• SHABAROON
n. a mean-spirited person; a disreputable person; a good-for-nothing; a ragamuffin; a ragged person …a1700 sl. obs.
• SHABASH!
int. well done! bravo! …Bk1892 Anglo-Indian sl.
• SHABBY
adj. having a general feeling of unwellness, tired, ‘under the weather’ …1926 Amer. dial.
• SHAB OUT
n. a cowardly retreat …1902 Amer. dial.
vb. to sneak away; to slink off; to go quickly …1902 Amer. dial.
• SHACK
n. 1. nuts and acorns that have fallen to the ground …1828 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a tramp; a bum; a vagabond; a good-for-nothing; a shiftless fellow …1828 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a slow trot …1881 Amer. dial.
n. 4. one’s home; a house; an apartment …1880s African-American sl.
n. 5. a bachelor living alone …1890s African-American sl.
n. 6. a brakeman or guard on a train …1899 Amer. sl.
n. 7. the husk or shell of a nut …1903 Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to amble along; to go at a slow trot …1833 Amer. dial.
vb. 2. to retrieve stray balls for a baseball or tennis player; to retrieve a stray ball; broadly, to go in search of …1890 Amer. dial.
vb. 3. of a bachelor: to live alone …1890s African-American sl.
vb. 4. to remove the shell of a nut …1903 Amer. dial.
vb. 5. to run after …Bk1905 Amer. dial.
vb. 6. to be slow …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHACKELTY
adj. dilapidated, run-down, ramshackle, rickety, shaky …1905 Amer. dial.
• SHACKELY
adj. shaky, rickety …Bk1905 Amer. dial.
• SHACKER
n. one whose dwelling is a shack …1937 Amer. dial.
• SHACK FEVER
n. fatigue …Bk1942 Amer. railroad sl.
• SHACK GAIT
n. a slow trot …1881 Amer. dial.
• SHACKING
n. holding onto a moving vehicle so as to be towed along over snow and ice …1993 Amer. dial.
• SHACK JOB
n. 1. a (temporary) sexual partner …1946 US sl.
n. 2. a couple or the state of being a couple …1950s sl.
n. 3. the person with whom one lives …1950s sl.
• SHACKLE
vb. to loaf; to saunter; to mosey …1913 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLE AROUND
vb. to loaf; to saunter; to mosey …1913 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLEDY
adj. dilapidated, run-down, ramshackle, rickety, shaky …1905 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLE-FOOTED
adj. clumsy, awkward …1912 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLES
int. that’s mine! I want to do that! I want a share!; a child’s term to claim the whole or an equal part of an object …20C US sl.
n. 1. any broth, soup, or stew …1886 sl.
n. 2. the off-cuts from a butcher’s preparing of meat for sale …1910s sl.
n. 3. cheese …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHACKLETY
adj. dilapidated, run-down, ramshackle, rickety, shaky …1905 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLE-UP
n. 1. a midday meal cooked at the roadside …1930s tramps’ sl.
n. 2. an act of preparing food in a pot …1935 sl.
vb. (usually as ‘shackle up’) to cook a midday meal …1930s tramps’ sl.
• SHACKLEY
adj. ramshackle, rickety, run-down, tottering …1897 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLING
adj. 1. ramshackle, rickety, run-down …c1784 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. shiftless, lazy; going from one job to another …1894 Amer. dial.
• SHACKLY
adj. 1. ramshackle, rickety, run-down, tottering …1843 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. tall, thin, and awkward …1897 Amer. dial.
• SHACK MAN
n. an adulterous man …1940s US sl.
• SHACK RAT
n. an adulterous man …1940s US sl.
• SHACK-ROUSER
n. 1. one who awakens workers from sleep …1942 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a nickname for a garrulous person; also, a loud barking dog, or any loud noise …1957 Amer. dial.
• SHACK-ROUSTER
n. 1. one who awakens workers from sleep …1943 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a nickname for a garrulous person; also, a loud barking dog, or any loud noise …1957 Amer. dial.
• SHACKS
int. a mild excl. of surprise, regret, annoyance, etc. …1980s US students’ usage
n. a brakeman or guard on a train …1899 Amer. sl.
• SHACK-STONER
n. a sixpence …L19 Aust. & NZ sl.
• SHACK-UP
n. a (temporary) sexual partner …1969 sl., chiefly US
• SHACK UP TOGETHER
vb. to cohabit, esp. as lovers …1935 sl.
• SHACK UP (WITH ONE)
vb. 1. to live or reside, usually temporarily …1950s US sl.
vb. 2. to live with a sexual partner …1935 sl.
• SHACK WACKY
adj. nervous or irritable as a result of confinement to close quarters …1991 Amer. dial.
• SHACKY
adj. shabby, shoddy …1935 Amer. dial.
• SHADDUP!
int. shut up! …1959 sl.
• SHADE
n. 1. a Black person …M19 US sl., derogatory
n. 2. a minute quantity …M19 sl.
n. 3. the molted skin or shell of a snake or arthropod …1899 Amer. dial.
n. 4. a receiver of stolen goods …1920s US criminal sl.
vb. 1. to be superior to, albeit by a small margin …1950s sl., orig. Aust.
vb. 2. to hide, to conceal …1980s African-American sl.
• SHADES
n. 1. a variety of late-night music-halls and bars on or near the Strand, London …M19 sl.
n. 2. dark glasses, sunglasses …1940s sl.
• SHADE-TREE MECHANIC
n. one who works out of his house or barn rather than at a dealership, service station, or garage; a country mechanic on a small scale …1946 Amer. dial.
• SHADE-TREE MONEY
n. unemployment compensation …1986 Amer. dial.
• SHAD-MOUTH
n. 1. a person having a projecting upper lip …1934 Amer. dial., derogatory
n. 2. a Black person …1930s US sl., derogatory
• SHAD-MOUTHED
adj. having a projecting upper lip …1942 Amer. dial.
• SHADOW
n. 1. a Black person …1880s US sl.
n. 2. a police spy; an informer …Bk1902 sl.
vb. to see, to watch; to spy …Bk1902 thieves’ sl.
• SHADOW ICE
n. ice that will bend when you step on it, but not break …1970 Amer. dial.
• SHADOW RIDER
n. a cowboy who spends most of his time showing off, watching his shadow …1936 Amer. dial.
• SHADSCALES
n. money … Bk1903 sl.
• SHADY
adj. 1. stupid or dense …M19 sl., orig. university
adj. 2. uncertain, unreliable …M19 sl., orig. university
adj. 3. said of one thought likely to be dishonest …1862 sl.
• SHADY BUSINESS
n. dishonesty …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHADY LADY
n. 1. a woman of questionable character, sexually or in her business dealings …M20 US sl.
n. 2. a Black woman; a Black prostitute …M20 US sl.
• SHADY SPRING
n. the vagina …M19 sl.
• SHAFT
n. 1. the penis …L18 sl.
n. 2. a woman’s body, considered simply as a sexual object …1950s sl.
n. 3. unfair treatment, often as ‘the shaft’ …1950s sl., orig. US
n. 4. an imaginary pole which is thrust up one’s anus …20C sl.
vb. 1. to defeat, to defraud …1950s sl., orig. US
vb. 2. to thrust (in one’s imagination) a pole up someone’s anus; essentially, to stop a person short; to punish or treat very badly, to harm …1959 sl., orig. & chiefly Amer.
vb. 3. to have sexual intercourse with a woman …1950s sl.
vb. 4. to cheat; to trick; to deceive; to abuse …1970s African-American sl.
• THE SHAFT
n. dismissal …1959 sl., chiefly US
• SHAFTABLE
adj. of a woman: suitable for and hopefully susceptible to seduction …1950s sl.
• SHAFTED
adj. 1. treated unfairly …1950s sl.
adj. 2. in serious trouble …1950s sl.
adj. 3. stood up by one’s date …1950s sl.
• SHAFTING
n. 1. sexual intercourse …1970s sl.
n. 2. unfair or cruel treatment …1970s US sl.
• THE SHAFT IS OUT OF THE MELL
phr. things are not going prosperously …1861 Sc.
• SHAFT OF DELIGHT
n. the penis …M18 sl.
• SHAFTS
n. the human legs …1930s African-American sl.
• SHAG
adj. insignificant; trivial; worthless …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 1. a fast jump dance; nervous, earthy bop dance; crude, down-home dance do to a type of blues of the same name …1900s African-American sl.
n. 2. an act of sexual intercourse …1937 sl.
n. 3. a stroll, a saunter …1954 Amer. dial.
n. 4. a railroad brakeman …1956 Amer. dial.
n. 5. an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male …1971 sl.
vb. 1. to possess carnally; to perform sexual intercourse …1788 sl.
vb. 2. to chase, to fetch; to retrieve stray balls; to run an errand …1910 Amer. dial.
vb. 3. to stroll, to rove about, to amble along, to saunter …1928 Amer. dial.
vb. 4. to leave …1964 Amer. dial.
vb. 5. to walk, to go on foot …1966 Amer. dial.
vb. 6. to walk slowly or in a lazy or tired manner …1980s African-American sl.
• SHAGANAPPI
adj. worthless …1961 Can. sl.
• SHAG AND STOMP
n. a fast jump dance; nervous, earthy bop dance; crude, down-home dance do to a type of blues of the same name …1900s African-American sl.
• SHAG ASS
vb. to make off, to get going, to leave …1950 Amer. dial.
• SHAG-BAG
adj. shabby and worthless; poor in quality …1888 colloq.
n. a poor, shabby or worthless fellow; an idle, ragged vagabond …a1700 colloq.
vb. to loiter, to lounge about; to shirk work …B1900 Eng. dial.
• SHAGGED
adj. tired; often followed by ‘out’ …1932 sl.
• SHAGGING
n. 1. a rumpling of the hair …Bk1913 Amer. dial.
n. 2. holding onto a moving vehicle so as to be towed along over snow and ice …1994 Amer. dial.
• SHAG IT
vb. to make off, to get going, to leave …1966 Amer. dial.
• SHAG MAGNET
n. a man who is irresistibly alluring to a woman …1980s sl.
• SHAG OUT
vb. to leave in a hurry …1966 Amer. dial.
• SHAGPOKE GUT
n. a great capacity for food; a tremendous eater, a voracious person …1958 Amer. dial.
• SHAKE
n. 1. an earthquake; an earth tremor …1705 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a fair or acceptable situation …E19
n. 3. equable treatment …E19
n. 4. an Oriental dance style done in sensuous jazz terms …1900s African-American sl.
n. 5. a rent party …1920s African-American sl.
n. 6. a short time; a moment …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 7. a good time; a party …1946 US sl.
n. 8. a river …1960 UK rhyming sl. (Shake and Shiver)
n. 9. diluted cocaine …1980s African-American sl.
vb. 1. to steal or rob …1811 sl., now Aust.
vb. 2. to dance erotically …1900s African-American sl.
vb. 3. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.
vb. 4. to extort …1940s African-American sl.
• SHAKE A FOOT
vb. to dance …1805 Amer. dial.
• SHAKE A FREE LEG
vb. to lead an irregular life, to live freely …1856
• SHAKE A HOOF
vb. to dance …1927 Amer. dial.
• SHAKE A LEG
vb. 1. to hurry up …colloq.
vb. 2. to dance …1942 Amer. dial.
• SHAKE A LOOSE LEG
vb. to lead an irregular life, to live freely …1834
• SHAKE A MEAN LIP
vb. to tell irresponsible stories; to gossip …World War I Amer. sl.
• SHAKE AND BAKE
n. 1. a non-commissioned officer fresh out of training …1985 US sl.
n. 2. a portable fire shelter used by workers fighting forest fires …1991 US sl.
• SHAKE AND BAKE
vb. to dribble a basketball from left to right, this is the ‘shake,’ then going past your opponent to score a basket, this is the ‘bake’: a trick played on the other team for a score in a basketball game …1990s basketball players’ usage
• SHAKE AND SHIVER
n. a river …1960 UK rhyming sl.
• SHAKEDOWN
n. 1. a makeshift bed, usually one made up on the floor …1837 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a boisterous dance or dancing party …1845 Amer. dial.
n. 3. an instance of extortion …1902 sl., orig. & chiefly US
n. 4. a (police) raid; a search …1914 sl., orig. & chiefly US
(verbs as ‘shake down’)
vb. 1. to extort money from …1872 sl., orig. & chiefly US
vb. 2. to search a person or place …1975 US sl.
• SHAKE IN ONE’S SHOES
vb. to be afraid …1818 sl.
• SHAKE LOOSE
vb. to get rid of inhibitions and start to enjoy yourself …1960s Amer. sl.
• SHAKE OF A BRASS MONKEY’S TAIL
n. a short time; a moment …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHAKE ONE’S ASS
vb. to hurry up, to stir, to ‘shake a leg’ …1927 Amer. sl.
• SHAKE ONE’S EARS
vb. to show contempt or displeasure …1583 obs.
• SHAKER
n. an earthquake …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHAKERS
n. a bar featuring topless dancers …1994 US sl.
• SHAKER WIRE
n. a motion-detector system used for perimeter security in prisons …1996 US sl.
• SHAKES
n. an earthquake; an earth tremor …1705 Amer. dial.
• THE SHAKES
n. 1. trembling; delirium tremens …1782 sl.
n. 2. a state of nervousness or unease …1837 sl.
• SHAKE THE BULLET AT ANYONE
vb. to threaten one with ‘the sack’ but not give him actual notice to leave …1874 sl.
• SHAKE THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF
vb. to beat severely …M18 sl.
• SHAKE THE DEW OFF ONE’S LILY
vb. of a man: to urinate …1966 Amer. dial.
• SHAKE THE LEAD OUT
vb. to begin, to commence …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHAKE THE PAGODA-TREE
vb. to make a fortune rapidly in India …1836
• SHAKE THE PEGS
vb. to depart hurriedly …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHAKE-UP
n. a makeshift bed …1924 Amer. dial.
• SHAKE YOUR SHAMBLES
phr. go away; be off with you …L17 sl. obs.
• SHAKING DISEASE
n. Parkinson’s disease or a similar condition characterized by tremors …1942 Amer. dial.
• SHAKING PALSY
n. Parkinson’s disease or a similar condition characterized by tremors …1852 Amer. dial.
• SHAKY BUSINESS
n. dishonesty …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• THE SHAKY ISLES
n. New Zealand, from the number of earthquakes …Aust. & NZ colloq.
• SHAKY SIDE
n. trucker CB term for the West Coast, so called because of its proclivity for earthquakes …Bk1998 sl.
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