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

The mid-level tier in cosplay competition, above novice and below master/artisan, for cosplayers with some contest wins under their belt.

To dodge, duck or evade; to nip smartly aside.

School exercise books; figuratively, 'to get your jotters' is to be dismissed from a job.

A demographic category aimed at adult women, featuring more grounded and mature depictions of romance, work and relationships than shoujo.

Food, especially snacks or light refreshments served at a gathering. Also 'jhorts'.

A prisoner used by others to buy commissary items on their behalf, generally held in low regard.

To pierce, poke, jab or stab with something sharp.

Stands for "joy of missing out," the pleasure of staying in or skipping events without regret. A deliberate counter to FOMO.

Describes something highly amusing. Can be used sarcastically for something not funny.

A brevity code for a fuel state above Bingo at which aircrew should begin separation, bug-out, or event termination, giving a buffer before reaching the Bingo floor.

What Bricksquad 069 calls itself post-2012 — the whole set renamed in tribute to Lil JoJo after his killing. Saying JoJoWorld signals both set allegiance and beef with the 300/GBE side that's blamed for his death.

Thick, seasoned, deep-fried potato wedges, often sold from a deli hot case and dipped in ranch.

Cannabis rolled in thin rolling paper to form a cigarette.

Any excuse a player reaches for after underperforming — the controller drifted, the setup lagged, they weren't warmed up. The classic comeback is 'no johns', meaning own your loss and stop whining.

The classic New York word for a fire hydrant, especially one opened to cool off on hot summer days.

The generic term for a man paying a sex worker. Used by workers, police and journalists alike. Police 'john stings' arrest the buyers rather than the sellers; 'date' and 'trick' are softer in-trade equivalents for the same person.

A package of forbidden goodies — drugs, phones, tobacco, SIMs — sneaked into a UK or Irish prison for a specific inmate. Could come over the wall, through a visit, up a drone, or out of a bent screw's pocket. Getting your joey is payday inside.

A taxi. Classic Dublin rhyming slang — Joe Maxi rhymes with taxi, job done. Heard from older Dubliners and in nostalgic registers; the younger crowd just says 'taxi' or 'cab', but it's still in circulation enough to land.

A generic term for a soldier, especially a low-ranking enlisted one — the everyman of the Army.

The person on the outside who starts a relationship with a prisoner's spouse or partner while they are locked up.

A taxi. Pronounced 'Joe-B' — thought to derive from rhyming slang 'Joe Baxi' (taxi). Pure Liverpool, you won't hear it outside the city.

The practice of changing jobs frequently, often every year or two, typically to gain higher pay, new titles, or better conditions faster than internal promotions allow.

The slow accumulation of extra responsibilities and tasks onto a role over time, expanding the job beyond its original scope, typically without added compensation.

Affectionately, any battered upright instrument, especially one in a boozer.