UNDERWEAR, UNDERGARMENTS
(also see BRASSIERE)
ADJECTIVES
2006 — FREEBALL of a male: not wearing underpants → sl. (Bk.)
NOUNS
1000 — SMOCK a woman’s undergarment; a shift or chemise
..17C — BALL UP a man’s underwear flap; the front or flap of the breeches → Eng. & Amer. dial.
..17C — BALL-LAP a man’s underwear flap → Eng. dial.
..17C — BALLS UP a man’s underwear flap → Eng. dial.
1625 — SMALL CLOTHES small items of clothing; underclothes
1724 — SHIFTING underclothing
1780 — ARTICLES breeches, trousers; a suit of clothes; possibly also underwear → cant
..19C — CLOUT a woman’s underclothes → Brit.
..19C — HAM-BAGS women’s underpants → Brit. colloq.
..19C — LINEN underwear
..19C — NETHER GARMENTS underwear → euphemism
..19C — PANTEYS → PANTIES women’s or children’s underpants → colloq.
..E19 — SNOW underwear; linen hanging on washlines drying → tramps’ sl.
1832 — FAULDINGS the nether garments; ‘that part of dress with involves the posteriors” → Sc. obs.
.M19 — SNOW-DROPPING the stealing of washing, usually women’s underwear, from unguarded clothes-lines → Aust./UK/criminal sl.
.M19 — UNDERGARMENTS underwear; the clothing worn next to the skin → sl.
1858 — SHIMNEY a woman’s under garment; a chemise → Amer. dial.
1863 — UNDERBODY an undergarment for a woman or child → Amer. dial.
1870 — FRILLIES women’s underclothing → colloq.
1883 — BODY LINEN underclothing
1888 — FRILLERY women’s underclothing → colloq.
1897 — INSIDE-CLOTHES underclothing → Sc.
..L19 — EARLY DOORS underpants, woman’s underpants → Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘drawers’
..L19 — POPPY SHOW an inadvertent display of one’s underclothes, orig. those made of red or brown flannel → sl.
..20C — ATWOOD a ‘wedgie’ in one’s underwear → Can. teen & high school sl.
..20C — CAM a camisole or underbodice → sl.
..20C — CAMI → CAMMY a camisole or underbodice → sl.
..20C — CHECKING pulling down another’s outerwear boxer shorts from behind as a surprise → teen & high school sl.
..20C — DACKS → DAKS a pair of underpants → Aust. sl.
..20C — DO AND DARE underpants; any underclothing → rhyming sl. for ‘underwear’
..20C — MONTEZUMAS bloomers → rhyming sl.
..20C — PULL-ONS women’s underpants of the type that pull on and need no tying → Brit. & US colloq.
..20C — UNDERS underpants → US sl.
..20C — UNHINTABLES women’s underwear → US sl.
..20C — UNUTTERABLES women’s underwear → US sl.
..20C — UNWHISPERABLES women’s undergarments → US sl.
..20C — U-TROU men’s underpants → US sl.
..20C — U-WEAR men’s underpants → US sl.
..E20 — MAGGIE MOORES → MAGGIES underpants → Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘drawers’
..E20 — NEATHIE-SET female underwear → Brit. sl.
..E20 — UNMENTIONABLES women’s underpants → US sl.
..E20 — WHEREABOUTS ‘wear-abouts’; men’s underpants → Aust. sl.
1903 — SHIMMY a woman’s under garment; a chemise → Amer. dial.
1906 — UNDIES women’s underpants → sl.
1908 — BRITCHES underwear → Amer. dial.
1909 — SHIMMY-TAIL a woman’s under garment; a chemise → Amer. dial.
1909 — UNIONS long underwear → Amer. dial.
1910 — CHAT-BAGS underwear → Aust. sl.
1910 — UNDERFUGS underpants → sl.
1918 — SKIVIES → SKIVVIES underwear; originally applied to an undershirt or vest → US sl.
1920 — BVDs underwear, esp. long underwear → Amer. sl.
1920 — SELDOM SEE underwear → US sl.
1922 — NIXIES women’s knickers → sl.
1924 — UNDERFUG an undervest; also, underpants → Brit. public schools’ sl.
1926 — ALL-OVERS long underwear → Amer. dial.
1926 — SHIMMY-SHIRT a woman’s under garment; a chemise → Amer. dial.
1926 — WINTER WOOLLIES warm underwear (not necessarily made of wool) → sl.
1930 — WOOLIES → WOOLLIES long woollen underwear → Amer. dial.
1930 — CAMI-KNICKS an undergarment that combines camisole and knickers → sl.
1930 — SKID MARKS faecal stains on one’s underwear → sl.
1934 — SMALLS underwear, esp. knickers or underpants → Brit. sl.
1934 — TROLLEYS → TROLLIES women’s underpants → Brit. sl., chiefly schoolgirls’ usage
1940 — BOOSTER DRAWERS underwear that has been specially adapted for secreting items that have been shoplifted
1940 — BOOSTING BLOOMERS underwear that has been specially adapted for secreting items that have been shoplifted
1940 — PANTER underwear → sl.
1943 — LONG JOHNS underpants with long legs → sl.
1943 — LONG-HANDLES long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1943 — PASSION-KILLERS sturdy, practical, and unromantic ladies’ knickers; orig. those issued to female service personnel → sl.
1945 — LONG-HANDLE UNDERWEAR long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1945 — SCIVVIES underwear → Amer. sl.
1949 — ABC’S underwear → US sl.
.M20 — UNDERTHINGS women’s underwear, esp. underpants → euphemism
1950 — LONG-HANDLED UNDERWEAR long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1950 — LONG-HORNED UNDERWEAR long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1950 — LONGIES long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1950 — RAMMIES knickers → sl.
1954 — GUSSIES women’s lace panties → sl.
1957 — HEN-SKINS lightweight underwear → Amer. logging usage
1958 — ALABAMA WOOL cotton clothing, esp. underwear → Amer. dial.
1958 — BLANKET DRAWERS long handled underwear about of the same itchiness and same thickness as a horse blanket → Amer. logging usage
1960 — ALANS → ALAN WHICKERS knickers → UK rhyming sl.
1960 — CLICKETY-CLICKS women’s underpants → rhyming sl. for ‘knicks’
1960 — KAKS → KECKS → KEKS → KEX knickers, underpants → sl.
1963 — NUT-CHOKERS male underwear → sl.
1965 — APPLE-CATCHERS a type of roomy underpants
1965 — BULLY-WOOLLIES long underwear → Amer. dial.
1965 — GOURD HANDLES men’s long underwear → Amer. dial.
1965 — JEBERDEES men’s undershorts → Amer. dial.
1965 — LONG DRAWERS → LONG DRAWS long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1965 — LONG JEANS long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1965 — LONG-HANDLED DRAWERS long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1965 — LONG-LEG DRAWERS long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1965 — RED JEANS long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1965 — SKIMPIES women’s short underwear → Amer. dial.
1966 — FIG LEAF men’s very brief underwear
1966 — LONGHORNS long underwear, long johns → Amer. dial.
1966 — MOLLIES men’s long underwear → Amer. dial.
1966 — UNDERCHUNDERS underpants → Aust. sl.
1966 — UNDERDAKS underpants → Aust. sl.
1967 — HANDLEBARS men’s long underwear → Amer. dial.
1967 — UNIONALLS → UNIONHALLS long underwear → Amer. dial.
1968 — SHORT HANDLES. men’s short underwear → Amer. dial.
1969 — CROPPER men’s jockey shorts
1969 — DOUBLE BARRELS men’s long underwear → Amer. dial.
1969 — LONG-BARREL UNDERWEAR men’s long underwear → Amer. dial.
1969 — LONG LEGS long underwear; long johns → Amer. dial.
1969 — LONGS men’s long underwear → Amer. dial.
1970 — GANDIES underclothing; panties → US sl. (Bk.)
1970 — PANTIES the underwear worn by a prison homosexual → US prison & homosexual sl.
1970 — SCANTS underwear → UK juvenile sl.
1970 — SNOW-BIRDING stealing washing, usually women’s underwear from clothes-lines → Aust. & NZ sl.
1970 — SNUGGIES women’s underwear → US students’ sl.
1970 — U.B.S. underwear, usually female (UnderBodies) → US students’ sl.
1972 — DAINTIES women’s panties, knickers → euphemism
1975 — BIG EIGHTS long woollen underwear (Bk.)
1978 — NIXIES a female undergarment with a cut-out crotch permitting vaginal sex while otherwise clothed → US sl.
1980 — CACKERSARNIE the condition that exists when someone pulls your trousers or underpants forcefully upward, forming a wedge between buttock cheeks; the act of putting someone in that position → UK sl., chiefly schoolboys’ usage
1980 — CACKS knickers → sl.
1981 — UNDERDUNGERS underpants → NZ sl.
1986 — SILKIES silk female underwear → US sl.
1988 — FISHBITE the act of lifting a person (from behind) by the belt, belt buckles, top of the underwear, the seat of the pants; a wedgie → Amer. dial.
1989 — MARVIN → MELVIN the act of reaching into another person’s belt, and either grabbing the underwear or the belt and lifting the person off the ground → Amer. dial.
1989 — SCOOTER TRACKS faecal stains in underwear → US sl.
1989 — TACO the act of lifting a person (from behind) by the belt, belt buckles, top of the underwear, or the seat of the pants → Amer. dial.
1989 — UNCLE MELVIN the act of reaching into another person’s belt, and either grabbing the underwear or the belt and lifting the person off the ground → Amer. dial.
1989 — WILMA a prank involving the abrupt and rough yanking upwards of someone’s belt loop, belt buckle, underwear top, or seat of the pants so that the victim’s underwear becomes wedged between the buttocks; a wedgie → Amer. dial.
1990 — BAGGY women’s underwear
1990 — SCANTING tugging the victim’s underwear upwards, in order to give them a painful shock → UK juvenile sl.
1991 — LIFTER a wedgie in one’s underwear → Amer. dial.
1992 — SOLDIER ANTS → SOLDIERS underpants → rhyming sl.
1995 — SKIDDIES underpants → UK sl.
1996 — CHUDDIES underpants → UK sl.
1996 — SKIDS underpants → UK sl.
1997 — UNDERCRACKERS underpants → UK sl.
1998 — GRUTS underpants → NZ sl.
1999 — SKIDDIES faecal marks in underwear → UK sl.
2000 — G a G-string → US sl.
2002 — EDDIE GRUNDIES underwear → UK sl.
2003 — BILLS male underpants
2006 — ATOMIC WEDGIE an instance of pulling someone’s underpants up very tightly from the rear, so that the cloth is pulled between the victim’s buttocks; a severe wedgie → US sl. (Bk.)
2006 — BEEVEEDEES underwear; men’s underwear → US sl. (Bk.)
NOUNS, PERSON
1926 — BATTLESHIP a girl who wears a corset → US sl.
PHRASES
1855 — THERE’S A LETTER IN THE POST OFFICE used to indicate that there is a hole in one’s trousers or that one’s underwear is showing → Amer. dial.
1950 — FATHER LOVES YOU BEST used to warn a woman that her slip is showing → Amer. dial.
1965 — YOU LIKE YOUR FATHER BEST used to warn a woman that her slip is showing → Amer. dial.
1965 — YOUR FATHER IS THINKING OF YOU used to warn a woman that her slip is showing → Amer. dial.
1965 — YOUR FATHER LIKES YOU BETTER THAN YOUR MOTHER used to warn a woman that her slip is showing → Amer. dial.
VERBS
1920 — TAKE DOWN SOMEONE’S PARTICULARS of a man: to remove a woman’s underwear → sl.
1966 — SHOOT A BEAVER to catch a glimpse of a girl’s thigh or undergarments (Bk.)
2006 — FREEBALL of a male: to wear no underwear under one’s outer clothing → US sl. (Bk.)