fag

Probably from fag end (“remnant”), from Middle English fagge (“flap”).

He′d Phase Out Fag Industry
Los Angeles (UPI) - A UCLA professor has called for the phasing out of the cigarette industry by converting tobacco acres to other crops.

Oh, rent a flat above a shop / And cut your hair and get a job / And smoke some fags and play some pool / Pretend you never went to school

1995, Pulp (lyrics and music), “Common People”, in Different Class:

All of them, like my mother, were heavy smokers, and after warming themselves by the fire, they would sit on the sofa and smoke, lobbing their wet fag ends into the fire.

2001, Oliver Sacks, Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood, Alfred A. Knopf, section 15:

So I started off by asking the shearers if they minded if I took a belly off while they were having a fag. Then after a while they were asking me. They′d say, ‘Do yer wanta take over fer a bit while I have a fag?’ And then I got better and I′d finish the sheep and they′d say ‘Christ, I haven′t finished me bloody fag yet, yer may as well shear anotherie.’

2011, Bill Marsh, Great Australian Shearing Stories, unnumbered page:

Fag, s. the worst part or end of anything.

1788, William Perry, editor, The Royal standard English dictionary:

(UK, Ireland, obsolete, colloquial) The worst part or end of a thing.


fag

Akin to flag (“droop, tire”). Compare Dutch vaak (“sleepiness”).

We are sadly off in the country; not but what we have very good shops in Salisbury, but it is so far to go—eight miles is a long way; Mr. Allen says it is nine, measured nine; but I am sure it cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag—I come back tired to death.

1853, Sarah Josepha Hale, Woman's Record: or Sketches of All Distinguished Women, from Creation to A.D. 1854, page 188:

(UK, Ireland, colloquial, now rare) A chore: an arduous and tiresome task.

I had the character at ſchool of being the very beſt fag that ever came into it.

1791, Richard Cumberland, The Observer, volume 4, page 67:

“He was my fag at Eton,” Warrington said. “I ought to have licked him a little more.”

1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

A gang of fags was mobbing about by the notice-boards. They fell silent as he approached. He patted one of them on the head. ‘Pretty children,’ he sighed, digging into his waistcoat pocket and pulling out a handful of change. ‘Tonight you shall eat.’ Scattering the coins at their feet, he moved on.

(UK, Ireland, education, historical, colloquial) A younger student acting as a servant for senior students.


fag

en-verb

fag (third-person singular simple present fags, present participle fagging, simple past and past participle fagged)

fags (present singular third-person)
fagging (participle present)
fagged (participle past)
fagged (past)

(intransitive, UK, Ireland, education, historical, colloquial) (of a younger student) To act as a servant for senior students in many British boarding schools.

It is everywhere observed that a liberated slave is apt to make a merciless master, and that boys who have been cruelly fagged at school are cruel faggers.

1887, Francis Bacon, Richard Whately, Essays, page 63:

(transitive, UK, Ireland, education, historical, colloquial) To have (a younger student) act as a servant in this way.

This state of things should have been to me a paradise of peace, accustomed as I was to a life of ceaseless reprimand and thankless fagging; but, in fact, my racked nerves were now in such a state that no calm could soothe, and no pleasure excite them agreeably.

1847, Charlotte Brontë, chapter 1, in Jane Eyre, HTML edition:

I walked about the streets where the best shops for ladies were, I haunted the Bazaar like an unquiet spirit, I fagged through the Park again and again, long after I was quite knocked up.

1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:

(intransitive, UK, Ireland, now rare) To work hard, especially on menial chores.


ta

Uncertain, but possibly young child's pronunciation of thanks.
Alternatively, derived from Danish tak, from Old Norse þǫkk, from Proto-Germanic *þankō, *þankaz.

Ta for the cup of tea.

(colloquial, chiefly Commonwealth, UK, Ireland) Thanks.


buggy

→ Gulf Arabic: بقي (bagi, “ATV”)

The wider station upgrade has provided lifts to the Piccadilly and Victoria lines, as well as Network Rail platforms, to make it easier for passengers with mobility needs, buggies or heavy luggage to use London Underground.

2020 January 2, “New entrance at Finsbury Park”, in Rail, page 12:

(UK, Western Pennsylvania) A pushchair; a stroller.


area

A boy seized it, whom she bribed with a shilling to relinquish his prize, which she was taking home, when it escaped from her hand, and fell down the area of a house.

1790, Helen Maria Williams, Julia, Routledge, published 2016, page 95:

This was so favourably received by the milkman and beadle that he would immediately have been pushed into the area if I had not held his pinafore while Richard and Mr. Guppy ran down through the kitchen to catch him when he should be released.

1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, chapter 4, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:

A minute later we were both in the area. Hardly had we reached the dark shadows before the step of the policeman was heard in the fog above. As its soft rhythm died away, Holmes set to work upon the lower door. I saw him stoop and strain until with a sharp crash it flew open. We sprang through into the dark passage, closing the area door behind us.

1908, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans:

(British) An open space, below ground level, giving access to the basement of a house, and typically separated from the pavement by railings.

επιφάνεια υπογείων

open space, below ground level, between the front of a house and the pavement


dag

dag (third-person singular simple present dags, present participle dagging, simple past and past participle dagged)

dags (present singular third-person)
dagging (participle present)
dagged (participle past)
dagged (past)

Of North Germanic origin; compare Swedish dagg. Doublet of dew.


Sr

(UK) Abbreviation of senior; A title used after a father's name when his son is given the same name.


PG

en-noun

PG (countable and uncountable, plural PGs)

I've had it. That's it George! For one year now, I've been providing X-rated entertainment and you reciprocate with PG! It's an iniquitous arrangement!

1979, Blake Edwards, 10, spoken by Neighbor:

(uncountable, film, British, US, Philippines) Initialism of parental guidance, a rating for a film that may be viewed by minors at their parents' discretion.

parental guidance

(countable, chiefly UK) Initialism of paying guest.


PC

PC (countable and uncountable, plural PCs)

previous conviction
previous conviction#English

(UK, law enforcement) Initialism of previous conviction.


gramme

(UK) Dated spelling of gram. (unit of mass)


VI

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
w:en:Victoria I of the United Kingdom

(UK) Abbreviation of Victoria Imperatrix.; the royal cypher of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, queen regnant and empress of the British Empire, Empire of India


French letter

From French + letter. Compare earlier French pox, French-sick (“syphilis”), or later French safe, French tickler (“condom”), or French kiss. Attested from the 19th century.

‘So you’re fifteen – and you know the function of a “French letter”? You are familiar with its use?’
‘I know what it’s for, sir, yes.’

1984, Leslie Thomas, In my Wildest Dreams, page 289:

“I suppose it’s too much to hope that you have a question about gonorrhea. Those questions are so much easier to answer.”[…]
“I was going to ask about what you said earlier. That you’d... that you’d... not used a French letter in eighteen months.”

2012, Courtney Milan, A Kiss for Midwinter, page 80:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, dated, euphemistic) A condom.


foetus

foetus (plural foetuses or foetus or (hypercorrect) foeti)

foetuses (plural)
foetus (plural)
foeti (hypercorrect plural)

Amongst professional men, who have examined this singular foetus, a variety of opinions and conjectures have been formed, some of which it maybe well to notice.

1815, Nathaniel Highmore, Case of a Foetus Found in the Abdomen of a Young Man:

During the last 10 weeks in utero the foetus stores very considerable amounts of energy in the form of fat.

1990, James M. Tanner, Foetus Into Man: Physical Growth from Conception to Maturity, →ISBN, page 40:

The foetus gains all its food and oxygen from the mother during pregnancy.

2006, Denise Walker, Reproduction, Breathing and Health, →ISBN, page 23:

But there were clues in their reproduction: all afrotherians have unusual placentas and produce more foetuses than can be nurtured in the womb.

2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 59:

(chiefly UK) Alternative spelling of fetus


engine driver

Queen Mary of the Iron Road. By Fred C. Bishop. […] This is the life-story of a boy who was determined to become an engine driver, and who lost no time in realising his ambition. A bold plunge from a clerkship in a coal merchant's office carried Fred Bishop, at the age of 14, into the locomotive department of the London & North Western Railway.

1947 January and February, “Railway Literature”, in Railway Magazine, page 62:

In 1914, the Hendon and Finchley Times published a piece titled 'People who have no Christmas'. An engine-driver's comment was this: "For many years now I have never enjoyed a real Christmas. My engine has claimed me on this day, and my only regret is that I am not attached to a slow goods train, so that I could snatch time to eat some plum-pudding."

2022 December 14, David Turner, “The Edwardian Christmas getaway...”, in RAIL, number 972, page 35:

(British, dated) The person who drives the engine of a train.


pint

From Middle English pinte, from Old French pinte, assumed from Vulgar Latin *pincta (“a mark used to indicate a level of quantity against a larger measure”), from Latin picta (“painted”), from Latin pingō (“paint”, verb). Doublet of pinto and Pinto.

halstuoppi

closest equivalent in traditional Finnish units

(UK, Commonwealth) 20 fluid ounces, approximately 568 millilitres (an imperial pint).

Please leave three pints tomorrow, milkman.

(British, metonymically) A pint of milk.

A couple of pints please, barman.

Finn: You must have a terrible thirst on you tonight. I've never seen a man drink two pints at the same time.

1998, Kirk Jones, Waking Ned, Tomboy films:

(UK, metonymically) A glass of beer or cider, served by the pint.

μισόλιτρο n (misólitro, literally “half a litre”)


roadster

(UK, dated) One who drives much; a coach driver.

(UK, dated, slang) A hunter who keeps to the roads instead of following the hounds across country.


BSA

Birmingham Small Arms Company
w:Birmingham Small Arms Company

(UK, historical) Initialism of Birmingham Small Arms Company.


zebra crossing

From the similarity of the stripes to those of a zebra.

'Oh, that was easy,' says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.

1979 October 12, Douglas Adams, chapter 6, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, London: Pan Books, →ISBN, page 50:

Do not ride across a pelican, puffin or zebra crossing. Dismount and wheel your cycle across.

2003, The Highway Code for Northern Ireland, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, page 16:

They also believed that if they were killed on a zebra crossing, the Government would pay for their funerals. They had the definite impression that that was what zebra crossings were meant for. Free funerals.

2008 December 16, Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things, Random House, →ISBN, →OL, Ch. 1:

The Abbey Road zebra crossing in north London — made famous after appearing on a Beatles album cover — has been given Grade II listed status.

2010 December 22, “Beatles' Abbey Road zebra crossing given listed status”, in BBC News:

(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) A pedestrian crossing featuring broad white stripes painted parallel to the street.


steam engine

boiler

steam boiler; what supplies steam to the engine or turbine

(especially British) A steam locomotive.


twee

en-adj

twee (comparative more twee or tweer, superlative most twee or tweest)

more twee (comparative)
tweer (comparative)
most twee (superlative)
tweest (superlative)

From a childish pronunciation of sweet. The Oxford English Dictionary records the first use in 1905 in Punch.

Those Beatrix Potter animals are a little twee for my taste.

Despite the fact that the designs were all a bit twee […] they stood out a mile in the market place at that time.

1999, Janet Foster, Docklands: Urban Change and Conflict in a Community in Transition, London, Philadelphia, Pa.: UCL Press, →ISBN, page 82:

Forget the clichéd image of Brigadoon and shortbread tins, the dreadfully twee tartan tat and Celtic kitsch that, sadly, still exists in the 21st century, and is too often passed off as a genuine Highland experience.

2001, Alan Murphy, Scotland Highlands & Islands Handbook: The Travel Guide, Bath, Somerset: Footprint Handbooks, →ISBN, page 11:

As always with Disney, there are moments when it all seems a bit twee, others when it is excessively PC.

2002, Peter Ellison, Essential Non-fiction, Dublin: Folens Publishers, →ISBN, page 40:

I just wouldn’t have felt comfortable saying, "I am a duckbilled platypus, and this is how I find my shrimps." I think it would have been twee.

2005 September 8, Stephen S. Hall, quoting Richard Dawkins, “Darwin's Rottweiler: Sir Richard Dawkins: Evolution's fiercest champion, far too fierce”, in Discover, archived from the original on 2016-01-01:

[Neil] Tennant's accent obviously has a lot to do with that, but the fact he's rapping is further masked by his twee, effeminate delivery.

2015 June 2, Kenneth Partridge, “With ‘West End Girls,’ Pet Shop Boys set a high standard for U.K. hip-hop”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2015-09-06:

(UK, Ireland, derogatory) Overly quaint, dainty, cute or nice.


quintillion

Previous: quadrillion. Next: sextillion.

Previous: quadrilliard. Next: quintilliard.

(dated, British, Australia, long scale) A million quadrillion: 1 followed by 30 zeros, 10³⁰.

հնգիլիոն

a million quadrillion, 1030 — see also nonillion


maintenance

en-noun

maintenance (usually uncountable, plural maintenances)

From Middle English mayntenaunce, from Old French maintenance, from maintenir, from Latin manus tenēre (“to hold in the hand”). By surface analysis, maintain + -ance.
Note that maintain has undergone a sound and spelling change, hence is spelt with -tain-, rather than the -ten- still found in maintenance.

der

(law, UK) Alimony, a periodical payment or a lump sum made or ordered to be made to a spouse after a divorce.


sextillion

From sext- (“six”) + -illion; originally the sixth power of a million, 10³⁶.

a long scale thousand trillion (trilliard)

Previous: quintillion. Next: septillion.

(US, British, Australia, short scale) A trillion billion: 1 followed by 21 zeros, 10²¹.

հազար եռիլիոն

a trillion billion, 1021 — see also trilliard

(dated British and Australia, long scale) A million quintillion: 1 followed by 36 zeros, 10³⁶.

sextiljoen

a million quintillion, 1036 — see also undecillion


multi-billion

(in the old numbering system, chiefly British), more than 1,000,000,000,000; in the old billion range.


gash

en-adj

gash (comparative more gash, superlative most gash)

more gash (comparative)
most gash (superlative)

From ghastful, by association with gash.

(UK, Scotland, dialect) ghastly; hideous


public school

From public (originally, "communal" and contrasted with personal tutors; later, "state-run" and contrasted with private schools) + school.

All such School-masters as have charge of Children and do instruct them either in Publick Schools, or Private Houses.

1580 June 18, Letters of the Privy Council in John Strype's History of Edmund Grindal (1710), ii.xi.254

No person shall keepe any schoole... except it be in some publike or free Grammer Schoole, or in some such noblemans... or gentlemans... house as are not recusants.

1604, Acts of Parliament 1 under James I, c.4, §8

This worthy Man having observed the imperfect Institution of our public Schools, and the many Vices which Boys were there liable to learn, had resolved to educate his Nephew... in his own House.

1749, Henry Fielding, chapter V, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book iii, page 184:

Our Public Schools... (by which phrase we never mean real public schools like the Board schools at all, but merely schools for the upper and middle classes) are in their existing stage primarily great gymnasiums.

1893 February 4, Westminster Gazette, section 2:

Who is there who has not jeered at the House of Lords, the military caste, the Royal Family, the public schools, the huntin′ and shootin′ people, the old ladies in Cheltenham boarding houses, the horrors of ‘county’ society and the social hierarchy generally?

1937, George Orwell, The Road to Wigan Pier, section 146:

It turned out she was posh, or posh-ish, having been to a public school somewhere in Hampshire.

2005, Nick Laird, Utterly Monkey, section 223:

(UK, Ireland, India) Certain private schools, particularly (initially) any grammar school operated apart from the personal lands of its students or (from the 19th century) the feepaying secondary schools which developed from or were modelled upon them; a British boarding school

Public School

(in the context of Britain) private grammar school; boarding school

private school

fee-charging private school, offering housing

The Court voted for the erecting a Publick Schooll or Colledge in Cambridge.

1636, Harvard College Records, published 1925, I.171:

The Governor and Provincial Council shall erect and order all public Schooles.

1683, Pennsylvania Frame of Government, §10:

By Act of Parliament no school is to be kept within two miles of a publick school.

1702, Henry Paton, Minnigaff Parish Records: the Session Book of Minnigaff, 1694-1750, published 1939:

A subscription... by a great part of the settlers and others to build a Public School at the Green Hills.

1804 August 12, Sydney Gazette, section 1:

Hardly anywhere in France... can the private boys' schools, whether they be lay or congreganist, hold their own in the competition with the public schools.

1861, Matthew Arnold, The Popular Education of France, with Notices of that of Holland and Switzerland, x.105:

Every school under the management of the school board of a parish shall be deemed a parish school, and every school under the management of the school board of a burgh shall be deemed a burgh school, and all such schools are hereby declared to be public schools within the meaning of this Act.

1872, Acts of Parliament 35 & 36 under Victoria (Scotland), c.62, §25

Public Schools... are distinguished from those which until recently were entitled Grammar Schools.

As to the two races involved in this question of public schools the difference is this: the negroes do not wish mixed schools; the white people will not have them.

If our public schools fail to furnish an education fully as good as can be obtained in private schools, intelligent, conscientious, and well-to-do parents will withdraw their children.

Public Schools. Course of Instruction... Class III. To include at least reading, writing, arithmetic, outlines of history and geography, and lessons on natural objects.

1904, Cape of Good Hope C.S. List, section 267:

The term ‘public school’ has a different connotation in New Zealand. It implies the Borough or County school; the school provided by the State.

1932, Nelle Scanlan, Pencarrow, section 256:

(Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Philippines, formerly Scottish) A publicly funded and administered school; (UK, Ireland) such schools in the context of other countries


champion

Etymology tree
Proto-Italic *kampos
Latin campusbor.
Proto-West Germanic *kamp
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Germanic *-janą
Proto-West Germanic *-jan
Proto-West Germanic *kampijan
Proto-Germanic *-jô
Proto-West Germanic *-jō
Frankish *kampijōbor.
Medieval Latin campiō
Old French champiunbor.
Middle English champioun
English champion
From Middle English champioun, from Old French champion, from Medieval Latin campio (“combatant in a duel, champion”), from Frankish *kampijō (“fighter”), from Proto-West Germanic *kampijō (“combat soldier”), a derivative of Proto-West Germanic *kampijan (“to battle, to campaign”), itself a derivative of Proto-West Germanic *kamp (“battlefield, battle”), ultimately a borrowing in West-Germanic from Latin campus (“a field, a plain, a place of action”).

der

"That rollercoaster was champion," laughed Vinny.

(predicative, Ireland, British, dialect) Excellent; brilliant; superb; deserving of high praise.


octillion

一極 /一极

a trillion quintillion, 1048 — see also quindecillion

Altogether it takes seven billion billion billion (that’s 7,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, or seven octillion) atoms to make you.

2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), pages 5–6:

(US, modern British and Australia, short scale) A thousand trillion trillion, a billion billion billion: 1 followed by 27 zeros, 10²⁷.

(dated British and Australia, long scale) A trillion quintillion: 1 followed by 48 zeros, 10⁴⁸.


school

en-noun

school (countable and uncountable, plural schools)

Australian Kriol: skul

Bislama: skul

Nigerian Pidgin: skul

Tok Pisin: skul, sikul

Pijin: skul

→ Maori: kura

→ Swahili: skule, skuli

From Middle English scole, from Old English scōl (“place of education”), from Late Latin schola, scola (“learned discussion or dissertation, lecture, school”), from Ancient Greek σχολή (skholḗ, “spare time, leisure”), from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- (“to hold, have, possess”). Doublet of schola and shul.
Compare Old Frisian skūle, schūle (“school”) (West Frisian skoalle, Saterland Frisian Skoule), Dutch school (“school”), German Low German School (“school”), Old High German scuola (“school”), German Schule (“school”), Old Norse skóli (“school”).
Influenced in some senses by Middle English schole (“group of persons, host, company”), from Middle Dutch scole (“multitude, troop, band”). See school (“group”). Related also to Old High German sigi (German Sieg, “victory”), Old English siġe, sigor (“victory”).

cog

German <i class="Latn mention" lang="de">Sieg</i>

Appendix:Roget MICRA thesaurus/Class IV § 542. School

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/36 § graduate school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/39 § high school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/46 § junior high school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/52 § middle school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/57 § normal school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/58 § open classroom school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/65 § preparatory school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/67 § public school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/75 § secondary school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/80 § special school

Appendix:Moby Thesaurus II/83 § summer school

One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks on schools[…]as children, teachers or school buildings become the targets of attacks. Parents fear sending their children to school. Girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence.

2013 July 19, Mark Tran, “Denied an education by war”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 1:

educational institution
educational institution

(British) An educational institution providing primary and secondary education, prior to tertiary education (college or university).

nursery school

Divinity, history and geography are studied for two schools per week.

(UK) At Eton College, a period or session of teaching.


bash

From Middle English *basshen, *basken, likely from Old Norse *baska (“to strike”), akin to Swedish basa (“to baste, whip, lash, flog”), Danish baske (“to beat, strike, cudgel”), German patschen (“to slap”)

give something a bash

I'm not sure I'll be any good at this, but let me have a bash.

This was my first bash at macramé, so I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out.

(UK, informal) An attempt at doing something.


proctor

Inherited from Middle English procatour, contraction of procuratour; compare proxy. Doublet of procurator.

(UK) An official at any of several older universities.

(British, law) A legal practitioner in ecclesiastical and some other courts.


jambon

→ Irish: siamban

Borrowed from French jambon (“ham”). Doublet of gammon and jamon.

(Ireland, British) A square puff pastry containing ham and cheese.

paniers feuilletés au jambon et au fromage


po

Yoruba: póò

‘Pos’ or ‘chamber pots’ were provided under the beds.

1988, Richard Hoggart, A Local Habitation, 1918-40, Chatto & Windus, →ISBN, page 67:

There are always several spitoons & pos [chamber pots] about the room & a loathesome smell of consumption, which I expect I shall catch.

1989, Leonard Woolf, edited by Frederic Spotts, Letters of Leonard Woolf, page 86:

Shaking the last few drops from off the end he looked down in surprise at the great head of steam that brimmed above the po, belatedly apprised of just how icy the October garret was.

2016, Alan Moore, Jerusalem, Liveright, published 2016, page 44:

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, dated) A chamberpot.


apothecary

desc

அப்போதிக்கரி

→ Tamil: அப்போதிக்கரி (appōtikkari)

/əˈpɒθəkəɹi/

/əˈpɑθəˌkɛəɹi/

From Old French apotecaire (whence French apothicaire), from Medieval Latin apothecarius (“storekeeper”), from Latin apotheca (“(originally) repository, storehouse, warehouse; (later) shop, store”), from Ancient Greek ἀποθήκη (apothḗkē, “a repository, storehouse”), from ἀπό (apó, “away”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”), literally “a place where things are put away”. Doublet of boutique and bodega.

af

[T]he poticaries and barbarus wryters call it [the iris] Irios in the genetiue caſe.

1562, Wylliam Turner [i.e., William Turner], “Of the Herbe Called in Latin Irio”, in The Second Parte of Guilliam Turners Herball⸝ […], Cologne: […] Arnold Birckman, →OCLC, folio 23, recto:

O true Appothecarie! / Thy drugs are quicke. Thus with a kiſſe I die.

c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 75, column 2:

The girls, though their illness was long and dangerous, recovered under Mrs. Palmer's care, who watched over them as if they had been her own; and from that time an affection, as valuable as it was pleasant, sprang up between them. When Lady Anne returned, she called, and talked about every thing but the apothecary's bill.

1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 62:

It amused me to see the bustle and the life in the apothecary's shop across the street.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 2:

(archaic in US, dated in UK) Synonym of pharmacist: a person who sells medicine, especially (historical) one who made and sold their own medicines in the medieval or early modern eras.


might

en-verb

might (third-person singular simple present might, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)

might (present singular third-person)
might (past)

From Old English meahte and mihte, inflections of magan, whence English may.

Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.

(auxiliary, UK, meiosis) Used to express certainty.


monolith

/ˈmɑn.əˌlɪθ/

The noun is borrowed from French monolithe (“object made from a single block of stone”), from Middle French monolythe (“made from a single block of stone”) (rare), and from their etymon Latin monolithus (“made from a single block of stone”), from Ancient Greek μονόλιθος (monólithos, “made from a single block of stone”), from μονο- (mono-, prefix meaning ‘alone; single’) (from μόνος (mónos, “alone; only, unique”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“little, small”)) + λίθος (líthos, “a stone; stone as a substance”); analysable as mono- + -lith. The English word is cognate with German monolith (“made from a single block of stone”).
The verb is derived from the noun.

cog

[page 98] If a stub is to be retained, either for the reasons stated above, or when a tree is to be reduced to a "monolith" [...], unconventional methods of cutting or fracturing (not recommended in BS 3998) may be employed, [...] [page 147] Even dead standing or fallen trees are important, and so owners should be encouraged to be untidy-minded and to leave monoliths or fallen dead wood in situ.

2013 February, “Tree Work: Assessment of Requirements” and “Ancient Trees in the Landscape: Advocacy for Holistic and Landscape-scale Management”, in David Lonsdale, editor, Ancient and Other Veteran Trees: Further Guidance on Management, London: The Tree Council, →ISBN, archived from the original on 2020-02-05, pages 98 and 147:

Stumps of older fallen trees, known as upright monoliths, have incredible environmental value and can provide a home and food source for insects for decades.

2020 August 15, Jess Warren, “New home for remains of oak tree that fell into Earley road”, in The Wokingham Paper, Wokingham, Berkshire: Xn Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-09-10:

Unexpectedly, even some of the monoliths are throwing out new shoots. This is great news, as these trees contain ancient woodland DNA, so are a very valuable seedbank. Further along the site, Penny shows me a famous translocated stump... the Cubbington pear tree. [...] The stump was translocated, and the trunk used as a monolith - but not before dozens of cuttings had been taken, some of which are growing nearby. And the stump? It's already throwing out dozens of new shoots as it's become re-established.

2022 March 23, Paul Bigland, “HS2 is just 'passing through'”, in RAIL, number 953, page 44:

(British, horticulture) A dead tree whose height and size have been reduced by breaking off or cutting its branches.


monolith

en-verb

monolith (third-person singular simple present monoliths, present participle monolithing, simple past and past participle monolithed)

monoliths (present singular third-person)
monolithing (participle present)
monolithed (participle past)
monolithed (past)

/ˈmɑn.əˌlɪθ/

Residents who use the park regularly for sports say they are gobsmacked that the council consider cutting the tree down as the only option. But the council have said that public safety is paramount when assessing damaged trees, a branch crashing down could kill someone, and that the tree is not being cut down but just monolithed.

2018 December 5, Daniel Clark, “Campaigners Tie Themselves to Historic Cowick Barton Oak Tree that Council Says is Dangerous”, in Devon Live, archived from the original on 2018-12-06:

The go-ahead has been given to fell 23 Lawson cypress and ‘monolith’ (reduce to their main stems, without branches) four dead alder, which made up part of the woodland off Bickland Water Road.

2020 February 19, Emma Ferguson, The Falmouth Packet, Falmouth, Cornwall: Packet Newspapers, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-02-19:

(transitive) To create (something) as, or convert (one or more things) into, a monolith.

(British, horticulture) To reduce the height and size of (a dead tree) by breaking off or cutting its branches.


ea

From Middle English ee, ea, æ, from Old English ēa (“river”), from Proto-West Germanic *ahu (“waters, river”), from Proto-Germanic *ahwō (“waters, river”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂ (“water, flowing water”). Doublet of aqua.
Cognates:
Cognate with North Frisian ia (“river”), Saterland Frisian Äi (“river”), West Frisian ie (“water, stream”), Dutch a (“water, stream”), German Ache (“water, stream, river, flood”), Danish å (“stream, creek”), Swedish å (“stream, creek”), Icelandic á (“stream, river”), Latin aqua (“water”).

cog

And they rowed away for Crowland, by many a mere and many an ea; through narrow reaches of clear brown glassy water; between the dark-green alders; between the pale-green reeds; where the coot clanked, and the bittern boomed, and the sedge-bird, not content with its own sweet song, mocked the song of all the birds around; and then out into the broad lagoons, where hung motionless, high overhead, hawk beyond hawk, buzzard beyond buzzard, kite beyond kite, as far as eye could see.

1866, Charles Kingsley, Hereward the Wake: Last of the English:

(UK dialect or archaic) A river or watercourse.


slash

Uncertain. Compare Scots slash (“large splash”), possibly from Old French esclache. Slang use for urination attested from the 1950s.

Where's the gents? I need to take a slash.

(UK, slang, vulgar) A piss: an act of urination.

That bus shelter smells of slash.


slash

en-verb

slash (third-person singular simple present slashes, present participle slashing, simple past and past participle slashed)

slashes (present singular third-person)
slashing (participle present)
slashed (participle past)
slashed (past)

If you can slash in my bed (I thought) don't tell me you can't suck my cock.

1973, Martin Amis, The Rachel Papers,, page 189:

(intransitive, UK, slang) To piss, to urinate.


slash

(UK) Alternative form of slatch: a deep trough of finely-fractured culm or a circular or elliptical pocket of coal.


libertarian

/ˌlɪb.əˈtɛə.ɹɪ.ən/

Foundation for Economic Education
Joseph Déjacque
Leonard Read
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
William Belsham
lois scélérates

The noun is derived from liber(ty) + -arian (suffix denoting an advocate of or believer in something). The adjective is derived from the noun.
sense development
The word was first attested in English in 1789 in William Belsham’s Essays: see the quotation. This was contrasted with necessitarian, in the context of free will, and was not used in the more frequently encountered modern sense.
Compare French libertaire (“person with extreme left-wing beliefs, anarchist”), from liberté (“freedom”) + -aire (suffix forming nouns). Libertaire is derived from Latin libertas. The French word was first attested in a May 1857 letter by the French anarcho-communist Joseph Déjacque (1821–1865) to the anarchist philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–1865), reading: “Anarchiste juste-milieu, libéral et non LIBERTAIRE [A centrist anarchist, liberal and not LIBERTARIAN] […]”. It was popularized as a euphemism for anarchiste in the 1890s, following the French lois scélérates (literally “villainous laws”) under which anarchist publications were banned.
Sense 3.2 (“believer in right-libertarianism”) developed in the United States in the 1940s and was popularized in the 1950s. In the 1940s, Leonard Read (1898–1983), the founder of the Foundation for Economic Education, a free-market think tank, began calling himself “libertarian” in contrast with a “classical liberal”. In 1955, Dean Russell also promoted the use of the word, writing: “Let those of us who love liberty trade-mark and reserve for our own use the good and honorable word ‘libertarian’.”

cog

[Gustav] Landauer's reorientation of anarchist theory and practice in the direction of idealist and völkisch thought was often incomprehensible to the more traditional libertarians, and in the period of the second Sozialist Landauer no longer felt entirely comfortable with the simple "anarchist" label. For Landauer anarchism and socialism had always been different expressions of the same view; now he regarded anarchism as "merely the negative side of what is positively called socialism."

1973, Eugene Lunn, “The Romantic as Socialist”, in Prophet of Community: The Romantic Socialism of Gustav Landauer, Berkeley; Los Angeles, Calif.; London: University of California Press, →ISBN, page 200:

While anarchism and socialist libertarians have a rich history of revolutionary thinkers ranging from Emma Goldman to George Orwell, the best-known socialist libertarian thinker of today is probably Noam Chomsky.

2012, Jennifer D. Carlson, “Libertarianism”, in edited by Wilbur R. Miller, The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia, Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, →ISBN, page 1008, column 1:

(politics) One who advocates libertarianism (“a political philosophy maintaining that all persons are the absolute owners of their own lives, and should be free to do whatever they wish with their persons or property, provided they allow others that same liberty”); also, a member of a political party supporting libertarianism.

(chiefly Ireland, UK) An antiauthoritarian believer in left-libertarianism, a political doctrine that stresses both individual freedom and social equality, and advocates shared ownership of natural resources.


own

en-verb

own (third-person singular simple present owns, present participle owning, simple past and past participle owned)

owns (present singular third-person)
owning (participle present)
owned (participle past)
owned (past)

A back-formation from owner, owning and own (adjective). Compare Old English āgnian, Dutch eigenen, German eignen, Swedish ägna.

(intransitive, UK dialectal) To confess.


hook

sometimes in Northern England and Ireland, otherwise obsolete

From Middle English hoke, from Old English hōc, from Proto-West Germanic *hōk, from Proto-Germanic *hōkaz, variant of *hakô (“hook”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kog-, *keg-, *keng- (“peg, hook, claw”).
Cognates
Compare West Frisian heak, Dutch haak (“hook”)) (compare West Frisian/Dutch hoek (“hook, angle, corner”), Low German Hook, Huuk); also related to hake.

He preceded me to Dartmoor, where I found his fame even more loudly trumpeted than ever, especially by Manchester “hooks” (pickpockets), who boast of being the rivals of the “Cocks,” or Londoners, in the art of obtaining other people's property without paying for it.

1885, Michael Davitt, Leaves from a Prison Diary, page 18:

"Everybody's a tool over there. Everybody's a hook, except them four guys on the points of the compass. They are eight or ten strong over there." But all professional pickpockets, however expert or however clumsy, operate on the basis of the situation just outlined.

2003, David W. Maurer, Whiz Mob: A Correlation of the Technical Argot of Pickpockets with Their Behavior Pattern, page 58:


hook

hook (third-person singular simple present hooks, present participle hooking, simple past and past participle hooked)

hooks (present singular third-person)
hooking (participle present)
hooked (participle past)
hooked (past)


kennel

From Middle English kenel, kenell, borrowed from Anglo-Norman *kenil, northern variant of Old French chenil, from Vulgar Latin *canīle, from Latin canis.

A little herd of England's timorous deer, / Mazed with a yelping kennel of French curs!

1591, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 1, act 4, scene 2:

A world of mere Patent-Digesters will soon have nothing to digest: such world ends, and by Law of Nature must end, in ‘over-population;’ in howling universal famine, ‘impossibility,’ and suicidal madness, as of endless dog-kennels run rabid.

1843, Thomas Carlyle, “IX: Working Aristocracy”, in Past and Present, book 3:

(UK, collective) The dogs kept at such a facility; a pack of hounds.


town

en-noun

town (countable and uncountable, plural towns)

From Middle English toun, from Old English tūn (“enclosure, garden”), from Proto-West Germanic *tūn, from Proto-Germanic *tūną (“fence”), of Celtic origin, from Proto-Celtic *dūnom, from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to finish, come full circle”).
See also West Frisian tún, Dutch tuin (“garden”), German Zaun, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian tun; also archaic Welsh din (“hill”), Irish dún (“fortress”). Doublet of dun. See also -ton and tine (“to enclose”).

der

(UK, historical) A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week.

(UK, Scotland, dialect, obsolete) A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard.


flue

en-adj

flue (comparative more flue, superlative most flue)

more flue (comparative)
most flue (superlative)

(UK, dialect) Alternative form of flew (“shallow, flat”)


lemonade

en-noun

lemonade (countable and uncountable, plural lemonades)

→ Japanese: レモネード (remonēdo)

→ Korean: 레모네이드 (remoneideu)

→ Welsh: lemonêd

From French limonade, equivalent to lemon + -ade.

നാരങ്ങാവെള്ളം

nāraṅṅāveḷḷaṁ

(UK, Australia, New Zealand) A clear, usually carbonated, beverage made from lemon or artificial lemon flavouring, water, and sugar.


tool

en-verb

tool (third-person singular simple present tools, present participle tooling, simple past and past participle tooled)

tools (present singular third-person)
tooling (participle present)
tooled (participle past)
tooled (past)

From Middle English tool, tol, from Old English tōl (“tool, implement, instrument”, literally “that with which one prepares something”), perhaps borrowed from Old Norse tól, but at any rate ultimately from Proto-Germanic *tōlą (“that which is used in preparation, tool”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to tie to, secure”), equivalent to taw (“to prepare”) + -le (agent suffix). Cognate with Scots tuil (“tool, implement, instrument, device”), Icelandic tól (“tool”), Faroese tól (“tool, instrument”). Related to Old English tāwian (“to make, prepare, or cultivate”); see taw, and tow ("fibres used for spinning").

cog

(transitive, UK, slang, dated) To drive (a coach or other vehicle).

1850s, Cuthbert M. Bede, The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green
Among those who seemed disposed to join in this opinion was the Jehu of the Warwickshire coach, who expressed his conviction to our hero, that "he wos a young gent as had much himproved hisself since he tooled him up to the Warsity with his guvnor."

(transitive, UK, slang, dated) To carry or convey in a coach or other vehicle.


shop

en-noun

shop (countable and uncountable, plural shops)

→ Cornish: shoppa

→ Irish: siopa

→ Japanese: ショップ (shoppu), (Okinawa) シャープ (shāpu)

→ Manx: shapp

→ Norwegian: sjappe

→ Telugu: షాప్ (ṣāp)

→ Welsh: siop

From Middle English shoppe, schoppe, from Old English sċoppa (“shed; booth; stall; shop”), from Proto-Germanic *skupp-, *skup- (“barn, shed”), from Proto-Indo-European *skub-, *skup- (“to bend, bow, curve, vault”). Cognate with Dutch schop (“spade, kick”), German Schuppen (“shed”), German Schober (“barn”), French échoppe (“booth, shop”) (< Germanic). The verb is denominal. The noun senses “act of shopping”, “purchased items” are backformed from the verb.

inh

I’ve got a big shop, so feel free to go in front.

(UK, colloquial) The collective items bought (or to be bought) on a shopping trip.


shop

en-verb

shop (third-person singular simple present shops, present participle shopping, simple past and past participle shopped)

shops (present singular third-person)
shopping (participle present)
shopped (participle past)
shopped (past)

→ Danish: shoppe

→ Dutch: shoppen

→ Finnish: shoppailla

→ German: shoppen

→ Swedish: shoppa

→ Welsh: siopa

He shopped his mates in to the police.

(transitive, slang, chiefly UK) To report the criminal activities or whereabouts of someone to an authority.

(transitive, slang, chiefly UK) To imprison.


detriment

en-noun

detriment (countable and uncountable, plural detriments)

From Old French detriement, from Latin detrimentum (“loss, damage, literally a rubbing off”), from dēterere (“to rub off, wear”), from dē- (“down, away”) + terere (“to rub”).
Detriment is based off the word deter, and built on similar foundations to the word impediment.

der

(UK, obsolete) A charge made to students and barristers for incidental repairs of the rooms they occupy.


fork

Sranan Tongo: forku

→ Dutch: fork

→ Japanese: フォーク (fōku)

→ Kannada: ಫೋರ್ಕ್ (phōrk)

→ Korean: 포크 (pokeu)

→ Maori: paoka

→ Tamil: போர்க் (pōrk)

→ Telugu: ఫోర్క్ (phōrk)

From Middle English forke (“digging fork”), from Old English force, forca (“forked instrument used to torture”), from Proto-West Germanic *furkō (“fork”), from Latin furca (“pitchfork, forked stake; gallows, beam, stake, support post, yoke”), of uncertain origin. The Middle English word was later reinforced by Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French forque (= Old French forche whence French fourche), also from the Latin. Cognate also with North Frisian forck (“fork”), Dutch vork (“fork”), Danish fork (“fork”), German Forke (“pitchfork”). Displaced native gafol, ġeafel, ġeafle (“fork”), from Old English.
In its primary sense of “fork”, Latin furca appears to be derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerk(ʷ)-, *ǵʰerg(ʷ)- (“fork”), although the development of the -c- is difficult to explain. In other senses this derivation is unlikely. For these, perhaps it is connected to Proto-Germanic *furkaz, *firkalaz (“stake, stick, pole, post”), from Proto-Indo-European *perg- (“pole, post”). If so, this would relate the word to Old English forclas pl (“bolt”), Old Saxon ferkal (“lock, bolt, bar”), Old Norse forkr (“pole, staff, stick”), Norwegian fork (“stick, bat”), Swedish fork (“pole”).

tienhaara

figurative: point in time of making a decision

afsplitsing

computer science: splitting of a process

odnož

computer science: copying and separately developing a project

bifurcació

computer science: a separately developed project based upon a copy of an existing project

a three-prong spear somewhat resembling a pitchfork


fork

en-verb

fork (third-person singular simple present forks, present participle forking, simple past and past participle forked)

forks (present singular third-person)
forking (participle present)
forked (participle past)
forked (past)

(transitive, British) To kick someone in the crotch.


bless

An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

Ah bless! You must be the welcoming committee for anyone who dares express ignorance.

1998, Peter Coffey, “New Alternative View Of Atomic Structure”, in sci.chem (Usenet):

oh bless. *hug* that is not true. nobody here bears a grudge against 13 year old dear or against you.

2000, Hellraiser, uk.people.teens (Usenet):

Aw bless... have white chocolate fudge muffin....a new batch.... made them last night after Nigella....

2001, Will, “Am I still here?”, in uk.religion.pagan (Usenet):

(UK, Canada, informal) Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.


juggernaut

/ˈd͡ʒʌɡ.ə.nɔːt/

/ˈd͡ʒʌɡ.ɚ.nɔt/

/ˈd͡ʒʌɡ.ɚ.nɑt/

/ˈd͡ʒʌɡ.ə.nɔːt/

17th century, from Hindustani جگنّاتھ / जगन्नाथ (jagannāth) or Odia ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ (jagannātha), from Sanskrit जगन्नाथ (jagannātha, “Lord of the Universe”) (Jagannatha), a title for the Hindu deity Vishnu's avatar Krishna. English form influenced by suffix -naut (“sailor”). Doublet of Jagannath.
From British colonial era in India, witnessing the Rath Yatra (chariot parade) at Puri, Orissa. The festival features a huge annual procession, with a wagon of the idol of Jagannath. Pulled with ropes by hundreds of devotees, the wagon develops considerable momentum and becomes unstoppable.

der

I know I swing me Volvo all around you market square. I know you think that lorry drivers, we just don't care. But the streets are so narrow, built so many years ago. They were built for horses' carts, not juggernauts you know.

2019, “I love my juggernaut”, in The Pothole Song Album, performed by Richie Kavanagh:

(British, Ireland, sometimes derogatory) A large, cumbersome truck or lorry, especially an artic.


sole

en-verb

sole (third-person singular simple present soles, present participle soling, simple past and past participle soled)

soles (present singular third-person)
soling (participle present)
soled (participle past)
soled (past)

From earlier sowle (“to pull by the ear”). Origin unknown. Perhaps from sow (“female pig”) + -le, as in the phrase "take a sow by the wrong ear", or from Middle English sole (“rope”). See above.

(transitive, UK dialectal) To pull by the ears; to pull about; haul; lug.


sweat

en-noun

sweat (usually uncountable, plural sweats)

Sranan Tongo: sweti

Torres Strait Creole: swet

From Middle English swete, swet, swate, swote, from Old English swāt, from Proto-Germanic *swait-, *swaitą, from Proto-Indo-European *swoyd- (“to sweat”), o-grade of *sweyd- (“to sweat”). Cognate with West Frisian swit, Dutch zweet, German Schweiß, Danish sved, Swedish svett, Yiddish שוויצן (shvitsn) (English shvitz), Latin sudor, French sueur, Italian sudore, Spanish sudor, Persian خوی (xway, “sweat”), Sanskrit स्वेद (svéda), Lithuanian sviedri, Tocharian B syā-, Albanian djersë, and Welsh chwys.

inh

(British, military slang, especially WWI) A soldier (especially one who is old or experienced).


feckless

en-adj

feckless (comparative more feckless, superlative most feckless)

more feckless (comparative)
most feckless (superlative)

purposeful

antonym(s) of “worthless, irresponsible”

From Scots feckless, variant of Scots fectless (“ineffectual”) (an aphetic variant of effectless), equivalent to effect + -less.


ar

(UK, West Country, West Midlands) Alternative form of arr


tomato sauce

en-noun

tomato sauce (usually uncountable, plural tomato sauces)

A plastic tomato sauce bottle, which could have been cut in half to make a flower pot, was quickly surveyed along with other trophies, and received the death sentence. “In the bin, Bob.”

1979 June, Peter C. Harper, Robert Alexander Falla K.B.E., C.M.G., M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.N.Z.: An Appreciation, page 356:

1980 January-May, Laurence Le Guay, Cruising World, page 98,
I quickly learned that there is a hell of a difference between tomato sauce and ketchup and that there is an even greater difference when it comes to mayonnaise: real American or the pseudo Australian — and I had always believed this to be a French concoction.

The event was a BBQ in the peaceful and picturesque System Garden at the University of Melbourne, Parkville campus. Food was plentifil and included a variety of sausages and veggie burgers, onions, bread and tomato sauce in addition to soft drinks.

2003 March, Microbiology Australia, page 46:

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei) Tomato ketchup, used as a condiment.


meal

Variation of mole (compare Scots mail), from Middle English mole, mool, from Old English māl, mǣl (“spot, mark, blemish”), from Proto-Germanic *mailą (“wrinkle, spot”), from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“to soil”). More at mole.


bill

→ Swahili: bili

→ Thai: บิล (bin)

→ Tokelauan: pili

→ Jamaican Creole: bills

From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal", "sealed document”). Compare bull.

der

l-vocalizing: UK, General Australian, New Zealand

In the conversation Henshall says he "struggling to find people to go up the roads" explaining how it would be "no good for black people" and how they need a "young white boy to go up there".
Stock agrees, saying how he knows "this kid" who "owes me 12 bills".

2023, BBC News: "Newport: Drugs gang jailed for exploiting vulnerable child" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66570256

(slang, UK) One hundred pounds sterling.


bill

en-verb

bill (third-person singular simple present bills, present participle billing, simple past and past participle billed)

bills (present singular third-person)
billing (participle present)
billed (participle past)
billed (past)

And we don't really need Netflix, I'mma give you something to watch / After we done, bill a spliff and cotch / Pour me a glass of the Henny on the rocks

2016 February 14, Joseph Adenuga, Darren Dixon, Tariq Devega (lyrics and music), “Ladies Hit Squad” (track 6), in Konnichiwa, performed by Skepta ft. D Double E and ASAP Nast, Boy Better Know:

(transitive, intransitive, UK, slang) To roll up a marijuana cigarette.


half

New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore

From Middle English half, halfe from Old English healf (“half”); as a noun, 'half', 'side', 'part', from Proto-West Germanic *halb, from Proto-Germanic *halbaz.
Cognates:
Akin to Old Saxon, Old Frisian, and Dutch half, West Frisian heal, German halb, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian halv, Icelandic hálfur and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs). Compare halve, behalf.

абжа

one of two equal parts into which anything may be divided

He came back with a pint of Guinness for me and a half of bitter for Wendy.

1968, John Braine, The Crying Game, Houghton Mifflin, page 11:

I accepted a half of bitter from him.

1974, James Herriot, All Things Bright and Beautiful, St. Martin's Press,, →ISBN:

I went to the bar where I bought a pint and two large brandies. ... "Not brandy," she replied, "but I could use a long drink - maybe a half of lager."

2006, Bill Appleton, Wide Boy, Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie, →ISBN, page 168:

(British) half a pint of beer or cider. (Refusing a pint) Just a half, thank you. (Offering to top up a pint glass) Do you want a half in that? (Minimizing the amount of drink taken) A swift half at the Pear Tree.

(UK, dated) A child ticket. Two and a half to Paddington.


half

The time is 9:30; it is half nine.

(UK, Ireland) Half past; a half-hour (30 minutes) after the last hour.


pot

From Middle English pot, potte, from Old English pott (“pot”) and Old French pot (“pot”) (probably from Frankish *pott); both Old English and Frankish from Proto-Germanic *puttaz (“pot”), from Proto-Indo-European *budnós (“a type of vessel”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Pot (“pot”), Dutch pot (“pot”), German Low German Pott (“pot”), German Pott (“pot”), Swedish potta (“chamber pot”), Icelandic pottur (“tub, pot”), Old Armenian պոյտն (poytn, “pot, earthen pot”). Also, Old Norse pottr (“pot, tub, basin”).
The sense of ruin or deterioration was originally a general allusion to "being chopped up and tossed in a (normally fiery) pot, like a piece of meat" (i.e. to get wasted or done with (by someone)). The 'clean' slang term which was used in reference to toilet rooms and lavatories apparently derives from English chamberpots, although now usually encountered as potty in the context of children's toilet training.

pussitus

cue sports: act of causing a ball to fall into a pocket

not have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of

(UK, horse-racing, slang) A favorite: a heavily-backed horse.


pot

en-verb

pot (third-person singular simple present pots, present participle potting, simple past and past participle potted)

pots (present singular third-person)
potting (participle present)
potted (participle past)
potted (past)

(British) To send someone to jail, expeditiously.

It is less labour to plough than to pot it.

1623, Owen Feltham, Resolves: Divine, Moral, Political:

(obsolete, dialect, UK) To tipple; to drink.

Ideally the best Ideally the best way of tackling the problem of toilet training, is to 'pot' your child at set intervals when he is at home, even though he may no longer be a baby, thus establishing a regular routine instead of one at odd intervals.

1975, Nancie R. Finnie, Handling the Young Cerebral Palsied Child, →ISBN, page 75:

If you leave out this “catching" stage altogether and start proper toilet training at, say, eighteen months you will only have to pot your baby about 2000 times for the same effect.

1978, Penelope Leach, Your Baby & Child from Birth to Age Five, →ISBN, page 225:

Do not make the mistake of potting your baby as early as possible, but wait until she gives the signal that she is aware that puddles are somehow to do with her.

2004, Joan Gomez, Coping with Incontinence, →ISBN, page 33:

Of course, if at any stage your child takes a violent dislike to the pot, then I would put it away for a few weeks and then try again, but if the pot is very comfortable, your attitude is calm and you don't over-pot your child (put him on the pot too often or talk about the pot too much), this shouldn't happen.

2012, Nanny Smith, Nina Grunfeld, Nanny Knows Best: Successful Potty Training, →ISBN:

(transitive, British) To seat a person, usually a young child, on a potty or toilet, typically during toilet teaching.


factory

Tok Pisin: faktori

Welsh: ffatri

From factor + y.
Compare Middle French factorie; Spanish factoría, Portuguese feitoria, Dutch factorij.

The guys all knew each other and we were having a jolly old chinwag as we marched them out of the house in front of their stunned neighbours and into a van we had called to take them all to the Factory (police station).

2010, Harry Keeble, Kris Hollington, Crack House:


college

⇒ Bengali: কলেজ (kolej)

→ Finnish: college

⇒ Hindustani:

desc

Hindi: कालिज (kālij), कॉलेज (kŏlej), कालेज (kālej)

Urdu: کالِج (kālij)

→ Russian: ко́лледж (kólledž), колле́дж (kollédž)

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: ко̀леџ

Latin script: kòledž

→ Slovene: koledž

→ Ukrainian: ко́ле́дж (kólédž)

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe-?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm
Proto-Italic *kom
Old Latin com
Latin cum
Latin con-
Latin lēx
Latin -ō
Latin lēgō
Latin collēga
Proto-Indo-European *-yōs
Proto-Italic *-jōs
Old Latin -ios
Latin -ius
Latin -ium
Latin collēgiumbor.
Old French college
Middle French collegebor.
Middle English college
English college
From Middle English college, from Middle French college, from Old French college, from Latin collēgium. Doublet of collegium.

大專 /大专

postsecondary institution that does not award bachelor's degrees

مَعْهَد

Pembroke College, Cambridge

Balliol College, Oxford

University College, London

(chiefly UK) A non-specialized, semi-autonomous division of a university, with its own faculty, departments, library, etc.

(UK) An institution of further education at an intermediate level; sixth form.

كُلِّيَّة

(UK) An institution for adult education at a basic or intermediate level (teaching those of any age).

大學 /大学

Eton College

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa) A high school or secondary school.

An academic institution.
A high school or secondary school.

私立高中

in the formal names of private schools: secondary school


pyramid

en-noun

pyramid (countable and uncountable, plural pyramids)

From French pyramide, from Old French piramide, from Latin pȳramis, pȳramidis, from Ancient Greek πῡραμίς (pūramís), possibly from πῡρός (pūrós, “wheat”) + ἀμάω (amáō, “reap”) or from Egyptian pr-m-ws (“height of a pyramid”), from pr (“(one that) comes forth”) + m (“from”) + ws (“height”). Schenkel and K. Lang proposed hypothetical Coptic *ⲡⲓⲣⲁⲙ (*piram) or *ⲫⲣⲁⲙ (*phram) derived from Egyptian mr via metathesis as a source of πῡραμίς (pūramís) while Schenkel also suggested it being the source of Arabic هرم although the latter is considered far-fetched by Takacs.

der

(UK, dated) The game of pool in which the balls are placed in the form of a triangle at spot.


lever

en-verb

lever (third-person singular simple present levers, present participle levering, simple past and past participle levered)

levers (present singular third-person)
levering (participle present)
levered (participle past)
levered (past)

From Middle English lever, levore, levour, from Old French leveor, leveur (“a lifter, lever (also Old French and French levier)”), from Latin levātor (“a lifter”), from levō (“to raise”). Doublet of levator.

"The equity holders want you to 'lever up,' use as much debt as you can," said David Stanley, chairman of Kansas City-based Payless Cashways,

1989 June 26, “Corporate America wants its privacy”, in Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

(chiefly UK, finance) To increase the share of debt in the capitalization of a business.


trout

en-noun

trout (countable and uncountable, plural trout or trouts)

From Middle English troute, troughte, trught, trouȝt, trouhte, partly from Old English truht (“trout”), and partly from Old French truite; both from Late Latin tructa, perhaps from Ancient Greek τρώκτης (trṓktēs, “nibbler”), from τρώγω (trṓgō, “I gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- (“to rub, to turn”). The Internet verb sense originated on BBSes of the 1980s, probably from Monty Python's The Fish-Slapping Dance (1972), though that sketch involved a halibut.

der

Look, you silly old trout, you can't keep bringing home cats! You can't afford the ones you have!

(British, derogatory) An objectionable elderly woman.


swede

From the earlier term Swedish turnip, because the Swedes introduced the plant to the English in the 1700s.

Brassica napus
Brassica napus#Translingual

(chiefly British) The fleshy yellow root of a variety of rape, Brassica napus var. napobrassica, resembling a large turnip, grown as a vegetable.

Gotta be so careful nowadays; local copper's no problem but the cow from the council done me 'cos this almost brained a punter when it fell on his swede.

2005, The Spectator, volume 299, page 49:


Oxford

From Middle English Oxenford, Oxneford, from Old English Oxnaford (“Oxford”, literally “oxen's ford”), equivalent to ox + ford. Compare Old Norse Öxnafurða.

inh

Oxford marmalade
Oxford marmalade#English


hamlet

From Middle English hamlet, hamelet, a borrowing from Old French hamelet, diminutive of Old French hamel, in turn diminutive of Old French ham, of Germanic origin, from Frankish *haim, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *haimaz (whence English home). Equivalent to Middle English ham (“home, village”) + -let (“small”).

(British) A village that does not have its own church.


infamous

en-adj

infamous (comparative more infamous, superlative most infamous)

more infamous (comparative)
most infamous (superlative)

From Middle English enfamouse, in-fames, infamous, from Medieval Latin īnfāmōsus, from Latin īnfāmis; by surface analysis, in- + famous. Displaced native Old English unhlīsful.

срамен

disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous

(UK, historical, of a person) Subject to a judicial punishment depriving (the person) of certain rights (e.g. the rights to hold public office, exercise the franchise, receive a public pension, serve on a jury, or give testimony in a court of law).


punch

en-verb

punch (third-person singular simple present punches, present participle punching, simple past and past participle punched)

punches (present singular third-person)
punching (participle present)
punched (participle past)
punched (past)

From Middle English punchen, partially from Old French ponchonner (“to punch”), from ponchon (“pointed tool”), from Latin punctio, from punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“I prick”); and partially from Middle English punchen, a syncopated variant of punischen ("to punish"; see punish). Also influenced by Middle English punchon ("a punch"; see puncheon). Compare also Middle English bunchen, bonchen (“to punch, deliver a blow, pound, beat”).

gloss

"to punish"; see <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">punish</i>

"a punch"; see <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">puncheon</i>

punch above one's weight
punch above one's weight#English

(intransitive, UK, slang) Ellipsis of punch above one's weight; especially, to date somebody more attractive than oneself.


pop

en-verb

pop (third-person singular simple present pops, present participle popping, simple past and past participle popped)

pops (present singular third-person)
popping (participle present)
popped (participle past)
popped (past)

From Middle English pop, poppe (“a blow; strike; buffet”) (> Middle English poppen (“to strike; thrust”, verb)), of onomatopoeic origin – used to describe the sound, or short, sharp actions. The physics sense is part of a facetious sequence "snap, crackle, pop", after the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.

cog

Just pop it in the fridge for now.

He popped his head around the door.

Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake,
Pop it in the pan;[…]

1986, Christina Rossetti, edited by Alfred Knopf, Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, Mix a Pancake, page 50:

(transitive, UK, Australia) To place (something) (somewhere); to move or position (something) with a short movement.


gear

en-noun

gear (countable and uncountable, plural gears)

From Middle English gere, a borrowing from Old Norse gervi, from Proto-Germanic *garwijaną (“to prepare”). See also adjective yare, yar from the same root via Old English.

der

March 29, 1549, Hugh Latimer, the fourth sermon preached before King Edward
That servant of his that confessed and uttered this gear was an honest man.

(obsolete, UK, dialect) Anything worthless; nonsense; rubbish.


Ugandan

Back-formation from Ugandan discussions.

Margaret, Duchess of Argyll...depicts this charming old gentleman, who often kisses young girls outside Annabel's, as a narrow-minded, boring Ugandan expert.

1975, Private Eye, numbers 340–366, page 161:

Eight ladies with Ugandan associations had ascended the fire escape and were making their way through his room.

1975, Private Eye, numbers 340–366, page 198:

They have a bit of a 'how was it for you' session referring to the night and/or evening before, and we are left not knowing whether they enjoyed Ugandan Relations between the sheets or not.

1998 August 19, Peter Dewhirst, “Dewey's Monday update for 3rd August.”, in rec.arts.tv.uk.coronation-st (Usenet):

I'm in serious need of some ugandan activities. Any of you birds out there at a loose end and want to get the dirty water off your chest?

2000 January 25, Baz, “Any birds want a good seeing to?”, in uk.local.birmingham (Usenet):

Serif's question: where is Mister? The Eagle's answer: engaged in Ugandan practices.

2001, Gerald Seymour, The Untouchables, →ISBN, page 345:

I recall her once snatching a copy of the hated Private Eye, in which I'd been reading about the Ugandan activities of a prominent member of her party.

2013 April 8, Lord Powell, “The Margaret Thatcher I knew”, in The Guardian:

Jones denied last week that he was in a Ugandan situation with Morris, but did say "I am very fond of anyone who helps me lose six and a half stone..."

2015, Rotten Boroughs, “Going for the Burn”, in Private Eye, number 1407:

(UK, informal, euphemistic) Sexual, highlights a double entendre.


bitch

en-noun

bitch (countable and uncountable, plural bitches)

→ Dutch: bitch

→? German: Betze, Bätze, Petze

→ French: bitch

From Middle English biche, bicche, from Old English biċċe, from Proto-West Germanic *bikkjā, from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ (compare Norwegian bikkje (“dog”), Old Danish bikke), from *bikjaną (“to thrust, attack”) (compare Old Norse bikkja (“plunge into water”), Dutch bikken (“to hack”)). More at bicker.

[…] seldom gets "a little the worse for liquor," gives no swell parties, runs very little into debt, takes his cup of bitch at night, and goes quietly to bed, and thus he passes his time in a way a Varmint man would despise.

1824, Gradus Ad Cantabrigiam: Or, New University Guide to the Academical Customs, and Colloquial Or Cant Terms Peculiar to the University of Cambridge, Observing Wherein It Differs from Oxford, page 131:

(UK, obsolete, university slang) Tea (the drink).


lad

From Middle English ladde (“foot soldier, servant; male commoner; boy”), from late Old English *ladda (attested in Old English personal byname Ladda), probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Old Norse ladd (“hose, woolen stocking; sock”), which may have undergone semantic shift to mean a term of abuse (e.g. foolish youth, youngster of lower social status, etc.); thence by connotative amelioration coming to mean any young fellow. Compare Norwegian ladd (“rough sock, woolen or felt slipper”) and the -ladd in compounds Askeladd/Askeladden (a nickname in fairy tales, "Ash Lad") and tusseladd (“nincompoop”). See also Swedish ladder (“old shoes”), lodde (“Frisian shoe”), lädder (“socks”), all said to be related to Old Norse loðinn (“hairy, shaggy, woolly”), loddi (“shaggy dog”).

cog

Coordinate term: ladette

I think he reckons he’s a bit of a lad.

Last night I was out drinking with the lads.

(British) A hedonistic or irresponsible young man; A Jack the lad.


whither

term-label

(formal, archaic except literary or poetic)

From Middle English whider (“to what place?; into or to which; to what place, where; no matter where, to wherever”), from Old English hwider, hwæder (“to what place, where”), from Proto-Germanic *hwadrê (“to what place, where”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷos (“what; which”), from *kʷ- (the primary interrogative root).

inh

When as wee duely conſider, whether euery way leadeth, or wiſely ponder with our ſelues to what end we refer each one of our actions, and exact of our ſtraying thoughts a more ſeuere account of their wandering courſe, we ſhal find no victory ſo great, as the ſubduing of vice, nothing ſo hard as to liue well, no ſuch vneſtimable iewell, as an honeſt conuerſation: […]

1589, T[homas] Nashe, The Anatomie of Absurditie: […], London: […] I[ohn] Charlewood for Thomas Hacket, […], →OCLC, signature E.iii., verso:

2. Out. [Second Outlaw] VVhether trauell you? / Val[entine]. To Verona. / 1. Out. [First Outlaw] VVhence came you? / Val. From Millaine.

c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 32, column 2:

O Jove! he cry'd, for vvhat Offence have I / Deſerv'd to bear this endleſs Infamy: / VVhence am I forc'd, and vvhether am I born, / Hovv, and vvith vvhat Reproach ſhall I return?

1697, Virgil, “The Tenth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 526, lines 943–946:

You vvill go avvay: VVhither vvill you go? and vvhat can you do? I vvould as vvillingly go avvay as you, if I knevv vvhither: But vve have no Acquaintance, no Friends. Here vve vvere born, and here vve muſt die.

1722 March, H[enry] F[oe] [pseudonym; Daniel Defoe], A Journal of the Plague Year: […], London: […] E[lizabeth] Nutt […]; J. Roberts […]; A. Dodd […]; and J. Graves […], →OCLC, page 143:

"Whither are we going?" inquired the lady tragically. "How should I know?" replied Trott with singular coolness; for the events of the evening had completely hardened him.

1836 February 8, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “The Great Winglebury Duel”, in Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume II, London: John Macrone, […], published 1836, →OCLC, page 241:

Forth from the city, while it yet slumbered, went the two poor adventurers, wandering they knew not whither.

1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Twelfth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841, →OCLC, page 156:

The Spirit did not tarry here, but bade Scrooge hold his robe, and passing on above the moor, sped whither? Not to sea? To sea. To Scrooge's horror, looking back, he saw the last of the land, a frightful range of rocks, behind them; and his ears were deafened by the thundering of water, as it rolled, and roared, and raged among the dreadful caverns it had worn, and fiercely tried to undermine the earth.

1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 103:

[W]hat was the use of cavalry in a time of profound peace?—and whither the deuce should the hussars ride?

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 571:

What he did, whither he went, where he died, might be left to conjecture.

1882, Walter Besant, “The Missing Link”, in All Sorts and Conditions of Men: An Impossible Story […], volume II, London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 136:

Interrogative senses.
To what place; where.

VVhither at length vvilt thou abuſe our patience?

1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, →OCLC, Act IIII, signature I3, recto:

And, if there fall out any preternatural immutations in the elements, any strange concussations of the earth, any direful prodigies in the sky, whither should they be imputed, but to these mighty angels; whom it pleaseth the Most High God to employ in these extraordinary services?

1651 (indicated as 1652), Joseph Hall, “[The Invisible World Discovered to Spiritual Eyes, and Reduced to Useful Meditation. […].] Section IV. The Power of Angels.”, in Josiah Pratt, editor, The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Joseph Hall, D.D. […], volume VI (Devotional Works), London: […] C[harles] Whittingham, […]; for Williams and Smith, […], published 1808, →OCLC, 1st book (Of God and His Angels), page 455:

Alas, / Whither has wandered now my partial tongue / When all remains untold which ye would hear?

1818–1819 (date written), Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Prometheus Unbound”, in Prometheus Unbound […], London: C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier […], published 1820, →OCLC, Act III, scene iv, page 117:

'Oh, Lancelot, Lancelot! whither are you forcing me?' / 'I am forcing you no-whither. God, the Father of spirits, is leading you! You, who believe in Him, how dare you fight against Him?'

1848, [Charles Kingsley], “Murder will Out, and Love too”, in Yeast: A Problem. […], London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1851, →OCLC, page 193:

Whither now the DUP [Democratic Unionist Party]? In Westminster, Theresa May's minority government continues to rely on the support of ten DUP members for its very survival. But last week may well have seen the consequences as well as the high point of thumbscrew politics.

2018 February 9, Tommie Gorman, “Whither now the DUP?”, in Raidió Teilifís Éireann, archived from the original on 2022-07-01:

(figurative, also humorous) To what (future) cause, condition or state, reason, etc.; where, where next; also (obsolete) to what extent; how far.

minne

to what (future) cause, condition or state, reason, etc. — see also where


whither

en-verb

whither (third-person singular simple present whithers, present participle whithering, simple past and past participle whithered)

term-label

(British, dialectal, especially Scotland)

whithers (present singular third-person)
whithering (participle present)
whithered (participle past)
whithered (past)

The verb is borrowed from Scots whidder, whither (“(of the wind) to bluster; to move quickly”), a frequentative form of whid (“(of wind) to gust; to move quickly”), of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hviða (“gust of wind”).
Related to Middle English hwiþa, whyȝt (“breeze; wind”), Old English hwiþa, hwiþu, hweoþu (“breeze”). The noun is derived from the verb.

To move quickly, to rush, to whiz; also, to make a rushing sound; to whizz.

Of the wind: to blow loudly and vigorously; to bluster; also, of an animal, etc.: to make a loud noise; to bellow, to roar.


well

en-adv

well (comparative better, superlative best)

From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel (“well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, *wala (“well”, literally “as wished, as desired”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“wish, desire”).
Cognate with Scots wele, weil (“well”), North Frisian wel, weil, wal (“well”), West Frisian wol (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), Low German wol (“well”), German wohl (“well”), Norwegian and Danish vel (“well”), Swedish väl (“well”), Icelandic vel, val (“well”). Related to will.

der

wool (interjection or unstressed, some accents)

That guy rocks! I think he's called Matthew Lillard or sommat but he is well cool in Scream.

1999, Drummond Pearson, “What Ash are doing right now...”, in alt.music.ash (Usenet):

Hey Dude / FIFA 2003 is well wicked, I've got FIFA 2002 on PS2, David Beckham on Xbox and Football Manager on Xbox too, out of all pf^([sic]) them FIFA 2003 is easliy^([sic]) the best.

2002, jibaili, “FIFA 2003 How is it?”, in microsoft.public.xbox (Usenet):

Hey, you should've seen it, it was well good.

(degree, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) Very (as a general-purpose intensifier).


banjaxed

en-adj

banjaxed (comparative more banjaxed, superlative most banjaxed)

more banjaxed (comparative)
most banjaxed (superlative)

Here is his black heart sitting there as large as life in the middle of the pulp of his banjaxed corpse.

1939, Flann O'Brien [pseudonym; Brian O'Nolan], At Swim-Two-Birds:

Then it got banjaxed, at a supper party to which he brought me.

1972, Edna O'Brien, Night, published 2001:

Lindsay again waxes approving over Ballard’s hymn to the banjaxed landscape of the Heathrow environs, with its choked arterial roads, light industrial units and warehousing entrepots.

2011, Will Self, “The frowniest spot on Earth”, in London Review of Books, XXXIII.9:

Part of the strategy is to dramatically increase the number of electric cars but people in rural areas are proving hesitant because of cost and lack of charging points. “If you were in the countryside you’d be banjaxed. You can’t plug it into a ditch, you can’t plug it into a cow,” said Derek Desmond, 50, a handyman from Tipperary.

2022 July 29, Rory Carroll, quoting Derek Desmond, “Fare deal: Ireland joins Europe-wide efforts to coax people out of cars”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(British and Ireland, slang) Broken, ruined, shattered; confounded.

I'm completely banjaxed!

(British and Ireland, slang) Tired, sleepy, cream crackered.


banjax

en-verb

banjax (third-person singular simple present banjaxes, present participle banjaxing, simple past and past participle banjaxed)

banjaxes (present singular third-person)
banjaxing (participle present)
banjaxed (participle past)
banjaxed (past)

Unknown, perhaps originally Dublin slang. According to Green’s Dictionary of Slang, may be a euphemism for bollocks.

I hoofed his backside till he went down all of a heap. That banjaxed his little game. You should have heard his hullabulloo.

1922, Darrell Figgis, The House of Success, The Gael Co-operative Publishing Society, Ltd., page 146:

Indeed, it seemed that the army was hopelessly banjaxed.

1928, Eimar O'Duffy, The Spacious Adventures of the Man in the Street, Macmillan, page 370:

Emma had suggested that you hide, said your presence might banjax her position.

1970, Edna O'Brien, A Pagan Place, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, published 2001, page 91:

Fraser was looking at the flat, wet countryside and thinking about the French policeman who had banjaxed him with the truncheon.

2006, Craig Ferguson, Between the Bridge and the River, Chronicle Books, page 252:

For quotations using this term, see Citations:banjax.

(UK, originally Ireland, slang) To ruin or destroy.


where is the toilet

(British, literal) Direct me to the restroom (US) or WC (British).

屎礐佇佗落？ /屎𬒈伫佗落？

sái-ha̍k tī tó-lo̍h? / sái-ha̍k tǐr tó-loh? / sái-ha̍k tǐ tó-loh? / sái-ha̍k tī tah-lo? / sái-ha̍k tī tá-lo?

便所佇佗位？

piān-só͘ tī tó-uī? / piān-só͘ tū tó-uī? / piān-só͘ tī toh-ūi? / piān-só͘ tū toh-ūi?

廁所佇佗落？ /厕所伫佗落？

chheh-só͘ tī tó-lo̍h? / chhè-só͘ tǐr tó-loh? / chhè-só͘ tǐ tó-loh? / chhek-só͘ tī tah-lo? / chhek-só͘ tī tá-lo?

礐廁佇佗落？ /𬒈厕伫佗落？

ha̍k-chhè tī tó-lo̍h? / ha̍k-chhè tǐ tó-loh?

染蠻佇佗落？ /染蛮伫佗落？

jiám-bân tī tá-lo̍h? / jiám-bân tī tó-lo̍h / liám-bân tī tó-lo̍h / liám-boân tī tó-lo̍h?


pat

pat (third-person singular simple present pats, present participle patting, simple past and past participle patted)

pats (present singular third-person)
patting (participle present)
patted (participle past)
patted (past)

From Middle English *patten, alteration (with loss of medial l) of platten, pletten (“to pat”), from Old English plættan (“to buffet, strike, slap, smack, give a sounding blow”), from Proto-Germanic *plat- (“to strike, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *blod-, *bled- (“to strike, beat”). Cognate with Middle Dutch platten, pletten (“to strike, bruise, crush, rub”), German platzen (“to split, burst, break up”), Bavarian patzen (“to pat”), Swedish plätta, pjätta (“to pat, tap”). For loss of l, compare patch for platch; pate for plate, etc. See plat.

cog

Do you want to pat the cat?

(UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) To stroke or fondle (an animal). Compare pet.


scarecrow

/ˈskɛɚˌkɹoʊ/

The noun is derived from scare (“to frighten, startle, terrify”) + crow (“bird of the genus Corvus”). The word displaced other terms such as bogle (now dialectal, dated), sewel or shewel, and shoy-hoy (perhaps imitative of the cry of crows).
The verb is derived from the noun.

compound

(British, dialectal, obsolete)
The black tern (Chlidonias niger).

Chlidonias niger
Chlidonias niger#Translingual

(British, dialectal, obsolete)
The hooded crow (Corvus cornix).

Corvus cornix
Corvus cornix#Translingual


knock out

en-verb

knock out (third-person singular simple present knocks out, present participle knocking out, simple past and past participle knocked out)

knocks out (present singular third-person)
knocking out (participle present)
knocked out (participle past)
knocked out (past)

→ Macedonian: нокаут (nokaut)

→ Portuguese: nocaute

→ Russian: нокаут (nokaut)

→ Serbo-Croatian: нокаут

→ Spanish: nocaut

→ Turkish: nakavt


lathe

lathe (third-person singular simple present lathes, present participle lathing, simple past and past participle lathed)

lathes (present singular third-person)
lathing (participle present)
lathed (participle past)
lathed (past)

From Middle English lathen, from Old English laþian (“to invite, summon, call upon, ask”), from Proto-West Germanic *laþōn, from Proto-Germanic *laþōną (“to invite”), from Proto-Indo-European *lēy- (“to want, desire”). Cognate with German laden (“to invite”), Icelandic laða (“to attract”).

der

(transitive, UK dialectal) To invite; bid; ask.


mate

From Middle English mate, a borrowing from Middle Low German mate (“messmate”) (replacing Middle English mette (“table companion, mate, partner”), from Old English ġemetta (“sharer of food, table-guest”)), derived from Proto-Germanic *gamatjô, itself from *ga- (“together”) (related to German and Dutch ge-) + *matjô (from *matiz (“food”)), related to Old English mete (“food”)). From the same Middle Low German source stems German Low German Maat (“journeyman, companion”), German Maat (“naval non-commissioned officer”). Cognates include Saterland Frisian Moat (“friend, buddy, comrade, mate”), Dutch maat (“mate, partner, colleague, friend”). More at Old English ġe-, English co-, English meat. Doublet of maat.

cog

I'm going to the pub with a few mates.

He's my best mate.

(colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth) A friend, usually of the same sex.

Excuse me, mate, have you got the time?

(colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth) Friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age.


knock off

en-verb

knock off (third-person singular simple present knocks off, present participle knocking off, simple past and past participle knocked off)

knocks off (present singular third-person)
knocking off (participle present)
knocked off (participle past)
knocked off (past)

→ Dutch: afnokken (calque)

In the verb sense of stopping work, said to be from the practice aboard slave galleys to have a man beat time for the rowers by knocking on a block or drum; when he stopped, the rowers could rest.

faligi

to remove by hitting, to hit (something) off

I took her down to Basin Street and to a movie, then took her to my room and knocked her off.

1965, Claude Brown, Manchild in the Promised Land:

(transitive, slang, vulgar, British) To have sex with (a woman).


village

From Middle English village, from Old French village, from Latin villāticus, ultimately from Latin villa (English villa).
Broadly overtook Old English wic, þorp, and ham.
The Philippine sense is due to its frequent use in the names of gated communities.

(British) A rural habitation that has a church, but no market.

kostelec

a rural habitation that has its own church


bergen

Shortened from Bergen rucksack, possibly named after their creator, Norwegian Ole F. Bergan, combined with the name of the Norwegian city of Bergen.

Their bergens were already stuffed almost to bursting point, as were their belt kits, with rations, water, radios and spare batteries, ammunition, personal equipment, sleeping bags, waterproofs, medical packs, survival kits, and much more.

2012, Peter Ratcliffe, Eye of the Storm:


beach

→ Japanese: ビーチ

→ Punjabi: ਬੀਚ (bīc)

→ Zulu: ibhishi

From Middle English bache, bæcche (“bank, sandbank”), from Old English beċe (“beck, brook, stream”), from Proto-West Germanic *baki, from Proto-Germanic *bakiz (“brook”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg- (“flowing water”).
Cognate with Dutch beek (“brook, stream”), German Bach (“brook, stream”), Swedish bäck (“stream, brook, creek”). More at batch, beck.

der

(UK dialectal, Sussex, Kent) The loose pebbles of the seashore, especially worn by waves; shingle.


sandwich

en-noun

sandwich (plural sandwiches or (rare) sandwichs)

sandwiches (plural)
sandwichs (plural rare)

desc

سَانْدَوِيتْش

Arabic: سَانْدَوِيتْش (sandawitš)

Armenian: սենդվիչ (sendvičʻ)

Bengali: স্যান্উইজ (sênuij)

Bulgarian: са́ндвич (sándvič)

Burmese: ဆန်းဒဝစ် (hcan:da.wac)

Catalan: sandvitx

Chinese: 三明治 (sānmíngzhì), 三文治 (sānwénzhì)

Czech: sendvič

Danish: sandwich

Dutch: sandwich

Esperanto: sandviĉo

Finnish: sandwich, sänkkäri

French: sandwich

Norman French: sannouiche

Galician: sándwich

Georgian: სენდვიჩი (sendviči)

German: Sandwich

Greek: σάντουιτς (sántouits)

Hawaiian: kanauika

Hindi: सैंडविच (saiṇḍvic)

Hungarian: szendvics

Ido: sandwicho

Japanese: サンドイッチ (sandoitchi)

Korean: 샌드위치 (saendeuwichi)

Latvian: sendvičs

Marshallese: jāānwūj

Malay: sandwic

Norman: sannouiche

Norwegian: sandwich

Persian: ساندویچ (sândevič)

Occitan: sandoich, sandwich

Polish: sandwicz

Portuguese: sanduíche (Brazil), sandes (Portugal)

Romanian: sandviș, sandvici

Russian: са́ндвич (sándvič), сэ́ндвич (sɛ́ndvič)

Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: се̏ндвич

Latin script: sȅndvič

Sinhalese: සැන්ඩ්විච් (sænḍwic)

Slovene: sendvič

qualifier

Spanish: sándwich, sánduche (Colombia, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Venezuela), sánguche (Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela)

Swedish: sandwich

Thai: แซนด์วิช (sɛɛn-wít)

Tibetan: སན་ཊ་ཝིཆི (san ṭa wichi)

Turkish: sandviç

Urdu: سینڈوچ (saiṇḍavic)

Vietnamese: xăng duych

Volapük: sändvig

[ˈsæmˌwɪt͡ʃ]

[ˈsæ̃ˌwɪt͡ʃ]

Named after its supposed inventor, the Earl of Sandwich (see Sandwich).

[…] our local agricultural fair in Warwickshire even has a category for Victoria sandwiches baked by male bakers.

2016, Alysa Levene, Cake: A Slice of History:


side

en-noun

side (countable and uncountable, plural sides)

From Middle English side, from Old English sīde (“side, flank”), from Proto-Germanic *sīdǭ (“side, flank, edge, shore”), from Proto-Indo-European *sēy- (“to send, throw, drop, sow, deposit”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Siede (“side”), West Frisian side (“side”), Dutch zijde, zij (“side”), German Low German Sied (“side”), German Seite (“side”), Danish and Norwegian side (“side”), Swedish sida (“side”).

der

know which side one's bread is buttered on

laugh out of the other side of one's mouth

not be able to hit the broad side of a barn

the apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest

the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence

the grass is always greener on the other side of the road

Newly promoted, they were top of the First Division and unbeaten when they took on a Manchester United side that had been revitalized by a new manager,[…].

1988, Ken Jones with Pat Welton Crown, Soccer skills & tactics, page 9:

It was no less than Valencia deserved after dominating possession in the final 20 minutes although Chelsea defended resolutely and restricted the Spanish side to shooting from long range.

2011 September 28, Jon Smith, “Valencia 1-1 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:

Initially, the English, Welsh, Scots and Irish unions refused to send national sides, preferring instead to send touring sides like the Barbarians, the Penguins, the Co-Optimists, the Wolfhounds, Crawshays Welsh, and the Public School Wanderers.

2011, Nick Cain, Greg Growden, Rugby Union For Dummies, 3rd edition, UK, page 220:

I just want to see what's on the other side — James said there was a good film on tonight.

(British, Australia, Ireland, dated) A television channel, usually as opposed to the one currently being watched (from when there were only two channels).


side

en-adj

side (comparative more side, superlative most side)

more side (comparative)
most side (superlative)

From Middle English side, syde, syd, from Old English sīd (“wide, broad, spacious, ample, extensive, vast, far-reaching”), from Proto-West Germanic *sīd, from Proto-Germanic *sīdaz (“drooping, hanging, low, excessive, extra”), from Proto-Indo-European *sēy- (“to send, throw, drop, sow, deposit”). Cognate with obsolete Dutch zijd (“wide, vast”), Low German sied (“low”), Swedish sid (“long, hanging down”), Icelandic síður (“low hanging, long”).

inh

But when he perceaved that the sayd Pryest could not pourge himself of the foresayd crime he prively payed him his quarters wages before hande and suffered hym to departe without farther tryall of the sayd cryme: and now he jetteth in london wyth side gown and sarcenet typet as good a virgin priest as the best.

c. 1556, Thomas Cranmer, “That the general counsels withoute the worde of god are not sufficiente to make articles of fayth”, in A Confutation of Unwritten Verities:

Hiz gooun had syde sleeuez dooun to midlegge, slit from the shooulder too the hand, & lined with white cotten.

1575, Robert Laneham, “The auncient Minstrell described”, in F. J. Furnivall, editor, Robert Laneham’s Letter: Describing a Part of the Entertainment unto Queen Elizabeth at the Castle of Kenelworth in 1575, London: Chatto & Windus, published 1907, page 38:

What doe we make dost thou aske? why we make faces for feare: such as if thy mortall eyes could behold, would make thee water the long seames of thy side slops […]

c. 1590 (date written), G[eorge] P[eele], The Old Wiues Tale. […], London: […] Iohn Danter, for Raph Hancocke, and Iohn Hardie, […], published 1595, →OCLC, [lines 47-50]:

By my troth, ’s but a night-gown in respect of yours: cloth o’ gold, and cuts, and laced with silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves, and skirts, round underborne with a bluish tinsel […]

1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:

(UK archaic, dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Wide; large; long, pendulous, hanging low, trailing; far-reaching.


prep

en-noun

prep (countable and uncountable, plural preps)

(British, uncountable) Homework, work set to do outside class time. (The term is used widely in public schools and preparatory schools but not state schools.)


banjo

→ Esperanto: banĝo

→ Irish: bainseo

→ Japanese: バンジョー

→ Macedonian: бенџо (bendžo)

→ Mongolian: банжо (banžo)

→ Russian: банджо (bandžo)

→ Thai: แบนโจ (bɛɛn-joo)

→ Welsh: banjô

→ Yiddish: באַנדזשאָ (bandzho)

From the pronunciation of African slaves, of unknown ultimate origin. Possibly a corruption of bandore, alternatively from a West African language such as Mandinka banjul, or Kimbundu mbanza.

They all came back here — we cleared the room and put up tables for the reception — and then we went to another house on the banjo for a "knees-up".

1963, Peter Willmott, The Evolution of a Community, page 75:

Billy Tower lived in the far left house in the banjo that was Dagenham's version of cul de sacs. The trouble was you could be seen from the house and, in the time it took to walk along the Banjo, drugs could be flushed away.

2013, M. C. Dutton, The Godfathers of London:

The banjo format is not an unalloyed success these days: kids playing noisily on the quite narrow common green […]

2013, Martin Crookston, Garden Suburbs of Tomorrow?:

(UK, Dagenham) A cul-de-sac with a round end.


banjo

en-verb

banjo (third-person singular simple present banjos, present participle banjoing, simple past and past participle banjoed)

banjos (present singular third-person)
banjoing (participle present)
banjoed (participle past)
banjoed (past)

Admitting the assault, the husband said that he had given her a 'banjoing' but that she had asked for it.

1989, Susan S. M. Edwards, Policing 'domestic' Violence: Women, the Law and the State, page 95:

Madar was turfed out on a final misdemeanour of banjoing one of his teammates in training before a big game

1998, "Fergie's world just gets Madar" (Sport), Sunday Mail, Jan 4, 1998

"Me and other folk were just trying to get the boot in and some other guy banjoed [decked] him”.

2007 July 31, “Return of Smeato, the extraordinary hero”, in Times Online:

(transitive, slang, British) To beat, to knock down.

Riding reported that on the day Mayne had asked for DZ coordinates, their base had been banjoed by the Germans.

2008, Michael Asher, The Regiment: The Definitive Story of the SAS, page cxxx:

(transitive, slang, British, military) To shell or attack (a target).


rock

en-noun

rock (countable and uncountable, plural rocks)

From Middle English rocke, rokke (“rock formation”), from Old English *rocc (“rock”), as in Old English stānrocc (“high stone rock, peak, obelisk”), and also later from Anglo-Norman roque, (compare Modern French roc, roche, rocher), from Medieval Latin rocca (attested 767), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be of Celtic (in particular, perhaps Gaulish) origin (compare Breton roc'h). Related also to Middle Low German rocke (“rock ledge”). One suggestion is that it derives from Vulgar Latin *rupica, from rupes (compare rupico).

rockcress

Brassicaceae: Arabis, Arabidopsis, Boechera spp.

Some fool has thrown a rock through my window.

(chiefly UK, Ireland) A boulder or large stone; or (US, Canada) a smaller stone; a pebble.

While we're in Brighton, let's get a stick of rock!

(British, uncountable) A type of confectionery made from sugar in the shape of a stick, traditionally having some text running through its length.


screed

From Middle English screde [and other forms], a variant of shrede (“fragment, scrap; strip of cloth; strip cut off from a larger piece; band or thread woven into fabric; element, streak”) (whence shred (noun)), from Old English sċrēad, sċrēade (“a piece cut off; paring, shred”), from Proto-Germanic *skraudō (“a piece, shred; a cut, crack”), from *skraudaną (“to cut up, shred”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off”). The English word is cognate with Old Frisian skrēd. Doublet of escrow, scroll, and shred.

der

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-screed.wav

And it be further Enacted, That in all Caſes where any of the Lands and Grounds by this Act intended to be divided and incloſed ſhall adjoin on any Freeboard, Screed, or Parcel of Land left on the Outſide of the Fences of any adjoining Pariſh, Townſhip, or Place, which ſhall run into any of the Lands intended to be incloſed by virtue of this Act, ſuch Freeboard, Screed, or Parcel of Land ſhall be deemed and taken to be Parcel of the Lands hereby directed to be divided and incloſed, [...]

[1795], An Act for Dividing, Allotting, Inclosing, Draining, and Improving the Commons and Waste Grounds, within the Several Parishes of Epworth, Haxey, Belton, and Owston, in the Isle of Axholme, in the County of Lincoln; […] (35 George III, chapter 107), [London]: [Parliament of Great Britain], →OCLC, pages 25–26:

(chiefly regional British, Scotland, dated) A piece of land, especially one that is narrow.


GCSE

You need GCSEs in Maths and English to work here.

General Certificate of Secondary Education#English

(UK, education) Initialism of General Certificate of Secondary Education: a British qualification taken by secondary school students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.


skin

en-noun

skin (countable and uncountable, plural skins)

From Middle English skyn, skinn, from Old English scinn, from Old Norse skinn (“animal hide”), from Proto-Germanic *skinþą, from Proto-Indo-European *sken- (“to split off”), nasal variant of *skeh₁i-d- (“to cut”). Partially displaced native Old English hȳd (“skin, hide”), from which derives hide. Unrelated to shin.
Cognate with Dutch schinde (“bark”), dialectal German Schinde (“fruit peel”); also Breton skant (“scales”), Old Irish ceinn, Irish scainim (“I tear, burst”), Latin scindere (“to split, divide”), Sanskrit छिनत्ति (chinátti, “he splits”).

hinasuna

outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal

don't sell the skin till you have caught the bear

He was a decent old skin.

PAUDI:”I fucking love the pair of ye! You’re good lads. You’re loyal skins”

2019, Joe Murragh, Colin Barrett, 54:50 from the start, in Calm With Horses (film), spoken by Paudi (Ned Dennehy):

(slang, Ireland, British) A person; chap.

[…] and away I scampered with the tiddlywink-table, while Teddy Limber […] frisked the yokel of his yack and skin.

1863, George William MacArthur Reynolds, The Mysteries of the Court of London, volume 3, page 86:


skin

en-verb

skin (third-person singular simple present skins, present participle skinning, simple past and past participle skinned)

skins (present singular third-person)
skinning (participle present)
skinned (participle past)
skinned (past)

The Russian, sometimes out of sorts in recent weeks, was seeing plenty of the ball on the left-hand side up against Hunt, a 20-year-old right-back making his first Huddersfield start. Arshavin skinned the youngster at the first opportunity and crossed for Bendtner, who could not direct his close-range effort on target.

2011 January 30, Kevin Darlng, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Huddersfield”, in BBC:

(UK, soccer, transitive) To use tricks to go past a defender.

een skin gebruiken

to use a replacement image for the graphical user interface of

финтирам

soccer: to use tricks to go past a defender


AS

(education, UK, historical) Initialism of Advanced Supplementary.

AS-level

Advanced Subsidiary
w:Advanced Subsidiary

(education, UK) Initialism of Advanced Subsidiary.


trial

From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try.

An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are.

(UK) An internal examination set by Eton College.


usedn't to

He usedn’t to live in London.

Usedn't your uncle to live with you?

(Ireland, archaic in British, obsolete elsewhere) used not to, didn't use to