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

A heist is a robbery, particularly an ambitious, planned theft such as a bank or armored-car job. As a verb, to heist is to rob.

A fool or silly person; sometimes affectionate, sometimes dismissive.

The person in charge — boss, manager, head honcho. Usually said with a slight eye-roll, like the heid bummer's the one swanning about while everyone else does the actual work.

The head. Appears in many phrases like 'aff his heid' (mad) and 'use yer heid'.

A grouping used in the physical exam and documentation covering the head and the special senses of the face.

A flip trick like a kickflip but performed by flicking the front heel off the edge of the board, causing it to rotate along its length in the opposite direction to a kickflip.

In older cant a 'heel' is a sneak thief who steals quietly and slips away; more broadly the word means a contemptible person.

A belittling nickname for hedge funds and the managers who run them, cast as the villainous 'smart money' establishment that retail apes are fighting.

A private pooled investment vehicle for wealthy clients and institutions. Unlike mutual funds, hedge funds can short stocks, use heavy leverage, trade derivatives, and bet on basically anything. The goal is absolute returns (make money whether the market goes up or down), not just beating an index. Fees are famously brutal: the classic '2 and 20' means 2% of assets plus 20% of profits.

A pick-and-roll defense where the screener's defender steps out to momentarily contain the ball-handler before recovering.

A way of acknowledging bad news without offering a fix. Someone tells you their nan's in hospital, their bird's left them, they've lost their job — 'heavy salad, lad'. It's verbal sympathy with a Scouse twist, no platitudes attached.

heavy metal football

An all-action, high-tempo approach built on pressing and rapid transitions, contrasted with slower possession play.

Deeply meaningful or philosophically weighty.

heavens to betsy

An old-fashioned, inoffensive expression of astonishment or dismay.

The effortlessly beautiful, magnetic person you're quietly losing your crush to. Used as a backhanded sigh ('I wish I were Heather') and, more often now, as a straight compliment lobbed at a friend who lights up a room. Tone decides whether it's adoration or quiet defeat.

A fastball, especially a hard one; the ball comes in 'hot.'

Describes a player laser-focused on scoring, always looking to get their own bucket.

heat-resistant wig

A synthetic wig made from fibers that tolerate curling irons, straighteners, and steam, letting cosplayers set spikes, curls, and other extreme anime styles.

A tool resembling a powerful hair dryer that blows very hot air, used to soften and mold foam and thermoplastic and to seal foam surfaces.

A low-percentage shot a hot player takes just to confirm they're still on fire.

A standout, impressive item or fit in general; something that's clearly excellent.

A very attractive person, often a celebrity, who is the object of widespread romantic admiration.

Cockney rhyming slang meaning broke, having no money.

An unprovoked attack on a newcomer — usually by a gang or wing crew — purely to find out whether he's got the bottle to swing back. Stand up and you might get respect or a recruitment offer. Curl up and you're marked as a victim for the rest of your stretch.