Slang and uncoventional english part 53 pptx

perform oral sex on a woman US, 1981 . < in the house 1 here and
now, present, currently
US, 1993. 2 popular, stylish US, 1994. < mind
your house
watch your back, be careful. Often used in sports
matches: when a player has the ball a team mate will shout ‘mind
your house’ if an opponent is coming up behind him IRELAND, 1999.
< on the house paid for by management of the establishment
US, 1889. < the house the New York House of Detention for
female prisoners
US, 1966
house verb 1 to steal US, 1989. 2 to carry contraband, such as a
weapon or drugs US, 1997
house adjective casual, verging on sloppy US, 1993
house ape noun a child US, 1968
house ball noun in pinball, a ball that leaves play without having
scored any points US, 1977
housecat noun a soldier not assigned to combat duty. Vietnam war
usage US, 1977
housed adjective drunk US, 1997
house dancer noun a sex club dancer who regularly appears at one
club US, 2000
house dick noun a private detective working for a hotel or other
establishment US, 1951
house fee noun the amount charged for entering a crack house US,
1992
house girl noun 1 a prostitute working in a brothel US, 1957. 2 in a sex
club, a local dancer who regularly works at the club, as
distinguished from pornography stars who make limited
engagements at the club US, 1997
housekeeper noun in prison, the passive, weaker partner in a

relationship who is subservient to his dominant partner’s needs
and wants
US, 1991
housemaid’s knee noun 1 a sea, the sea. Rhyming slang UK, 1979. 2 a
key. Rhyming slang UK, 1992
housemaid’s knees noun the condition caused by Osgood-Schlatter
disease, calcium deposits on the lower outside quadrant of the
knee US, 1973
houseman noun the best regular player in a pool hall US, 1990
house mother noun a madame in a brothel US, 1987
house mouse noun 1 a prisoner who takes or accepts responsibility
for cleaning a prison cell, dormitory or common room US, 1989. 2 in
Antarctica, support personnel assigned to the base, especially
someone assigned to domestic duties
ANTARCTICA, 1958. 3 an
American soldier who explored Viet Cong tunnels
US, 1989. 4 during
the Vietnam war, a Vietnamese maid or mistress US, 1991
house music; house noun an umbrella genre for much
contemporary dance music with strong repetitive rhythms–in 4/4
time, generally between 115 and 135 beats per minute. The name
derives from the Warehouse club in Chicago where the music
originated in the mid-1980s
UK, 1998
house nigger; house nigga noun a black person who curries favour
from white people and in return is given some small degree of
privilege. An updated ‘house slave’ US, 1968
house nut noun in the cinema business, the weekly operating
expenses of the cinema US, 1990
House of Commons noun an outdoor toilet CA NADA, 1987

House of D nickname the New York Women’s House of Detention,
Greenwich Avenue
US, 1964
house of dark shadows noun any building that is occupied, or
thought to be occupied, by Viet Cong US, 1991
House of Do Right nickname the New York City jail US, 1967
House of Fraser; hoosie Fraser; howser noun a razor, especially
as a weapon. Rhyming slang, formed from the name of a retailing
chain UK, 1992
house of intake noun a restaurant. A term coined by writers of the
Coneheads skits on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s, featuring
three Remulakian aliens who lived quiet and normal lives in the
suburbs of New Jersey. Most of the Remulakian phrases were too
forced for everyday slang, such as ‘molten lactate extract of
hooved animals’ for ‘melted cheese’, but a few such as this were
temporarily in vogue
US, 1977
house of joy noun a brothel US, 1948
House of Lords noun corduroy trousers. Rhyming slang for CORDS
UK
, 1992
house of wax noun a prison US, 1973
house piece noun a gift of a dose of crack cocaine, given to the
owner of a crack house in appreciation for the use of the premises
US, 1992
houseplant noun a person who never leaves the home US, 1917
houser noun 1 a person who is part of the club music and party set
US, 1994. 2 a group of close friends US, 1993
house-stoy noun (among Nova Scotians of German descent) a
wedding present

CANADA, 1975
House that Ruth Built nickname Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York.
The stadium opened in 1923 at the height of Ruth’s career
US, 1998
housewife noun an elementary sewing kit UK, 1968
housewives’ choice noun voice. Rhyming slang, formed from the
title of a record request programme broadcast on the BBC Light
Programme, 1946–67 UK, 1992
house wizard; house guru noun the technical expert in a business
or organisation US, 1991
house-wrecker noun in surfing, a large and powerful wave US, 1978
housey housey adjective itchy. Rhyming slang for ‘lousy’ (lice-ridden,
hence itchy). Formed from the name of one of Bingo’s variations
UK, 1992
Hovis noun the head of a brown-skinned person. A refinement of
the rhyming slang
LOAF OF BREAD (the head); Hovis™ is a well-
known brand of brown bread UK, 1998
how ADJECTIVE can you get? used of someone who has a more
than average measure of a specified quality
US, 1951
Howard Johnsons noun an outdoor street food vendor in Vietnam
during the war. From the name of a roadside restaurant which at
the time of the Vietnam war was immensely popular in the US
US,
1965
Howard’s Way adjective homosexual. Rhyming slang for GAY,from
the title of a BBC television drama series, 1985–90
UK, 2003
how are you going? how are you? Used as a greeting AUS TRALIA, 1930

how bad is that? that’s great! US, 1965
how can I tell? used in prison to question the truth of that which
has just been said US, 1992
how come? why US, 1848
how cool is that! used for expressing delight US, 1999
how-de-do; how-d’ye-do noun a shoe. Rhyming slang UK, 1979
how-do-you-do; how-d’ye-do noun a fuss, a noisy difficulty, an
embarrassing or awkward problem. Rhyming slang for ‘stew’ UK,
1835
how do you like me now? noun crack cocaine UK, 1998
howdy-do; howdy used as a friendly greeting. A reduction of ‘how
d’ye do’ (1697)
US, 1970
Howdy Doody noun an unspecified chemical agent used in
Vietnam US, 1991
how goes it? used as a greeting US, 1966
how high is a Chinaman? used as a catchphrase reply to an
unanswerable, or stupid, question. From a children’s pun that How
Hi is a Chinaman UK, 1977
howie noun a howitzer, field artillery US, 1990
howk verb to dig, to excavate UK: SCOTLAND, 1911
howl noun a source of great amusement US, 1930
howl verb < howl at the moon to experience the bleed period of
the menstrual cycle
US, 2001
howler noun 1 a glaring mistake UK, 1885. 2 a child UK, 1980
house | howler 346
howling adj ective 1 drunk UK, 2002. 2 very smelly UK, 1988. 3 superlative
UK, 1865
howling fifties noun the latitutes of 50 to 59 degrees south

ANTARCTICA, 1962
Howling Mad Smith nickname General Holland M. Smith, US
Marine Corps. The NBC action series A-Team (1983–87) featured a
character named Captain H. M. ‘Howlin’ Mad’ Murdock, played by
Dwight Schultz, presumably named after General Smith US, 1988
how much? what do you mean? UK, 1852
how rude! used for expressing disgust. A catchphrase from the
television programme Full House US, 1990 8see: RUDE!
how’s hacking? used as a greeting US, 1981
how’s it going? used as a greeting US, 1944
how’s it hanging? used as a greeting, usually male-to-male.
Sometimes testicularly inclusive and increased to ‘they’
US, 1974
how-so? how is that so? Found in the C14, but not a complete
path to the current usage
US, 1980
how’s tricks? used as a friendly greeting. Probably from the
terminology of card games but may also have had nautical origins
UK, 1904
how sweet it is! used for expressing pleasure. One of comedian
Jackie Gleason’s several signature lines, often used on The Jackie
Gleason Show (CBS, 1952–70). Repeated with obviously referential
humour US, 1957
how’s your arse for lovebites? used as a greeting between young
men
UK: SCOTLAND, 1996
how’s-your-father noun 1 any act of sexual intimacy from petting to
intercourse; non-conventional sexual behaviour. Originally from
the music halls, ‘how’s your father’ or ‘howsyerfather’ was an all-
purpose catchphrase, a euphemism for anything; subsequent

usage, especially in the services during World War 2 mainly
narrowed the sense to ‘a sexual dalliance’
UK, 1931. 2 any activity or
business that is complicated or annoying, a fuss. Rhyming slang
for ‘palaver’ UK, 1998. 3 afightNEW ZEALAND, 2002. 4 cocaine UK, 2000
how’s your love life?; how’s your sex life? used as a greeting,
often flirtatious
UK, 1969
how’s your mind? are you mad? Generally asked in exasperation
or irritation
SOUTH AFRICA, 2004
howzat? how’s that? Often heard as a cricketer’s appeal to the
umpire UK, 1961
howzit? used as a greeting. In South Africa, the usual reply is: ‘No,
fine’, which actually means ‘Yes, I am fine’ (the word ‘no’ is often
taken to mean ‘yes’); an Afrikaner might reply: ‘Ja, well, no fine’
US, 1950
hoy verb to throw AUSTRALIA, 1971
hozzo noun a large and dangerous wave. From ‘horrible’, with ‘-o’
suffix AU S TRALIA, 1987
hozzo adjective (of a wave or surfing conditions) large, powerful and
dangerous AUSTRALIA, 1987
hozzy; ozzy; ozzie noun a hospital UK, 2001
HP noun a man. Gay slang; an initialism of polari HOMEE-PALONE (a
man) UK, 2002
HRN noun heroin. Whilst this looks like an acronym it is simply
‘heroin’ devowelled
US, 1959
HTH noun a spouse or lover who is waiting for you back home. An
abbreviation of ‘hometown honey’ US, 1993

hubba noun crack cocaine US, 1988
hubba-hubba! used for expressing enthusiastic appreciation of a
good-looking woman US, 1941
hubba, I am back noun crack cocaine. Rhyming slang UK, 1998
hubba pigeon noun a crack cocaine addict who searches for bits of
crack cocaine on the ground
US, 1995
hubbly-bubbly noun a water pipe used for smoking marijuana,
hashish or crack cocaine US, 1970
hubboo adjective pregnant NORFOLK ISLAND, 1992
hubby; hubbie noun a husband. Often used in a sardonic sense UK,
1688
hubcap noun 1 an important person. Playing on WHEEL (a very
important person)
US, 1960. 2 a person whose sense of importance
outweights his actual importance
US, 1951
huck verb in snowboarding, to launch yourself into the air US, 1995
huckery adjective ugly. Often used to describe a woman or ‘moll’ NEW
ZEALAND
, 1993
huckle verb to be bundled into a place; to be thrown out; to arrest
UK: SCOTLAND, 1985
hudda noun apoliceofficer;thepoliceUS, 1993
huddle verb while working as a police officer in a patrol car, to park
and sleep US, 1973
huddy keep left (of a horse) CANADA, 1957
hudge verb in pinball, to apply physical force to a machine to affect
the trajectory of the ball without activating the tilt mechanism US,
1977

huevon noun a very lazy person. Border Spanish used in English
conversation by Mexican-Americans; from the image of the man
who is so lazy that his testicles (HUEVAS) grow large US, 1974
huevos noun 1 the testicles; courage. Border Spanish used in English
conversation by Mexican-Americans; literally ‘eggs’ US, 1974 . 2 waves.
Spanish for ‘eggs’, but a near-homophone for ‘waves’, hence the
play US, 1991 . 3 a variety of Moroccan hashish. From Spanish for
‘eggs’, named for its shape and texture
SP AIN, 2003
Huey nickname a Bell utility military helicopter US, 1962
Huey shuffle noun a common hesitation in the flight pattern by an
inexperienced helicopter pilot
US, 1983
huff verb 1 to inhale household or industrial chemicals for rec-
reational purposes US, 1969 . 2 to steal TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1990
huff and puff noun a state of high anger TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1978
huff and puff verb to breathe heavily. From the childhood tale of
The Three Little Pigs UK, 1890
huffer noun 1 an act of oral sex on a man. Probably a mistaken
understanding of
HUMMER US, 1973. 2 a person who inhales
household or industrial chemicals for recreational purposes
US, 1969.
3 in drag racing and hot rodding, a supercharger US, 1968
hug verb < hug the bowl to vomit US, 1997
hug and slug noun (among Canadian Forces members) any place
where girls or fights are to be found CA NADA, 1995
hug drug noun MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy.
From the affectionate feelings roused by the drug UK, 1996
hugger-mugger noun 1 chaos US, 1972. 2 a prostitute who beats and

robs customers or who serves as a decoy for someone who beats
and robs the customer US, 1970
huggie noun a styrofoam or plastic cylinder that slips over a beer
can, serving as insulation US, 2000
hugging adj ective bad, crazy US, 1997
huggy adjective given to hugging; hence, sensitive and caring US, 1999
huggy-bear noun prolonged hugging and kissing US, 1964
hughie; huey noun an act of vomiting. A joke was told of a person
calling out the name of television presenter Hughie Green,
1920–1997; it was, in fact, the cry of someone vomiting after
drinking green Chartreuse
UK: SCOTLAND, 1985
hughie; huey verb to vomit. Echoic of the involuntary vocal
accompaniment to the action UK: SCOTLAND, 1985
Hughie; Hughey; Huey noun a supposed rain god. Used in the
phrase ‘send her/it down Hughie!’, said when the rains first appear
after a dry spell or the dry season. The earliest instance of this is
from the Bulletin, 3rd December 1912, where it is stated that it
referred to a Mr Huie ‘an amateur meteorologist who had luck in
prophesying rain’. This story has not been verified and would
probably carry more force if it weren’t for the fact that Hughie
sounds more like a first name than a surname, and also in light of
the variants that have from time to time cropped up, such as
‘send her down Steve!’ and ‘send her down David!’
AUSTRALIA, 1912
347 howling | Hughie; Hughey; Huey
hugs and kisses; hugs; ugs noun a wife. Rhyming slang for MISSUS
UK
, 1992
huh-huh-huh; huh-huh-huh-huh used as a representation of

unspirited laughter. Caricatured as the smirking laugh of teenage
heavy metal fans in the animated television series Beavis and
Butthead, Mtelevision, 1993–97
US, 1997
hulk noun an unusually large bodybuilder US, 1980
hulking adjective large, especially of an unwieldy mass UK, 1698
hull noun an empty pistol cartridge case US, 1957
hullabaloo noun a loud noise; an uproar; confusion UK, 1762
hulloo noun a completely inconsequential person NORFOLK ISLAND, 1992
hully-gully adjective stylish, especially in a Rastafarian sense BAHAMAS,
1973
hum verb 1 to be busy, to be crowded; to be lively US, 1887. 2 to have
an unpleasant odour, to stink UK, 1902
human sea noun an infantry tactic of the North Korean Army, of
swarming enemy positions in overwhelming numbers US, 1964
humble noun a false criminal accusation or charge US, 1940
Humbolt green noun marijuana. This should, perhaps, be
‘Humboldt green’, indicating the county in northern California in
which this green-leafed marijuana plant originates UK, 2003
humbug noun 1 false or trumped-up criminal charges US, 1972. 2 a
fight, especially between youth gangs US, 1962
humbug verb 1 to fight US, 1968. 2 to interfere with, to bother TRINIDAD
AND TOBAGO
, 1904
humdinger noun a remarkable thing or person US, 1905
hum job noun oral sex performed on a male US, 1964
hummel noun the hair. English gypsy use UK, 2000
hummer noun 1 an act of oral sex performed on a man US, 1971. 2 an
exceptionally good thing UK, 1681. 3 an arrest for something the
person did not do; an arrest for a minor violation that leads to

more serious charges US, 1932. 4 a minor mistake US, 1959. 5 ajoke,a
prank
US, 1990. 6 the Grumman E-2, an early warning aircraft. Given
the official nickname ‘Hawkeye’, it was instantly renamed by the
troops US, 1989. 7 an army weapons carrier. The official designation
is a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. The slang is
easier US, 1983
hummer days noun (from a male perspective) the bleed period of
the menstrual cycle US, 2001
hummingbird ass noun used for suggesting that a person lacks the
courage to back up his taunts
US, 1977
humongous; humungous adjective very large US, 1968
hump noun 1 a fit of sulks, a bad mood, depression UK, 1873. 2 an
offensive or despicable person US, 1963 . 3 a dolt, a dull person US,
1963. 4 an act of sexual intercourse US, 1918. 5 a Camel™ cigarette US,
1989. 6 a bridge. Citizens’ band radio slang UK, 1981. 7 the air route
over the Himalaya Mountains during World War 2 US, 1942. 8 the
middle section of a prison sentence US, 1962. 9 a large wave. Surfer
usage US, 1957. 10 a military combat patrol. Recorded in Australia in
the C19, but not again until the US war in Vietnam US, 1971. 11 a
lookout during a crime US, 1949 . 12 in circus usage, a camel US, 1926.
< over the hump while gambling, having won enough to be
gambling now with the house’s money US, 1950
hump verb 1 to have sex US, 1784. 2 to carry, to lug, to march. An
essential word to US soldiers in Vietnam
AUSTRALIA, 1851. 3 to earn
money working as a prostitute US, 1973. 4 in trucking, to drive fast
US, 1976. < hump it in poker, to raise the maximum bet allowed
US, 1988. < hump like a camel to engage in sexual intercourse

with great physical enthusiasm US, 1970. < hump the dog to
waste time completely. Similar construction to the synonymous
‘fuck the dog’ US, 1980 . < hump your bluey/drum/swag to carry
one’s belongings in a swag while seeking work on foot
AUSTRALIA,
1851
hump-and-jump adjective (of a job) physically demanding and fast-
paced US, 1977
hump and thump noun cardiovascular resuscitation US, 1994
humpback job noun a local freight train US, 1946
hump date noun during the Vietnam war, the date when half of a
soldier’s tour of duty in Vietnam is completed
US, 1965
hump day noun Wednesday. Visualised as a hill, the peak or hump
of the work week or school week is Wednesday
US, 1955
humper noun 1 a member of a rock band’s crew who carries heavy
items
UK, 1985. 2 a large and unbroken wave US, 1977. 3 in motor
racing, a slick drag racing tyre that has been grooved for use on a
dirt track US, 1980
hump-hump verb to have sex. Mock pidgin US, 1997
hump night noun Wednesday night US, 1955
hump rat noun a railway yard brakeman US, 1968
humpty dumpty noun an extreme reaction to MDMA, the rec-
reational drug best known as ecstasy. A probable reference to the
fate of the nursery rhyme character
UK, 1996
Humpty Dumpty language noun any word or vocabulary given an
unusual or eccentric sense by the user. Derives from Through the

Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll
(Charles Dodgson), 1871: ‘"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty
said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to
mean – neither more nor less."’
UK, 1984
humpy noun a makeshift dwelling. Originally used of a temporary
shelter made by Aboriginals; from the Australian Aboriginal
language Yagara (Brisbane region) AUSTRALIA, 1846
humpy adjective handsome, sexy. Homosexual usage US, 1968
humpy-bump verb to have sex US, 1974
hun noun one hundred dollars; a one hundred dollar note US, 1895
Hun noun 1 a German; a person of German descent. As German
troops set sail for China on 27th July 1900, Wilhelm II urged them
to fight ‘just as the Huns a thousand years ago’. The name stuck.
It was the main pejorative for the enemy in World War 2
UK, 1900.
2 a Protestant UK: SCOTLAND, 1996
hunch noun an intuition or premonition. Now verging on conven-
tional
US, 1888
hunch verb to bring someone up to date; to inform US, 1973
hundoe noun one hundred dollars US, 2001
hundred-mile coffee noun strong coffee. So named because it is
strong enough to keep a trucker awake to drive one hundred miles
US, 1971
hundred to eight noun a plate. Rhyming slang, formed from
bookmaker’s odds UK, 1998
hundred to thirty adj ective dirty UK, 1974
hung adjective 1 endowed with a large penis. Shakespeare punned
with the term 400 years ago

UK, 1600. 2 fascinated or obsessed with
US, 1950. 3 (used of a computer program) suspended, waiting for
something that will not happen US, 1983
hung like a cashew blessed with a small penis UK, 1998
hung like a hamster blessed with a small penis US, 2004
hung like a jack donkey; hung like a donkey endowed with an
impressively large penis UK, 1984
hung like a pimple blessed with a small penis US, 1995
hung over adjective suffering from the after-effects of having drunk
too much alcohol. Derives from ‘hangover’
US, 1942
hungries noun the craving for food that follows the smoking of
marijuana US, 1970
hungry adjective stingy; mean AUSTRALIA, 1855
hung up adjective 1 obsessed, infatuated US, 1950. 2 addicted US, 1950.
3 of a drug-addict who is unable to get drugs, depressed, let down,
disappointed. A nuance of the previous sense US, 1948. 4 inhibited,
neurotic US, 1952. 5 while surfing, caught along the steep wall of a
wave and unable to pull out US, 1963
hungus adjective in computing, extremely large US, 1981
hunk noun a good-looking, muscular boy or man US, 1945
hunka chunka noun sexual intercourse US, 2005
hunkin adj ective enormous US, 1997
hugs and kisses; hugs; ugs | hunkin 348
hunky adjective attractive, muscular US, 1972
hunky; hunkie noun 1 a white person. Derogatory US, 1959. 2 an Eastern
European; a Slav; a Hungarian. Disparaging, but usually more illustra-
tive of the speaker’s lack of geographic knowledge
US, 1909
hunky dory adj ective satisfactory, fine US, 1861

hunt noun < in the hunt in contention AUSTRALIA, 1957
hunt verb to chase off, away or to somewhere AUSTRALIA, 1917. < hunt
owls
to drive at night with your full headlight beams on, blinding
oncoming traffic
US, 1962. < hunt r abbits in a game of poker, to
go through the cards that were not played after a hand is finished
in search of what might have been US, 1951. < hunt the great
white whale to search for a source of cocaine. The GREAT WHITE
WHALE
is a literary allusion to Moby Dick, the classic novel by
Herman Melville (1819–91), and a play on the colour and power
of cocaine
UK, 2001
hunter noun 1 a pickpocket US, 1949. 2 cocaine UK, 1998
hunt for Red October noun the bleed period of the menstrual
cycle. Elaboration of ‘red’ – the colour of blood – by adoption of
the title of a novel by Tom Clancy, and subsequent film US, 2000
hunting license noun an assignment given by a prison gang to kill
someone US, 1992
huntsabber noun a hunt saboteur UK, 2001
hunty-hunty adjective (of a woman) used to describe a husband-
hunter or a ‘manhunter’. Reduplication of the woman’s essential
quality. West Indian, hence UK Black UK, 2000
huppie noun an individual socially categorised as an Hispanic urban
professional or Hispanic upwardly mobile professional. On the fam-
iliar model of
YUPPIE (young upwardly mobile professional) US, 1986
hurdy noun a dance hall girl CANADA, 1958
hurl noun an act of vomiting; vomit AUSTRALIA, 1967

hurl verb to vomit AU STRALIA, 1964
hurler noun a person who suffers from bulimia nervosa US, 1998
hurly-burly adjective confusing, tumultuous UK, 1596
hurrah noun in a big store confidence swindle, the stage of the
swindle when the victim is fully duped US, 1997
hurricane deck noun the back of a bucking bronco US, 1862
hurricane ham noun conch BAH AMAS, 1982
hurricane lamp; hurricane noun a tramp, a vagrant. Rhyming slang
UK, 1998
hurricane lamp job noun in horse racing, a horse that finishes last
by a great distance. The horse is so far back that it is joked that a
hurricane lamp is needed to find it AUSTRALIA, 1989
hurricane on a ten-cent piece noun a wife furious with her
husband CANADA, 1995
hurry-come adjective done with haste and without care TRINIDAD AND
TOBAGO
, 1987
hurry-on noun a quickening of pace AUSTRALIA, 1983
hurry-up noun 1 a hurry, speed. Since the 1960s UK, 1962. 2 arequest
for a quickening of pace AU STRALIA, 1916
hurryup wagon noun a police van US, 1893
hurt noun < put the hurt on to inflict pain UK, 2001
hurt verb to crave a drug UK, 1996
hurt adjective undesirable, unattractive, inept US, 1973
hurting adjective inferior; not up to expectations US, 2002
hurt me! used for expressing extreme pleasure or displeasure US, 1983
hurve verb to move quickly; to hurry AUSTRALIA, 1983
husband noun in a homosexual relationship (male or female), the
more aggressive and domineering partner US, 1941
husband and wife; husband noun a knife. Rhyming slang UK, 1992

hush noun silence UK, 1976
hush-em noun a silencer attached to a handgun US, 1949
hush-hush adjective secret. Reduplicated ‘hush’ (to be quiet); military
origins
UK, 1916
hush money noun a bribe paid to obtain silence UK, 1709
hush puppy noun 1 a Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol; the silencer
attached to the pistol. Carried by US Navy SEALS. So named, the
legend goes, because of its use in killing guard dogs
US, 1982. 2 a
yuppie (a young upwardly mobile professional). Rhyming slang,
formed from a footwear-manufacturer’s brand name
UK, 1992
hush-puppy adjective (used of jazz) old-fashioned, conventional US,
1958
husk verb to undress US, 1945
Husky noun in trucking, a Brockway truck. From the company logo
US, 1976
huss; hus; huz noun a favour. Vietnam war usage, especially by
marines
US, 1971
hustle noun 1 an illegal enterprise, especially one involving swindling
US, 1943. 2 effort, exertion, desire US, 1898. < on the hustle
1 engaged in a career of swindling US, 1997
hustle verb 1 to engage in prostitution US, 1895. 2 to obtain after a
diligent effort, especially one using unorthodox, if not illegal,
means US, 1840. 3 to beg, to cadge. Used by beggars and tramps US,
1902. 4 to flirt; to make a sexual advance TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 2003
hustler noun 1 a prostitute, especially a male homosexual US, 1924. 2 a
drug pusher UK, 1996. 3 a person who makes his living by playing

pool for wagers, feigning a skill level below his true level to secure
bets
US, 1967. 4 a person who lives by his charm and wits, dishonest
but usually not violent US, 1896
hustler’s row noun any outdoor area where prostitutes loiter in
searchofcustomersUK, 1966
hustling noun 1 the practice of dealing drugs UK, 2000. 2 prostitution
UK, 1977
hustling gal noun a prostitute US, 1954
hut noun 1 a house US, 1989. 2 a jail cell US, 1949. 3 a brakevan (caboose)
US, 1946
hutch noun 1 a domicile, be it a room, apartment or house US, 1966.
2 a prison US, 1956
hutzelsup noun (among Nova Scotians of German descent) a
confused mess CANADA, 1999
Hyack noun in British Columbia, a volunteer fireman. The term,
from a Chinook jargon word, is preserved in the Honorable Hyack
Battery of New Westminster, BC CANADA, 1959
hyak verb in British Columbia, to hasten. The term comes from
Chinook jargon CANADA, 1959
hyas adverb big, large, very CANADA, 1953
hyas tyee noun a great chief, an important person. A combination of
two Chinook jargon words, HYAS and tyee (chief, king) CANADA, 1956
hybolic adjective pompous, wordy, bombastic. Hawaiian youth usage
US, 1972
hybrid noun in the car sales business, used as a euphemism for a
car that has at least some parts that do not belong US, 1953
Hyde Park noun 1 an actor’s mark. Rhyming slang, from the film
world UK, 1972 . 2 an informer. Rhyming slang for NARK UK, 1992
hydraulic noun in drag racing, a massive engine failure resulting

from fuel failing to ignite within a cylinder
US, 2003
hydraulic adjective inclined to steal. Like a hydraulic jack, he will ‘lift’
anything AUS TRALIA, 1989
hydraulics noun bollocks, in all senses. Euphemistic rhyming slang
UK, 1998
hydro noun 1 marijuana which is grown hydroponically US, 1996 .
2 MDMA, the recreational drug best known as ecstasy. Probably
from the dehydration experienced by users of the drug UK, 2003.
3 amphetamines UK, 2003. 4 electric power generated by the flow of
water
CANADA, 1964
hydroponic noun marijuana that is cultivated hydroponically.
The soilless culture of cannabis results in plants that are up to ten
time as potent as those grown outdoors US, 1989
hyiu adjective great, many, much, very. The word is adapted into
English from Chinook jargon
CANADA, 1966
349 hunky | hyiu
hyke noun 1 codeine. From the brand name Hycodan™ US, 1997.
2 hydrocodone, a synthetic codeine US, 1970
Hymie noun a Jewish male. Like Mick (for Mickey) as a label for the
Irish, Hymie is a shortened Hyman. Not used kindly
US, 1973
hype noun 1 a syringe US, 1910. 2 a needle-using drug addict US, 1924.
3 a frequent user of marijuana. Use of the term ‘addict’ is
controversial in the context of marijuana users, but the suggestion
here is that the person has let marijuana control his life US, 1999.
4 exaggeration, nonsense US, 1938. 5 deception; an act of deception;
something intended to stimulate sales, etc

US, 1955. 6 a swindle or
cheat
US, 1980. < put the hype on to raise prices because of
demand without regard to fairness of the price
US, 1980
hype verb 1 to lie, to swindle US, 1914. 2 to stimulate interest or sales
US, 1942
hype adj ective excellent US, 2002
hyped up adjective stimulated or excited, especially if by artificial
means
US, 1946
hype guy noun in circus and carnival usage, a short-change swindler
US, 1981
hype marks noun scars and sores on a drug addict’s body indicating
intravenous drug use
US, 1973
hyper noun 1 in circus and carnival usage, a short-change swindler
US, 1981. 2 a person employed to stimulate music sales in an
attempt to influence the pop charts
, 1998
hyper adjective emotionally stressed. Abbreviated and adapted from
‘hyperactive’
US, 1942
hyper- prefix extremely UK, 1984
hype stick noun a hypodermic syringe US, 1933
hype tank noun a jail holding cell reserved for drug addicts US, 1964
hypo noun 1 a hypodermic syringe US, 1905. 2 a needle-using drug
addict US, 1904. 3 a swindle US, 1949
Hy-town nickname Hyannis, Massachusetts US, 1998
hyke | Hy-town 350

Ii
I noun < the I an interstate highway US, 2003
I ain’t even tryin’ to hear you! I am not listening US, 1993
I ain’t here to brag used for demonstrating that the speaker
understands that he is bragging. A paralipsis of the first order.
Many grammatical variants exist, as well as the simpler, ‘Not to
brag’
US, 2004
I am a Ranger. We live for the One, we die for the One. used
with humour as an affirmation of support. The motto of the
interplanetary police on the US science fiction television
programme Babylon (1994–98) US, 1994
IamCanadiannoun a drink made with fruit juice, Quebec maple
syrup and whisky or Molson Canadian beer
CANADA, 2002
I am so sure! used for expressing strong doubt about what has just
been said US, 1982
I and I noun used in the military as a jocular substitute for the
official ‘R and R’ (rest and recreation). An abbreviation of
‘intercourse and intoxication’, the main activities during rest and
recreation
US, 1960
I believe you but thousands wouldn’t a catchphrase retort that
is used to express doubt or, at best, reserve judgement about the
veracity of the person being addressed. This phrase exists in a
number of minor variations, and is so well known that ‘I believe
you but!’ carries the full sense UK, 1927
I bet!; I’ll bet! I am certain. Elliptical for ‘I bet you did’ or ‘do’ or
‘did’; often derisive or ironic UK, 1939
Ibiza Hilton noun the police station of the Guardia Civil Ibiza. An

ironic reference to the international Hilton hotel chain SPAIN, 1999
IBM noun 1 a smart, diligent student US, 1960 . 2 a member of an
organized crime family; an Italian businessman US, 1997
IBM discount noun a price increase US, 1991
iboga noun 1 amphetamines. A reference to the African shrub
tabernathe iboga and ibogaine, a natural stimulant that is
compounded therefrom UK, 2003. 2 MDMA, the recreational drug
best known as ecstasy
UK, 2003
IC noun during the Vietnam war, an innocent civilian US, 1985
Icancatchnoun the US Interstate Commerce Commission. A back
formation from the agency initials: ICC
US, 1971
I can read his lips, and he’s not praying used as a humorous
comment on a profanity. Popularised by ESPN’s Keith Olberman
US, 1997
I can’t fight that! used by a clever boy for expressing approval of a
girl who has just passed by US, 1955
I can’t HEAR you! used as a humorous soliticitation of more
enthusiastic support. A signature line of marine drill instructor
Vince Carter on the television situation comedy Gomer Pyle,
USMC (CBS, 1964–69). Repeated with referential humour
US, 1966
I can’t take you anywhere used as a humorous, if stock, tease of
someone who has commited a faux pas US, 1994
ice noun 1 diamonds UK, 1905. 2 cocaine, especially in blocks US, 1971 .
3 smokeable amphetamine or methamphetamine US, 1989. 4 heroin
US, 1987. 5 protection money paid by a business to criminals or by
criminals to the police
US, 1887. 6 a pay-off, a bribe; an added

charge
US, 1968. 7 the difference between the listed price and the
price actually paid for theatre tickets for a very popular show US,
1973. 8 in poker, a stacked deck US, 1967. 9 solitary confinement in
prison US, 1990 . 10 any computer program designed as a system
security scheme US, 1995. < on ice incarcerated US, 1931. < on the
ice
(of a racehorse) being secretly, and illicitly, kept from running
to win AUS TRALIA, 1966
Ice noun in-car entertainment, especially audio equipment UK, 2003.
< the Ice Antarctica ANTARCTICA, 1834
ice verb 1 to kill US, 1941. 2 to place in solitary confinement US, 1933.
3 to ignore with a vengeance US, 1932. 4 to give up; to stop US, 1962.
5 to reject; to stand up US, 1997. < ice it 1 to stop doing
something US, 1974. 2 to forget something US, 1960
iceberg noun 1 an emotionally cold person, especially a woman UK,
1840
. 2 a sexually frigid woman US, 1949
iceberg act noun unfriendly treatment US, 1953
ice blink noun a whitish glow on the horizon or on clouds caused by
light reflecting off ice CANADA, 1995
ice-block noun an ice confection on a stick AU STRALIA, 1948
icebox noun 1 amorgueUS, 1928. 2 a jail or prison. An extension of
themorecommon
COOLER (jail) US, 1938
ice cold noun a chilled beer AUSTRALIA, 1968
ice cold adjective rude US, 1990
ice cream noun a white child; white children. Used defensively by
children of different hues
UK, 1979

ice-cream freezer; ice-cream noun a man. Rhyming slang for
GEEZER UK, 1962
ice-cream habit noun the irregular consumption of drugs by an
occasional user. ‘Ice-cream eater’ and ‘ice-creamer’ are obsolete
slang terms for an irregular user of opium, an earlier application
(late C19 to the 1930s) based on the notion that ice-cream is an
occasional pleasure and not an every day diet
US, 1970
ice-cream man noun a drug dealer, especially one selling opiates US,
1952
ice-cream truck noun < and the ice-cream truck you rode in
on!
used to extend and emphasise an absolute rejection US, 2001
ice cube noun crack cocaine US, 1994
iced adjective drunk, drug-intoxicated US, 1953
iced down adjective wearing many diamonds US, 1998
iced out noun wearing a great deal of diamond-bearing jewellery US,
2000
ice down verb to completely cover with graffiti US, 1997
icehouse noun a jewellery store. From ICE (a diamond) US, 1949
Icelandic Air Force noun (around Gimli, Manitoba) flocks of
pelicans
CANADA, 1987
ice luge noun a block of ice used in a drinking game in which a
shot of vodka, tequila or other alcoholic drink is poured down the
ice into the drinker’s mouth US, 2001
iceman noun 1 a person who bribes a government official or
otherwise ‘fixes’ difficult situations. From ICE (a bribe) US, 1981 . 2 in
horse racing, a jockey who rides without using the whip or
vigorous kicks

AUSTRALIA, 1989. 3 a mechanic who works on truck
refrigeration units US, 1971
ice money noun money used to bribe US, 1993
ice pack noun high quality marijuana US, 1971
ice palace noun 1 a jewellery store US, 1956. 2 a hockey rink CA NADA,
1955
ice widow noun a woman whose husband is in Antarctica NEW
ZEALAND
, 1971
icing noun cocaine US, 1984
ick noun 1 any unpleasant sticky substance UK, 2002. 2 in the language
surrounding the Grateful Dead, a bacterial or viral infection that
quickly spreads among those following the band on tour. Always
with ‘the’ US, 1994. 3 a social outcast US, 1942
ick adjective mawkishly sentimental, hence unpalatable. An abbrevi-
ation of ICKY
US, 2001
ickies noun foreign money of any type. Royal Navy usage, possibly a
variation of
ACKER (money). One ‘ickie’ equals one hundred
KLEBBIES UK, 1989
ickle adjective little. A small child’s pronunciation employed archly by
those old enough to know better
UK, 1864
icky noun a rich person US, 1953
icky adjective 1 unattractive, distasteful. First found in jazz to describe
oversweet music other than jazz, then migrated into general use
with the more general meaning
US, 1929. 2 unwell. Probably from
baby-talk variations of ‘sick’ or ‘sickly’ UK, 1939 . 3 overly sentimental,

especially of music or of a taste in music. Originally from jazz US,
1929
icky-poo adjective unwell. Baby-talk variation of ‘sick’ or ‘sickly’ UK,
1920
ICL used as shorthand in Internet discussion groups and text
messaging to mean ‘in Christian love’ US, 2002
I could cure the plague used by a woman to describe her con-
dition when experiencing the bleed period of the menstrual cycle
US, 2000
I could just scream! used as an expression of frustration. A
signature line of Captain Wallace B. Binghamton on the television
comedy McCahle’s Navy (ABC, 1962–66). Repeated with referential
humour US, 1962
icy-pole noun an ice confection on a stick. Generic use of a
trademark term AUSTRALIA, 1932
ID noun an identity card or other means of identification US, 1941
ID verb to identify someone. Derives from the noun uses as
‘identification/identity’ US, 1944
idea hamster; ideas hamster noun a person who is employed to
generate new ideas
UK, 2001
identity noun a noted person; an odd or interesting person AUSTRALIA,
1874
idi adjective cruel. Probably after Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, 1925(?)-
2003; recorded in use in contemporary gay society UK, 2003
idiot blocks noun options placed at the end of a staffing paper
designed to allow the reader simply to tick the option which
describes his decision US, 1986
idiot board noun in television, an out-of-camera board on which a
performer’s lines are displayed UK, 1952

idiot box noun 1 the television US, 1955. 2 an automatic car trans-
mission US, 1993
idiot card noun in the television and film industries, a poster board
with the dialogue written in large letters for actors to read US, 1957
idiot-head noun a stupid person. Used by young children AU S TRALIA,
1988
idiot juice noun any alcoholic beverage brewed in prison, especially
a nutmeg/water mixture US, 1974
idiot light noun in a car, a warning light on the dashboard in place
of a gauge
US, 1968
idiot pill noun a barbiturate or central nervous system depressant US,
1953
idiot’s delight noun in dominoes, the 5-0 piece US, 1959
idiot spoon noun a shovel US, 1947
idiot stick noun 1 a small carved copy of a totem pole CANADA, 1989.
2 a shovel US, 1930. 3 a digging bar US, 1980
idjit noun 8see: EEJIT
I don’t think so used as a humorous rejection of the sentiment
that has been expressed US, 1969
I don’t want to know used as refusal to accept unwelcome news
or facts UK, 1946
idren noun friend; friends. West Indian, Rastafarian and UK black
patois for ‘brethren’ (brothers), with religious and political
overtones UK, 1994
idyat bwai noun a fool. West Indian patois (idiot boy) UK, 1997
if bet noun in horse racing, a bet that is made contingent upon
winning a bet in an earlier race
US, 1947
if cash noun in gambling, a type of conditional bet: an instruction to

re-invest all or part of a winning return on another bet UK, 2001
iffiness noun a quality of unreliability, subject to doubt. From IFFY
UK
, 2001
iffy adjective 1 tenuous, uncertain US, 1937. 2 dangerous, risky. Extends
from the previous sense UK, 2001
if I’m lying, I’m dying I am telling the truth. There are multiple
reduplicative variations
US, 1981
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it used as a humorous suggestion to
leave well enough alone US, 1961
if it isn’t (used as an acknowledgement of someone) it is that
person
US, 1951
if it’s too loud, you’re too old used for dismissing complaints of
loudness at rock concerts. A saying attributed to Kiss. US, 1995
if-lose; if-win noun in gambling, a type of conditional bet: a bet is
required only if the prior selection loses/wins or is a non-runner
UK, 2001
ifs, ands or buts noun conditions, contingencies, exceptions US, 1982
if they back up the truck used in the entertainment industry for
expressing a recognition that if the offer is lucrative enough, the
actor speaking will accept the role despite its dramatic limitations.
The phrase conjures up the image of a truck full of bags of money
backing up the driveway to be emptied. US, 2001
if ya wonders, then ya is used in twelve-step recovery
programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous as a judgment on
those who stop to wonder if they might be an addict
US, 1998
if you say so used for indicating (grudgingly, or to placate)

acceptance of what has been said UK, 1956
ig verb to ignore US, 1946
iggie noun a feigned ignorance. Circus and carnival usage. Often
used in the phrase ‘give them the iggie’ US, 1961
igloo noun a one-hundred-dollar note. From the resemblance
between ‘100’ and ‘loo’ AU STRALIA, 1989
ign’ant adjective ignorant US, 2002
ignorant adjective < make ignorant to make angry. A south
London term UK, 1977
ignorant end noun in poker, the low card in a five-card sequence US,
1990
ignorant oil noun alcohol, especially cheap and potent alcohol US,
1954
ignorant spoon noun in oil drilling, a shovel US, 1954
ignuts noun an ignorant fool US, 1934
I-guy noun a member of a team who thinks of himself – the individ-
ual – more than the team. Related to the sports adage: ‘There is
no "I" in "team"’
US, 1997
I hate it! used for expressing solidarity with the misfortune just
described by another
US, 1984
I hate it when that happens used for introducing humour,
usually after someone else has described an extremely unlikely
situation
US, 1987
I have nothing more to say about this that is either relevant
or true
used as a humorous comment when there is nothing
worthwhile to say. Popularised by ESPN’s Keith Olberman,

paraphrasing Winston Churchill’s claimed reaction when
confronting an entrance essay at Eton
US, 1997
I heard it on the marl road used for expressing rumour as the
source of information
CAYMAN ISLANDS, 1985
I heard that! I agree with you! US, 1992
I heard ya used for expressing assent US, 1992
ike noun a feeling of displeasure, a bad mood UK, 1998
ick | ike 352