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Showing 1-20 of 292 results in 256 entries
1. Abelungu, n. View full entry 1836
...With sing. or pl. concord. White people collectively. Cf. mlungu, umlungu2....
2. Action Man in action, n. View full entry 1966
...(a proprietary name for) a type of male doll in combat dress; (also) a man likened to such a doll in being brave, strong, etc. (often ironic); freq. attrib....
3. admire, v. View full entry a1500
...To regard with wonder, astonishment, or surprise; to marvel at. Now rare (in later use sometimes passing into an ironic use of sense 2a(a))....
4. a-go-go, adj. View full entry 1961
...Used postpositively: in abundance, galore, aplenty. In early use freq. with connotation of modishness; now often used ironically....
5. à la bonne heure, int. View full entry 1750
...‘Fine’, ‘great’; ‘all well and good’; ‘so be it’. Freq. ironically....
6. all, adj., pron., and n., adv., and conj. View full entry 1690
...With limiting sense: the full extent or amount; the only thing; the most. In later use also ironically: absolutely not the thing; the last thing (cf. (that's) all one...
7. all, adj., pron., and n., adv., and conj. View full entry 1614
...With an expression of quantity: fully. Now freq. ironically: no more than....
8. allegedly, adv. View full entry 1823
...According to an allegation; reportedly. Also occas. in ironic use....
9. alleluia, int. and n.1 View full entry eOE
...‘Praise the Lord’: used as an expression of worship. Now also in weakened or ironic use. Freq. in psalms, prayers, and other devotional compositions....
10. alms, n. View full entry OE
...More generally: praiseworthy or meritorious behaviour; an instance of this; a good or kind deed, a favour (in later use freq. ironically). Esp. as it is (also....
11. altesse, n. View full entry 1559
...Chiefly in French or continental European contexts: a person of high rank, a nobleman or noblewoman. Freq. as a title, usually with possessive and capital initial: ‘Highness’. Sometimes ironic or...
12. anoint, v. View full entry c1500
...Hence ironically: To beat soundly, to ‘baste.’ (In the north they say humorously ‘to anoint with the sap of a hazel rod.’)...
13. answer, n. View full entry 1955
...In catchphrase ——'s answer to (..): applied (often ironically) to something or someone promoted by one place, group, etc., as a rival to a celebrated example from elsewhere....
14. apple, n. View full entry 1943
...slang (chiefly Austral. and N.Z.). Used to indicate a state of affairs regarded as good or satisfactory (or occas. ironic the reverse). Chiefly in ...
15. † aˈright, v. View full entry c1420
...To make right, to put to rights; to arrange or treat properly. Occas. ironically....
16. array, v. View full entry c1380
...To ‘dress,’ giving a dressing to, drub, thrash; discomfit, rout. Cf. derayObs....
17. array, v. View full entry a1500
...To put into a (sore) plight, trouble, afflict....
18. array, v. View full entry c1525
...To disfigure, dirty, befoul, defile. Obs....
19. artistic, adj. View full entry 1835
...Displaying the characteristics of art; having aesthetic or creative merit. Also in weakened or ironic use: ostensibly or superficially resembling art; decorative; artsy....
20. as, adv. and conj. View full entry 1993
...Brit.colloq. (ironic). as you do: used to imply an incongruity between the action, behaviour, etc., previously mentioned and normal life....
