| abdominizer | A piece of exercise apparatus on which the user lies supine and rocks backwards… | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| ad-lib | intr. To speak or perform extempore or without prior rehearsal; to improvise… | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| ageism | Prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person's age; age discrimination, esp. against the elderly. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| airworthiness | Of an aircraft, etc.: the condition of being airworthy. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| Ali shuffle | The action of performing rapid footwork in place, intended to confuse, distract, or demoralize an opponent. Cf. rope-a-dope n. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| all-star | orig. Theatre. Of a cast, production, etc.: consisting of or performed wholly by well-known and popular performers. | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| alterna- | Forming compounds denoting a form or genre of popular music considered unorthodox or outside… | 1992 | Go To Quotation |
| amp | trans. To make (a person) very excited, agitated, or energetic through (or as if… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| angle-parking | The action or practice of parking a vehicle at an oblique angle to the kerb. Also: this… | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| animatronic | Of or relating to the use of animatrons; designating an animatron. | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| anthemic | Of popular music: suggestive of or resembling an anthem, esp. in its evocative… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Artex | U.S. A type of fine plaster. Now rare. | 1926 | Go To Quotation |
| artsy | Artistic, esp. in a self-conscious or pretentious manner. Cf. arty adj. 1, artsy-fartsy adj. | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| -ati | Forming nouns (often humorous nonce-words) designating elite or prominent groups of people… | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| auto analyst | An specialist in analysing the automobile industry or market, esp. for an investment company. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| babysit | intr. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| backlisted | Of a book title: placed on a backlist. | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| biohacker | A person who engages in biohacking. | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| bluesy | Of, characteristic of, or resembling the blues (blues n. 2b), blues songs, or… | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| BMX | Organized bicycle-racing on a dirt-track, esp. for youngsters. Also, a bicycle used for… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| boardsailing | An official name for windsurfing (windsurf v. Derivatives). Cf. sailboarding n. at sail n. 2. Also attrib. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| body artist | A person who decorates or ornaments others' bodies, esp. professionally; a practitioner of… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| body slam | A move in which the opponent's body is lifted and thrown hard on to the mat. Also fig. and in extended use. | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| boo | Esp among teenagers: a girlfriend or boyfriend. Also as a form of address. | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| booze cruise | A boat trip on which the passengers drink a considerable amount of alcohol, often as part… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| breakout | colloq. (orig. U.S.). Characterized by or producing sudden or unexpected success… | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| Britpopper | A British pop musician; spec. a musician associated with Britpop as a genre. Cf. Britpop n. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| bulerias | A type of fast-paced flamenco dance; (also) a piece of lively music for this dance… | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| bunny hop | orig. U.S. An informal dance in which participants typically form a line and perform jumping and kicking movements. | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| bunny-hop | intr. To perform a jumping movement reminiscent of that made by a rabbit; spec. to… | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| 'burb | A suburb, a suburban area. Freq. in pl. with the. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| Bushian | Of, relating to, or characteristic of George H. W. Bush or (later) George W. Bush, or the policies of either. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| Bushist | = Bushian adj. | 1993 | Go To Quotation |
| caffè ristretto | A drink of strong concentrated espresso; coffee of this type; = espresso ristretto n. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| carbo-load | A meal or snack high in carbohydrates, usually eaten with the intention of… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| carbo-load | intr. To practise carbo-loading (Athletics); (gen.) to eat food high in carbohydrates. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| care package | A proprietary name for: a humanitarian aid package containing food or other… | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| channel grazer | = channel surfer n. | 1991 | Go To Quotation |
| channel hopper | orig. U.S. = channel surfer n. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| channel-hopping | orig. U.S. = channel surfing n. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| chedi | In Thailand: a Buddhist monument or shrine, esp. a reliquary, often in the form of… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| chetrum | A monetary unit of Bhutan, standardized in 1974 but in use before, now equivalent to one-hundredth of a ngultrum. Cf. ngultrum n. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| churn rate | The percentage of customers who discontinue using a particular service over a specific… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| class A | Of the highest standard, quality, or rank; outstanding, matchless. Also occas. as adv. Cf. first class adj. 2, class n. 5a. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| close-caption | trans. = closed-caption v. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| closed-caption | trans. To provide closed captions for (a television programme, etc.). | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| co-host | Each of two or more hosts of an event, broadcast, etc. | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| colour-match | trans. To provide with a complement in a matching colour; to find or select a match with… | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| combi | attrib. Designating a manufactured object (often a household appliance) which combines two or more functions or applications. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| commentariat | The news media, viewed as a mass or class of people; spec. the elite members of the… | 1993 | Go To Quotation |
| commitment-phobia | Resistance or aversion to the commitment involved in a long-term romantic relationship. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| conspiracist | A conspiracy theorist; a believer in or advocate of conspiracism. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| consumer unit | Chiefly U.S. A department or agency concerned with consumer affairs, esp.… | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| Corbusian | Characteristic or typical of the designs of Le Corbusier, or influenced by his theories; modernist, functionalist. | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| cortado | Chiefly in Spanish and Latin American contexts: a drink of coffee (usually espresso) mixed with a small amount of hot milk. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| cowpunk | A performer of a type of popular music combining elements of country and western with… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| crack-down | An instance of ‘cracking down’, legal or disciplinary severity, repression. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| cringe-inducing | = cringeworthy adj. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| cryptogrammist | = cryptogrammatist n. | 1887 | Go To Quotation |
| dagnab | trans. = darn v. Freq. with it. Cf. dagnabbit int. | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| Davenport | A type of large, upholstered couch or sofa which may be convertible into a bed. Freq. attrib. Cf. Chesterfield n. 2. | 1897 | Go To Quotation |
| deboard | trans. To get off (a train, aeroplane, etc.); to disembark from. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| deejaying | The action, practice, or profession of performing as a disc jockey, esp. in a nightclub. Cf. DJ-ing n. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| Dictaphone | A proprietary name for: any of various types of dictating machine. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| dollarization | The action or process of basing the value of a national currency upon that of the… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| down and dirty | In a devious or surreptitious manner. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| dramedy | A work of art exhibiting qualities of both drama and comedy. In later use: spec.… | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| dual | trans. U.S. In the motor industry: to authorize (a dealership) to sell two (or… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| ethnic cleansing | The purging, by mass expulsion or killing, of one ethnic or religious group by another… | 1991 | Go To Quotation |
| Eurocratic | Of, relating to, or characteristic of Eurocrats or Eurocracy. Cf. Eurocracy n. 2. | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| ew | Used as an emphatic expression of disgust. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Fidelism | The methods and policies of Fidel Castro's political administration in Cuba; = Castroism n. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| filmization | A film adaptation of a novel, play, etc. | 1914 | Go To Quotation |
| freebase | Cocaine in a purified form which has been obtained by heating with ether, and may be… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| freebase | trans. To prepare (cocaine) in the form of freebase; to take (the drug) in this form. Also intr. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| French braiding | Decoration with French braid (see French braid n. 1). Now rare. | 1915 | Go To Quotation |
| fuzzword | A deliberately confusing or imprecise term; a piece of jargon, used more to impress than to inform. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| FYI | For your information (typically preceding or following an explanatory statement). | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| gangle | intr. To move or walk in a manner characteristic of a tall, gangling person; to be gangly. | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| gay-friendly | Esp. of a business or environment: considered or intended to be welcoming, congenial, or safe for homosexuals. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| gazillion | A very large (but indefinite) number or quantity (of something); chiefly in pl. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| gazillionaire | A person of great wealth. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| geekdom | The quality or condition of being a geek; the world of geeks; geeks collectively. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| geekfest | A gathering of geeks (geek n. Compounds), esp. one devoted to technical discussions… | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| geekhood | The fact or condition of being a geek; geekiness, geekdom. | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| genogram | A diagrammatic representation of a person's family history which includes… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| glitch | intr. To experience a glitch, setback, or malfunction; to go wrong. Also occas. trans.… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| Gorbachevian | Of, relating to, or characteristic of Mikhail Gorbachev or the policies associated with… | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| green zone | On a gauge or dial: a green sector corresponding to safe or recommended conditions. Also fig.… | 1915 | Go To Quotation |
| Haigspeak | Convoluted or obfuscatory language of a type supposedly characteristic of Alexander Haig… | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| hamachi | The young of the Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata, a… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| helluva | As an intensifier: great, extreme, ‘hell of a —’. See a (also the, one) hell of a —— at hell n. int. 4a. | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| heptathlon | An athletic contest, usu. for women, consisting of seven different events. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| high concept | Of a film, television show, etc.: based on a striking and easily communicable plot or… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| himbo | The male equivalent of a ‘bimbo’ (bimbo n. b); an attractive but unintelligent (usu. young) man. | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| hotelling | The business of providing hotel accommodation; the hotel industry. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| hotline | A direct telephone line set up for a specific purpose, esp. for use in emergencies… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| house-sitting | The action or service of living in and looking after a house in the absence of… | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| Hummer | A proprietary name for: a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain military vehicle or (esp. in later… | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| Humvee | A proprietary name for: a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain military vehicle. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| Hymie | A Jewish person (derogatory and offensive). | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| incrementalist | A proponent of incrementalism. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| Jack | = Monterey Jack n. at Monterey n. 5b. Also more fully Jack cheese. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| jarhead | U.S. regional (south.) and U.S. Army. A mule. Cf. jughead n. | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| jazzified | That has been made to resemble jazz; that has been made jazzy (in various senses). Cf. jazzify v. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| jazzing | The action or practice of playing jazz music or playing music in the style of jazz; (also) jazz dancing. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| kwanza | The basic monetary unit of Angola, equal to 100 lweis, introduced in 1977; also, a note or coin of this value. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| la-la land | With capital initial(s). Los Angeles, esp. considered as a centre of the film industry. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| letter bomber | A person who sends through the post an explosive device designed to detonate upon opening. Cf. mail bomber n. | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| liberation theology | A theory, originating amongst Roman Catholic theologians in Latin America… | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| lookism | Prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of appearance. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| loose cannon | An unpredictable or uncontrollable person or thing, esp. considered liable to cause unintentional or indiscriminate damage. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| low-impact | That causes little impact or makes little impression; that involves little impact (lit. and fig.). | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| low-maintenance | That requires a low or minimal level of maintenance or effort; spec. (of a… | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| Lucy | The nickname of: a well-known partial skeleton of a fossil hominid discovered in… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| luggable | That can be lugged; barely portable; used esp. to designate a computer which is designed… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| malfunction | Bad or faulty functioning; an instance of this. | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| maltiness | The quality in an alcoholic drink of having a malty flavour. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| Mandela | attrib. or in compounds. Of or relating to Nelson Mandela. Mandela Plan n. the… | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| maquiladora | In Mexico: a factory or workshop owned by a U.S. or other foreign company, which… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| McJob | An unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects, esp. one created by the expansion of the service sector. | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| mediascape | Communications media as a collective whole. | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| mega-money | A very large sum of money; extreme wealth. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| mellowspeak | Language that is consciously vague, bland, and informal, often borrowing from the… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| meth | Methamphetamine; (occas. also) a tablet of methamphetamine. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| Mexamerica | Any part of the United States (esp. the south-west) having a large Mexican American… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Mickey Finn | A strong alcoholic drink (now rare or disused); an alcoholic or other drink that… | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| microbrew | Beer produced in a microbrewery; a particular variety of this, a microbeer. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| microbrewed | Of beer: produced in a microbrewery. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| microbrewing | The process or practice of producing beer in a microbrewery. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| micro-entrepreneur | A person who sets up or runs a small business. Cf. microenterprise n. | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| midweeker | An event, occasion, etc., which takes place midweek. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| mindware | Material (esp. books) which provides mental stimulation. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| minicam | A small camera; spec. a camera using film with a width of 35mm or less. Cf. miniature n. 3e. Now rare. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| minicamp | A place where a particular professional sports team carries out trials of potential… | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| mismarket | trans. To market badly, misleadingly, or inappropriately. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| mohaired | Wearing mohair clothes. | 1914 | Go To Quotation |
| mokume gane | A decorative alloy or laminate made of mixed metals and used in the mokume technique. Cf. mokume n. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| mono | A single strand of man-made fibre, used esp. for fishing lines; = monofilament n. Cf. monofil n. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| moonball | intr. To hit a high lob; to engage in play predominantly characterized by such shots. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| motorcycling | That rides a motorcycle. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| motormouthing | Fast incessant talking; gabbling. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| motor pacing | The action or practice of riding in the slipstream of a motorcycle in order to increase one's pace. Cf. pacing n. 2. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| moundsman | = pitcher n. 3b. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| mountain biker | A mountain-bike rider. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| multitrack | trans. To record on separate tracks so as to allow subsequent mixing in… | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| munchy | That may be munched; suitable for eating as a snack. Also fig. Cf. munchable adj. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| Muppet | (a) Any of a number of humorously grotesque glove puppets (with arms manipulated… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| name-drop | intr. To indulge in name-dropping; to mention a well-known or eminent person as if known… | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| nano | = nanotechnology n. Freq. attrib. and in nonce compounds. | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| nanotech | = nanotechnological adj. | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| nanotechnologist | An expert or specialist in nanotechnology. | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| -nap | Forming nouns and verbs (often nonce formations) referring to the action of taking away… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Nasserism | The political principles or policies of President Nasser of Egypt, esp. those relating… | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| Nasserist | = Nasserite adj. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| 'ndrangheta | An organized crime syndicate originating and operating chiefly in Calabria, southern Italy. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| necklacing | The action or practice of killing by means of the necklace (necklace n. 2b). | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| nekkid | Esp. of a person: naked, nude. Often in sexually suggestive or salacious contexts. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| neo-con | = neoconservative adj. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| neo-Stalinist | Of, relating to, or characteristic of, neo-Stalinism. | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| nibbly | = nibble n. 2b. Chiefly in pl. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| nickel-and-dime | trans. To treat in a penny-pinching or parsimonious manner; to harass or wear… | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| Nixonomics | The economic policies of Richard Nixon. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| no-hit | trans. To pitch a no-hitter against (a team). | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| no-huddle | Designating a move that is performed rapidly, without prior conferring by the team. Chiefly in no-huddle offence. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| noodly | Of music or its performance: characterized by noodling (noodling n. 1); intricate, (over-)elaborate; improvisatory or aimless. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| Norman Rockwellesque | Of the kind portrayed in the work of Norman Rockwell; characteristic of a sentimental… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| nostalgia-fest | A festival of nostalgia; a piece of nostalgic entertainment. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| nouveau romancier | A writer of nouveaux romans. | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| nuclearize | trans. To equip (an army, country, etc.) with nuclear weapons. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| nu skool | Of or designating any of several styles of popular music which incorporate… | 1991 | Go To Quotation |
| ODESSA | An organization arranging the escape from Germany of high-ranking Nazis at the end of the Second World War (1939 – 45). | 1964 | Go To Quotation |
| off-message | Not in accordance with a planned or intended message; spec. departing from official party policy. Cf. on message adj. | 1992 | Go To Quotation |
| oink | intr. Of a pig: to utter its characteristic grunting sound. Also (of a person): to make a similar sound; to grunt like a pig. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| OK Corral | allusively. A place where or situation in which a showdown or violent confrontation takes place. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| oncomouse | A transgenic mouse carrying an activated human cancer gene, used in laboratory experiments. | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| oojah | A thing whose name one cannot remember, does not know, or does not wish to mention… | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| oops | Expressing apology, dismay, or surprise, esp. after an obvious but usually minor mistake. | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| op | = opportunity n. Freq. (often in pl.) as the second element in compounds. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| orgasmic | Resembling or suggestive of orgasm, esp. sexual orgasm, or the intensity of sexual orgasm.… | 1890 | Go To Quotation |
| ouguiya | The principal monetary unit in Mauritania, equivalent to 5 francs of the West… | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| outie | orig. U.S. A convex navel; (also) a person having such a navel. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| out-nigger | trans. To defeat or dominate (an opponent) by taking a more racist stance; to take a more racist stance than (an opponent). | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| overamped | Intoxicated with amphetamines; highly excited. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| overdubbed | Dubbed over an existing recording or soundtrack; that has been overdubbed. Cf. dub v. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| overhype | Excessive publicity given to or exaggerated claims made about a product, event, etc.; an instance of this. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| overhype | trans. To give excessive publicity to or make exaggerated claims about (a product, person, event, etc.). | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| overhyped | Of an event, product, etc.: excessively publicized or promoted. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| overplaying | Of a defender or of the defence of a team as a whole: engaged in overplaying the… | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| overpublicize | trans. To publicize excessively; to give undue importance to by publicizing. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| overstitching | The action of working or decorating something with overstitches; (also) decoration consisting of such stitches. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| overvote | An instance of casting more votes than is permissible at an election. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| pair-bond | intr. Of animals or persons: to establish a pair-bond. Also in extended use. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| paisleyed | Having or decorated with a paisley pattern; wearing paisley-patterned clothes. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| paladar | In Cuba: a small, independent, family-run restaurant, situated in a private home. | 1994 | Go To Quotation |
| Palm Beach | A proprietary name for: a kind of lightweight fabric used for clothing, used attrib. in Palm Beach… | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| pants | trans. To put trousers on (a person). nonce-use. | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| paparazzi | = paparazzo n. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| papri | A small, thin, crisp wheat biscuit. Also as postmodifier. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Parellada | A variety of white wine grape, grown chiefly in the Penedès region of Catalonia… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| parenting | The activity of being a parent; the rearing of a child or children; (with modifying… | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| parlay | A cumulative series of bets, usually on a series of horse races, in which winnings… | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| party-hearty | Fun-loving; eager to drink, socialize, dance, etc., esp. unrestrainedly or frequently; encouraging such behaviour. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| Pasdaran | With pl. concord. In Iran: the revolutionary guard formed after the Islamic revolution… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| pass rush | An attempt by the defensive team to prevent the opposing quarterback from passing by… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| pass-rushing | That engages in a pass rush; that prevents the opposing quarterback from passing. Cf. pass rush n. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| peer review | The review of commercial, professional, or academic efficiency, competence, etc., by others… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| peeve | A peevish or irritable mood; peevishness; a grumble. Also: a source of irritation or annoyance (freq. in pet peeve). | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| peg-legger | A person who has an artificial leg, esp. a wooden one. Also (slang): a beggar. | 1915 | Go To Quotation |
| Pentagonese | With pl. concord. The inhabitants of the Pentagon (pentagon n. 3); Pentagon employees collectively. rare nonce-use. | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| Pentomic | Of or belonging to an army divided into five ‘battlegroups’, intended to cope with the likely conditions of nuclear war. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| pep | Energy and high spirits; liveliness, vigour, power. | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| pepper spray | A liquid made from pungent capsicums or chilli powder and used in aerosol form as an organic pesticide. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| perciatelli | A variety of pasta in the form of long hollow strands of larger diameter than spaghetti. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| perestroika | In the former Soviet Union: the restructuring or reform of the economic and political… | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| perma-tan | A permanent suntan. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| peroxided | Of a person: having hair bleached with or as with peroxide. Also as n.: a person with bleached hair (nonce-use). | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| pester power | The ability or power of children to pressurize parents into buying them things, esp. items advertised on television. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| petit mort | An orgasm; the sensation of orgasm likened to death. Also le petit mort. Cf. petite mort n. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| phad thai | A Thai dish of stir-fried rice noodles mixed with shrimp, peanuts, and other ingredients. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| photo finish | A close finish of a race (esp. a horse race) in which the winner is identifiable only… | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| photorealistic | Of an image, piece of animation, etc.: as detailed or exact as a photograph; very realistic. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| pickoff | Baseball. The act of putting out a runner who is off base by means of the pitcher… | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| pigout | A bout of excessive eating; a feast, a binge. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| pinboard | A cork-covered board to which notices, memoranda, pictures, etc., may be pinned for display. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| pinch-hit | intr. To act as a substitute for another batter, esp. at a crucial point in a game.… | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| pinch-hitter | A substitute batter, esp. one who (once substituted) replaces the scheduled batter… | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| pinch-run | intr. To act as a pinch-runner. Freq. with for (the player replaced). | 1919 | Go To Quotation |
| pitometer | A flowmeter incorporating two pitot tubes, with one pressure opening facing upstream and… | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| pizzelle | A type of fried, often stuffed, dumpling. Also: a small pizza. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| pleather | A synthetic fabric, typically composed of PVC or polyurethane, treated to resemble leather. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| plex | = multiplex n. 5. Also as adj. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| plig | A Mormon who practises or sanctions polygamy. Also more generally: a Mormon. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| plug-in-and-go | = plug-and-go adj. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| plugola | Surreptitious or undeclared promotion or publicizing of a product or person, esp. on… | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| plunking | The action of plunk v.; an instance of this. | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| pod people | A collection of people each of whom is a pod person (pod person n.); any group made… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| pod person | A person considered to be conformist, unoriginal, or emotionless; one who lacks personality or individuality. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Poe-esque | Of, relating to, or reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe or his work: spec. macabre, Gothic. Also as n. | 1886 | Go To Quotation |
| pointelle | A style of knitwear with eyelet-holes giving a lacy effect; a garment, or trimming for… | 1892 | Go To Quotation |
| point woman | A woman having an important and usually public position at the forefront of an… | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| pooch | trans. To kick (a ball) a short distance towards the opposition's linemen rather… | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| porta- | Used to form the (often proprietary) names of various movable or portable versions… | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| portrayist | A person skilled in portrayal, representation, or description; = portrayer n. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| port-sider | A left-handed person; esp. a pitcher. | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| Post Toasties | In pl. The proprietary name of: a type of breakfast cereal made from toasted maize… | 1908 | Go To Quotation |
| pot-shotting | The action of pot-shot v.; random or opportunistic shooting. Freq. fig. | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| power shopper | A person who engages in power shopping. | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| prang | In Cambodia and Thailand: a tall tower or spire, usually shaped approximately like a corncob… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| prebuttal | A statement made in anticipation of a criticism or question; a pre-emptive rebuttal.… | 1996 | Go To Quotation |
| preselection | Occurring before selection. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| pro-am | An event, esp. a golfing tournament, in which professionals and amateurs perform or play together. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| probation | trans. To place (a person) on probation (probation n. 3b). | 1900 | Go To Quotation |
| process art | U.S. The craft of printing reproductions of photographs. Cf. process n. 3. rare. | 1896 | Go To Quotation |
| proette | A female professional golfer. Cf. pro n. 1. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| psycho-killer | A psychopathic killer, esp. as represented in films or popular fiction. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| psy-war | = psychological warfare n. at psychological adj. n. Special uses. | 1951 | Go To Quotation |
| Pulitzer | In full Pulitzer prize. Each of a number of awards given annually in the United… | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| pump-primed | Of an economy, project, etc.: stimulated by investment; (also) resulting from pump-priming. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| push-out | A person who is made to leave somewhere, esp. school. | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| pussums | Used as a term of endearment for a cat or (occas.) a person, esp. a woman. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| qipao | A type of dress traditionally worn by Chinese women, typically having a high mandarin… | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| quad | = quadriplegic n. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| Qualitätswein | In Germany and Austria: high-quality wine produced under stricter controls than ordinary table wine. | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| quick-fix | A quick and easy remedy or solution. Also depreciative: an expedient but temporary… | 1896 | Go To Quotation |
| radiocast | A radio broadcast. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| radiolocate | trans. Originally: to locate (an aircraft, etc.) by means of radar. Later more… | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| radiologically | By means of or as regards medical radiology. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| radiophysical | Of or relating to the physical properties and applications of radio waves. Cf. radiophysics n. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| radio telescope | Radio. A device that amplifies signals from a distant radio station. rare and disused. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| raft-up | An instance of tying or mooring together small boats; a social gathering centred around boats tied up in this way. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| rannygazoo | Nonsense, deception; foolishness, fuss, exaggeration; (also) an instance of this; a prank, a trick. | 1896 | Go To Quotation |
| red-baiting | Engaged in or characterized by red-baiting. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| reefer | A refrigerated railway wagon, lorry, or ship, used for conveying perishable goods. Also more fully reefer car, etc. | 1911 | Go To Quotation |
| rehabbing | The restoration or refurbishment of old or dilapidated properties; = rehabilitation n. 2b. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| remixer | A person who remixes music recordings. Cf. remix v. 2. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| reshaper | A person who or thing which reshapes something. | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| retiree | A person who has retired, esp. permanently from employment. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| right to know | The principle or a policy of disclosing (sensitive) information held by a… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| roadshow | trans. To put on (a play or other entertainment) as a roadshow. Esp. in early use: to show… | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| rock jock | A mountaineer; an avid rock climber. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| Rooseveltism | The policies associated with Theodore Roosevelt. | 1890 | Go To Quotation |
| Rupert | A (young) officer, esp. one from a privileged background. Also more generally: an upper-class man (cf. Hooray Henry n.). | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| schussboomer | A fast downhill skier. Also attrib. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| Sendero Luminoso | The name of a neo-Maoist Peruvian revolutionary movement, founded in 1970 as the Communist… | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| shopaholic | A compulsive shopper. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| slomo | Slow motion; slow-motion replay or a facility for producing this. Freq. attrib. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| snitty | Ill-tempered, sulky. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| snubby | A small, cheap, short-barrelled handgun; a snub-nosed revolver. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| Somocista | A follower of the Somoza family; a member or supporter of its regime (cf. Sandinista n.). | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| sonobuoy | A buoy equipped to detect underwater sounds and transmit them automatically by radio. | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| splashdown | The alighting of a spacecraft on the sea. Also transf. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| START | The Strategic Arms Reduction Talks, held esp. between the United States and the… | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| step-parenting | The action or process of bringing up a stepchild. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| stonewash | trans. To wash (a garment or fabric, esp. denim) with abrasives to produce a worn or faded appearance. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| supersize | trans. To produce, make, or request (something) in a much larger size; to greatly increase the size of. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| tackiness | The quality of being cheap or in poor taste. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| tasca | In Spain and Portugal: a tavern or wine bar, usually serving food, typically savoury snacks. | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| tech | In early use attrib.: designating music incorporating sounds generated or… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| teendom | The state or condition of being a teenager. Also (with sing. concord): teenagers collectively. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| Teletex | A proprietary name for a data processing and communication system using interconnected computer terminals. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| trash talk | Speech which condemns a person as trash (see trash n. 4); (Sport) ostentatiously… | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| trash talker | A person who trash talks, esp. in a particularly ostentatious or effective manner. | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| trendoid | Trendy; self-consciously or extravagantly fashionable. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| Trombe | The name of Felix Trombe, 20th-c. Frenchman, used attrib. and in conjunction with that… | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| under-report | To fail to report (income, events, information, etc.) fully. | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| upsized | Enlarged; that has been upsized. Cf. down-sized adj. at down-size v. Derivatives. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| VE | Used attrib. and absol. to denote the victory of the Allied forces over those of Germany… | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| videophile | One who is very keen on watching television or video recordings. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| VJ | Used attrib. and absol. to denote the victory of the Allied forces over those of Japan… | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| wahoo | An exclamation used to express excitement, enthusiasm, or delight, or to attract attention. | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| waitron | A waiter or waitress; = waitperson n. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| weaponizing | The development and manufacture of weapons technology; spec. the adaptation of a… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| wigger | A white or other non-black person who identifies with aspects of urban… | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| wimp | intr. With out: to fail to act or to avoid an undertaking, through weakness of character or intention; to ‘chicken out’. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| wiretap | An act of wiretapping; (also) the device by which this is done. Cf. tap n. 6, phone tap n.… | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| yipes | An exclamation of fear, alarm, or dismay (also occas. of excitement or surprise). | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| zampone | In Italian cookery: a pig's trotter stuffed with spiced ground pork, then cured and dried. | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| zap | Used to represent the sound of a ray gun, laser, bullet, etc.; also fig., expressing any sudden or dramatic event. | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| Z-list | Any (notional) list comprising only the very least celebrated or important members of… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| 411 | In the United States and Canada: a telephone number used to contact directory… | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
