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

Trucks with the kingpin loosened so the board turns and carves easily, favored for transition and cruising but less stable at speed.

Soup. Straightforward rhyme, usually kept in full because 'a bowl of loop' doesn't quite land. Borrowed from the aerobatic stunt and the fairground ride of the same name — both were big news when the slang was minted.

To crash by having the front wheel rise too far, sending the bike and rider over backward. It commonly happens when pulling up too hard out of a transition or manual.

To bring a person into a discussion or email so they are informed and involved.

Old-school arcade design. Finish all the stages and the game doesn't end, it loops back to stage 1 at higher difficulty, faster bullets, nastier patterns. The second loop is where the real game often begins for top players.

Canadian slang for the $1 coin, which pictures a loon.

A boy, a young lad. The north-east Scots counterpart to 'quinie' (girl). Standard Doric — completely neutral, used by everyone from grannies to teachers.

Can be neutral or mocking depending on how intense the person is.

Bait-comment posted under someone's NFT to fake-flatter the 'rarity' of its traits — usually when the NFT is obviously mid or the whole collection is dying. Half compliment, half roast, fully ironic. The crypto equivalent of saying 'nice' with a straight face.

An air trick where the rider whips the rear of the bike out to the side and turns to look back over the frame before straightening out to land. It is a stylish, drawn-out air move.

A tag phrase used to call attention or emphasise a point, roughly 'look here' or 'you see'. Stage-Welsh staple — Shakespeare put it in Fluellen's mouth in Henry V, and it's been doing the rounds in caricatures of Welsh speech ever since. Real speakers do use it, but more sparingly than the telly suggests.

A loser, fool or awkward person. Munster slang.

Espresso pulled long — roughly double the water through the same puck. Bigger volume, more caffeine, more bitter notes because you've pushed the extraction past the sweet spot. The opposite of a ristretto.

An outdoor non-flushing toilet over a deep pit, common at baches, campsites and huts.

Nickname given to Bruno Iksil, a French trader in JPMorgan's London Chief Investment Office whose enormous positions in credit default swap indices became so big they moved the market. When the trade unwound in 2012 the bank took losses estimated at $6.2bn, triggering Senate hearings and regulatory fines.

Spanglish for lunch, especially a bagged or packed one; 'lonchera' is a lunchbox.

A clumsy, awkward person. Affectionate-ish — the kind of word you sling at someone who's just knocked their tea over for the third time. Not a harsh insult, more an exasperated shake of the head.

An acronym for 'love of my life,' used earnestly for a serious partner or ironically for a crush, a celebrity, or even a favorite snack. Tone varies wildly by context.

To dally, loiter, or fool around instead of getting on with things.

The distinctively Scouse word-order version of 'ice lolly'.

A sweet or confection; 'lollies' is the general word for candy.

A fashion subculture built on modest, doll-like dresses with petticoats, lace, and bows, drawing on Victorian and Rococo aesthetics; a common sight at anime cons and its own hobby distinct from cosplay.

Shorthand for an elderly female patient who, after a minor fall or complaint, appears comfortable and might be better cared for at home than admitted.

Stands for "laughing out loud," used to indicate amusement or that something is funny. Over time it has softened into a general marker of lightheartedness rather than literal laughter.