| Afro | African or African-American (esp. of a style of music, clothing, etc.). | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| Alateen | A division of the Al-Anon mutual support organization, dedicated to helping (esp.… | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| Alka-Seltzer | A proprietary name for: an aspirin-based remedy for headache, heartburn, upset stomach… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| all-points | Designating a message or alert sent to all appropriate or relevant people; esp. one sent… | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| audible | intr. To change a play at the line of scrimmage by means of an audible. Cf. audible n. 2. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| bahu | A daughter-in-law, esp. one who follows the tradition of living with her husband's family after marriage. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| bail | orig. U.S. Of a person: to make an emergency descent by parachute from an aeroplane. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| ball-hawking | The action of swiftly or adeptly gaining possession of the ball. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| ballyhooist | A person who engages in ballyhooing; = ballyhooer n. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| bench press | trans. To lift (a weight on a bar-bell) by performing a bench press. Also occas. intr. | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| Blackwood | attrib. Designating a bidding system devised by Easley Blackwood whereby a bid of four no… | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| body-surf | intr. To ride a breaking wave (or occas. a river current) without a surfboard, usually by holding the body rigid. | 1939 | Go To Quotation |
| coochy coo | Used to elicit a smile or laughter from a baby, esp. in combination with tickling. | 1897 | Go To Quotation |
| Disneyfy | trans. To alter in a way considered characteristic of Disney films, cartoons, or theme… | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| dogleg | intr. Of a course, route, etc., or a person following it: to turn or bend, to make a dogleg. | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| ear bud | colloq. Prob.: an ear lobe. rare. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| followership | A group of followers or supporters, a following. Also: the act of following or supporting. Opposed to leadership. | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| foodism | A keen or exaggerated interest in food, esp. in the minute details of the preparation, presentation, and consumption of food. | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| green goddess | orig. and chiefly U.S. A type of thick, creamy salad dressing, typically made… | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| info | Information. Cf. info- comb._form. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| jammies | = pyjamas n. | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| maître d' | = maître d'hôtel n. | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| marathoner | A person who competes in a marathon. | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| marriage guidance | Counselling concerning marriage, esp. that given to couples seeking to resolve problems… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| medigap | Any of various limited forms of U.S. private health insurance which pays for… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| meet-and-greet | An activity or occasion which involves formally receiving and welcoming a person or persons. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| melt-in-the-mouth | Designating or characteristic of a cake, pastry, etc., that is deliciously soft and light. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| ménage à quatre | A relationship or domestic arrangement in the style of a ménage à trois, but involving four people. Also in extended use. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| micromachined | Manufactured by micromachining. | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| Milquetoast | A timid, submissive, or ineffectual person, a milksop. Also Mister Milquetoast. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| minesweeping | The operation of removing explosive mines which are tethered underwater or floating. Freq. attrib.: that performs this operation. | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| minibike | A small motorcycle with a low-power engine, designed for off-road use and sometimes having three wheels. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| MIRV | A type of missile carrying several independently guided warheads; a warhead carried by such a missile. Cf. MARV n. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| modernistically | In a modernistic manner; from a modernistic point of view. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| motor-boating | The action of driving or travelling in a motor boat, esp. as a sport or leisure pursuit. | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| multi-use | Serving or designed to serve several or many uses. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| munchkin | That resembles a Munchkin; small, childlike; resembling a child in size or character; designed for children. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| NAFTA | Any of various proposed free trade areas centring on North America or the North Atlantic. Now hist. | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| National Liberation Front | (The name of) any of various military-political movements dedicated to the establishment… | 1943 | Go To Quotation |
| nisei | Of, relating to, or designating a person from North, Central, or South America whose parents were immigrants from Japan. | 1934 | Go To Quotation |
| no-frills | attrib. Characterized by or having no ornamentation or embellishment; plain, basic. Freq. of a commercial product or service. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| non-prescription | Esp. of a drug: available for purchase without a prescription. Cf. over the counter adj. | 1926 | Go To Quotation |
| numerological | Of or relating to numerology. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| numerologically | As regards numerology; from a numerological point of view. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| panhandled | Shaped in the form of the handle of a pan; having a protrusion resembling a panhandle. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| pariahhood | = pariahdom n. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| party mix | Chiefly N. Amer. A mixture of confectionery or savoury snacks such as nuts, pretzels… | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| pass rushing | Defensive play aimed at preventing the opposing quarterback from passing by engaging in a pass rush. Cf. pass rush n. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| pastless | Having no past or history; having no sense of a past. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| patch-test | trans. To subject (a person or animal) to a patch test. Usu. in pass. | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| peak load | The greatest load required to be provided, carried, etc.; esp. the maximum power demand… | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| people-watching | Idle observation of people in a public place, as a way of passing time. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| Pétainism | The policy, pursued by Pétain, of collaborating with the German occupying forces in… | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| Peter Principle | The principle that members of a hierarchical organization are promoted until they reach the level at which they are incompetent. | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| popocracy | An influential group of leading figures from the world of popular music or culture. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| pork-chopper | A full-time union official, esp. one whose position is a sinecure, or who uses it for personal profit, benefit, or advantage. | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| post-Victorian | Of, relating to, or designating the period of time subsequent to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901). | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| pratfalling | Falling or given to falling on the buttocks; characterized by a pratfall or pratfalls. Also fig. | 1964 | Go To Quotation |
| premix | A premixed material; a substance or product consisting of ready-mixed components; (Agric.)… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| premix | trans. To mix beforehand. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-position | trans. To put (equipment, resources, etc.) in place beforehand. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-recorded | That has been recorded in advance. Also: designating a magnetic tape, disc, etc., on which sound has already been recorded. | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-teener | = pre-teenager n. | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| prognathously | In a prognathous manner; with the jaw prominent or protruding. Also fig. | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| psych | intr. To make a psychic bid. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| pump-primer | An instance of pump-priming; an activity or measure, as a grant, investment, etc., intended to stimulate economic growth. | 1934 | Go To Quotation |
| punchless | Of a boxer: lacking a powerful punch. Freq. fig.: lacking force, impact, or vigour; ineffectual, weak. | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| punchy | Full of punch or impact; forceful, effective; vigorous. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| put-away | An unreturnable shot or ball; = kill n. 2c. Also more fully put-away shot, etc. Cf. to put away 5a at put v. 1. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| puukko | A traditional Finnish knife, esp. one with a wooden hilt and a single curved edge, worn on the belt and used as a working tool. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| quadplex | A building divided into four separate residences; = quadruplex n. 2c. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| quizzer | A person who takes part in a quiz. | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| rabble-rousing | The action or process of inflaming the emotions of the populace or of a crowd… | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| ragged | Of music: converted to or characteristic of ragtime. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| ramrod | trans. To force or drive (something) with, or as with, a ramrod; (Polit.) to force… | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| rappel | intr. To make a steep descent on a doubled rope; to rope down. Cf. abseil v. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| ratcheting | Designating a clicking, rattling, or grinding sound; that makes such a sound. Cf. ratcheting n. 2. | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| Raudixin | A standardized preparation of the drug rauwolfia, consisting of the powdered dried root of Rauvolfia serpentina. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| Reaganomics | With sing. concord. The economic policies of Reagan, associated esp. with the reduction… | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| Red Chinese | Of or relating to Chinese communism or communists; (later also) of or relating to… | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| riffing | That plays or is characterized by a riff or riffs. Cf. riff v. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| roll-on | Of a corset or girdle: that rolls up on to the body. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| rough-in | The process of installing basic plumbing or wiring prior to full installation of… | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| Scotchgarding | The action or process of treating textiles, etc., with Scotchgard. Also… | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| shawarma | In the cuisine of certain Arabic-speaking countries: meat cooked on a spit and served… | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| skin dive | A dive undertaken without a deep-sea diving suit. See skin-diving n. Also fig. | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| social climb | An ascent to a higher social status, esp. acceptance in fashionable society. | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| socialite | A person who is prominent in fashionable or wealthy society; a person who is fond of social activities and entertainment. | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| subpar | Golf. Designating a score under par for a hole, course, etc. Cf. par n. 4a. | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| viewshed | The view of an area from a specific vantage point; a computer model of this. Also: the area that comprises this view. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
