Dictionary of Contemporary Slang

by Tony Thorne

From A to Z:

Aim archie at the armitage brownie hound cassava dingleberries el ropo four-by-two get Chinese have the painters in idiot dancing jam sandwich kangaroo it lip service meathooks necktie party Ozzie and Harriet pearl diver quiche out rough end of the pineapple surfboard tray-bits under velcrohead write one's name on the lawn x-rated yodel in the canyon zippersniffer.

There is a linguistic riot going on the English-speaking world over, in the form of energetic, informal speech, extraordinary for its wit, quirkiness, and biting satire. The Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, the most comprehensive guide to slang, gathers more than 5,000 colloquialisms, puns, similes, metaphors, and double entendres -- from sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll; to fads, fashion, and cults; to taboos, obscenities, and euphemisms -- that have enriched our language for the past forty years. Most entries have multiple definitions that are enlivened by examples of usage.

Genres: Reference, Language, Dictionaries, Nonfiction

583 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 1990

About the author

Note: There are more than one Tony Thorne on GR’s database.

Tony Thorne (born 1950) is a British author, linguist and lexicographer specialising in slang, jargon and cultural history.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Thorne

Reviews

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike most dictionaries, this one is quite interesting where it compels the reader to not just glance at an entry but read it in full. Personally though, about 75% of the slang was about sex/sexual behavior, so it somewhat dampened the fun in reading the book because after a dozen or so of varied slang words for them, I got a little bored, not to mention uncomfortable. Also, there are a few mistakes here and there I noticed for the usage of some of the American slang, maybe because the author was British and not as familiar with the terms, but other than that, it was a decent dictionary, one complete with quotes and actually worth reading.

[Laura Leaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an invaluable addition to anyone's home library. I try to find new and exciting expletives frequently, as the old words feel so dry and worn-out after a while. Quite frankly, nobody creates "bad words" like the British or the Australians though, so they are heavily represented here - the Americans are a distant third. But the regular slang is pretty decent. Instead of calling senior citizens old - I'm just going to begin referring to them as "dusties." See what you can learn from dictionaries? Take that Wikipedia!

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1991 so the "contemporary" the title refers to is quite dated. Does make it a good source, however, for period pieces. Not limited to American or UK slang; grabs lingo from Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and other English speaking locales

[Noah Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

From those long-ago days before urbandictionary.