Dictionary of American Slang

by Kipfer, Barbara Ann; Chapman, Robert L.

• ISBN13: 9780061176463
• ISBN10: 006117646X
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-09-01
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publications

Summary

We all know language changes rapidly, but to follow along requires an historical view. Chapman's Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition, provides just what is needed to trace the language of today back to its American roots.And make no mistakethis is a dictionary that is purely American, the place where you can trace the development of the American language, in it's highly informal format known as "slang."Some would ask: "isn't the language changing so fast that this book is out of date the day on which it is published?" Although it is true that changes to the language, particularly slang, happen faster and faster in the electronic age, still there is a place for an authoritative, recognized work that keeps track of and compiles the language into an historical document, as this dictionary does.It is true that language changes very quickly; it is just as true that today's slang may be forgotten tomorrow. In recording the changing language, and sorting out what's here to stay from what's coming and quickly going, the Dictionary of American Slang serves a useful and important purpose.

Author Biography

Robert L. Chapman, the founding editor of the Dictionary ofAmerican Slang, was a professor of English at Drew University.

Excerpts

Dictionary of American Slang 4e

Chapter One

A

A n 1 Amphetamine 2 LSD; ACID (Narcotics)

AA (pronounced as separate letters) modifier : an AA barrage n An antiaircraft weapon, or antiaircraft fire; ACK-ACK, FLAK (WWI)

abandominiums n Abandoned apartments or houses where addicts use drugs : Abandominiums blighted the former middle-class neighborhood

abbreviated piece of nothing n A worthless or insignificant person or thing : Her unemployed neighbor is an abbreviated piece of nothing

abc gum n Gum that has already been chewed : There's abc gum under the desk

abdabs (or habdabs or screaming abdabs or screaming habdabs) n Anxiety or nervous tension : Starting any new project gives her the abdabs (1945+)

Abe's cabe (or abe) n phr A five-dollar bill [Jive talk 1930s+ & rock and roll 1950s+; fr Lincoln's portrait on the bill, perhaps a shortening and repronouncing of ‘‘cabbage'']

A-bomb n 1 An atomic bomb 2 A car especially modified for quick acceleration and speed; hot rod (Hot rodders) 3 A combination of drugs, typically marijuana or hashish plus opium (Narcotics)

abortion n Something of very poor quality; a messy failure; Disaster : That show is a real abortion

about that See sorry about that

about town See man-about-town

above one's head See in over one's head

abso-bloody-lutely modifier Absolutely : He absobloody-lutely wanted to see her again

absotively (posilutely) modifier Absolutely : I absotively posilutely want to watch the basketball games

academy See laughing academy

Acapulco gold n phr Marijuana of high quality grown near Acapulco, Mexico, and having leaves with a golden hue (Narcotics)

accident n A person born from an unplanned pregnancy; an unplanned pregnancy : At 50, this third one was an accident (1900+)

accidentally on purpose adv phr As if by accident, but really by intention : She missed the meeting accidentally on purpose

accommodation collar n phr An arrest made to fulfill a quota, usu in response to pressure for strong police action against crime (Police)

Dictionary of American Slang 4e. Copyright © by Barbara Ann Kipfer. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

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Excerpted from Dictionary of American Slang by Robert L. Chapman, Barbara Ann Kipfer
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