• STEADY
int. used to advocate caution and/or restraint …1825
n. a steady boyfriend or girlfriend …1897 US sl.
• STEADY EDDIE
n. a reliable, dependable, trustworthy person …2003 US sl.
• STEADY ON!
int. used to advocate caution and/or restraint …1825
• STEADY THERE!
int. used to advocate caution and/or restraint …1825
• STEAK AND KIDNEY
n. Sydney …1905 Aust. rhyming sl.
• STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE
n. the eye …1960 UK rhyming sl.
• STEAK DRAPES
n. the vaginal labia …1998 UK sl.
• STEAL
n. something cheap or made available at a cheaper cost …1944 US sl.
vb. in poker: to win a hand with an inferior hand either through superior bluffing skills or poor estimation by other players …1979 US sl.
• STEAL OUT
vb. to hide …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• STEAL SOMEONE BLIND
vb. to rob someone of everything …1976 US sl.
• STEALTH BOMBER
n. Stella Artois™ lager …2002 UK sl.
• STEAL THE ANTE
vb. in poker: to bet aggressively early in a hand, driving out other players and leaving a post consisting mostly of the buy-in antes …1975 US sl.
• STEAM
n. 1. alcohol …1941 Aust. sl.
n. 2. cheap wine laced with methylated spirit …1941 Aust. & NZ sl.
n. 3 in sports betting: a flurry of betting on one side of a bet …1991 US sl.
n. 4. hashish …2002 Can. sl.
vb. 1. to go fast …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
vb. 2. in gambling: to bet increasingly larger amounts of money in a losing effort to recoup recurring losses …1985 US sl.
vb. 3. to rush in a gang through a public place, train, etc. robbing anyone in one’s path …1987 Brit. sl.
• STEAM AND CREAM
n. during the Vietnam war, a bath and sex with a prostitute …1969 US sl.
• STEAM BATH BENNY
n. a homosexual who frequents steam baths …1970s US homosexual sl.
• STEAMBOAT
n. a cardboard tube with a hole for a marijuana cigarette and a hole for inhaling, used to trap the smoke …1967 US sl.
• STEAMBOATS
adj. 1. drunk …1996 UK, Sc. sl.
adj. 2. foolish, silly …2000 UK sl.
• STEAME
n. a steamed hot dog …2001 Can. sl.
• STEAMED
adj. drunk …1929 sl.
• STEAMED UP
adj. 1. used to suggest angry agitation …1923 sl.
adj. 2. drunk …1929 sl.
• STEAMER
n. 1. a gullible person; a victim, a fool …1932 US sl., from rhyming sl. ‘steam tug’ for ‘mug’
n. 2. a fast throw …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 3. a homosexual man, esp. one who seeks passive partners …1958 UK sl.
n. 4. a gambler who increases the size of his bets after losing …1968 US sl.
n. 5. a full wetsuit covering the torso, legs, and arms …1985 Aust. sl.
n. 6. a member of a youth gang taking part in a steaming attack …1987 UK sl.
n. 7. a drinking session …1988 Sc. sl.
n. 8. in horse racing: a horse that attracts heavy betting on the morning of a race, at a time before the odds being offered by bookmakers are reduced …1991 UK sl.
n. 9. a prostitute’s client …2002 UK sl.
n. 10. an act of oral sex performed on a man …2003 UK sl.
• STEAM IN
vb. to engage in an activity, esp. fighting, with absolute commitment …1961 UK sl.
• STEAMING
adj. drunk …2002 UK sl.
n. youth gang activity involving robbing and escaping en masse …1987 UK sl.
• STEAMING DEMON
n. any large American car …1981 UK sl.
• STEAM JOB
n. during the Vietnam war, a bath and sex with a prostitute …1969 US sl.
• STEAM PACKET
n. a jacket …1857 UK rhyming sl.
• STEAMPIGGED
adj. drunk …2002 UK sl.
• STEAM-POWERED
adj. obsolete …1991 US sl.
• STEAMROLLER
n. 1. a thick hand-rolled cigarette …1953 NZ sl.
n. 2. a bowler hat …1992 UK rhyming sl. = bowler
• STEAM TUG
n. a fool; a victim; a gullible person …1932 UK rhyming sl = mug
• STEAM UP
vb. to intoxicate; to make dead drunk …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEAMY
adj. pornographic; erotic …1970 sl.
• STEATOPYGOUS
adj. having fat buttocks …1871
• STEEAZICK
n. a marijuana cigarette …1947 US sl.
• STEEK ONE’S GAB
vb. to be silent; to make one silent …1786 Sc.
• STEEK THE GAB
vb. to be silent, to hold the tongue …1786 Sc.
• STEEL
n. 1. a prison …Bk1891 sl.
n. 2. a pistol …1993 US sl.
• THE STEEL
n. railway tracks …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEEL AND CONCRETE CURE
n. the sudden and complete deprivation of drugs to a jailed drug addict, who suffers intensely …1950 US sl.
• STEEL-PEN
n. a dress coat …Bk1891 sl.
• STEEP
adj. expensive; chiefly applied to a price …1856 sl.
• STEEPLE HOUSE
n. a church …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEERER
n. one who does not sell drugs but guides or steers potential buyers to places where they are sold …Bk1998 drug culture sl.
• STELLAR
adj. excellent; first-rate …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEGGIES
n. steroids …2002 UK sl.
• STEM
n. 1. a street frequented by vagrants …1914 US sl.
n. 2. a pipe for smoking opium or crack …1925 US sl.
n. 3. begging, an act of begging …1929 US sl.
• STEMMING
n. begging, an act of begging …1924 US sl.
• STEMS
n. 1. the legs …1860 sl.
n. 2. marijuana …Bk1998 drug culture sl.
• STEM-WINDER
n. 1. an energetic or lively person; someone who makes vigorous rabble-rousing speeches; an enthusiastic talker …1892 US sl.
n. 2. something excellent …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 3. a vigorous, rabble-rousing speech …1973 US sl.
• STENO
n. a (female) shorthand-typist …1906 sl., orig. & chiefly US
• STENTORIOUS
adj. extremely loud or powerful in sound …a1500 rare
► STENTORONIC adj. of the voice: loud, like that of Stentor (Greek warrior in the Trojan War who had a very powerful voice); very loud and far-reaching → 1762
• STEP
vb. to depart hurriedly …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEP-AND-FETCH-IT
n. a nickname for a slow or lazy person …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
vb. (as ‘step and fetch it’) to be slow …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEP IT
vb. to depart hurriedly …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEPMOBILE
n. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEP OFF THE CARPET
vb. to get married …1843 Amer. sl.
• STEP ON
vb. to cut or adulterate a drug by doubling its weight (and halving its purity) …Bk1998 drug culture sl.
• STEP ON SOMEONE’S MEAT
vb. to rebuke …1972 Amer. sl.
• STEP ON THE TOES OF
vb. to give offense to, to vex …c1394
• STEP OUT
vb. 1. to depart hurriedly …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
vb. 2. to jump using a parachute …1942 Royal Air Force sl.
• STEPPER
n. 1. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. a spirited horse …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEPPING SAM
n. a machine gun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEPPY SPEED-WAGON
n. a fast car …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEPSON
n. a philanderer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STERICKY
adj. hysterical …1868 Eng. dial.
• THE STERKS
n. depression …1941 Aust. sl.
• STERLING
n. a colonist born in England: natives of England …Bk1892 Aust. sl.
• STERNOMANCY
n. Bk1991 – divination involving examination of the breastbone
► STERQUILINIOUS adj. pertaining to a dunghill; hence, dirty, mean, paltry → c1645 obs.
• STETSON
adj. excellent; first-rate …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEVE HART
vb. to start, to begin, to commence …Bk1942 Amer. rhyming sl.
• STEVEN
n. money … Bk1903 sl.
• STEVERS
n. money … Bk1903 sl.
• STEW
n. 1. a state of agitation or restlessness …1806 sl.
n. 2. a diligent student …Bk1942 Amer. college sl.
n. 3. a female flight attendant …1970 US sl.
vb. to intoxicate; to make dead drunk …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEW BUILDER
n. a cook …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEW-BUM
n. 1. a tramp who is habitually drunk …1902 US sl.
n. 2. a cook …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEWED
adj. drunk, fully intoxicated …1737 sl.
• STEWED RHUBARB
n. nonsense …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STEWED TO THE BALLS
adj. completely drunk …1935 US sl.
• STEWED TO THE EARS
adj. drunk …1737 sl.
• STEWED TO THE EYEBROWS
adj. drunk …1737 sl.
• STEWED TO THE GILLS
adj. drunk …1737 sl.
• STEWS
n. a brothel …Bk1902 sl.
• ST. GEORGE
n. 1. sexual intercourse in which the woman takes the superior position …17C sl.
n. 2. sexual intercourse from the rear-entry position …1990s sl.
• ST. GEORGE A-HORSEBACK
n. 1. sexual intercourse in which the woman takes the superior position …17C sl.
n. 2. sexual intercourse from the rear-entry position …1990s sl.
• ST. GILES’S BREED
n. criminals …18C sl.
• ST. GILES’S CARPET
n. a sprinkling of sand on the street …L19 London sl.
• ST. GILES’S GREEK
n. slang, cant …L18 sl.
• ST. HUGH’S BONES
n. 1. shoemaker’s tools …17C sl.
n. 2. dice …M19 sl.
• STICK
adj. boorish; rustic …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 1. a person of the stated sort as an ‘old stick’ …1785 sl., often mildly derogatory
n. 2. a jemmy, a crowbar …1879 criminals’ sl.
n. 3. a cigarette; a cigar …1919 sl.
n. 4. someone posing as an enthusiastic or successful customer to encourage others buyers, gamblers, etc.; a confidence trickster …1926 US sl.
n. 5. a marijuana cigarette …1938 sl.
n. 6. a rifle …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 7. a ladder …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 8. a member of the official I.R.A. or Sinn Fein …1978 sl.
vb. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.
• THE STICK
n. a short crowbar, used by housebreakers …Bk1896 sl.
• STICKABILITY
n. perseverance …1888 sl., orig. US
• STICK AROUND
vb. to remain in one place …1912 sl., orig. Amer.
• STICK-AT-NOTHING
adj. determined …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STICK CLOSE LIKE FLIES ON HORSESHIT
vb. to stay very close …a1982 US sl.
• STICKER
n. someone who perseveres; a resolute person …1824 sl.
• STICKIE
n. a member of the official I.R.A. or Sinn Fein …1972 sl.
• STICKIFIED
adj. boorish; rustic …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STICK IN ONE’S THROAT
vb. to be difficult of expression; to cause to hesitate
• STICK-IN-THE-MUD
adj. slow …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. a conventional person; someone unprogressive or unadventurous …1733
• STICK-IN-THE-MUDDISH
adj. conventional, conservative …1936 sl.
• STICK IT IN YOUR ARSE!
int. a derisive retort …1888 Amer. sl.
• STICK IT IN YOUR EAR!
int. used to express strong rejection or derision …1966 Amer. sl.
• STICK IT ON SOMEONE
vb. to hit …1960 sl.
• STICK IT OUT
vb. to endure something unpleasant …1882 sl.
• STICK IT UP SOMEONE’S ASS
vb. to brutally manhandle, victimize, or betray someone …1966 Amer. sl.
• STICK IT UP YOUR ASS!
int. a derisive retort …1926 Amer. sl.
• STICK LIKE WHITE ON RICE
vb. to stick very closely …1938 Amer. dial.
• STICK OF TEA
n. a marijuana cigarette …1938 sl.
• STICK OF WEED
n. a marijuana cigarette …1938 sl.
• STICK ONE ON SOMEONE
vb. to hit …1960 sl.
• STICK ONE’S FACE IN
vb. to interfere, to be nosy …L19 US sl.
• STICK ONE’S FOOT IN IT
vb. to make an error …L18 sl.
• STICKOUT
adj. surpassing all others …1948 US sl.
n. 1. a racehorse that seems a certain winner …1937 US sl.
n. 2. an outstanding sportsman or sportswoman …1942 US sl.
• STICKS
n. 1. drumsticks …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. crutches …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• THE STICKS
n. the woods …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STICKS AND STONES
n. one’s household goods and possessions …M19 colloq.
• STICKS LIKE SHIT TO A SHOVEL
phr. describes the adherence of a sticky substance or a clingy person …19C colloq.
• STICKSY
adj. boorish; rustic …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STICK THE BOOT IN
vb. 1916 UK sl. – to kick a prostrate foe; hence, to kick someone when they’re down
• STICK THE LICK INTO
vb. to take advantage of …1846 US sl.
• STICK THE NUT ON SOMEONE
vb. to butt someone with the head …20C Brit. sl.
• STICKTIVITY
n. permanence …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STICK-TO-IT-IVENESS
n. perseverance …1867 sl., orig. & chiefly US
• STICK TO ONE’S GUNS
vb. to maintain one’s position staunchly
• STICK TO ONE’S TACKLE
vb. to stand one’s ground, to stand firm in one’s resolve; to maintain one’s position or attitude …1577-87 obs.
• STICK TO ONE’S TACKLING
vb. to hold one’s ground; to maintain one’s position or attitude …1576 obs.
• STICK TO ONE’S THREAP
vb. to adhere to an assertion or purpose …1820 Sc.
• STICK TO THE HAFT
vb. not to desert …1835 Sc.
• STICK-UP
n. an armed robbery …1887 sl., orig. Aust., now chiefly US
(verbs as ‘stick up’)
vb. 1. to rob a place or person at gunpoint, knifepoint, etc. …1846 sl., orig. Aust.
vb. 2. to deceive, to cheat, to disappoint …Bk1892 Aust. sl.
• STICKUP BOYS
n. those who rob drug dealers …Bk1998 drug culture sl.
• STICK WITH
vb. to persevere …1915 sl.
• STICKY
adj. boorish; rustic …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. a member of the official I.R.A. or Sinn Fein …1972 sl.
• STICKY END
n. an unhappy end …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• STICKY-FINGERED
adj. inclined to steal …1890 sl.
• STICK YOUR NOSE IN
vb. to interfere, to interpose rudely …1887 UK sl.
• STIFF
adj. 1. drunk …1737 US sl.
adj. 2. expensive; chiefly applied to a price …1824 sl.
adj. 3. dead …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 1. a person who has died …1859 sl.
n. 2. a note surreptitiously passed in a prison …1889 sl.
n. 3. money …1897 sl.
n. 4. a migratory worker …1899 sl.
n. 5. a drinker of alcohol; a drunkard …1907 sl.
n. 6. an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male …1882 sl., orig. US
n. 7. an ineffectual or incompetent person …1882 sl., orig. US
n. 8. an uncouth person who is self-opinionated …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
vb. 1. to cheat or defraud someone, esp. by failing to pay them …1950 sl., orig. & chiefly US
vb. 2. to kill deliberately …1974 sl.
• STIFF-ARSED
adj. supercilious, stand-offish …1937 US sl.
• STIFF AS BARKER’S KNEE
adj. very stiff …Bk1898 Eng. dial.
• STIFF-ASSED
adj. supercilious, stand-offish …1937 sl.
• STIFFENER
n. a drink …1864 sl., orig. Aust.
• STIFFEN THE CROWS!
int. 1932 – an exclamation of surprise or astonishment (Aust. & NZ)
• STIFFEN THE LIZARDS!
int. 1959 – an exclamation of surprise or astonishment (Aust.)
• STIFFGUT
n. 1630 – a glutton (obs.)
• STIFFIE
n. 1980 – a formal invitation card (made of thick cardboard) (Brit. sl.)
• STIFFIN’ AND JIVIN’
n. 1960s – showing off (Amer. sl.)
• STIFFRUMP
n. 1709 – an obstinate or haughty person (sl., obs.)
• STIVVER
vb. Bk1913-17 – to go, to run, to hasten (Amer. dial.)
• STIFF UPPER LIP
n. 1815 – courage or resolution in the face of fear or danger (sl., orig. US)
• STIFF WAGON
n. Bk1942 – a hearse (Amer. sl.)
• STIFF WITH FRILL
adj. Bk1892 – very conceited, swaggering (Aust. sl.)
• STIFFY
n. 1. 1965 – a foolish person (US sl.)
n. 2. 1980 – a formal invitation card (made of thick cardboard) (Brit. sl.)
• STIGNOMANCY
n. Bk1991 – divination involving the examination of writing on or carving in the bark of a tree
• STILL HUNT
n. Bk1942– the secret pursuit of any object (sl.)
• STILL IN ONE’S GOWN-TAIL
adj. not fully dressed yet …1951 (Amer. dial.)
• STILLWORTH
adj. c1275 – peaceful (obs.)
• STILTS
n. Bk1942 – crutches (Amer. sl.)
• STING
n. 1. 1927 – alcohol (Aust. sl.)
n. 2. 1930 – a burglary or other act of theft, fraud, etc., esp. a complex and meticulously planned one carried out quickly (sl., chiefly US)
n. 3. 1949 – a narcotic drug; a drug injected into a racehorse (Aust. sl.)
n. 4. 1976 – a police undercover operation to catch criminals (sl., chiefly US)
vb. 1905 – to swindle, esp. by overcharging (sl.)
• STING FOR
vb. 1903 – to extort money from .(sl., orig. US)
• STINGO
n. 1927 – energy, vigour, vitality (sl.)
• STINK
vb. 1934 – to be unpleasant (sl.)
• STINKER
n. 1. 1898 – an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male (sl.)
n. 2. 20C – in dominoes: one who forces another player overboard (sl.)
n. 3. 1907 – a cigarette, esp. a cheap or foul-smelling cigarette or cigar (sl.)
n. 4. 1912 – a strongly worded letter (sl.)
n. 5. 1917 – something of inferior quality (sl.)
• STINKEROO
n. 1934 – something of inferior quality (sl.)
• STINKING
adj. 1. 1887 – drunk (sl.)
adj. 2. Bk1942 – unpleasant; disagreeable (Amer. sl.)
• STINK IN THE NOSTRILS
vb. a1600– to extremely offensive or abhorrent to a person
• STINKO
adj. 1. 1927 – drunk (sl.)
adj. 2. Bk1942 unpleasant; disagreeable (Amer. .)
• STINK-O’-BRASS
n. 1878 – an extremely rich person who is also a niggard (Eng. dial.)
• STINK OF MONEY
vb. 1877 – to be rich (sl., derogatory)
• STINKO PARALYTICO
adj. 1942 – drunk (sl.)
• STINK-POT
n. 1854 – an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male (sl.)
• STINKS
n. 1869 – chemistry (Brit, sl.)
• STINK THE PLACE UP
vb. M20 – to defecate; to use the bathroom (US sl.)
• STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN
vb. 1963 – to smell unpleasantly (sl.)
• STINK WEED
n. Bk1998 – marijuana (drug culture sl.)
• STIP
n. 1860 – a stipendiary magistrate (sl.)
• STIPE
n. 1860 – a stipendiary magistrate (sl.)
• STIR
n. Bk1891 – a prison (sl.)
vb. 1969 – to cause trouble (sl.)
• STIRABOUT
n. 1. 1682 – porridge made by stirring oatmeal (occasionally some other meal) in boiling water or milk (orig. Anglo-Irish)
n. 2. 1819 – a semi-liquid mess (Eng. dial. obs.)
n. 3. 1828 – oatmeal and drippings stirred about in a frying pan (Eng. dial.)
n. 4. 1870 – a bustling person
n. 5. 1885 – a porridge-stick (Sc.)
n. 6. 1905– a bustle, a state of confusion
• STIR A FINGER
vb. 1833 – to make the slightest effort; used in the negative to denote unwillingness to make an effort
• STIR A WAG
vb. 1899 – to make the slightest movement (Eng. dial.)
• STIR-CRAZY
adj. 1908 – mentally deranged, as if from long imprisonment (sl., chiefly US)
• STIRICIDE
n. 1656 – the dropping of icicles from a house (sl.)
• STIRIOUS
adj. 1646 – consisting of or resembling icicles (obs.)
• STIR-NUTS
adj. – mentally deranged, as if from long imprisonment (sl., chiefly US)
• STIR ONE’S STUMPS
vb. c1460 – to walk fast; to dance briskly; to act quickly; to bestir oneself, to increase one’s speed
• STIRRANCE
n. 1623 – disturbance (obs.)
• STIRRER
n. 1963 – a troublemaker (sl.)
• STIRRUP-OIL
n. L18 – a beating or flogging (sl.)
• STIR-SIMPLE
adj. 1908 – mentally deranged, as if from long imprisonment (sl., chiefly US)
• STITCH
vb. Bk1903 – to possess carnally (sl.)
• STITCH SOMEONE UP
vb. 1977 – to swindle, esp. by overcharging (Brit. sl.)
• STITCH-UP
n. 1984 – an act of unjustly transferring blame to someone else (Brit. sl.)
vb. 1970 – (usually as ‘stitch up’) to cause someone to be wrongfully arrested, convicted, etc. by informing, fabricating evidence, etc. (Brit. sl.)
• STIVER
n. 1502 – a small amount, esp. of money
• STIVER-CRAMPED
adj. 1785 – needy, wanting money → obs.
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Updated: February 27, 2023
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