Dictionary: SIL – SILZ

► SIL adj. 1. foolish → 1930 sl.
adj. 2. infatuated ; thus of a lesbian: involved in an affair → 1930 sl.
► SILAS HOCKING n. a stocking → L19 theatrical rhyming sl.
► SILE n. young herring → 1769 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
vb. 1. to go, to move; to glide → 1300 obs. exc. N. Eng. dial.
vb. 2. of tears, etc.: to flow → 1400 obs.
vb. 3. to fall or sink down → 1400 obs. exc. N. Eng. dial.
vb. 4. to cover, to hide, to conceal → 1480 chiefly Sc. obs.
vb. 5. to deceive, to beguile or mislead a person → 1508 chiefly Sc. obs.
vb. 6. to subside → 1674 Eng. dial.
vb. 7. of rain: to pour down → 1703 Eng. dial.
vb. 8. to pour → 1787 Eng. dial. obs.
vb. 9. to fall down in a swoon; to faint away → 1790 Eng. dial.
► SILENCE IN THE COURT – THE CAT IS PISSING phr. a catch phrase addressed to anyone requiring silence unnecessarily → 1780 sl.
► SILENCE IN THE COURT – THE MONKEY WANTS TO SPEAK phr. a catch phrase addressed to anyone requiring silence unnecessarily → 20C Brit. sl.
► SILENCE vb. 1. to stun, to knock down → E18 sl.
vb. 2. to kill → 19C sl.
► SILENCER n. 1. a blow that knocks down or stuns → 19C sl.
n. 2. a pad or cover for the lid of a chamber pot → 1928 Amer. dial.
n. 3. a motorcycle muffler → 1973 US sl.
► SILENCE-YELPER n. an usher in a court of law → L19 UK criminals’ sl.
► SILENCY n. silence → 1634 obs.
► SILENT adj. 1. of the moon: not shining → 1646 obs.
adj. 2. murdered → 1725 sl.
adj. 3. of an entry in a criminal’s file: showing crimes for which the criminal was not charged but probably committed → 1990 US sl.
vb. to silence → 1868 Amer. dial.
► SILENT BEARD n. the female pubic hair; the vagina → L17 colloq.
► SILENT BEEF n. a note attached to an individual’s police record stating that they have been suspected (but not charged due to lack of proof) of committing a crime; the note requests that they be punished to the maximum extent for such lesser charges as can be brought → 1960 US criminals’ sl.
► SILENT BUT DEADLY adj. applied to the unpleasant smell that hangs in the air as the result of a silent fart → 1950 sl.
► SILENT BUT VIOLENT phr. a silent, but very smelly, breaking of wind → 1950 sl.
► SILENT CAPTAIN n. in shuffleboard: the scoreboard → 1967 US sl.
► SILENT CITY n. a cemetery → 1965 Amer. dial.
► SILENT COP n. a yellow ‘sleeping policeman’ placed in the centre of road intersections (sleeping policeman = speed bump) → 1930 Aust. sl.
► SILENT DEATH n. an electric train → 1950 railwaymen’s usage
► SILENT FLUTE n. the male member → 1788 sl.
► SILENT FLUTE OF LOVE n. the erect penis → 2003 UK sl.
► SILENT HORROR n. a quiet but pungent fart → 20C Brit. sl.
► THE SILENT HOURS n. from 11 pm to 5:30 am → 1910 Royal Navy colloq.
► SILENTIAL adj. accompanied by or connected with silence → 1709
► SILENTIARY n. 1. one who observes or recommends silence, esp. from religious motives; someone appointed to keep peace and quiet  → 1611
n. 2. someone sworn to keep state secrets secret → 1744
► SILENTIOUS adj. given to silence → 1879
► SILENTISH adj. somewhat silent → 1737
► SILENTLY adv. gradually, imperceptibly → 1668 obs.
► SILENT NIGHT n. light (ale) → 1950 Brit. rhyming sl.
► SILENT PERCY n. a type of German high-velocity gun, and its shell → 1915 World War I military usage
► SILENT POLICEMAN n. a raise concrete mound or other construction in the centre of a road to control traffic flow and speed → 1920 sl.
► SILENT SUSAN n. a type of German high-velocity gun, and its shell → 1915 World War I military usage
► SILENT TERROR n. a quiet but pungent fart → 20C Brit. sl.
► SILENT VILLAGE n. a cemetery → 1965 Amer. dial.
► SILENT VIOLENT n. an unpleasantly aromatic fart that pollutes without warning; a silent fart → 2003 UK sl.
► SILICON CHIP n. a Japanese → 20C Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘Nip’
► SILIGINEOUS adj. belonging to or made of fine flour → 1674
► SILIGINOSE adj. made of fine wheat → 1727
► SILK adj. 1. admirable, excellent, acceptable → 1920 US sl.
adj. 2. white-skinned → 1960 US sl.
adj. 3. homosexual → 1962 US sl.
n. 1. a King’s or Queen’s Counsel → E19 sl.
n. 2. a White person → M19 UK & African-American sl.
n. 3. a bishop → L19 ecclesiastical usage
n. 4. a parachute → 1933 sl., chiefly US
n. 5. barbed wire → 1945 US Western sl. (Bk.)
n. 6. money → 1950 US sl.
n. 7. a homosexual → 1972 US sl.
n. 8. an authority figure→ 1980 US sl.
n. 9. in the categorization of sexual activity by teenage boys: a touch of a girl’s crotch outside her underwear → 1986 US sl.
n. 10. heroin → 2002 UK sl.
► SILK AND SATIN n. 1. an attractive White or light-skinned woman → 1970 African-American sl.
n. 2. any combination of amphetamines and barbiturates or tranquillizers → 1970 drug culture sl.
► SILK AND TWINE n. wine → 1920 US rhyming sl.
► SILK BROAD n. a White woman → 1960 African-American sl.
► SILK DEPARTMENT n. the very best → 1989 Aust. sl.
► SILKED adj. dressed in the height of fashion → 1940 African-American sl.
► SILKED TO THE BONE adj. dressed in the height of fashion → 1940 African-American sl.
► SILKEN adj. 1. effeminate, luxurious → 1599
adj. 2. of wine: mellow, silky → 1704
► SILKEN TWINE n. wine → 1942 Amer. rhyming sl. (Bk.)
► SILKER n. a silk top hat → L19 US sl.
► SILK FACINGS n. beer stains on the garments being made or altered → 1870 tailors’ usage
► SILK GLOVE n. a guard on a passenger train; not praise → 1977 US sl.
► SILK HAT n. 1. a rich person → L19 US sl., later African-American
n. 2. an egocentrist → 1981 US carnival and circus usage
► SILKIES n. a woman’s underpants; silk female underwear → 1986 US sl.
► SILKO n. a thug; a thief → 2000 Irish sl.
► SILKS n. 1. expensive clothing, possibly actually made of silk → 1940 African-American sl.
n. 2. silk or nylon socks → 1972 US sl.
► SILK-SNATCHER n. 1. a thief who grabs the bonnets and hats from pedestrians → E18 sl.
n. 2. a thief who specialized in stealing cloaks by twitching them from the wearer’s back → M18 UK criminals’ sl.
► SILK-STOCKING adj. designating the social elite; pert. to the wealthy; upper-class → L18 sl.
n. 1. a rich or wealthy person → L19 US sl., later African-American
n. 2. a member of a branch of the Whig party in the earlier part of the 19th century → 1895 US political usage
► SILK-STOCKING AVENUE n. an exclusive or upper-class area → 1965 Amer. dial.
► SILK-STOCKING DISTRICT n. 1. an exclusive or upper-class area → 1893 Amer. dial.
n. 2. the Upper East Side of Manhattan → 1903 US sl.
► SILK-STOCKING HILL n. an exclusive or upper-class area → 1965 Amer. dial.
► SILK-STOCKING QUARTER n. an exclusive or upper-class area → 1903 Amer. dial.
► SILK-STOCKING ROW n. an exclusive or upper-class area → 1949 Amer. dial.
► SILK STOCKINGS n. the social elite → L19 US sl.
► SILK-STOCKING WARD n. an exclusive or upper-class area → 1965 Amer. dial.
► SILKWORM n. 1. one who wears a silken gown or dress; used contemptuously → 1613
n. 2. a woman given to frequenting drapers’ shops and examining goods without buying → 1712 obs.
n. 3. a shoplifter who specializes in silk items or jewellery → L19 US & UK criminals’ sl.
► SILKY adj. 1. of liquor: having a soft delicate taste → 1743
adj. 2. of speech, manners, etc.: smooth, pleasing, ingratiating, insinuating → 1778
adj. 3. excellent, pleasing; smooth → 1973 US sl.
► SILKY-STRAIGHT n. any hairstyle with artificially straightened hair → 1981 US sl.
► SILKY SULLIVAN n. in horse racing: any horse that comes from far behind to win a race → 1997 US sl.
► SILL adj. 1. foolish → 1930 sl.
adj. 2. infatuated ; thus of a lesbian: involved in an affair → 1930 sl.
► SILLABUB n. 1. something unsubstantial and frothy; esp., floridly vapid discourse or writing → 1706
n. 2. a mixture, combination → 1859
► SILLER  n. a cellar → 1422 obs.
► SILLIKEN ► SILLIKIN n. a fool; a simpleton; a naive or silly person → 1832 sl.
► SILLOGRAPH n. a writer of satires or lampoons → 1845
► SILLOGRAPHER n. a writer of satires or lampoons → 1656
► SILLOGRAPHIST n. a writer of satires or lampoons → 1775
► SILLY adj. 1. unlearned, unsophisticated, simple, rustic, ignorant → 1547 obs. or arch.
adj. 2. of persons or animals: weak, feeble, frail → 1567 obs.
adj. 3. insignificant, trifling → 1567 obs.
adj. 4. of humble rank or state; lowly → 1568 obs.
adj. 5. weakly, feeble, sickly, ailing → 1585 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
adj. 6. helpless, defenseless; esp. used of women and children → 1587 obs.
adj. 7. scanty, sorry, meagre, poor → 1593 obs.
n. 1. a silly or foolish person → 1858 colloq.
n. 2. an erection → 1974 NZ schoolboys’ euphemism
vb. 1. to stun; to render silly or insensible → 1850
vb. 2. to act foolishly; to fool about → 1877 chiefly Eng. dial.
► SILLY AFFAIRS n. civil affairs → 1968 US sl.
► SILLY-ARSE adj. stupid, foolish → 1910 sl., chiefly US
n. a fool → 1990 Aust. sl.
► SILLY AS A BAG adj. extremely silly or stupid → 1930 Aust. & NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A BOX OF LIGHTS adj. as silly as you can get (box of lights = box of matches) → 20C Brit. sl.
► SILLY AS A CHOOK adj. very silly → 1947 NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A CHOOK WITH ITS HEAD CUT OFF adj. extremely silly → 1940 Aust. & NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A CURLEW adj. extremely silly → 1940 Aust. & NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A CUT SNAKE adj. extremely silly → 1930 Aust. & NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A HATFUL OF ARSEHOLES adj. extremely silly → 1940 Aust. sl.
► SILLY AS A HATFUL OF WORMS adj. very silly or stupid → 1950 sl., orig. Aust.
► SILLY AS A HEN adj. very silly → 1947 NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A MAWK adj. excessively silly → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SILLY AS A TWO-BOB WATCH adj. extremely silly or stupid→ 1940 Aust. sl.
► SILLY AS A WET HEN adj. extremely foolish, silly, or stupid → 1980 NZ sl.
► SILLY AS A WHEEL adj. extremely foolish,  silly or stupid → 1950 Aust. sl.
► SILLY AS A WOOLWORTH’S WATCH adj. extremely silly or stupid→ 1940 Aust. sl.
► SILLY-ASS adj. stupid, foolish → 1910 sl., chiefly US
n. 1. a foolish or stupid person → 1608
n. 2. an amiable, upper-class idiot → 1800
► SILLY-ASSED adj. stupid, foolish → 1910 sl., chiefly US
► SILLY BILLY n. a foolish or feeble person; a simpleton → 1834
► SILLY BOLLOCK(S) n. a contemptible fool; an idiot → 1999 UK sl.
► SILLY-BORN adj. stupid, foolish → 1940 sl.
► SILLY BOY GOT NONE n. a senseless person → 20C Brit. sl.
► SILLY COW n. a woman, irrespective of her actual character → L19 sl., derogatory
► SILLY CUNT int. a low address to a person → L19 sl.
n. a fool → 2000 UK sl.
► SILLY DUST n. a powdered drug → 2003 UK sl.
► SILLY-GRIN! int. an ironical exclamation imparting pain or misfortune → 1910 Aust. sl.
► SILLYISH adj. somewhat foolish → 1761
► SILLY HOUSE n. a psychiatrist hospital → 1960
► SILLY KIPPER n. a mild term of disapproval; an affectionate address to a child → E20 sl.
► SILLY LEGS n. a term of mild abuse aimed at someone behaving like a fool → 20C Brit. sl.
► SILLY MILK n. any alcoholic drink → E20 US sl.
► SILLY MONEY n. a false or ridiculous price, which could be too low or too high → 20C Brit. sl.
► SILLY MOO n. 1. a stupid woman → L19 sl.
n. 2. an unpleasant or despicable female → 1967 sl.
► SILLY OLD SAUSAGE n. an ineffectual, easily imposed-upon person → L19 sl.
► SILLYPOP n. a fool; a foolish, flighty woman → L19 sl.
► SILLY PUTTY n. psilocybin/psilocin → 1960 drug culture sl.
► SILLY SAUSAGE n. 1. an ineffectual, easily imposed-upon person → L19 sl.
n. 2. an affectionate form of address, used while reproving or gently chiding a child or lover → 1982 UK sl.
► SILLY SEASON n. 1. in Great Britain, the months of August and September, when, owing to recess of Parliament and to other prominent persons being on holiday, there is a shortage of important news, the lack being supplied by trivialities → 1871 colloq.
n. 2. the Christmas holidays → 20C Aust. sl.
n. 3. from a police perspective, the summer as a period of counterculture, pop, rock, and dance festivals → 1999 UK sl.
► SILLY-SEASONER n. a typical ‘silly-season’ article or story → 1893 colloq.
► SILLY-SEASONING n. a typical ‘silly-season’ article or story → 1893 colloq.
► SILLY SIDE BIN n. psilocybin or psilocin, in powder or capsule form → 1999 UK drug culture sl.
► SILLYTON n. a simpleton → 1725 obs.
► SILLYVILLIAN n. a civilian, seen from the cynical eyes of the military → 1963 US sl.
► SILLY WALK n. in computing: an absurd procedure that must be followed → 1991 US sl.
► SILLYWATTER n. any alcoholic drink, esp. in reference to a drinker’s foolish behaviour → 1996 Sc. sl.
► SILLY WILLY n. a fool; a simpleton → M17 sl.
► SILO n. 1. an asylum seeker → 20C Brit. sl.
n. 2. alcohol made of fermented vegetables → 1910 US sl.
► SILO DRIPPINGS n. real or imaginary alcohol obtained by tapping the base of a silo containing fermenting corn → 20C US rural colloq.
► SILOUR n. 1. a canopy → 1394 obs.
n. 2. a ceiling → 1424 obs.
► SILTS n. dregs, refuse, scum → 1635 obs.
► SILVATIC adj. 1. rustic, boorish → 1661 obs.
adj. 2. found in woods; of the nature of a wood or woodland → 1668
► SILVER adj. 1. prosperous, happy → 1659
adj. 2. old → 1990 rhyming sl. (Silver and Gold)
n. 1. a type of bet in an illegal numbers game lottery → 1957 US sl.
n. 2. money → 1966 US sl.
n. 3. aluminium foil, used for smoking heroin → 1980 NZ drug culture sl.
n. 4. in American casinos: a silver coin or $1 chip → 1980 US sl.
n. 5. marijuana → 2000 UK sl.
► SILVER AND GOLD adj. old → 1990 rhyming sl.
n. a cold → 1990 rhyming sl.
► SILVERBACK RIDING n. male homosexual intercourse → 2000 African-American sl.
► SILVER BANGLE n. handcuffs → 1990 W. Indies sl.
► SILVER BEGGAR n. 1. a beggar who claims to have suffered in some disaster or other, e.g. a fire or shipwreck, and asks for money in order to rebuild their life; such pleas are accompanied by a variety of documents, supposedly ‘proving’ the legitimacy of their claims → 1864 sl.
n. 2. a counterfeit banknote or forged document → M19 sl.
► SILVER BIKE n. a metal syringe → 1970 US drug addicts’ usage
► SILVER BRIDAL n. silver marriage; 25th wedding anniversary → 1624 obs.
► SILVER BULLET n. 1. a martini → 1988 US sl.
n. 2. a simple and seemingly magical solution to a complicated problem → 2002 sl.
► SILVER BULLETS n. money contributed to the war loans → 1916 colloq., journalists’ usage
► SILVER-COOPED adj. of a naval seaman: deserting for the merchant service → L18 nautical colloq.
► SILVER-COOPER n. a kidnapper → 1796 obs.
► SILVER CORD n. a symbol of excessive devotion between mother and child → 1911
► SILVERED adj. of sounds: sweet-toned or silver-toned → 1642 obs.
► SILVER-EYED adj. wall-eyed → 1702 obs.
► SILVER FEAST n. silver wedding; 25th wedding anniversary → 1796
► SILVER FERN n. a member of the NZ national representative net ball team → 20C
► SILVER FORK n. a wooden skewer used as a chopstick when forks were scarce → 1870 Winchester usage
► SILVER GOOSE n. a proctoscope → 1989 US sl.
► SILVER-GRAY n. a Conservative → 1856 US politics
► SILVER HAZE n. a hybrid strain of marijuana → 1999 UK sl.
► SILVER HELL n. a low-class gaming saloon or den → 1835 colloq., obs.
► SILVER-HIDER n. a miser → 1611 obs.
► SILVER-LACED adj. lousy → 1810 sl.
► SILVER LADY n. a hypodermic needle and syringe → 1993 US drug culture sl.
► SILVERLING n. a shekel → 1526 arch.
► SILVER LURKER n. a beggar who claims to have suffered in some disaster or other, e.g. a fire or shipwreck, and asks for money in order to rebuild their life; such pleas are accompanied by a variety of documents, supposedly ‘proving’ the legitimacy of their claims → 1864 sl.
► SILVER MAIL n. rent paid in money → 1597 Sc.
► SILVER-MARRIAGE n. a marriage at which each guest contributed a money-offering → 1825 obs.
► SILVERMINE vb. to patrol a casino in search of coins left in the tray of a slot machine or dropped on the floor → 1985 US sl.
► SILVERN adj. 1. made of silver; consisting of silver → 888 poetic & arch.
adj. 2. silver-coloured → 1885 
► SILVER PEARL n. a type of marijuana → 1990 drug culture sl.
► SILVER PHEASANT n. a beautiful upper-class or society woman → 1920 sl.
► SILVER PLATE! int. please; (French s’il vous plaît) → 1916 sl.
► SILVER-QUINSEY n. is when a pleading lawyer, being bribed by the other party, feigns himself sick, or not able to speak → 1706 
► SILVERS n. any coins → 2003 Trinidad and Tobago
► SILVER SADDLE n. a bed-pan made of stainless steel → 1950 sl.
► SILVER SAUSAGE n. a barrage balloon → 1938 sl.
► SILVER-SICK adj. avaricious → 1480 obs.
► SILVER SICKNESS n. is when a pleading lawyer, being bribed by the other party, feigns himself sick, or not able to speak → 1548 
► SILVER SPOON n. 1. a pimp → 1990 rhyming sl. for’ hoon’
n. 2. the moon → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► SILVER-SPOONISM n. an assumption of delicacy superior to the majority → 1859 
► SILVER-SQUINCY n. is when a pleading lawyer, being bribed by the other party, feigns himself sick, or not able to speak → 1611 
► SILVER-STICK n. a field-officer of the Life Guards when on palace duty → 1882 
► SILVER STREAK n. the English Channel → 1879 
► SILVER SURFER n. an elderly or retired person who uses the Internet → 2001 UK sl.
► SILVERTAIL adj. pretentious → 1962 Aust. sl.
n. 1. a wealthy or upper-class person; somebody affluent and socially prominent; a member of the privileged class  → 1890 sl., orig. Aust. bushmen’s usage, derogatory
n. 2. an affected person; one who puts on airs and graces; a social climber → 1942 sl.
n. 3. a better-class prisoner → 1930 Aust. prison sl.
n. 4. a prisoner who enjoys privileges → 1950 Aust. sl.
n. 5. a prisoner who colludes with the authorities → 1980 Aust. prison sl.
► SILVER-TAILED adj. wealthy, affluent, socially  prominent → 1890 sl., orig. Aust.
► SILVER THAW n. 1. the term for ice falling in large flakes from the sails and rigging, consequent on a frost followed suddenly by a thaw → 1867 
n. 2. the phenomenon of rain freezing as it falls and forming a glassy coating on the ground, trees, etc. → 1891 
► SILVERTIP n. 1. a grizzly bear → 1886 Amer. dial.
n. 2. an old man → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► SILVERTIP GRIZZLY n. a grizzly bear → 1939 Amer. dial.
► SILVER-TIPPED BEAR n. a grizzly bear → 1880 Amer. dial.
► SILVER-TONGUE n. the song-sparrow → 1884 US
► SILVER-TONGUED adj. having a pleasant or melodious utterance; sweet-spoken; eloquent → 1592 
► SILVER WHEEL n. a dollar, esp. a silver dollar → 1965 Amer. dial.
► SILVER-WIG n. a grey-haired man → 1923 sl.
► SILVER WING n. a 50-cent piece → 1950 US sl.
► SILVER-WORM n. a glow-worm → 1475 obs.
► SILVERY (MOON) n. 1. a Black person → 1950 rhyming sl. for ‘coon’, derogatory
n. 2. a pimp → 1970 Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘hoon’
► SILVERY SPOON n. a Black person → 1977 UK rhyming sl. for ‘coon’, derogatory
► SILVESTER adj. found in woods; rustic, sylvan → 1578 obs.
► SILVESTRIAN adj. found in woods, rustic, sylvan → 1657
► SILVICULTURE n. the cultivation of woods or forests; the growing and tending of trees as a department of forestry → 1880