English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

Slang Dictionary — Modern Slang, Decoded

What does that word actually mean? Our slang dictionary explains modern slang clearly — Gen Z, internet, British and street slang — with real definitions, examples and where each term came from.

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Gen Z Slangrizz, delulu, slay Internet Slangbrainrot, based, mid British Slangpeng, bare, peak AAVEbussin, finna, cap

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Latest slang terms

Codeine-promethazine cough syrup, cut with soda — the purple comes from the dye in the prescription syrup itself. Houston gave the rest of the country the cup, and 'purple stuff' is one of its bluntest names. Three 6 Mafia made it global with 'Sippin' on Some Syrup'.

UK ambulance triage category for a patient with recognised signs of death — decapitation, rigor mortis, hypostasis, injuries incompatible with life. No resus attempted, scene handed over. The British counterpart to American 'DRT.'

A recreational drink built from prescription codeine-promethazine cough syrup, a clear soda (usually Sprite), and a Jolly Rancher dropped in for color and sweetness. The purple comes straight from the syrup's dye. Born in Houston's hip-hop scene in the late '80s, pushed mainstream by DJ Screw, and tied to multiple rapper deaths since.

Spanish for 'pure,' adopted by San Antonio Chicano culture as a stamp of authenticity. 'Puro San Anto' means this is 100% the city, no imitation — used for food, music, accents, slang, anything that's culturally homegrown. Functions as both adjective and rallying cry.

pure dead brilliant

A very strong expression of approval; extremely good.

A RuneScape account built for PvP by training a deliberately limited set of skills, leaving others (especially Defence) low to keep the combat level down. The result hits like a truck but takes hits like a wet paper bag. All offence, no defence.

puppy-dog crush

A sweet, harmless infatuation marked by adoring, eager affection.

An affectionate, cozy heap of people cuddling together, sometimes among poly or close friend groups.

puppy love phase

The early, giddy stage of a romance marked by intense, sometimes naive infatuation.

A tender but usually short-lived romantic affection, especially between the very young.

A wide, longing, affectionate expression used to appear endearing or to win someone over.

Chex cereal tossed in melted chocolate and peanut butter, then shaken in a bag with powdered sugar until it looks like dry dog food — hence the name. Midwest holiday and tailgate staple. Chex Mix sells the same thing as 'Muddy Buddies' because the brand couldn't bring itself to put 'puppy chow' on a box.

UK equivalent of 'john' — a man paying for sex. The word's also general British slang for any customer or punter-on-the-street, but in sex-work context it specifically means the buyer. Sites like PunterNet built the term into the online review economy in the 2000s.

A kick, usually on fourth down, in which the punter drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground to flip field position.

In ballroom and drag, to punish is to beat someone so decisively it isn't even a contest. You don't just win the category, you make the opposition look like they shouldn't have walked. It's about dominance, the kind of performance that leaves the floor and the judges with no choice. Same energy as 'snatched the trophy and the wigs.'

The act or craft of pickpocketing itself.

A strikeout, named for the punching motion the plate umpire makes to signal a called third strike.

An extremely potent, overproof white rum (often around 75% ABV).

punch-and-judy hitter

A batter who lacks power and prefers to place well-timed singles instead of swinging for home runs.

pumpkin positive

The mental image is the joke. Stick a penlight in the patient's mouth and the skull would light up like a jack-o'-lantern because there's so little brain to absorb the light. Doctors use it under their breath about a patient who's not the sharpest — the kind who can't follow simple instructions. Cruel, but it's been kicking around medical break rooms for decades.

What's left of someone's face after a sustained beating — swelling so bad the head goes round and orange-ish, eyes shut, features gone. In prison talk, giving someone a pumpkin head is a deliberate piece of work, not an accident.

A newly booked prisoner wearing orange during processing. A group of them is a 'pumpkin patch.'

Describes a solid swell where the waves are consistently nice, powerful and well-shaped.

A blend of "pump" and "fundamentals," mocking the idea that a coin's only fundamental is that its price is going up.