M, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

M n.

[abbr.]

(drugs)

1. (also em) morphine.

1911		S.F. Call 27 Nov. 3/1: Among fiends, the drug [...] might be called just ‘C’ as morphine is called ‘M’ or ‘white stuff’.
1920		F. Williams Hop-Heads 17: ‘“C” or “m”?’ she asked with the nonchalance of a society matron serving tea.
1930		C.R. Shaw Jack-Roller 161: He repaid me by telling me of his experiences in life, how he started to ‘hit M’ (morphine).
1949		N. Algren Man with the Golden Arm 58: You got to get M to get that tingle-tangle.
1957		Kerouac On The Road (1972) 141: She took tea, goofballs, benny, liquor and even asked Old Bull for a shot of M.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 798: em – Morphine.
1962		N. Algren Land of the Strange Light Sleep’ in Entrapment (2009) 217: Where the time is always a time for M or a time for H, a time to goof or a time to taper.
1970		T. Southern Blue Movie (1974) 224: Whimpering and wincing [...] in some curious (perhaps due to his recent M-run) Pavlovian-like reversal.
1987		(con. 1967) Bunch & Cole Reckoning for Kings (1989) 42: Buellton marked M on the crew chief’s forehead (medic code: The patient has been given morphine).
2001		(con. 1964–8) J. Ellroy Cold Six Thousand 367: We’ve got enough back-stock of M-base to see us through to the next harvest.
2001		ONDCP Street Terms 14: M — Marijuana; morphine.

2. marijuana.

1955		E. Hunter ‘See Him Die’ in Jungle Kids (1967) 103: We wouldn’t give him so much as a stick of M.
1966		H.S. Thompson Hell’s Angels (1967) 18: The thirteenth letter of the alphabet, ‘M’, which in turn stands for marijuana.
1971		E.E. Landy Underground Dict. (1972).
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
2001		ONDCP Street Terms 14: M — Marijuana; morphine.

3. (US) masochism or masochist.

1987

personal ad, adult bookstoreMurray & Murrell Lang. Sadomasochism (1989) 91: Conservative sadist needs a little more M in his life [ibid.] If you’re looking for real pain, call me and let me be your M.

4. (UK black/gang, also M-charge) a murder charge.

2018		Unknown T ‘Mad about Bars’ 🎵 If you’re on me, I’m cheffing you inside out / And if I catch an M, I will fly out.
2020		G. Krauze What They Was 72: I’m not ready to catch a M-charge over nine bills [ibid.] 202: So whenever he goes pen, it’s never for a M, it’s always suttin else.