Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Five hundred years of the vulgar tongue

‘Quite simply the best historical dictionary of English slang there is, ever has been […] or is ever likely to be’​ — Journal of English Language and Linguistics

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Word of the Week

string, n. 1. [late 17C-mid-18C] the hangman’s noose. 2. [early 19C–1910s] a hoax, a fraud . 3. [late 19C–1920s] a form of confidence trick. 4. in racing, the finishing line. 5. [1910s–40s] a fuse, as used for detonation when ‘blowing’ a safe. 6. [1920s] a woman’s lovers . 7. [1920s+] a group of prostitutes working for a single pimp . 8. [1950s+] the penis; thus string and nuggets, the penis and testicles. 9. [1970s] the take from one night’s worth of a prostitute’s clients.
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