Dictionary: SPE – SPH

• SPEAK
n. a speakeasy …1930 US sl.

• SPEAK A MOUTHFUL
vb. to say something important and true …1910s orig. US

• SPEAK A PARABLE
vb. to make a wise or pithy statement …1950 Amer. dial.

• SPEAK A PERSON FAR
vb. to go to great lengths in his praise …1611 obs.

• SPEAKATIVE
adj. talkative …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEAK BANDOG AND BEDLAM
vb. to speak furiously and madly …1600

• SPEAK BY THE CARD
vb. to speak with great exactness, or with the utmost accuracy; to be careful with one’s words …1596

• SPEAK DAGGERS
vb. to speak fiercely, savagely, or angrily …1602

• SPEAKEASY
n. 1. an illicit liquor store or drinking club, esp. during Prohibition …1889 sl., orig. & chiefly US
n. 2. a sawed-off shotgun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEAK IN A MAN’S CAST
vb. to speak during his part; to interrupt …1580 obs.

• SPEAK IN CAPITALS
vb. to speak with emphasis …1871

• SPEAKO
n. a speakeasy …1931 US sl.

• SPEAK UP BROWN – YOU’RE THROUGH!
phr. said, as if on a telephone, as a comment on an audible fart …1961 UK sl.

• SPEAK UP GINGER – YOU’RE ALMOST THROUGH!
phr. said, as if on a telephone, as a comment on an audible fart …1961 UK sl.

• SPEAKWORTHY
adj. worthy of mention …1562 obs.

• SPEAR
n. 1. a firefighter’s hook …1954 US sl.
n. 2. a hypodermic needle …1961 US drug culture sl.
vb. 1. to dismiss someone from employment …1911 Aust. sl.
vb. 2. to beg …1912 US sl.
vb. 3. to eject someone from a shop, pub, etc. …1975 Aust. sl.

• THE SPEAR
n. dismissal from work …1941 Aust. sl.

• SPEAR-CARRIER
n. 1. an unimportant participant …1960 sl.
n. 2. a non-speaking role in a play; an actor who appears in the background or only plays minor roles …1984 UK sl.

• SPEAR-CHUCKER
n. 1. a Black person …1969 US sl., offensive
n. 2. a vocal, aggressive advocate …1997 US sl.

• SPEAR THE BEARDED CLAM
vb. of a male: to have sex …1971 Aust. sl.

• SPEAR THE KEG
vb. to broach a keg of beer …1994 Aust. sl.

• SPEC
n. 1. a commercial speculation or venture; a prospect of future success or gain …1794 orig. US
n. 2. a detailed working description of something …1956 sl.
n. 3. an enlisted man in the army employed on specialized duties; a specialist …1958 US sl.
n. 4. a pair of eyeglasses …1982 Bahamas
n. 5. a position, a viewpoint …1999 UK sl.
vb. to expect …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.

• SPECIAL
adj. dull or lacking in interest …20C teen & high school sl.
n. an item for sale at a low price for a limited period …1966 US sl.
vb. of a nurse: to attend continuously to a single patient …1961 sl.

• SPECIAL K
n. Ketamine …Bk1998 drug culture sl.

• SPECIAL LA COKE
n. Ketamine …Bk1998 drug culture sl.

• SPECIFIC STOMACH
n. syphilis …20C US euphemism

• SPECIFIC ULCER
n. syphilis …20C US

• SPECIMEN
n. a person of the stated sort, as a ‘queer specimen’ …1854 sl., mainly derogatory

• SPECKLED BIRD
n. an amphetamine capsule ..M20 US drug culture sl.

• SPECKS
n. glasses …1807 sl.

• SPECKY
n. wearing glasses …1956 sl., chiefly Sc., derogatory

• SPECS
n. glasses …1807 sl.

• SPECTABUNDAL
adj. eager to see …1652 obs.

• SPECTIBLE
adj. 1581 – visible → obs.

• SPECTROPHOBIA
n. Bk1991 – an abnormal fear of spectres or phantoms

• SPEECHIFY
vb. to make a pompous speech, or talk as if one were doing this …1723 sl.

• SPEED
n. an amphetamine drug, esp. methamphetamine, often taken intravenously …1967 sl., orig. US
vb. to take the drug ‘speed’ (amphetamine) …1973 sl., orig. US

• SPEEDBALL
n. 1. a mixture of cocaine with heroin or morphine …1909 sl., orig. US
n. 2. a glass of wine, specifically one strengthened with additional alcohol …1926 US sl.
n. 3. a nickname for a fast or energetic person …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 4. amphetamines in the sense of an enhancer of personal performance …Bk1998 drug culture sl.

• SPEED BOAT
n. marijuana; PCP; crack …Bk1998 drug culture sl.

• SPEED BREAKER
n. a sudden short dip in the road …1966 Amer. dial.

• SPEED-BUGGY
n. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEED-BURNER
n. 1. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. a speedboat …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEED COP
n. 1. a motorcycle-mounted policeman, charged with enforcing speed limits …1920s sl., orig. US
n. 2. a traffic police officer, esp. a motorcycle patrolman …1924 sl.

• SPEED FOR LOVERS
n. methylendioxymethamphetamine or MDMA …1980s drug culture sl.

• SPEED FREAK
n. 1. a regular user of amphetamine …1960s drug culture sl.
n. 2. a drug addict or user …M20 US drug culture sl.
n. 3. one who enjoys driving or being driven at high speed …1990s African-American sl.

• SPEED HOG
n. one who consistently ignores speed limits when driving …1910s sl.

• SPEEDING
n. 1. the taking of or experiencing amphetamine or a similar ‘go-faster’ drug …1960s drug culture sl.
 n. 2. an energized experience similar to taking amphetamines, but using no drugs …1990s sl.

• SPEEDING TICKET
n. a rules violation notice for inappropriate behaviour in the visiting room …2000s US prison sl.

• SPEED LIMIT
n. in bingo: the number 30 …1940s bingo usage

• SPEED MERCHANT
n. a racehorse …Bk1942 Amer. turf sl.

• SPEEDMOBILE
n. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEEDO
n. a speedometer …1930s sl.

• SPEEDOS
n. tight-fitting male swimming briefs …1990s Aust. sl.

• SPEEDRAP
vb. to talk fast, usually under the influence of amphetamine …1970s sl.

• SPEED SHOP
n. an automobile supplier specializing in the parts for (and sometimes building) modified cars …1950s US sl.

• SPEEDSTER
n. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEED THE WOMBATS!
int. an exclamation of surprise, alarm, fascination, etc. …1920s Aust. sl.

• SPEED TRAP
n. methylated spirits, as drunk by alcoholics and tramps …1930s S. Afr. sl.

• SPEED-UP CAR
n. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEED WAGON
n. 1. a police patrol car …1940s US criminals’ sl.
n. 2. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEEDY
adj. living a pleasure-seeking, hedonistic life …1910s
n. 1. a nickname for a fast or energetic person …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. a police motorcycle …2000s Irish sl.

• SPEEDY GONZALES
n. a person who moves, works, or operates very fast …20C US sl.

• SPEEDY ONE
n. a fast throw …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• SPEEDY SISTER
n. a prostitute …M20 US criminals’ sl.

• SPEEL
vb. to run away; to decamp …M19 sl.

• SPEELKEN
n. 1. a theatre …L18 sl.
n. 2. a cockpit …E19 UK criminals’ sl.

• SPEEL THE DRUM
vb. to go off with stolen property …M19 sl.

• SPELL
n. 1. a theatre …M18 sl.
n. 2. a sentence of 3 months imprisonment …L19 sl.
vb. to advertise, to put into print …M19 sl.

• SPELL ABLE
vb. to perform a difficult task in fulfilment of a boast …Bk1905 Sc.

• SPELL BAKER
vb. to perform a difficult or challenging task; to be up to the mark …M19 sl.

• SPELL FOR
vb. 1. to long for …M19 sl.
vb. 2. to wait for, with the intention of attacking verbally or physically …20C W. Indies sl.

• SPELL JOB
n. a job of uncertain or indefinite duration …1980s Ulster usage

• SPELLKEN
n. 1. a theatre …L18 sl.
n. 2. a cockpit …E19 UK criminals’ sl.

• SPELL-O
n. a rest …L19 Aust. sl.

• SPENCE
n. ejaculated semen …20C W. Indies sl.

• SPEND
n. semen; sexual spendings …19C sl.
vb. 1. to achieve orgasm …1662 sl.
vb. 2. to last, to hold out …Bk1913 Amer. dial.

• SPEND A PENNY
vb. to urinate …1945 Brit. sl., euphemism

• SPEND THE PACK
vb. to waste one’s substance …Bk1905 Sc.

• SPERATORY
adj. resting in hope or expectation; hoped for, hopeful, expected …1629 obs.

• SPERM SUCKER
n. the vagina …L19 sl.

• SPERM THE WORM
vb. to masturbate …1990s sl.

• SPERM WAIL
n. outburst of sound from a male during orgasm …UK playground sl.

• SPERRIB
n. a wife …L19 UK middle class usage

• SPESH
n. a specialist …1900s sl.

• SPEW
n. semen …1980s sl., orig. US college
vb. 1. to vomit …c897
vb. 2. to ejaculate …L17 sl.
vb. 3. to speak, esp. to confess …L18 sl.
vb. 4. to inform on, to betray …1970s US prison sl.
vb. 5. to argue angrily; to let loose a diatribe …1980s sl.

• SPEW ONE’S GUTS
vb. to confess or inform

• SPEWSOME
adj. dreadful, awful …1996 Aust. sl.