial.
• PLAY-PRETTY
n. a child’s plaything; a toy …1902 Amer. dial.
• PLAY RABBIT
vb. to leave quickly; to run away …1930s sl.
• PLAY RAP
vb. to strike smartly …1873 Eng. dial.
• PLAY RAP-JACKET
vb. to administer a beating; to thrash soundly …1880 Amer. dial.
• PLAY REX
vb. to handle roughly and terribly …1586 sl.
• PLAY RICKING
vb. to rattle, to jingle …1861 Eng. dial.
• PLAY ROOM
n. a diaphragm …1960s Amer. sl.
• PLAY SCARTLE
vb. of an unskilful fiddler: to make a scraping sound …1823 Sc.
• PLAY SCLAFF ON THE GROUND
vb. to fall down flat …Bk1904 Sc.
• PLAY SHUT-MOUTH
vb. to keep silent …1932 Amer. dial.
• PLAY SILLY BLEEDERS
vb. to waste time; to behave foolishly or aimlessly …1961 sl.
• PLAY SILLY Bs
vb. to waste time; to behave foolishly or aimlessly …1961 sl.
• PLAY SILLY BUGGERS
vb. to waste time; to behave foolishly or aimlessly …1961 sl.
• PLAY SMASH (WITH)
vb. 1841 Amer. dial. – to cause confusion; to blunder; to wreak havoc with
• PLAY SOMEONE FOR A CHINAMAN
vb. to treat as a fool …1873 Amer. sl., now considered offensive
• PLAY TAIL-TYNT
vb. to make a fair exchange …1825 Sc.
• PLAY TAM-TRAM
vb. to play fast and loose; to act recklessly, unreliably, irresponsibly, immorally, or thoughtlessly …1866 Sc.
• PLAY THE BABY ACT
vb. to act in an infantile manner; to whine or complain; to feign innocence …1900 Amer. sl.
• PLAY THE BANKRUPT
vb. to become insolvent, to fail to pay one’s debts …1577 obs.
• PLAY THE BEAR
vb. 1. 1579 rare – to do mischief; to cause severe harm, damage, or disruption, to wreak havoc, to ruin; also, to behave uncivilly and roughly
vb. 2. 1888 Eng. dial. – to damage, to spoil, to ruin
• PLAY THE BEAR WITH
vb. to play the deuce with, to inflict great damage upon …1881
• PLAY THE DEVILWITH
vb. to ruin; to destroy …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY THE FAB
vb. to play truant …1916 Sc.
• PLAY THE FAG ROLE
vb. to pretend sexual interest in another inmate; the aim being to annoy a third party …2000s US prison sl.
• PLAY THE GIDDY GOAT
vb. 1888 – to frolic, to fool about, to act irresponsibly
• PLAY THE GOAT
vb. to frolic, to fool about, to act irresponsibly …L19 sl.
• PLAY THE HALTER
vb. to inflict punishment …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• PLAY THE HANGMENT
vb. 1. to be much enraged …1825 Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to injure, to play havoc or the mischief with …B1900 Eng. dial.
• PLAY THE HEDGEHOG
vb. to go through the world careless of other people’s feelings …1859
• PLAY THE HOOK
vb. to play hooky …1988 Amer. sl.
• PLAY THE JACK
vb. 1. to play the rogue or knave; to do a mean trick …1609 obs.
vb. 2. to act the fool …Bk1896 sl.
• PLAY THE MAUNDREL
vb. to babble …1814 Sc.
• PLAY THE MOATS
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to be much exasperated
• PLAY THE MONKEY
vb. 1. to play the fool …1900s sl.
vb. 2. to malfunction …1940s sl.
• PLAY THE NANNY-GOAT
vb. to behave like a fool; to play foolish tricks …1900 Eng. dial.
• PLAY THE OLD SOLDIER
vb. to malinger; to feign illness; to practice deception …1713 military sl.
• PLAY THE PART OF THE STRONG MAN
vb. to be whipped at the cart’s tail …Bk1904 sl.
• PLAY THE PIANO
vb. to milk a cow …1968 Amer. dial.
• PLAY THE QUEER
vb. to hoodwink, to cheat …M18 sl.
• PLAY THE SCOTCH FIDDLE
vb. to scratch oneself …1836 Eng. dial.
• PLAY THE SKIN FLUTE
vb. to perform oral sex …1941 US sl.
• PLAY THE VIOLIN
vb. to inject oneself …1980s Aust. drug culture & prison sl.
• PLAY THE WAG
vb. 1. to be mischievous; to play tricks …c1585
vb. 2. to play truant …1851 Eng. dial.
• PLAY THE WANTON
vb. 1. to dally, to trifle, to potter, to waste time in a trifling activity …1529
vb. 2. to behave lewdly or lasciviously; to be licentious …1712 obs.
• PLAY THE ZOUAVE
vb. to show off, to swagger …World War I army sl.
• PLAY THUNDER
vb. to wreak havoc; to err, to blunder, to commit an error …1849 Amer. dial.
• PLAY TOP-SAWYER
vb. to coit …M19 sl.
• PLAY UPON ADVANTAGE
vb. to cheat …1592 obs.
• PLAY WAG
vb. to play truant …1851 sl.
• PLAY WALLOP
vb. to come down with a crash …1820 Sc.
• PLAY WHALEY
vb. 1. to blunder, to fail; to play havoc with something; to spoil, to ruin; to make a mistake …1897 Amer. dial.
vb. 2. to try to do more than one can; generally used in irony …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• PLAY WHALEY WITH
vb. to ruin; to destroy …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY WITH EDGED TOOLS
vb. to amuse oneself with something that may cause one serious harm; to sport with what is dangerous …1767
• PLAY WITH EDGE-TOOLS
vb. to amuse oneself with something that may cause one serious harm; to sport with what is dangerous …1594
• PLAY WITH THE BULL
vb. to run needless risks; to be foolhardy …B1900 Eng. dial.
• PLAY WITH THE SQUIRRELS
vb. to be confined to a hospital for the insane …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• PLAY YANKEE WITH
vb. to cheat, to drive a hard bargain …19C sl.
• PLAY YARK ON
vb. to strike, to beat …1838 Eng. dial.
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