TELEVISION
ADJECTIVES
► DARK untelevised → 2000 US sl.
NOUNS
► AYEMER in television: a morning show → 2002 Can. sl.
► BIG EYE television → 1965 Amer. dial.
► BLABBER a TV remote control → 1980s Aust. sl.
► BLOOM in television: a televised glare from some white object, as a shirt front, within range of the camera lens → 1975 US sl. (Bk.)
► BOOB TUBE a television → sl.
► BOX, THE a television set → 1950 Amer. colloq.
► BUMFUZZLER a television → 1966 Amer. dial.
► BUTTONS the remote control for a television → 20C teen & high school sl.
► CHANNEL HOPPING using a remote control to move quickly from one television channel to another, pausing only a short time on each channel → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► CHANNEL SURFING using a remote control to move quickly from one television channel to another, pausing only a short time on each channel → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► CHANNEL ZAPPING using a remote control to move quickly from one television channel to another, pausing only a short time on each channel → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► CREATURE FEATURE a film or television show featuring fantastical or monstrous creatures → 1965 colloq.
► CREEPIE-PEEPIE ► CREEPY-PEEPY a portable television camera used for close-up shots on location → 1952 colloq., television usage
► FACE TIME time spent in a meeting or conversation with an important or influential person; time spent on television → 1991 US sl.
► GANGBANG a television writing session involving multiple writers → 1997 US sl.
► GOOF BOX a TV set → 1940s Aust. & US sl.
► IDIOT ► IDIOT BOX the television; implies that TV watchers are less than normally intelligent → 1950s sl., orig. US
► IDIOT TUBE the television → 1960s US sl.
► IDIOT’S LANTERN the television; implies that TV watchers are less than normally intelligent → 1950s sl., orig. US
► INTELLECTUAL HOUR all time spent on watching cartoons on television → 1980 US sl.
► MONO a black and white television set; a monophonic sound reproductions system → 1970 UK sl.
► MOTHER KELLY television → 1992 UK rhyming sl. for ‘telly’
► NED KELLY the television → 1979 Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘telly’
► NERVO AND KNOX television → 1969 UK rhyming sl. for ‘box’
► NIGGER BOX a television → 1983 African-American sl.
► ONE-EYED MONSTER television → 1965 Amer. dial.
► RABBIT EARS a V-shaped television antenna → 1950s sl., orig. US
► SCREEN any type of television set → 1960s African-American sl.
► TELEPORN obscene matter broadcast on television → 1980 US sl.
► TELLY television → 1935 Brit. colloq.
► TUBE, THE television → 1959 US sl.
► V a television set → 1970 US high school sl. (Bk.)
► VADAVISION ► VARDAVISION a television → 2002 UK sl.
► VISION television → 1970s sl.
► WEB a television network → 1990 US sl.
► WYLET a television → Brit. back-slang on ‘telly’
► ZOM BOX a radio or television → 1940s US & Black British sl.
► ZOMBIE a radio or television → 1940s US & Black British sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
► AUTOCUTIE an attractive but incompetent television presenter → 2003 Brit. sl.
► COUCH SURFER a person who engages in sedentary activities, esp. television watching; a couch potato → 1991 colloq., orig. & chiefly US
► TALKING HAIRDO a television presenter or interviewee (usually in the role of ‘expert’) who is shot in head-and-shoulders close-up, the director eschewing any background or other movement → 1960s sl.
► TALKING HEAD 1. a television news reader or announcer whose head and neck appear on the screen → 1968 Amer. sl.
2. an expert guest on a television or radio news show → 1977 US sl.
► VEEJAY one who presents a programme of pop music videos, esp. on television → 1982 sl., chiefly US
► VIDAHOLIC an addict of television → 1970s US sl.
► VIDIOT a person addicted to television → 1980s US sl.
VERBS
► GOOF to gawk, to stare mindlessly, esp. at the television → 1940s Aust. & US sl.
► GRAZE to switch between television channels while viewing without watching any channel for long → colloq.
► WATCH IN to watch a television show → 1928 obs.
Lexicophilia 