RANDOM HOUSE THESAURUS OF ESTHER LEWIN AND ALBERT E. LEWIN 150,000 UNCENSORED SLANG TERMS THE RANDOM HOUSE THESAURUS OF SLANG A BOOK FOR WRITERS AND FOR WORD BUFFS • More than 12,000 standard English words • Over 150,000 slang and argot synonyms, phrases, and idioms • Each main entry identified with part-of-speech label • Entries cross-referenced to enhance usefulness "A delightful book... Browsing through the Lewins' thesaurus is like eating peanuts. It's not easy to stop after a few entries. A universal human experience involves going to the John, rest room, library, facilities, amenities, comfort station, sandbox, biff y, bippy, chamber of commerce, gazoo, the Andy Qump and the old soldiers' home... a joy for the word lover." — James Kilpatrick "Slang made respectable: Some word lovers will take offense, and others will peruse the Thesaurus of Slang with glee." —The Editorial Eye "a source for finding words and phrases that often express concepts more vividly than formal language." —Booklist "The working writer.. .will find this book useful when writing informally. It will also appeal to word buffs and other browsers." — Stephen H. Cape, Library Journal 9 780679"727002 ISBN D-hTI-TS THE RANDOM HOUSE THESAURUS OF SLANQ RANDOM HOUSE THESAURUS O F S L A NQ Esther Lewin and Albert E* Lewin 150,000 uncensored contemporary slang terms, common idioms, and colloquialisms arranged for quick and easy reference RANDOM HOUSE • NEW YORK To Talia and Ian and in memory of dear Natalie Copyright © 1988 by Esther and Albert E. Lewin All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Reference Department, Random House, Inc., 201 East 50th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York. This edition published by arrangement with Facts on File, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lewin, Esther. The Random House thesaurus of slang. Reprint. Originally published: The thesaurus of slang. New York, N.Y.: Facts on File Publications, © 1988. Bibliography: p. 1. English language — Slang — Dictionaries. 2. English language — Synonyms and antonyms — Dictionaries. I. Lewin, Albert E. II. Title. PE3721.L45 1989 427'.003 89-10254 ISBN O-679-727OO-O Manufactured in the United States of America 23456789 Preface The Random House Thesaurus of Slang is made up of 12,000 term is not easily translated into standard English, the slang English words listed alphabetically; each is followed by one itself is listed at the subject heading. Such a case is blind or more of the 150,000 slang words or phrases contained in date. this volume. That simple arrangement is what makes this The slang in this collection is based on actual usage culled book a useful tool for writers, speakers, students of language from a wide variety of sources, such as newspapers, maga- and anyone else who might need a quick and easy source of zines, fiction and nonfiction books, television, radio, trade slang. papers, industry, casual conversation. For the most part, the It has been said that a thesaurus is a book in which you slang terms in this thesaurus are in current general usage; look up the wrong word in order to find the right one. That however, the reader will also find many of the most recent definition fits this book perfectly. As a thesaurus, it offers a words appearing particularly in the language of young peo- convenient translation from standard English to its slang ple, technical workers and politicians. In these pages, most equivalent. It is by no means a slang dictionary, nor is it readers will discover unfamiliar words and phrases, as well as meant to be. Using this thesaurus, all or part of a formal old words with surprising new definitions. English sentence can be rewritten in slang, something al- All of language was once "nonstandard," until the in- most impossible to do using a slang dictionary. This is not to vention of the printing press created the need for standardiza- say that slang dictionaries should be considered superfluous. tion and inspired the first dictionary. Slang also originates It is the basic premise that is different; a dictionary is meant to out of need. New words are continually coming into the define words, but if the user doesn't know the slang word for language, to stay only as long as they are useful. No attempt which a definition is sought, a slang dictionary is reduced to was made in this book to rule out "vogue" words. Deciding little more than a volume for browsing. If anything, The which of these words are merely passing through the lan- Random House Thesaurus of Slang should make slang dic- guage and which are taking up more-or-less permanent resi- tionaries more useful. Except in a few instances where the dence was not part of our editorial criteria. Slang is created use of an obscure slang term is demonstrated, this thesaurus, by all social classes in every kind of circumstance as a more since it is not a dictionary, does not define slang words convenient, more private, or more entertaining means of beyond giving them a formal English synonym. For a more communication. Groups create their own language within a precise definition of the words found in this book, a slang language. The various kinds of slang are a means of identifi- dictionary should be used. cation. Peers recognize each other through its use. Slang is a In a sense, this volume is similar to a foreign-language way of belonging, of "speaking the same language." dictionary in that it "translates" formal English into the The word slang itself is said to have once meant "to be language of slang. To some readers slang can seem like a abusive." And much slang is abusive, chauvinistic, irrever- foreign language and, like a foreign language, there are times ent, profane, and sexually explicit. This book includes all when it doesn't translate exactly. The same word or phrase types of slang, uncensored. For better or worse, this is the can differ subtly in meaning in different contexts. In an slang commonly used in America today. extreme instance a word can be its own antonym; for exam- Experts in linguistics disagree among themselves over ple, baddest can mean "best" or "worst." matters of definition, and they are certain to disagree with While attempting to determine the right formal synonym some of the definitions in this work. It is a risk anyone who of a slang term, we often asked which formal English word prepares such a text must take. In those instances where it was the one most likely to occur to a reader searching for a can be pointed out that we are in error, corrections will be slang synonym. For example, it is not likely a reader would made most gratefully, but for the moment, what the reader .think to find pot likker under the entry residue. Soup stock finds within these pages is as close to the correct usage of was more credible. Therefore, for some entries, precision slang, colloquialisms, and the American idiom as we could has been sacrificed for ease of use. Where a widely used slang presently determine. —Esther and Albert E. Lewin How to Use This Book For speakers, writers of fact or fiction, playwrights, screen the word are listed under the numeral J. "Enact" also means and television writers, journalists, advertising copy writers, to "act." Number 2 provides a selection of "act" words. publicists, politicians, members of the clergy—anyone who Following the slang terms there appears "See EXECUTE." deals with the expression of ideas through words, The Ran- and "See also PERFORM." "See" references offer a broader dom House Thesaurus of Slang is simple to use. Standard selection of slang synonyms. If you don't find the word you English words are listed in alphabetical order. Under each of are seeking in the first group, the "See" category can provide these words is a collection of slang synonyms. Suppose you many more choices. "See also" references provide a broader are preparing a speech or an essay and you want to make the selection still, directing you to collateral meanings of the following statement less formal, "Freedom of speech is basic word. As a convenience, there are no listings simply referring to democracy. " The operational word is basic. Look up the the reader to another category without some slang synonyms word basic. listed, allowing the reader a choice of synonyms without having to look further. BASIC n. bottom line, plain vanilla, nitty gritty, Still another refinement is offered to aid your search for where its at, name, name of the game, nub, meat and exactly the right word. A semicolon separates specialized potatoes, coal and ice. See also VITAL. references from the general: such words might refer only to males as opposed to females or might differentiate activities Depending on the level of informality desired, you find a from objects. Wherever possible, the most current, widely wide range of choices, so the sentence can be written, used words are listed first. "Freedom of speech is the meat and potatoes of democracy," It is agreed among lexicographers that finding exactly the or "Freedom of speech is the nub of democracy. " right synonym for a word is an inexact pursuit. In standard In addition to the listing of slang synonyms under a partic- English, no two words carry precisely the same meaning and ular word, the thesaurus also offers a broader selection of it is no different with slang, where exact definitions are often words to assist you in finding exactly the sense you seek. as varied as the locales in which the words are used. In many ENACT v. 1. jam, jam through, railroad, railroad cases, parts of speech are mixed; nouns are listed with adjec- through, steamroller through. 2. be on, go on, do a tives; verbs become nouns and nouns verbs; positives are used turn, do ones stuff, do a number. See EXECUTE. See as negatives. That's the way you will find it here. Except for also PERFORM. the sake of clarity, no attempt has been made to define slang beyond the category heading. The thesaurus should not be "Enact" illustrates three of these features. The word enact considered a dictionary. Where definition is necessary, refer- is synonymous with "legislate." Synonyms for that sense of ence to a good slang dictionary is recommended. Acknowledgments Our deep appreciation to: the presentation of the work, for his sage advice and our sadness that he will not see it in its final form. Joseph Simon, publisher of Ward Ritchie Press, for his Eliza Lewin, who kept us current with the youth and technical expertise. music scenes, and who was ever ready to help with the Anthony Borras, who tailored his deftly programmed drudgery of checking references, researching, and data base management system, DBMS, to perform so preparing bibliographies. many complex tasks when personal computers were still Professor Herbert Turman, who was always available to very primitive. advise, read manuscript, and to provide technical coun- To our many patient friends, who were unaware of their seling and general encouragement. cooperation as guinea pigs in blind tests of questionable Charles Bloch of Bantam Books, for his help in shaping material.