Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A kind of language occurring chiefly in casual and playful speech, made up typically of coinages and figures of speech that are deliberately used in place of standard terms for added raciness, humor, irreverence, or other effect.
- noun Language peculiar to a group; argot or jargon.
- intransitive verb To use slang.
- intransitive verb To use angry and abusive language.
- intransitive verb To attack with abusive language; vituperate.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The cant words or jargon used by thieves, peddlers, beggars, and the vagabond classes generally; cant.
- noun In present use, colloquial words and phrases which have originated in the cant or rude speech of the vagabond or unlettered classes, or, belonging in form to standard speech, have acquired or have had given them restricted, capricious, or extravagantly metaphorical meanings, and are regarded as vulgar or inelegant.
- noun Synonyms Slang, Colloquialism, etc. See
cant . - noun Among London costermongers, a counterfeit weight or measure.
- noun Among showmen: A performance.
- noun A traveling booth or show.
- noun A hawker's license: as, to be out on the slang (that is, to travel with a hawker's license).
- noun An obsolete or archaic preterit of
sling . - To use slang; employ vulgar or vituperative language.
- To address slang or abuse to; berate or assail with vituperative or abusive language; abuse; scold.
- noun A watch-chain.
- noun plural Legirons or fetters worn by convicts.
- noun A narrow piece of land. Also
slanket .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- Archaic imp. of
sling . Slung. - noun Local, Eng. Any long, narrow piece of land; a promontory.
- noun engraving A fetter worn on the leg by a convict.
- transitive verb colloq. To address with slang or ribaldry; to insult with vulgar language.
- noun Low, vulgar, unauthorized language; a popular but unauthorized word, phrase, or mode of expression; also, the jargon of some particular calling or class in society; low popular cant
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Language outside of conventional usage.
- noun Language that is
unique to a particularprofession orsubject ;jargon . - noun The specialized
language of a social group, sometimes used to make what is said unintelligible to those not members of the group;cant . - verb transitive, dated To vocally
abuse , or shout at.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb use slang or vulgar language
- noun informal language consisting of words and expressions that are not considered appropriate for formal occasions; often vituperative or vulgar
- noun a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
- verb fool or hoax
- verb abuse with coarse language
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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One of the aspects of coolness they note in slang is a playfulness, a sense of fun with the language.
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A journalist writes to ask about tween-speak, which he defines as slang spoken by people between the age of 8 and 12.
Archive 2008-02-01 DC 2008
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A journalist writes to ask about tween-speak, which he defines as slang spoken by people between the age of 8 and 12.
On tweenlish DC 2008
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The dreary _ennui_ of the heart, _ennui_ that revolts at truth, that is nauseated by earnestness, expresses itself in what we call slang, and slang is the sign of mental disease.
The Ethics of Drink and Other Social Questions Joints In Our Social Armour James Runciman 1871
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And did you notice that 'slang' is one of those words that looks weird after you've seen it a few times in a row?
oh god. it's true. suricattus 2005
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I do have trouble with French movies, especially when it starts, then gradually I get it ... slang is also challenging but slang is challenging in English too.
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The #1 guide to American slang is now bigger, more up-to-date, and easier to use
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Note that the relatively high transmission rates among MSMs of both Hep-B and HHV-8 are known to be associated with a very specific sexual practice — namely, anilingus (“rimming,” in slang).
The Volokh Conspiracy » San Jose State University Continues to Suspend All Blood Drives on Campus 2010
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Regardless of how back-formations are formed, they are often initially considered to be irregular, even ignorant, and suitable only for informal use in slang or jokes.
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Regardless of how back-formations are formed, they are often initially considered to be irregular, even ignorant, and suitable only for informal use in slang or jokes.
lidsville commented on the word slang
"Slang, though humanly irreverent, tends to be inhumanly loveless. It lacks tenderness and compassion; its poetry has the effulgence of a soldier's brass buttons." Anthony Burgess, New York Times, July 12, 1970.
July 5, 2009
madmouth commented on the word slang
what tripe!
July 5, 2009
yarb commented on the word slang
Yes, what bollocks from Burgess!
July 6, 2009