dome, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

dome n.

1. (orig. US) the head.

1733		Laugh and Be Fat 107: The Prince then enters on the Stage [...] He shakes the Dome, and tears his Lungs with Verse.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues II.
1908		B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 41: I had not known my husband a week before I was convinced that he was daffy in the dome.
1911		Wash. Herald (DC) 28 May 33/3: I’ll crimp his dome.
1917		F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I iv: He’s got jingles in his dome factory!
1922		N.Z. Truth 29 Apr. 1/8: I’ve a pain in my dome when I toddle off home.
1927		(con. 1918) J.W. Thomason Red Pants 111: Say, one guy was all set to massage your dome wit’ a table leg.
1933		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Sept. 40/3: ‘When a grappler’s got too many brains he’s frightened to land on his dome for fear of getting a headache’.
1934		(con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 181: A fellow clamped him on the dome with a banana stalk.
1936		R.L. Bellem ‘Falling Star’ in Spicy Detective Sept. 🌐 A masked bozo rubbed her out and slugged me on the dome.
1947		Sun. Times (Perth) 28 Sept. 1s/1: I’ve got a bump on my dome like an egg.
1949		H. Miller Sexus (1969) 384: ‘It was a wonderful performance,’ she said, stroking my dome.
1956		J. Curtis Look Long Upon a Monkey 90: The sooner you get it into your thick Irish dome that this is my house, where I give the orders and invitations, the better.
1968		‘Hy Lit’ Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 10: crib – [...] the pad where you rest, hide or rattle your bones and crown so you can come up with a clear dome.
1974		(con. 1940s) E. Thompson Tattoo (1977) 21: Arthur had more brains in his weird dome than those two pigs put together.
1981		M. Baker Nam (1982) 77: The guy must have something on the dome, because he took all the shit.
1993		Dr Dre ‘187’ 🎵 Fo’-fo’ Desert Eagle to your motherfuckin’ dome.
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 126: He had a large bald spot on top of his dome.
2012		‘Dutch’ ? (Pronounced Que) [ebook] Egypt dropped him with two in the dome.
2017		410 ‘Crash’ 🎵 Smoke bare loud to the dome (flavours).
2020		G. Armstrong Young Team 68: A’m [...] ready tae take it aff somecunt’s dome.
2023		F. Bill Back to the Dirt 14: Shaved dome. Beard to the center of his pectorals.

2. (US) a hat.

1907

B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 16: I might as well show a flash of class and grab one of those domes.

In derivatives

domehead (n.)

(N.Z. prison) a skinhead.

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 59/2: domehead n. a skinhead.

In compounds

domelights (n.)

(US) the eyes.

2002

(con. 1998–2000) J. Lerner You Got Nothing Coming 111: When I ask him what his method is for safe sex, he tells me to shut my sideways mouth before he puts out my domelights.

domepiece (n.)

1. (US) the head.

1977		N.Y. Times Mag. 28 Aug. 64: I just been hit across the dome piece with a baseball bat.
1988		Ultramagnetic MCs ‘Funky’ 🎵 I make your domepiece spin like a windmill.
1995		Eble Campus Sl. Apr.
1997		T. Fontana ‘Plan B’ Oz ser. 1 ep. 7 [TV script] I put the steel to her grill [...] ‘I’m gonna let two shots off in your dome-piece’.
1998		Source Nov. 129: Beads of sweat forming small colonies on his shaved dome piece.
2001		www.happypuppy.com 14 May 🌐 On the right-hand side was Cream, a pink rabbit with an umbrella hat sprouting from her dome piece, and maracas strapped to her back.
2002		‘Crazy Surfer Sl.’ 🌐 busted ass dome piece – when someone is really stupid.
2003		Mad mag. Dec. 60: Our tanks have the capacity to ‘bust’ a 88-milimeter ‘cap’ into the opposing forces’ ‘domepiece’.
2009		Killah Priest ‘Numbers’ 🎵 The police’ chrome heat blow your dome piece.

2. (US black) a hat.

1994

G. Smitherman Black Talk.

dome-shot (n.) [play on head n. (2c)]

(US black) fellatio.

2000

Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 dome-shot Definition: 1. to solicit one for oral sex. 2. to have your dick sucked. Example: Damn baby, what’s up with that dome-shot?

domework (n.)

(US) brainwork.

1915

S. Ford Torchy, Private Sec. 37: I was lookin’ for plenty of high-speed domework.

In phrases

blow domes (v.)

(US) to amaze, to astound.

1992

House of Pain ‘Come And Get Some O’ This’ 🎵 That how it goes, homes / I blow domes when I rock microphones.

double dome (n.) (also big dome)

an intellectual, a scholar, esp. one who seems to hold eccentric or impractical opinions.

c.1930		N. Kimball Amer. Madam (1981) 154: I’ve never much read the professors or the doubledomes who write books about it.
1943		H.A. Smith Life in a Putty Knife Factory (1948) 141: Old Double Dome Brisbane.
1952		Lait & Mortimer USA Confidential 51: No college big-dome will approve this book.

double-domed (adj.) (also big-dome)

intellectual.

1950		B. Rose 2 Aug. [synd. col.] The newspapers would have [...] called him a double-domed phony [W&F].
1952		Lait & Mortimer USA Confidential 45: In many circles, especially the military and the more advanced, big-dome set, it is considered weak and decadent to engage in normal sex.
1962		S. Longstreet Flesh Peddlers (1964) 315: I leave that to Dr. Kurcipski, my double-domed head-shrinker.
1980		A. Pearl Dict. of Popular Sl. 41: Double-domed – intelligent.

off the top of the dome

(US black) of rap lyrics, spontaneous, composing lyrics as you go along; usu. as coming... or going...

1992		Pete Rock & CL Smooth featuring Grap Lover ‘Interlude after T.R.O.Y.’ 🎵 on Mecca and the Soul Brother [Album] I am the one they call the G, the R, the A, the P and / I didn’t write this, it’s coming off the top of the dome.
2002		Fade ‘Year in Rev’ at IllMuzik.com 🌐 I never battled anyone or stepped onstage with a microphone, but I always had fun going off the top of the dome when I was with my boys or hanging out at a party.