• SHALE
n. 1. a dish; a cup; a goblet …OE obs.
n. 2. the pod of peas or beans; a shell; a husk …OE obs.
n. 3. the scale of a fish, etc. …LME
n. 4. the first thin ice that forms on the surface of a pond or pool …1971 Amer. dial.
• SHALE ICE
n. the first thin ice that forms on the surface of a pond or pool …1971 Amer. dial.
• SHALL-I-GO-NAKED
n. a nickname for a hardscrabble (hard work and struggle) neighbourhood …1970 Amer. dial.
• SHALLOW-BRAINED
adj. having no depth of intellect or understanding …1592 obs.
• SHALLOW-PATE
n. a person having no depth of intellect or understanding …1600 arch.
• SHALLOW-PATED
adj. having no depth of intellect or understanding …c1616 arch.
• SHAM
adv. shoddily; dishonestly …1883 Amer. dial.
n. champagne …M19 sl.
• SHAM ABRAHAM
vb. to forge bank paper …c1778 sl.
• SHAM ABRAHAM NEWLAND
vb. to forge banknotes …L18 sl.
• SHAM ABRAM
vb. to feign madness; to feign sickness …1860 nautical sl.
• SHAMATEUR
adj. pert. to shamateurs …M20
n. a sportsman or sportswoman who makes money from sporting performances and appearances while officially retaining amateur status …L19 derogatory
• SHAMBLE
adj. ungainly, awkward; misshapen, esp. of the legs…E17 rare
n. 1. a stool; a footstool …OE obs.
n. 2. a table or counter for displaying goods for sale, counting money, etc. …OE obs.
n. 3. an awkward or shuffling gait …E19
vb. 1. to cut up or slaughter, as in a slaughterhouse or shambles …L16
vb. 2. to walk or move along with an awkward or shuffling gait …L16
vb. 3. to wreck, to devastate, to make a shambles of …M20 US
• SHAMBLED
adj. wrecked, made a shambles of …M20 US
• SHAMBLES
n. 1. tables or stalls for the sale of meat …ME obs. exc. Eng. dial.n. 2. a place, esp. a row of covered stalls, for the sale of meat or fish; a meat market; generally, a market, a row of shops, etc. …LME
n. 3. a wooden frame used to harness a horse to a cart …L17 Eng. dial.
• SHAMBLING
adj. 1. clumsy …L17
adj. 2. rambling; disorganized …L17
• SHAMBLY
adj. 1. awkward, ungainly …M20 colloq.
adj. 2. ramshackle, rickety …M20 colloq.
• SHAMBOLIC
adj. 1. chaotic, disorderly …L20 colloq.
adj. 2. inept, mismanaged …L20 colloq.
• SHAM-DAMN
adj. of a firearm: of inferior quality; shoddy …M19 rare
• SHAME
adj. shy, ashamed, embarrassed …1883 Amer. dial., chiefly Black usage
int. 1. expressing shock, reproach, disgust, etc. …ME
int. 2. expressing sympathy or pleasure …S. Afr.
n. the genitals …OE arch.
• SHAME AND HANGMENT!
int. an exclamation or oath …1869 Eng. dial.
• SHAMEFACE
n. a bashful expression or appearance …M17 rare
• SHAMEFACED
adj. 1. modest, bashful, shy …M16
adj. 2. showing shame, abashed …L19
• SHAMEFAST
adj. 1. bashful, modest, shy …OE arch.
adj. 2. showing shame; abashed …ME obs.
adj. 3. pert. to the genitals …LME obs.
• SHAME ON YOU!
int. you should be ashamed
• SHAMEVOUS
adj. shameful, disgraceful …c1475 obs.
• SHAMEWORTHY
adj. of which one ought to be ashamed …1382
• SHAMLY
adv. shoddily; dishonestly …c1938 Amer. dial.
• SHAMMICK
vb. to walk in a shambling or idle way; to saunter, to mosey; to move slowly …1927 Amer. dial.
• SHAMMOCK
n. 1. a lazy, slovenly person …E18 chiefly Eng. dial.
n. 2. a starved, miserable-looking person or animal …E18 chiefly Eng. dial.
vb. to walk with a shambling, awkward, or unsteady gait; to slouch, to dawdle, to idle about …E18 Eng. & Amer. dial.
• SHAMMUCK
vb. to walk in a shambling or idle way; to saunter, to mosey; to move slowly …1925 Amer. dial.
• SHAMP
vb. to trim hair …1913 Amer. dial.
• SHAMPERS
n. champagne …1950s sl.
• SHAMPOO
n. champagne …1957 sl.
• SHAMPOON
n. shampoo …1903 Amer. dial.
vb. to shampoo …1909 Amer. dial.
• SHAMUS
n. a police officer; a private detective …1925 US sl.
• SHAN
adj. 1. pitiful, silly …E18 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
adj. 2. poor, mean, shabby …E18 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
n. money … Bk1903 sl.
• SHANDY
adj. 1. empty-headed, half-crazy …L17 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. wild, boisterous …L17 Eng. dial.
• SHANGHAI
n. 1. a catapult …M19 Aust. & NZ
n. 2. a long, slender oyster …1881 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a variation of the game of darts, in which players amass points by throwing three darts at each number in succession, players failing to score during a round being eliminated or ‘shanghaied’; a winning shot or score of a single, double, and treble of a number …1930
vb. 1. to force a person, esp. by underhand or unscrupulous means, to join a ship which is lacking a full crew …1871 nautical sl., orig. US
vb. 2. to shoot with a catapult …1917 Aust. & NZ
vb. 3. to abduct; to compel, to coerce a person into doing something …1919 sl., orig. US military usage
• SHANGIES
n. handcuffs …E19 Sc. & N. Eng.
• SHANGRI-LA
n. an unearthly paradise; a place of retreat from the worries of modern civilization …M20
• SHANK
n. 1. either of the legs of a pair of compasses …L16 obs.
n. 2. either of the sides of a triangle …L16 obs.
n. 3. the latter end or last part of something; the remainder …E19
n. 4. in golf: an act of striking the ball with the heel of the club …M20
n. 5. the trunk of a tree …Sc.
n. 6. a knife …1960s Amer. sl.
n. 7. an unattractive, easily available young woman …1960s sl., orig. African-American
vb. in golf: to strike the ball with the heel of the club …E20
• SHANK AND RANK
adv. entirely, every bit …1889 Eng. dial.
• SHANK-ASS
adj. dirty, second-rate, unattractive, cheap-looking, ugly, promiscuous …1970s sl., orig. African-American
• SHANKINGS
n. skins and core of an apple …1966 Amer. dial.
• SHANK IT
vb. to walk, to travel on foot …L18 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• SHANK OF THE AFTERNOON
n. late afternoon …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHANK OF THE EVENING
n. the latter part of the evening; twilight, dusk …1829 Eng. & Amer. dial.
• SHANKS
n. the legs …20C jocular usage
• SHANKS’S MARE
n. one’s own legs as a means of conveyance
• SHANKS’S PONY
n. one’s own legs as a means of conveyance
• SHANKY
adj. dirty, second-rate, unattractive, cheap-looking, ugly, promiscuous …1970s sl., orig. African-American
• SHANT
n. a drink, esp. an alcoholic one …M19 sl.
• SHANTY
adj. showy, smart …L17 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 1. a public house, esp. an illicit or unlicensed one …M19 Aust. & NZ
n. 2. a black eye …1859 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a houseboat, esp. a crudely built one; an old, clumsy boat …1879 Amer. dial.
n. 4. in railroading: a caboose …1931 Amer. dial.
n. 5. an outdoor toilet building; a privy …1965 Amer. dial.
vb. to drink frequently or habitually at a public house or shanty …L19 Aust.
• SHANTY-BOAT
n. a houseboat, esp. a crudely built one; an old clumsy, boat …1879 Amer. dial.
• SHANTY BOSS
n. one who does odd jobs in a logging camp …1905 Amer. dial.
• SHANTY COFFEE
n. strong coffee …1968 Amer. dial.
• SHANTY FEVER
n. cabin fever …1950 Amer. dial.
• SHANTY FRIED POTATOES
n. potatoes sliced and fried …1968 Amer. dial.
• SHANTY HOUSE
n. an outdoor toilet building; a privy …1965 Amer. dial.
• SHANTY IRISH
adj. of or belonging to people of Irish descent in poor circumstances …1928 US
n. Irish people or people of Irish descent; esp. those belonging to the lower classes or retaining lower-class traits …1928 Amer. dial.
• SHANTYMAN
n. a lumberjack …chiefly N. Amer.
• SHANTY TOWN
n. a poor or depressed area of a city or town, consisting of shanties or huts, etc.
• SHANTYTOWN IRISH
n. Irish people or people of Irish descent; esp. those belonging to the lower classes or retaining lower-class traits …1965 Amer. dial.
• SHAPE UP
vb. to behave well or satisfactorily …1938
• SHARE OF THE ACTION
n. an involvement in an activity; a share in the profits of something …1957 US sl.
• SHARE-PENNY
n. one who would shear a penny; a mean person of the worst kind; a niggard, a miser …1606 obs. rare
• SHARE THE RAG
vb. to be hostile, to place blame on someone else …1960s sl.
• SHARK
n. 1. someone who unscrupulously exploits or swindles others …1599
n. 2. an employment agent …1927 Amer. dial.
• SHARMUS
n. 1. a detective …1925 US sl.
n. 2. a police officer …1925 US sl.
• SHARP
adj. 1. excellent, fine; impressive …sl., orig. US
adj. 2. fierce, savage …1899 Amer. dial.
adj. 3. of clothes or their wearer: stylish, neatly fashionable, smart …M20 colloq.
n. a swindler; often applied to a fraudulent card player or other gambler …1797 colloq.
vb. 1. to cheat, swindle or trick a person, esp. at cards …L17 colloq.
vb. 2. to obtain by swindling, to steal …L17 colloq.
vb. 3. to dress up, to dress smartly …M20 US colloq.
• SHARP AS A BAMBOO-BRIAR
adj. sly; quick-witted; intelligent …1880 Amer. dial.
• SHARP AS A BRIAR
adj. sly; quick-witted; intelligent …1902 Amer. dial.
• SHARP AS A NEEDLE
adj. extremely quick-witted …a1616
• SHARP-BENT
adj. sharp-set, hungry …1675 obs.
• SHARPED UP
adj. elegantly dressed …1967 Amer. dial.
• SHARPEN
vb. to improve one’s appearance, smarten oneself up …M20 colloq.
• SHARP END
n. the centre of activity or decision-making, the front line …1976 colloq.
• SHARPEN ONE’S HOE
vb. to thrash, to whip …1919 Amer. dial.
• SHARP ENOUGH TO SPLIT THE HAIR ON A GNAT’S ASS
adj. very sharp …1954 Amer. dial.
• SHARPEN UP
vb. to exercise …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHARPEN UP YOUR GAME
vb. to be vigilant …1960s Amer. sl.
• SHARPER
n. a person who habitually cheats, swindles, or tricks another; often applied to a fraudulent card player or other gambler …1681 colloq.
• SHARPIE
n. 1. a swindler …1942 sl., orig. US
n. 2. a knowledgeable or clever person …1949 sl., orig. US
n. 3. a young person who adopts styles of hair, dress etc., similar to those of the British skinhead …1965 Aust. sl.
n. 4. a thing, esp. a car, that is smart or in good condition …L20 N. Amer. colloq.
• SHARP PRACTICE
n. hard bargaining; dishonest or barely honest dealings
• SHARP-SET
adj. 1. very hungry …1540
adj. 2. very keen on or eager for …1580
• SHARP-SHINNED
adj. having slender legs or shanks …1704
• SHARPSHOOTER
n. 1. a philanderer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. a shrewd, clever critic …Bk1942 Amer. theatrical sl.
n. 3. a poor shanty …1942 Amer. dial.
n. 4. a coffin with tapering ends …1986 Amer. dial.
• SHARPSHOOTER CASKET
n. a coffin with tapering ends …1986 Amer. dial.
• SHARPSTER
n. 1. a person who habitually cheats, swindles, or tricks another, esp. in card games …M20 colloq., chiefly US
n. 2. a smart or stylish dresser …M20 colloq., chiefly US
• SHARP TIME
adv. punctually …1885 Amer. dial.
• SHARP-WITTED
adj. perceptive, intelligent …a1586
• SHAT
n. a dry needle from a pine tree …1895 Amer. dial.
• SHATTER
n. a dry needle from a pine tree …1831 Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to ruin, to put an end to, to utterly destroy …L17 sl.
vb. 2. to greatly upset or discompose …L17
• SHATTERED
adj. tired …1930 sl.
• SHATTERY
adj. 1. of furniture, etc., loose, rickety …E19 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. silly, scatterbrained …E19 Eng. dial.
• SHAUGHRAUN
n. a wandering person, a vagrant; also, an itinerant state …L19 Irish & Can. dial.
• SHAVATERIA
n. a barber shop …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHAVATORIUM
n. a barber shop …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SHAVE
n. 1. an unauthenticated report …E19 military sl.
n. 2. an act or instance of swindling or extortion; a swindle …M19 colloq.
n. 3. an exorbitant premium on a bill of exchange …M19 US sl.
vb. 1. to strip a person of money or possessions by fraud, extortion, etc.; to swindle …LME now colloq.
vb. 2. to steal …L16 sl.
vb. 3. to charge an exorbitant premium on a note of exchange …M19 US sl.
• SHAVED
adj. said of a car stripped of ornaments …Bk1998 sl.
• SHAVED-TAIL
adj. of a person: inexperienced, ‘green’; contemptible …1949 Amer. dial.
• SHAVELING
n. 1. a person with a shaved head …E17
n. 2. a youth, a young lad …M19 rare
• SHAVER
n. 1. a youth, a child, a young lad …L16 now colloq.
n. 2. a fellow, a chap …now Eng. dial.
n. 3. a humorous person, a joker …now Eng. dial.
n. 4. a short jacket …Bk1891 sl.
• SHAVE-TAIL
adj. of a person: inexperienced, ‘green’; contemptible …1891 Amer. dial.
(nouns usually as ‘shavetail’)
n. 1. a nickname for a horse or mule …1832 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a person …1832 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a new recruit; a newly commissioned officer; a second lieutenant …1891 Amer. dial.
n. 4. an inexperienced person …sl., orig. US military
• SHAW
n. a small grove of trees …1930 Amer. dial.
• SHAWLIE
n. a working-class woman (associated with) wearing a shawl over her head …E20 colloq., chiefly Sc., Irish, & N. Eng.
• SHAYNER YID
n. an honest and absolutely trustworthy Jewish man …1968 UK sl.
• SHAZAM!
int. an exclamation of excitement …1940 sl.
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