Slang Dictionary — Modern Slang, Decoded

Classic CB opener. 'Ears' = the radio, so 'got your ears on?' is asking whether anyone's actually tuned in and listening to the channel. The conversational equivalent of knocking before you walk in. If someone answers, you've got a chat partner for the next stretch of interstate.

Being outperformed or out-lifted by someone, especially right after boasting about your own strength.

Describing an inmate who can genuinely fight and wins hand-to-hand.

To be in a bad mood, sulking or visibly miffed. Midlands phrase, especially Brummie. 'Cob' here doesn't mean the bread roll — it's an older dialect word for a lump or swelling, so you're carrying around a lump of grump.

A boastful callout after breaking down or fooling a defender with a move.

Used adjectivally for anything outdoorsy-technical worn for fashion.

Stupid, vacant or slow-witted. Originated in Northern dialect, now widespread.

Slang for a patient who is deeply obtunded or unconscious, often from overdose, sedation, or severe illness.

A gorilla is a criminal who relies on brute force, whether to rob victims or to enforce for a gang. It stresses muscle over finesse.

A person of the highest respect and skill, especially a formidable dread; 'don gorgon' is a supreme don.

A BDSM subculture and lifestyle built around the fictional planet Gor from John Norman's pulp sci-fi series, a world of male dominance and female submission. Goreans borrow its hierarchy, rituals, slave positions, and commands; submissive women take the title kajira (slave). Lifestylers (or literalists) weave it into daily life, while role players keep it to scenes. Heavily critiqued for the source novels' extreme sexism.

An exclamation of surprise, frustration or disbelief.

A pitch that a batter hits for a home run, from the pitcher's perspective; a play on the ball 'going for' extra bases.

In old underworld cant a 'gopher' referred to a safe, and by extension to the person who broke into safes ('gopher man,' 'gopher-cracker').

A third person present with a couple, making them a superfluous chaperone.

The tactical or investigative unit that conducts aggressive searches, cell extractions, and internal investigations. Formally the Investigative Services Unit in California.

A shovel — specifically the one the apprentice, labourer or new hire ends up holding all day. 'Goon' is the unskilled muscle, 'spoon' is the shape of the blade. Slightly mocking, mostly affectionate. If the foreman tells you to grab a goon spoon, your day just got long.

The foil bladder of cheap cask wine, sometimes inflated and used as a pillow ('goon of fortune').

Cheap wine sold in a foil bladder inside a cardboard cask; the bladder is the 'goon bag'.

A goomah (or goomar) is a Mafia man's mistress, kept apart from his family life.

Describes a rider whose natural stance and spin direction lead toward their forward foot, opposite to the more common 'regular' orientation. It affects which way tricks feel natural.

Surfing stance with the right foot forward and left foot at the back of the board, the opposite of regular stance.

Childish, dumb-looking or absurd in a way that's funny rather than offensive. 'Ahh' is just 'ass' filtered through TikTok-safe phonetic spelling and a thick AAVE-inflected delivery — 'that goofy-ass kid' becomes 'that goofy ahh kid'. Slapped onto people, faces, dance moves, AI images and anything mildly cringe. The construction 'goofy ahh ___' (goofy ahh name, goofy ahh haircut) is its own meme format.

Can be affectionate for someone playfully silly.