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

Old-school New Orleans name for a playground slide. Borrowed from the 'shoot-the-chutes' water rides at turn-of-the-century amusement parks and kept alive by generations of NOLA kids long after the rides themselves disappeared.

shoot your shot

To make a bold romantic or flirtatious move, risking rejection to pursue someone you like.

To depart, especially quickly or without ceremony.

shoot the hooch

Floating down the Chattahoochee River on an inner tube, raft, or kayak — Atlanta's holy summer rite. Coolers strapped on, friends in tow, six hours of doing absolutely nothing in the current.

A challenge to a fair, one-on-one fist fight — no weapons, no crew.

To be deeply surprised or thrown off by something. Being "shook" means a moment hit you hard enough to leave you stunned.

A house party or rave — specifically the unofficial, packed-out, sweaty kind. Not a club night, not a sit-down dinner: a shoobz is loud, crowded, and someone's mum is going to find out.

Dubious, dishonest or shoddily done; the annual 'Shonky Awards' name and shame bad businesses.

A demographic category of works targeting adolescent boys, roughly ages 12–18, typically emphasising action, adventure, friendship and fighting. Titles like Naruto and My Hero Academia are archetypal.

Cutting Irish term for an Irishman who apes the English — the accent, the manners, the politics. Born in the colonial era as a serious insult for the 'West Brit' type. Still used, usually by republicans, for anyone seen as too eager to please the old empire.

An energetic freestyle street dance and one of Nigeria's biggest dance trends of the past decade; the related hit song was briefly restricted by broadcasters over its suggestive content.

Old-school kitchen insult, traced to the French 'savatier' (cobbler) — a cook with the finesse of someone hammering boot leather. Burns the fish, drops the sauce, plates like a toddler. One of the worst things a chef can call you on the line.

Clipped form of 'shoemaker.' Used as a quick on-the-line insult for a sloppy cook. 'Don't be a shoe' = stop ruining plates. Less formal than the full word, more often heard mid-service when there isn't time for syllables.

shocked pikachu

The reaction face — open mouth, wide eyes — slapped on situations where someone is 'stunned' by a consequence everybody saw coming a mile off. Saying 'shocked Pikachu face' in text is the verbal version of dropping the image: pure sarcasm aimed at avoidable surprise.

An affirmation meaning "sure enough" or "you bet," also expressing mild surprise.

Operating quietly on purpose. Not 'shady sneaky' — more 'I don't need anyone knowing my business sneaky'. NYC drill uses it for everything from low-key relationships to low-key moves.

An improvised knife or razor — the classic prison weapon. Similar to a shank but the word 'shiv' often implies something more obviously blade-like: a smuggled razor, a sharpened piece of metal. Both noun ('he pulled a shiv') and verb ('he got shivved').

A heated dispute between fans who support different romantic pairings for the same characters.

The fan practice of wanting two (or more) characters to be in a relationship; expressed through art, fic, and paired cosplays.

A fan who supports a romantic or close relationship between two people, real or fictional, from 'relationship.'

An ongoing, often heated dispute between groups of fans who back different ships for the same characters.

To be moved from one prison to another, whether routinely or as a punishment.

A blended nickname combining two characters' names to refer to their ship, like 'Reylo' or 'Destiel'.

To root for two characters or real people to be in a romantic relationship. Comes from 'relationship.' Can be fictional (TV/anime characters), idol-on-idol, or even real celebs. Shipping has its own elaborate culture: ship names (Larry, Destiel), fanfic, edits, the works. In K-pop, shipping group members is a whole industry the labels quietly lean into.