| abacost | In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire): a man's suit consisting… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| -adelic | Forming adjectives designating something which embodies in a psychedelic way that which… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| affirm | Esp. in radio communication: = affirmative adj. 1b. Also as int. | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| after-ski | Designating clothing worn or intended to be worn after skiing; of or relating to the period… | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| Agent Orange | A defoliant and herbicide used by the United States during the Vietnam War to remove… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| age-related | Related to or associated with age, esp. advancing age. | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| agroindustrial | Of or relating to industrialized agriculture; of, relating to, or produced by agro-industry. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| AIDS | A disease characterized by fever, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, and the occurrence… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| airmanship | Skill in flying an aircraft, hot air balloon, etc. | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| alert | trans. To make alert to or aware of something; to warn; to instruct to be vigilant to do something. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| all-body | Of, relating to, or involving the entire body. | 1886 | Go To Quotation |
| Am | The element americium. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| Amerasian | Of or relating to both America and Asia. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| Americanophile | A person who loves or admires the United States or its culture. | 1894 | Go To Quotation |
| americium | A metallic radioactive transuranic element of the actinide series, atomic number 95… | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| Amtrak | A proprietary name for a Government-controlled railway service in the U.S., also… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| angle-park | trans. To park (a vehicle) at an oblique angle to the kerb. Occas. in extended use. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| animatic | A preliminary mock-up of a film, television commercial, etc., consisting of a succession… | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| assimilado | Used as n. to designate an African in Portuguese East and West Africa who has been… | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| assistive | Designating a piece of equipment designed to aid a person with a disability, esp.… | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| Atkins | attrib. Designating or typical of a high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, esp.… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| auditionee | A person who undergoes an audition. | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| autogenics | With pl. and sing. concord. The use or study of autogenic training. Cf. autogenic adj. 4. | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| autogestion | A socialist system in which workers have authority in political and economic… | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| automate | trans. To convert (a process, system, or facility) to be operated by… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| automobiling | That automobiles; driving, motoring. | 1903 | Go To Quotation |
| Babe Ruth | Chiefly attrib. A youth baseball and softball league in North America, originally… | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| bazillion | With an article, number, or other quantifier, and followed by a plural noun: amounting to… | 1939 | Go To Quotation |
| beat-box | An electronic drum machine. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| beat generation | An expression applied at first to a group of young people, predominantly writers… | 1952 | Go To Quotation |
| bed-space | A space in which an individual bed is or is intended to be placed, esp. regarded as… | 1895 | Go To Quotation |
| beer pong | Any of various drinking games in which players attempt to throw or hit table tennis… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| big guy | As a familiar or affectionate form of address to a man or boy. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| biomagnification | Accumulation of (toxic) chemicals in the tissues of organisms; spec.… | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| blue box | Telecomm. An electronic device which generates the tones necessary to open… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| bobskate | An ice-skate for children, which has double runners in two sections and can easily be adjusted to fit the foot. | 1903 | Go To Quotation |
| boondoggle | To engage in trifling or frivolous work. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| bootery | A shop where boots and shoes are sold. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| botel | A hotel catering for boat-owners (see quot. 1960). | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| Botswanan | A native or inhabitant of the republic of Botswana, which became an independent state in 1966. | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| boy toy | A toy which typically appeals to boys; (also) a gadget, esp. an unnecessary or… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| bracero | A manual labourer; spec. a Mexican migrant worker in the United States, esp. (now hist.)… | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| brewmaster | A person who supervises or manages the brewing process in a brewery; a master brewer. | 1871 | Go To Quotation |
| bris | The ceremony in which a Jewish male is circumcised, traditionally performed on his eighth day of life; = brit milah n. | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| brit | = brit milah n. | 1856 | Go To Quotation |
| broomball | A team game similar to ice hockey and played on ice, but in which the players wear shoes… | 1896 | Go To Quotation |
| buckyball | A molecule of buckminsterfullerene, or more generally of any fullerene. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| build-down | A systematic reduction of nuclear armaments, by destroying two or more for each new one deployed. Also fig. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| busy-busy | Very or excessively busy; (also) ostentatiously or affectedly busy. Cf. busy adj. 3c. | 1900 | Go To Quotation |
| buttlegging | The illicit trade in cigarettes; cigarette smuggling. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| caipiroska | A cocktail resembling a caipirinha but made with vodka instead of cachaça. | 1990 | Go To Quotation |
| cameraless | With pl. concord. With the. People without cameras as a class. | 1901 | Go To Quotation |
| capo di tutti capi | A person who runs every branch of the Mafia in a region. Freq. in extended use. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| caponata | A Sicilian dish similar to ratatouille, typically consisting of aubergines… | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| carb | A carbohydrate; = carbo n. Usu. in pl. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| carpaccio | An Italian dish of extremely thin slices of marinated raw or very rare beef, typically… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| Charmat | An inexpensive method of producing sparkling wine, by which the wine receives a… | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| chugger | A person who uses underwater sounds to drive or lure fish, esp. when ice fishing. Cf. chug v. Additions rare. | 1885 | Go To Quotation |
| churrascaria | Esp. in Brazil and Argentina: a restaurant which specializes in churrasco. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| churro | Originally in Spain and Latin America: a sweet snack consisting of a strip of… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| Chutes and Ladders | A (children's) board game in which players compete to be the first to move their… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| Clintonista | A supporter or adherent of Bill Clinton or his policies. Also: a member of the Clinton administration. | 1992 | Go To Quotation |
| closed captioning | A system providing television programme subtitles, accessible through a decoder… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| club-hopper | A person who (habitually) goes club-hopping. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| co-branded | Of a product or service: marketed under or bearing two or more brand names; (of a… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| colour coordination | The process or fact of designing or choosing something so that the colours used… | 1926 | Go To Quotation |
| compartmentalize | trans. To separate into compartments; to divide absolutely. Chiefly fig. | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| computer phobia | Fear or mistrust of computer technology; an aversion to using computers, esp.… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| computer programmer | = programmer n. 1b. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| computer science | The branch of knowledge concerned with the construction, programming, operation, and use of computers. Also in pl. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| conglomerator | One who founds a conglomerate (sense 3). | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| contestability | The quality or state of being contestable. | 1893 | Go To Quotation |
| contra | In Nicaraguan politics, a counter-revolutionary; spec., a member of the forces… | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| cortisone | A steroid hormone (C 21 H 28 O 5) found in the adrenal cortex and prepared synthetically… | 1949 | Go To Quotation |
| crabstick | (a) A finger-shaped portion of (imitation) crabmeat coated in batter or breadcrumbs (cf. fish stick… | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| crêperie | A restaurant or cafe specializing in crêpes. | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| cyborg | A person whose physical tolerances or capabilities are extended beyond normal human… | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| de-accession | trans. To remove an entry for (an exhibit, book) from the accessions register of a… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| dead-pan | Of a face, look, etc.: expressionless, impassive. Of a person: having such a… | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| deal breaker | During negotiations (esp. in politics or business): a factor or issue which, if… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| deejay | intr. To perform as a disc jockey, esp. in a nightclub. Also (occas.) trans.: to perform… | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| delist | trans. Stock Market (orig. U.S.). To remove (a security) from the official register of… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| delisting | Stock Market (orig. U.S.). The removal of a security from the official register of… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| deltiology | The hobby of collecting postcards. | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| destabilization | The act or process of rendering unstable, esp. (in political contexts) of a country or government by foreign interference. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| dim-out | A reduction in the brightness or use of lighting, e.g. as a precaution against air-raids… | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| disconnect | An act or instance of disconnecting; a break of (esp. electrical or telephone) connection. | 1951 | Go To Quotation |
| disintermediate | intr. To invest savings in or obtain funds from the stock market directly, as opposed… | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| disintermediation | A reduction in the use or role of banks and savings institutions as intermediaries… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| disintermediator | That which disintermediates or aids disintermediation; a person, company, etc., that… | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| dualling | U.S. In the motor industry: the practice of selling two or more brands of vehicle at a dealership. | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| dweeb | A person held in contempt, esp. one ridiculed as studious, puny, or unfashionable; a fool. Cf. nerd n. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| ear-bending | A lengthy, boring, or ill-tempered diatribe (usually to one person); the action of delivering such a talk. | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| ear-bending | Given to speaking at length, esp. in a boring or ill-tempered manner; expressed vociferously or at length. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| eat-in | eat-in kitchen, a kitchen designed for eating as well as cooking in; a kitchen-diner. (Estate agents' jargon.) | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| Ebola | a tropical African filovirus known to infect humans and certain other primates… | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| Ebonics | African-American English, esp. when considered as a distinct language or dialect… | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| electronic book | An electronic record of offers to buy or sell a stock on a stock exchange. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| emoticon | A representation of a facial expression formed by a short sequence of keyboard… | 1990 | Go To Quotation |
| espresso ristretto | Strong concentrated espresso; a drink of this; = caffè ristretto n. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| fast-tracked | Of a person: suitable for rapid promotion. Of a project, plan, etc.: that has had… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| fifth column | Orig. the column of supporters which General Mola declared himself to have in Madrid, when… | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| Five-O | A police officer or detective; (usu. with the) the police. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| flareless | Of a garment: having no flare (flare n. 4b). | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| foodery | A restaurant or other establishment selling prepared food; an eatery. Cf. eatery n. | 1892 | Go To Quotation |
| foo fighter | Any of various unidentified lights encountered by airborne forces during the Second… | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| Fortean | Originally: of, relating to, or characteristic of Charles Fort or his ideas. Later… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| Franken- | Forming nouns with the sense ‘genetically modified ——’; (also occas.) ‘—— relating… | 1992 | Go To Quotation |
| free-list | trans. To place on a free list; to exempt (a commodity, etc.) from duty. Usu. in pass. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| free-styled | Not observing conventions of style or form; improvisational, unrestrained. Cf. freestyle adj. 2. | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| frizzy | In pl. Usu. with the. Hair which has become an unmanageable mass of small, tight… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| glasnost | In relation to the affairs of the Soviet Union: a declared party policy since 1985… | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| glitzy | Characterized by glitter or extravagant show; ostentatious, glamorous; hence… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| Godzilla | A large or strong example of its type; a person or thing of monstrous proportions or strength. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| gridlocked | Subject to a gridlock; brought to a standstill (lit. and fig.). | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| grunge | A general term of disparagement for someone or something that is repugnant or… | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| grungy | Grimy, dirty; hence, of poor quality, unappealing; unpleasant, bad; untidy. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| guesstimate | An estimate which is based on both guesswork and reasoning. | 1936 | Go To Quotation |
| hanger steak | = onglet n. 2. | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| heavy-lift | Of a vehicle, its potential, or performance: capable of lifting or transporting extremely heavy loads. | 1919 | Go To Quotation |
| henna-tattooed | Adorned with a henna tattoo. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| herbologist | A practitioner of herbal medicine, a herbalist. | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| high-impact | Esp. of a plastic or plastic product: able to withstand a great impact without breaking. | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| Hinglish | Esp. in India: a mixture of Hindi and English; esp. a variety of English used by speakers… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| Historikerstreit | A controversial scholarly debate in West Germany in 1986 – 7 as to the… | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| hogging frame | = hog frame n. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| hokey | Characterized by hokum; sentimental, melodramatic, artificial. | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| home alone | At home alone; esp. (of a child) left at home unsupervised during parental absence. | 1885 | Go To Quotation |
| home video | Pictures displayed on a television screen at home; television footage. Now disused. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| hydrofracturing | = hydraulic fracturing n. at hydraulic adj. n. Additions. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| ice-cool | Freq. of a drink: that is (felt to be) as cool as ice; = ice-cold adj. 1. | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| imagineering | The process of devising and implementing a new or highly imaginative technology, concept… | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| Indianapolis | More fully Indianapolis 500. A 500-mile circuit race for rear-engined racing cars… | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| integrationist | An adherent or advocate of integration, esp. political or racial. | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| iron lung | A kind of respirator for giving prolonged artificial respiration mechanically, consisting… | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| Italian–American | Of, designating, or relating to Americans of Italian origin or descent. | 1854 | Go To Quotation |
| jalfrezi | In Indian cookery: a medium-hot dish, usually consisting of meat, fish, or vegetables… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| Japlish | A blend of Japanese and English spoken in Japan: either the Japanese language… | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| jargonaut | A person who uses an excessive amount of jargon. | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| jockette | Occas. used for: a female jockey. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| John Lennon | attrib. Designating a pair of metal-framed spectacles or sunglasses with small, round… | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| Jokari | The proprietary name of a game played with bat and ball. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| juku | (in Japan) an educational system based on a European and U.S. model of progressive… | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| jumboize | trans. To enlarge a ship, esp. a tanker, by inserting a new middle section between the bow and stern. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| kalashnikov | The name of a type of rifle or sub-machine gun made in the U.S.S.R. and subsequently in Russia; = AK n. at A n. Initialisms. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| kawaii | Cute, esp. in a manner considered characteristic of Japanese popular culture; charming, darling; ostentatiously adorable. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| kir royale | A drink made from champagne (or sparkling white wine) and cassis. Cf. kir n. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| kobo | A unit of currency in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, equal to 1/100 naira. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| Koreatown | An area of a city or town inhabited predominantly by people of Korean origin or descent. Cf. Chinatown n. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| laser | Any device that is capable of emitting a very intense, narrow, parallel beam… | 1960 | Go To Quotation |
| latte | = caffè latte n. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| libero | In certain types of team formation: a defensive player who does not have… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| lightstick | A flexible tube containing two solutions which emit light as the result of a… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| line dancer | A person who participates in line dancing. | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| line dancing | The action or practice of performing a line dance or line dances. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| liveaboard | Designating a journey or holiday (esp. a cruise or diving trip) which involves living aboard a ship or boat for a time. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| lollo rosso | A variety of lettuce having pale green leaves with ruffled red edges. | 1987 | Go To Quotation |
| lone parent | A parent who does not live with a partner and thus has most, or all, of the… | 1949 | Go To Quotation |
| mabe | In full mabe pearl. A type of large, usually hemispherical cultured pearl, grown on… | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| macchiato | A drink of caffè macchiato or of latte macchiato. | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| maiasaur | A duck-billed dinosaur of the genus Maiasaura (see Maiasaura n.). | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| mail bomb | U.S. An explosive device sent through the post, usually set off by the recipient on… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| mail bombing | The action of sending a mail bomb (in either sense); an instance of this. Cf. mail bomb n. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| Mailgram | A proprietary name for: a system of sending messages whereby the text of a message… | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| Mailmobile | An automated vehicle which delivers internal mail and stationery to departments… | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| makhani | attrib. and as postmodifier. Designating a dish (freq. of chicken) cooked in a… | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| maladjusted | Inadequately or imperfectly adjusted; exhibiting or characterized by psychological maladjustment. | 1868 | Go To Quotation |
| malfeasant | An evildoer, a criminal. | 1867 | Go To Quotation |
| mammograph | A mammogram; (also) an X-ray or other imaging machine used to perform examinations of the breast (rare). | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| Mann Act | An act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1910 making it a federal offence to transport or… | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| Marconigraph | An apparatus for transmitting and receiving radiotelegrams. | 1902 | Go To Quotation |
| Marielito | Any of the tens of thousands of Cuban refugees who sailed from Mariel to Florida in 1980… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| mbalax | A type of Senegalese rhythm, used as the basis of much Senegalese popular music… | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| Met | Baseball. In pl., usu. with the. Originally: the New York Metropolitans baseball team… | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| metempsychotically | By means of metempsychosis. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| meze | In Turkish, Greek, and Middle Eastern cookery: a selection of hot or cold dishes… | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| micro | An extremely short miniskirt or minidress. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| microwaving | The action or process of cooking or heating food, etc., in a microwave oven. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| middlescence | The period of middle age; the process of becoming middle-aged. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| middlescent | Of, relating to, or taking place in middle age. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| Middle Westerner | A native or inhabitant of the Midwest. | 1899 | Go To Quotation |
| Midori | A proprietary name for: a Japanese melon liqueur. Freq. attrib., esp. in the names of cocktails including the liqueur. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| mil-spec | A manufacturing and performance standard prescribed by the U.S. Department of Defense… | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| minceur | Of or relating to cuisine minceur, a style of cookery which avoids the use of dairy… | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| mini-album | A music recording consisting of fewer tracks than a normal record album. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| MIRV | trans. To equip (a rocket, missile system, etc.) with a MIRV or MIRVs. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| misalignment | Bad or imperfect alignment; an instance of this. | 1897 | Go To Quotation |
| miscatalogued | Erroneously or inaccurately entered in a catalogue. | 1900 | Go To Quotation |
| Mittel-European | = Middle-European adj. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| mixed media | With sing. and pl. concord: the use of more than one medium, as a painting… | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| mojo | A sauce or marinade of Cuban origin, containing garlic, olive oil, sour oranges and (freq.) other citrus fruits. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| mole drainage | A drainage system dug by a mole plough. | 1860 | Go To Quotation |
| mommy track | An interrupted or delayed career path followed by some women (by choice or out of necessity)… | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| monounsaturate | A monounsaturated fat or fatty acid. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| MOOSE | An inflatable emergency capsule for the return of an astronaut to earth from orbit… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| moqueca | A strongly flavoured fish stew cooked with palm oil and coconut milk, originating in the state of Bahia, Brazil. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| mouthfeel | The way an item of food or drink feels in the mouth, esp. a sensation of consistency, richness, etc., produced during tasting. | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| Movietone | A proprietary name for: a system for recording sound on a film negative, formerly used… | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| multimedia | Using more than one medium of communication, artistic expression, etc.; (Computing)… | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| multimiked | Produced by or resulting from multimiking. | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| multinational | Relating to, consisting of, or involving several or many countries or nationalities. Of… | 1854 | Go To Quotation |
| Murphy | trans. To dupe, to swindle, esp. by means of the Murphy game. See Murphy n. 2. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| museum-going | That visits museums, esp. regularly. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| musicalize | trans. To set (a novel, play, etc.) to music; to express or render in a manner suggestive of music. | 1919 | Go To Quotation |
| naira | The principal monetary unit of Nigeria, introduced in 1973 and consisting of 100 kobo. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| napalming | The action of attacking or destroying with napalm; an instance of this. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| Narcotics Anonymous | A self-help organization for recovering drug addicts, following a philosophy modelled on… | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| narratage | A technique used in films, plays, and television dramas in which one of the characters… | 1933 | Go To Quotation |
| narrowcast | intr. To restrict the directions in which a radio transmits, so as to avoid sending… | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| Nebraskan | Of, coming from, or relating to the state of Nebraska in the central United States. | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| Négrette | A variety of grape grown in the vineyards of South-west France, used in the production of red and rosé wines. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| Nehru | Designating a garment or style often worn by Nehru; esp. in Nehru jacket, a… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| nemo | A radio or television programme originating outside the studio from which it is broadcast. Cf. remote n. 2. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| neo-hippie | A person who resembles or behaves like a hippie, or espouses an ideology like that of… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| neo-isolationist | A person who supports or advocates a renewed or revived isolationism. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| nerdish | Having the characteristics of a ‘nerd’; typical or suggestive of a ‘nerd’; = nerdy adj. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| newsfeed | A service by which news and other frequently updated information is provided on a… | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| nip and tuck | Minor cosmetic surgery, esp. for the tightening of loose skin; an instance or the result of this. Also in extended use. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| Nixonism | The principles and policies associated with Richard Nixon; adherence to or support of these policies. | 1952 | Go To Quotation |
| no-calorie | Of a food substance or diet: free from, or very low in, calories. | 1951 | Go To Quotation |
| no-host | Designating a dinner, bar, etc., at which guests are required to pay for their own food or drink. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| noirish | Characteristic or reminiscent of film noir. Cf. noir adj. 2, noir n. 3. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| no-knock | Designating or relating to a search or raid made by the police without permission or warning. | 1964 | Go To Quotation |
| no man | A person who habitually disagrees or contradicts, esp. one who is deliberately obstructive. Cf. yes-man n. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| non-answering | That gives no answer or response; that fails to answer. | 1861 | Go To Quotation |
| non-drip | That does not allow or give rise to dripping. | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| non-fattening | Of food or drink: not causing an increase in weight when consumed in normal amounts. Also in extended use. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| non-proliferation | The prevention of an increase in something, esp. in the possession of nuclear… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| non-realistic | That is not realistic. | 1882 | Go To Quotation |
| non-stick | That does not stick or adhere; esp. (of a cooking utensil) that is designed to prevent food sticking to its surface. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| nonsuing | That does not sue or is not suing. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| non-unionize | trans. To make non-union in character; to withdraw recognition of a trade union from (a workforce or workplace). Also intr. | 1889 | Go To Quotation |
| non-using | That is not using or does not (habitually) use something; spec. that does not (habitually) use a drug. | 1914 | Go To Quotation |
| noodle | trans. and intr. Chiefly Jazz. To play or sing (a piece of music) in a tentative… | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| noodler | Music (orig. Jazz). A musician or vocalist whose technique involves improvisation… | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| noodling | Chiefly Jazz. The action of the verb noodle v. 1. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| noshery | A restaurant; a snack bar. Occas.: food, a snack. Cf. nosh n. | 1952 | Go To Quotation |
| no-show | intr. To neglect to appear. Also trans.: to neglect to appear at or for. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| nuanced | Possessing or exhibiting delicate gradations in tone, expression, meaning, etc. | 1902 | Go To Quotation |
| nub | trans. To strike (a ball) weakly; to hit (the ball) awkwardly with the end of the bat. Cf. nubber n. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| nubuck | A cattle leather with a texture similar to suede, produced by buffing the grain side of the hide. | 1912 | Go To Quotation |
| nudie | A show, film, or other entertainment featuring nude performers; a photograph or… | 1934 | Go To Quotation |
| nylon | Any of various synthetic thermoplastic polymers with a straight-chain polyamide structure… | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| obliviscible | Forgettable. | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| oceanarium | A seawater aquarium in which large sea creatures can be kept and observed, esp.… | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| odd lot | An incomplete set or random mixture of things. | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| off-board | Of stocks, bonds, etc.: dealt in or sold somewhere other than at a stock exchange; = over the counter adj. b. | 1943 | Go To Quotation |
| off-campus | Away from or off a campus. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| off-dry | Of wine, or its flavour: almost dry, with just a trace of sweetness. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| off-price | For less than the usual (wholesale or recommended retail) price. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| off-ramp | An exit lane from a freeway or motorway. | 1939 | Go To Quotation |
| off-tackle | Of, directed towards, or occurring in a part of the offensive line through a hole made… | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| ohmigod | = omigod int. | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| oink | Representing a grunting sound made by a pig or (occas.) a similar sound made by… | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| oke | = OK adj. 1. | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| Olds | An Oldsmobile car, esp. a large family saloon model. | 1907 | Go To Quotation |
| omakase | In a Japanese restaurant: a menu choice in which the chef decides what food the customer receives. | 1979 | Go To Quotation |
| omigod | Expressing astonishment, shock, fear, embarrassment, etc.: ‘oh my God!’ Cf. migod int., ohmigod int., omigawd int. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| on-ramp | orig. and chiefly N. Amer. An inclined slip road leading on to or off a main road or motorway. Cf. off-ramp n. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| opster | A practitioner of op art. | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| Optacon | A device for enabling a blind person to recognize printed characters by touch, the… | 1970 | Go To Quotation |
| option | trans. To buy, sell, or have an option on (land, commodities, etc.). | 1888 | Go To Quotation |
| Orlon | A synthetic polyacrylonitrile fibre which makes a soft, warm yarn for textiles and knitwear. Freq. attrib. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| outplace | trans. Lawn Tennis. To surpass in placement of the ball; to outdo by more skilful ball placement. | 1895 | Go To Quotation |
| outplacement | The action of moving someone to a new environment; the fact of being moved to such an environment. | 1928 | Go To Quotation |
| outright | trans. To release (a player, esp. in a major league team) unconditionally from his or her contract. Cf. option v. 2. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| overharvest | trans. To harvest (a population of animals, an ecosystem, etc.) to an excessive degree… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| overkill | Military destruction in excess of strategic requirements; the capacity, esp. of… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| overtop | Over the top of; over. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| Ozzie and Harriet | allusively. A married couple, esp. regarded as exemplifying traditional, wholesome, or idealized domesticity. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| paint spray | A device for spraying paint on to a surface. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| paisan | In Italian-speaking communities: a person of Italian birth or descent, an Italian-American; a fellow-countryman; a ‘buddy’. | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| panhandler | U.S. (orig. slang). A beggar. | 1893 | Go To Quotation |
| pan-Latin | Encompassing or involving all speakers of Romance languages, or all people of… | 1893 | Go To Quotation |
| parafoil | A structure of fabric designed to function as both a parachute and an aerofoil… | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| pararescue | A rescue carried out by a parachutist or parachutists. Usu. attrib. designating the person or group carrying out the rescue. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| Park Avenue | attrib. Of or relating to Park Avenue; spec. designating a wealthy socialite… | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| parylene | Any of several transparent thermoplastic polymers of paraxylene or its… | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| passepartout | trans. To place (a picture) in a passepartout frame. | 1900 | Go To Quotation |
| pastina | Any of several varieties of pasta formed in tiny shapes and generally served in soups. | 1903 | Go To Quotation |
| patrioteer | A person who makes a public display of patriotism, esp. for the sake of personal… | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| Paul-Prying | The action of Paul-Pry v. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| pay TV | (A system of) television broadcasting in which viewers pay to subscribe to particular channels or to watch particular programmes. | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| peer-reviewed | That is, or has been, subject to peer review; (of a journal) that incorporates a system of peer review. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| Pentecostalism | The beliefs and practices of Pentecostal movements or sects. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| Pentecostalist | A member of a Pentecostal sect; an adherent of a Pentecostal movement. | 1913 | Go To Quotation |
| perc | Perchloroethylene, esp. as used as a dry-cleaning fluid. | 1949 | Go To Quotation |
| perfecto | Perfect; excellent. | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| permanent waver | An appliance used to create permanent waves in hair; a technician who operates this appliance. | 1916 | Go To Quotation |
| Pershing | A type of short-range (and later medium-range) surface-to-surface ballistic missile. Freq. attrib., esp. in Pershing missile. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| persistently | In a persistent manner; continuously. | 1852 | Go To Quotation |
| perspiringly | In a way that involves or causes perspiration. Also fig.: with great exertion or anxiety. | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| Petite Sirah | Any of a number of distinct varieties of vine yielding black grapes used in… | 1887 | Go To Quotation |
| pettibockers | An ankle-length, loose-fitting pair of pants worn by women and girls as underwear. Also in singular form. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| philanthropoid | A professional philanthropist; a person who dispenses funds for a charitable or grant-awarding institution. Also as adj. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| phoned | Conveyed by telephone. Freq. with in. | 1925 | Go To Quotation |
| phoney | trans. To counterfeit, make up, falsify. Freq. with up. | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| photocomposition | The setting of matter for printing by projecting it on to photographic film from… | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| Photomaton | A self-service machine that takes portrait photographs automatically, typically in a photo… | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| Photon | A piece or range of filmsetting equipment which uses stroboscopic flashes of light to project type on to a photographic film. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| piano action | The mechanism by which the impulse of the fingers upon the keys of a piano is communicated… | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| picture phone | = videophone n. at video- comb._form 1. | 1964 | Go To Quotation |
| pie melon | U.S. A melon used as a filling for pies. Now hist. | 1857 | Go To Quotation |
| pinch-runner | A player who substitutes for and runs for another player who has reached a base, esp. at a crucial period of play. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| pinfish | N. Amer. Any of several sticklebacks. rare. | 1854 | Go To Quotation |
| pint-size | = pint-sized adj. 1. | 1889 | Go To Quotation |
| pitchwoman | Originally: a woman who sells gadgets, novelties, etc., esp. on the street or in a… | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| pitted | Of fruit, olives, etc.: having had the pit or stone removed. | 1859 | Go To Quotation |
| pizzazz | An attractive combination of vitality and glamour; sparkle, effervescence; (also) flashiness, showiness. | 1937 | Go To Quotation |
| platoon system | A system in which the members of a police force (or other emergency service in which… | 1893 | Go To Quotation |
| player-piano | A piano fitted with a pneumatic apparatus enabling it to play automatically by means of… | 1905 | Go To Quotation |
| playscape | A landscape for play; spec. a children's play area in which play equipment is arranged… | 1959 | Go To Quotation |
| plea-bargained | That has been resolved, obtained, or reduced as a result of plea bargaining. | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| plinger | A beggar. | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| plottage | Land in the form of a plot or plots; the area or value of such land, esp. when aggregated from smaller plots. | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| pluot | A proprietary name for: (the fruit of) a complex hybrid between the Japanese plum, Prunus salicina… | 1988 | Go To Quotation |
| pocket billiards | N. Amer. Any of various types of pool (pool n. 2). | 1910 | Go To Quotation |
| politic | intr. To engage in political activity, esp. in order to strike political bargains or to seek votes; to campaign. | 1892 | Go To Quotation |
| polysomnograph | = polysomnogram n. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| Pommery | A proprietary name for: a brand of champagne. | 1874 | Go To Quotation |
| pom-pom-pull-away | Any of various children's chasing games similar to tag. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| ponzu | More fully ponzu sauce. In Japanese cookery: a sauce made with soy sauce and bitter… | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| popiah | In Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine: a spring roll. | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| poppit | A bead with a hole at one end and a protruding part at the other, by which it may be… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| poppycock | Nonsense, rubbish, humbug. Also as int. | 1852 | Go To Quotation |
| populism | The policies or principles of any of various political parties which seek to… | 1891 | Go To Quotation |
| populist | An adherent of a political party formed in the United States in 1892 to represent the… | 1891 | Go To Quotation |
| populistic | Of, relating to, or characterized by populism (in various senses). | 1891 | Go To Quotation |
| porcelainizing | The action of coating something with porcelain enamel or a similar vitreous coating; = porcelain enamelling n. | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| postgraduate | Of or relating to the period after graduating; designating a course or institution… | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| post-minimal | = post-minimalist adj. | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| pot roast | A dish consisting of a piece of meat, typically beef, cooked slowly in a covered dish. | 1880 | Go To Quotation |
| pouf | trans. With up or out. To plump up or fluff; to cause to increase in size or… | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| power play | A concentration of players at a particular point; (Amer. Football) a play in which… | 1921 | Go To Quotation |
| power shopping | Shopping in a determined, extravagant, or aggressive manner, esp. when intended as… | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| preboarding | The action or practice of allowing certain categories of passengers to board an… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| preborn | Of or designating a fetus. | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| preference | trans. orig. and chiefly U.S. To give preferential treatment or consideration to; to prefer. | 1904 | Go To Quotation |
| prep | intr. To attend a preparatory school as a student. | 1909 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-package | trans. To package in advance or beforehand; esp. to package (food or other goods) at the… | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-press | Of, relating to, or designating procedures carried out on a publication prior to printing… | 1952 | Go To Quotation |
| pre-visualization | The visualization (now esp. through the use of computers) of how something will look… | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| primavera | More fully primavera mahogany. A tree of Mexico and Central America, Tabebuia donnell-smithii… | 1871 | Go To Quotation |
| Prince Charming | A fairy-tale hero; an ideal or idealized young male lover; a perfect young man. | 1855 | Go To Quotation |
| princess cut | Fashion. = princess adj. | 1875 | Go To Quotation |
| problem-solve | intr. To find a solution to a difficult or complex question or situation; to engage in… | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| projectile vomit | Stomach contents expelled by projectile vomiting; an instance of projectile vomiting. | 1884 | Go To Quotation |
| protectory | An institution for the care and education of destitute or delinquent children. | 1865 | Go To Quotation |
| psychographics | Esp. in market research: the study and classification of members of a community according… | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| Pugwash | attrib. Designating, relating to, or arising from a series of international conferences… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| Puligny-Montrachet | A white burgundy wine of Chardonnay grapes, from vineyards located in the Puligny-Montrachet area. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| pull-away | = pom-pom-pull-away n. | 1883 | Go To Quotation |
| puppeteering | The art, practice, or action of operating puppets. Also in extended use: the control or manipulation of a person, situation, etc. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| pure laine | Of, relating to, or designating a French Canadian, esp. a francophone Québecois descended from the original French settlers. | 1991 | Go To Quotation |
| push-and-go | The ability to develop and carry out a scheme energetically; enterprise… | 1885 | Go To Quotation |
| pyramiding | Stock Market. The action or practice of reinvesting profits from stock or other… | 1895 | Go To Quotation |
| Qiana | A nylon fibre used for fabrics; a synthetic fabric with a silky texture made of this fibre. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| quick-fire | Of a gun: able to fire shots in rapid succession. | 1889 | Go To Quotation |
| radar | A system for detecting the presence of distant objects, and determining their… | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| radio-tagged | = radiolabelled adj. | 1949 | Go To Quotation |
| radwaste | = radioactive waste n. at radioactive adj. Special uses. | 1964 | Go To Quotation |
| railman | A person employed on a railway; a railwayman. | 1867 | Go To Quotation |
| Rambo | Resembling the fictional character Rambo in being aggressive or violent. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| rank shift | A change in ranking; (Econ.) a shift in the relative position of a company in a… | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| rapid transit | A high-speed urban public transport system, such as an underground or elevated railway; also as a mass noun. | 1870 | Go To Quotation |
| Rarey | attrib. Denoting the equipment or method used by Rarey to tame horses. | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| rawhide | U.S. To strike or drive with or as with a rawhide whip. Cf. cow-hide v. | 1858 | Go To Quotation |
| rayon | Any of the class of fibres and filaments made from regenerated cellulose. Also: fabric… | 1924 | Go To Quotation |
| read-in | A protest at which demonstrators gather to read, usually occupying a (segregated) library. Now hist. | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| readvertising | The action of readvertise v.; an instance of this. | 1853 | Go To Quotation |
| ready-mix | = ready-mixed adj. Also fig. | 1930 | Go To Quotation |
| Reaganaut | = Reaganite n. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| rebirth | trans. To treat (a person) by the process of rebirthing. Cf. rebirthing n. 2. | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| recognitional | Of, relating to, or involving recognition. | 1865 | Go To Quotation |
| reco-reco | In Latin American music: a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow tube or gourd with… | 1942 | Go To Quotation |
| recrew | trans. To provide (a ship, aircraft, etc.) with a fresh crew. Also intr. | 1903 | Go To Quotation |
| red-bait | trans. To subject (a person, group, etc.) to red-baiting. Also intr. | 1938 | Go To Quotation |
| red-baiter | A person who engages in red-baiting. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| red-baiting | The harassment or persecution of people known or suspected to be communists or to have communist sympathies. | 1927 | Go To Quotation |
| red-card | trans. U.S. To boycott (a retailer) for breaking a pricing agreement; to exclude. Now rare. | 1935 | Go To Quotation |
| red zone | In France after the First World War (1914 – 18): a region devastated by war to a… | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| reel-to-reel | Designating or relating to a type of tape recorder in which the tape is carried on… | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| re-engineer | trans. To engineer again; esp. to redesign, reconstruct. | 1889 | Go To Quotation |
| Regaine | The drug minoxidil in a topical formulation used for the treatment of certain forms of hair loss. Cf. Rogaine n. | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| reindustrialize | trans. To industrialize again or further; to revitalize the industry of (a country or… | 1922 | Go To Quotation |
| renegotiation | The action of negotiating something again, esp. in order to change the original terms of an agreement; an instance of this. | 1854 | Go To Quotation |
| repo | = repurchase agreement n. at repurchase n. Compounds. | 1956 | Go To Quotation |
| resculpt | trans. To give a new form or shape to; to sculpt again or differently. Also fig. | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| restauranter | A person who owns and manages a restaurant; a restaurateur. | 1863 | Go To Quotation |
| retsina | A Greek white (or rosé) wine flavoured with resin. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| rinky-tink | Having a simple, repetitive style and rhythm; spec. designating a tinkling, jangling style… | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| ripsnort | intr. To act or proceed in a boisterous manner; to rollick. Occas. trans. Also fig. | 1932 | Go To Quotation |
| roadblock | trans. orig. U.S. To prevent or impede the progress or achievement of (something); to obstruct, hinder. See roadblock n. 2b. | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| roadeo | An exhibition or contest at which operators of road vehicles, esp. lorry drivers… | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| robata | A charcoal grill in a Japanese (or Japanese-style) restaurant, on which food is cooked in… | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| rock-based | Having a basis in rock music; inspired by rock music. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| roller skater | A person who skates on roller skates. | 1868 | Go To Quotation |
| roll-on roll-off | attrib. Designating a method of transportation of vehicles by ship, by which they are driven… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| roll-uppable | Able to be rolled up, suitable for rolling up. | 1943 | Go To Quotation |
| rootsy | Of music or its performance: traditional, authentic, homespun… | 1962 | Go To Quotation |
| Rottie | A Rottweiler dog. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| roughhouse | trans. To handle roughly or violently; to mistreat in a rough manner. Also in weakened… | 1898 | Go To Quotation |
| rubbernecker | = rubberneck n. | 1898 | Go To Quotation |
| Runyonesque | Of, relating to, or characteristic of Damon Runyon or his style, language… | 1934 | Go To Quotation |
| Russianist | An expert in or student of Russian language, culture, etc. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| sax | = saxophone n. 1. For alto sax, tenor sax, etc., see under first element. | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| scenarist | A scenario writer. | 1920 | Go To Quotation |
| Seato | A military alliance, lasting from 1954 to 1977, of Australia, New Zealand, France… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| Securitate | The internal security force of Romania during Communist rule. | 1951 | Go To Quotation |
| security check | A verification of the identity of someone in order to maintain security, or to establish… | 1945 | Go To Quotation |
| Semtex | A malleable, more or less odourless plastic explosive, manufactured in several grades… | 1985 | Go To Quotation |
| SHAEF | The operational headquarters of the allied expeditionary force that invaded occupied Europe in 1944 – 5. | 1944 | Go To Quotation |
| Shake 'n Bake | trans. To treat (a person) in a manner related in some way to the product Shake 'n Bake… | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| shoran | A secondary radar system, used for precision navigation and for distance measurement, in… | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| shortall | Freq. pl. A child's one-piece suit with short sleeves and short trouser legs. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| shot put | An athletic contest in which a shot (shot n. 14c) is propelled as far as possible from… | 1887 | Go To Quotation |
| shroom | = mushroom n. 1a. | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| Sinarquista | A member or adherent of the right-wing authoritarian Unión Nacional Sinarquista in… | 1941 | Go To Quotation |
| sing-jay | A DJ who sings and raps as part of his or her performance; (also) the style of music typical of such a performance. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| sitzkrieg | A war, or part of a war, marked by a (relative) absence of active hostilities; spec. that… | 1940 | Go To Quotation |
| skanky | Unattractive, dirty; revolting, disgusting, offensive. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| skin-popping | The action of injecting a drug, typically a narcotic, subcutaneously, as opposed… | 1951 | Go To Quotation |
| slice-and-dice | Relating to or involving (the graphic depiction of) violence or mutilation; gory, violent. Cf. slasher n. 5. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| slobbish | Of, like, or characteristic of a slob (sense 3); loutish, slovenly, inveterately uncouth and lazy. | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| slow food | Originally: food prepared in a conventional or traditional manner, as opposed to fast… | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| snowblade | Orig. and chiefly N. Amer. A bladelike attachment for the front of a vehicle that clears… | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| snowboarder | A person who rides a snowboard; a participant in snowboarding. Cf. snowboard n. 3. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| snowboarding | The action or sport of riding a snowboard. Cf. snowboard n. 3. | 1984 | Go To Quotation |
| social climbing | The action or process of achieving a higher social status, esp. acceptance in… | 1886 | Go To Quotation |
| social-climbing | That attempts to attain a higher social status, esp. acceptance in fashionable society, or is anxious to do so. | 1917 | Go To Quotation |
| solion | An electrochemical device consisting of two or more electrodes sealed in an electrolyte in… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| sous vide | (According to, designating, or following) a method of preserving esp. partially cooked… | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| spacecraft | A vehicle designed to travel in space. | 1929 | Go To Quotation |
| spaghetti alla carbonara | In Italian cookery: a dish of spaghetti served with a creamy sauce typically made from… | 1954 | Go To Quotation |
| spectrofluorimetry | The spectrometric study of fluorescence. | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| Spetsnaz | In Russia and (formerly) the Soviet Union: a highly trained, elite armed force used in top-security international operations. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| split-level | Designating a house or other building which has a floor between the floor-levels of… | 1952 | Go To Quotation |
| Steadicam | A proprietary name for: a stabilization system for film or video cameras that allows… | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| STOLport | An airport for aircraft which need only a short runway for take-off and landing. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| stonewashed | Of a garment or fabric, esp. denim: washed with abrasives to produce a worn or faded appearance. | 1981 | Go To Quotation |
| sunshade | A parasol; now usually applied to the larger kinds. | 1842 | Go To Quotation |
| superfecta | A method of betting in which the person placing the bet must pick the first four… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| supermodel | A highly successful fashion model who has attained the status of an international celebrity. | 1967 | Go To Quotation |
| Super Tuesday | A Tuesday on which several states hold primary (esp. presidential) elections. Also in extended use. | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| suplex | A move in which a wrestler lifts an opponent over his or her shoulder before falling backwards, driving the opponent to the mat. | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| surtitle | A caption projected on to a screen above the stage during the performance of an opera… | 1983 | Go To Quotation |
| Symbionese | the name adopted by a socialist revolutionary group active in the United States in the mid-1970s. | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| talk-in | A gathering or meeting for discussion; a conference. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| targetable | Of nuclear missiles or warheads: capable of being aimed at a target. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| Tase | trans. = Taser v. | 1991 | Go To Quotation |
| teach-in | An informal debate (often of some length) on a matter of public, usu. political… | 1965 | Go To Quotation |
| telecon | A device of the U.S. army which sends teletype messages over long distances by means of… | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| teleport | A centre providing interconnection between different forms of telecommunications, spec.… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| tempeh | An Indonesian foodstuff made by fermenting soya beans with Rhizopus and deep-frying them in fat. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| teriyaki | A mixture of soy sauce and various other flavourings (typically including mirin, sake… | 1961 | Go To Quotation |
| tiddler | A tiddlywinks player. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| tikka masala | A dish of meat (usually chicken) cooked in a sauce of mixed spices, influenced by… | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| time-shifting | The action of viewing a recording of an earlier television broadcast. | 1978 | Go To Quotation |
| tonalist | Art. A painter who concentrates on achieving a harmonious arrangement of colour, light… | 1903 | Go To Quotation |
| top line | The head item on a bill of entertainment; the headline of a newspaper; freq. (with hyphen) attrib.; also fig. | 1906 | Go To Quotation |
| tortilla española | = Spanish omelette n. at Spanish adj. n. adv. 7. Cf. frittata n. | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| trailable | Of a boat: that may be towed on a trailer behind a motor vehicle; = trailerable adj. | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| transaxle | In a motor vehicle: an integral driving axle and differential gear. | 1958 | Go To Quotation |
| transistor | A semiconductor device, usu. having three terminals and two junctions, in which the… | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| trash-talking | = trash talk n. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| trash-talking | That trash-talks; inclined to bad-mouth or insult an opponent in an ostentatious or boastful manner. | 1975 | Go To Quotation |
| Trumanesque | Of, pertaining to, or resembling Truman or his policies, esp. in being energetic, candid, or single-minded. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| Tupamaro | A member of a left-wing guerrilla organization in Uruguay. Also attrib. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| tween | A person who is nearly, or has only just become, a teenager. Freq. attrib. See also tweenager n. | 1946 | Go To Quotation |
| unconstructed | Of a garment: made with little or no interfacing, stiffening, or other material which… | 1973 | Go To Quotation |
| Upper Voltan | Of or pertaining to Upper Volta, an inland republic in West Africa (a former French… | 1972 | Go To Quotation |
| upvaluation | A revaluation upwards, esp. of one currency in relation to others on a common standard. | 1953 | Go To Quotation |
| uthappam | In South Indian cookery: a pancake made with rice and lentil flour and typically… | 1976 | Go To Quotation |
| vamping | Seductive behaviour; acting as a vamp. | 1918 | Go To Quotation |
| veejay | One who presents a programme of (popular music) videos, esp. on television. | 1982 | Go To Quotation |
| waitperson | A waiter or waitress (introduced as a common-gender form). | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| wakeboard | A board resembling a surfboard, intended or used for wakeboarding. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| Walkman | A proprietary name for: a portable personal music player able to play one of a… | 1980 | Go To Quotation |
| Warsaw | a military alliance of the Soviet Union with certain other European nations (see… | 1955 | Go To Quotation |
| waterboarding | An interrogation technique in which a person is strapped head downward to an inclined… | 2004 | Go To Quotation |
| water-ski | One of a pair of skis enabling the wearer to skim the surface of water when towed by a motor-boat. Cf. ski n. c. | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| water-skier | One who water-skis. Cf. skier n. b. | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| water-skiing | The action of the verb, esp. as a sport. Cf. ski-ing n. 2. | 1931 | Go To Quotation |
| weaponize | trans. To adapt for use as a weapon; spec. to provide (a nuclear or other explosive device)… | 1957 | Go To Quotation |
| wham | A heavy blow; the sound of a heavy blow (or of an explosion, etc.). Also, a resounding… | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| wheelie | The stunt of raising the front wheel off the ground while riding a bicycle or motor-cycle. | 1966 | Go To Quotation |
| wildcrafting | The action or practice of gathering natural produce (now esp. herbs) from the wild. Cf. wildcraft v. | 1969 | Go To Quotation |
| wilding | The action or practice by a gang of youths of going on a protracted and violent rampage… | 1989 | Go To Quotation |
| Wonderbra | A proprietary name for: an underwired, padded bra designed to enhance the wearer's breasts and cleavage. Cf. push-up adj. | 1947 | Go To Quotation |
| xerography | A dry copying process in which an electrically charged surface retains both the charge… | 1948 | Go To Quotation |
| Zairese | = Zairean n. adj. Cf. Zairois n. adj. | 1974 | Go To Quotation |
| zampino | = zampone n. | 1881 | Go To Quotation |
| zap | Liveliness, energy, power, drive; also, a strong emotional effect. | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
| zip | Used esp. attrib. in zip code: a series of digits representing a particular area in a… | 1963 | Go To Quotation |
| zombify | trans. To transform into a zombie. Chiefly in extended use: to make easy to control; to… | 1950 | Go To Quotation |
| zouk | A style of popular music, originating in the French Antilles, combining Caribbean… | 1986 | Go To Quotation |
| 360-degree | Consisting of three hundred and sixty degrees, the number of degrees through which an arm… | 1923 | Go To Quotation |
| 800 number | In the United States and Canada: a telephone number with the digits 800 in place of an… | 1971 | Go To Quotation |
| 900 number | In the United States and Canada: a telephone number with the digits 900 in place of an… | 1977 | Go To Quotation |
| 911 | In the United States and Canada: a telephone number used to contact the emergency… | 1968 | Go To Quotation |
