Historical Dictionary of American Slang

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150 Results in P (You are getting Clean results. Get Full Results for "P")

• P. I.
  
  ( abb ) A private investigator. Serena hired a P. I. to tail her husband.
  1930s
• pad
  
  ( n ) Where you live. Have you found a pad yet?
  1960s
• pain in the neck
  
  ( np ) Annoyance. My wife's best friend is a pain in the neck.
  1940s
• palooka
  
  ( n ) A strong male. I'm just waiting for the right palooka to come along and sweep me off my feet.
  1920s
• pan
  
  ( v ) To criticize severely. Lucy Lastik's ice-skating routine was panned by the judges.
  1900s
• pantywaist
  
  ( n ) A weak, indecisive person. Gordon is such a pantywaist he does everything his girlfriend tells him.
  1890s
• paper
  
  ( n ) Money. I have to get me some paper if I'm going to the movies tonight.
  1980s
• paper chase
  
  ( np ) Reading and recording everything on paper. I've escaped the paper chase and now do all my research electronically.
  1970s
• paper-pusher
  
  ( n ) Bureaucratic office workers. My office is filled with paper-pushers.
  1960s
• paper-shaker
  
  ( np ) Cheerleader or pom-pom girl. He's been dating one of the paper-shakers named Fawn.
  1980s
• park
  
  ( v ) To hug and kiss in a parked car. Freddie and Mayola love to park up on Mulholland Drive.
  1950s
• parlay
  
  ( v ) To talk flirtatiously. Check out Reggie parlaying with Shana.
  1980s
• party animal
  
  ( np ) Someone who loves parties. You're too old to be a party animal.
  1970s
• party-hearty
  
  ( adj ) Parties, loves parties. We need to party-hearty because we just got a raise in salary.
  1980s
• party-pooper
  
  ( n ) A squelcher. Don't be a party-pooper and leave so early.
  1950s
• passion pit
  
  ( np ) Drive-in movie theatre. We made out in the passion pit last night.
  1950s
• paste
  
  ( v ) To hit. When he called me a 'wuss', I pasted him one on the kisser.
  1830s
• paste
  
  ( v ) To hit. When he called me a 'wuss', I pasted him one on the kisser.
  1830s
• patootie
  
  ( n ) The buttocks. Get out of here before I kick you in the patootie!
  1950s
• patsy
  
  ( n ) A scapegoat. Roy stole the horse and left me behind to be the patsy.
  1940s
• paw
  
  ( n ) Hand. Get your paws off of my body!
  1940s
• payola
  
  ( n ) A bribe to promote a song on radio or TV. It is hard to believe that most of the songs we sing are popular only because disc jockeys received payola.
  1930s
• peace
  
  ( n ) Good bye. Peace, everyone; I'll see you all tomorrow.
  1960s
• peace out
  
  ( v ) To make a farewell greeting. Porky was here most of the night but he peaced out about a half hour ago.
  1990s
• peanuts
  
  ( n ) Little money. I am not going to work for peanuts.
  1940s
• pearl
  
  ( v ) To leave. I'll catch you later. I'm about to pearl.
  1990s
• pee off
  
  ( v ) To make angry, mad. Why are you peed off with me? I didn't scratch your fender.
  1950s
• peel out
  
  ( v ) To screech your tires pulling out. Ferlin just left; I heard him peel out.
  1960s
• peep
  
  ( n ) Person. The street was full of peeps
  2000s
• peepers
  
  ( n ) Eyes. Cast your peepers at the hottie over by the door.
  1940s
• peepers
  
  ( n ) Glasses. He can't see his fingers without his peepers.
  1690s
• peeps
  
  ( n ) People, workers. I'll have my peeps talk to your peeps and we'll close this deal.
  2000s
• peg
  
  ( v ) To throw (a ball). Snidley was pegged out sliding into second base.
  1790s
• peg
  
  ( v ) Figure out, come to understand. I've got Randolph pegged: he's a dirty, rotten rat!
  1920s
• pegged pants
  
  ( np ) Pants tapering to a narrow opening at the cuff. He was all decked out in a ducktail haircut and a pair of pegged pants.
  1950s
• peggers
  
  ( n ) Pants tapering to a narrow opening at the cuff. He always wore peggers and a T-shirt to class.
  1950s
• percolate
  
  ( v ) Operate, get on, function. How are things percolating around here?
  1960s
• perk
  
  ( n ) Perquisite, benefit on a job. The only perk that comes with this job is a key to the bathroom.
  1860s
• perky
  
  ( adj ) Lively in a cutesy way. Kay Largo is a perky as a cheerleader.
  1810s
• perpetrate
  
  ( v ) To pretend. Why is that wigger always perpetrating?
  1990s
• pet
  
  ( v ) To hug and kiss. They must be in love; I saw them petting at the drive-in last night.
  1920s
• phat
  
  ( adj ) Excellent, outstanding. That group's music is hella phat.
  1960s
• phatty
  
  ( adj ) Excellent, outstanding. She is a phatty fatty.
  1960s
• pick up
  
  ( v ) To try to get a stranger of the opposite sex to go home with you. Hey, let's go to the football game tonight and pick up a couple of girls.
  1920s
• pick-up
  
  ( n ) You can always find pick-ups at a Hot 101 concert. You can always find pick-ups at a Hot 101 concert.
  1920s
• pickle
  
  ( n ) Jam, trouble. She is such an airhead, getting in one pickle after another.
  1950s
• pickle
  
  ( pp ) Trouble. Pedro forgot that he had invited Remona to the party and got himself in a pickle when he invited Kristin, too.
  1950s
• pickled
  
  ( adj ) Drunk, intoxicated. He gets pickled after only one beer.
  1950s
• piece
  
  ( n ) A gun. I hope you aren't carrying a piece.
  1970s
• piece
  
  ( n ) Girl (offensive). She is a pretty piece, don't you think?
  1960s
• piece of cake
  
  ( n ) Something easy. Working on a computer for me is a piece of cake.
  1930s
• pig
  
  ( n ) An ugly female (offensive). She is such a pig no one will ask her out.
  1970s
• pig
  
  ( n ) Glutton. He is a pig at parties.
  1920s
• pig
  
  ( n ) A policeman. Beat it! The pigs are coming!
  1960s
• pig out
  
  ( v ) Overeat. Let's go to the restaurant and pig out.
  1970s
• pigeon
  
  ( n ) A gullible person. He is a con man looking for a pigeon to fleece.
  1590s
• pigeon
  
  ( n ) An ugly female (offensive). The gym looked like a pigeon coop with all the dogs there.
  1990s
• piker
  
  ( n ) Cheapskate. That piker wouldn't pay more than $5 for a meal.
  1870s
• piker
  
  ( n ) A cheapskate. The piker always makes me pay for the gas.
  1920s
• pill
  
  ( n ) A basketball. Throw me the pill; I have a shot!
  1980s
• pill
  
  ( n ) An unlikable person. She is a bitter pill to take with her uppity attitude and all.
  1920s
• pill
  
  ( n ) Anything difficult. Paying $1200 in taxes is a tough pill to take.
  1930s
• pimp
  
  ( n ) Manager of prostitutes. He was driving in a chrome-plated caddy a pimp would be proud to drive.
  1600s
• pimp
  
  ( v ) To flirt, try to seduce. Look at him pimping that manikin; he's smashed.
  1990s
• pinch
  
  ( v ) To capture or arrest. I heard Sedgewick got pinched for shoplifting.
  1920s
• pinhead
  
  ( n ) A stupid or foolish person. That pinhead paid $50 for a pair of pliers.
  1890s
• pip
  
  ( n ) A difficult person. Hulda is quite a pip; she likes to do things her way.
  1950s
• pip
  
  ( n ) Something excellent, outstanding. Gwendolyn always pays the bill; she's a pip.
  1920s
• pipe down
  
  ( v ) Be quiet. Pipe down! I want to hear what the president is saying.
  1920s
• pipes
  
  ( n ) The voice. Bertha D. Blues had a gorgeous set of pipes.
  1560s
• pistol
  
  ( n ) A dynamic person. Martha's in every organization in town: she's a real pistol.
  1940s
• pit stop
  
  ( np ) Stop for a bathroom. Let's make a pit stop at the next rest area.
  1970s
• place
  
  ( n ) Where you live. Why don't you come over to my place sometimes?
  1340s
• plastered
  
  ( adj ) Drunk, intoxicated. He was so plastered we had to roll him down the embankment to the car.
  1920s
• play chicken
  
  ( vp ) A head-on race between two cars in which the first to pull to the side loses. Manny was seriously injured playing chicken with his friend.
  1950s
• play hooky
  
  ( vp ) To miss, to not attend. Are you going to school today or playing hooky?
  1850s
• plonk
  
  ( n ) Cheap wine, wine of poor quality. Mable, we can't serve plonk with these bugers; they deserve better.
  1930s
• plug
  
  ( v ) To shoot someone. The body had been plugged twice.
  1830s
• plug
  
  ( n ) A worn-out horse. I would be ashamed to put a plug like yours in a horse show.
  1860s
• plug for
  
  ( v ) To promote, advance. Maudie brought the boss presents every day when she was plugging for a promotion.
  1900s
• plugged nickel
  
  ( np ) Something worthless. That car of his isn't worth a plugged nickel.
  1930s
• plugola
  
  ( n ) A bribe to promote someone or something. Anyone can become famous if they pay enough plugola.
  1950s
• plunk
  
  ( v ) To strum, to pick a stringed instrument. Billy Joe was plunking away on his banjo when I came in.
  1800s
• plunk
  
  ( v ) To shoot or hit with a flying object. As soon as I saw that big fat turkey, I plunked him!
  1880s
• plunk down
  
  ( vp ) To pay. I plunked down two hundred bucks for this car; it had better be good.
  1890s
• po
  
  ( n ) The police. The po was posted on the corner waiting to bust the party.
  1990s
• po-po
  
  ( n ) The police. Watch out! It's the po-po!
  1990s
• pokey
  
  ( n ) Jail or prison. When his brother got out of the pokey, he went right back to making book.
  1910s
• pony up
  
  ( v ) To pay up your share. Dad finally ponied up $500 so I could get the guitar.
  1820s
• pony-tail
  
  ( n ) Long hair tied in back with a rubber band. The professor thought he was cool, wearing a pony tail.
  1950s
• pooch
  
  ( n ) A dog. Hey, man! Where'd you get the cool pooch?
  1920s
• pooch out
  
  ( v ) Stick out, protrude. Millie, why is your stomach pooching out like that?
  1930s
• poodle
  
  ( n ) Inferior female. Check out that poodle over there by herself!
  1990s
• poop out
  
  ( v ) Get tired. He pooped out after we started to do the hard work.
  1950s
• pooper
  
  ( np ) A squelcher. Don't invite Marvin; he is such as pooper he'll ruin the party.
  1950s
• pop
  
  ( v ) To hit. Shut up or I will pop you.
  1920s
• pop
  
  ( v ) To kill. The boss said to pop anyone who squeals.
  1970s
• pop for something
  
  ( vp ) Pay for. It is my turn to pop for the doughnuts.
  1970s
• poppins
  
  ( adj ) Perfect. She thinks she is so poppins.
  1990s
• poppycock
  
  ( n ) Nonsense. All that talk about me and George Clooney is pure poppycock!
  1850s
• port-holer
  
  ( np ) A 57 Thunderbird. Lucky guy! His dad owns a port-holer.
  1970s
• port-sider
  
  ( n ) A left-hander. Lefty is a port-sider that right-handed batters can't hit.
  1890s
• poser
  
  ( n ) Someone who pretends to be important. Greeley is a straight up poser.
  1990s
• posh
  
  ( adj ) Luxurious. Larry, Harry, Barry, and Mary stayed in the poshest hotel in Paris.
  1910s
• posse
  
  ( n ) A clique, circle of friends. I'll stick to my posse; you stick to yours.
  1990s
• post
  
  ( adj ) To position in a particular place. The po was posted on the corner waiting to bust the party.
  1980s
• post up
  
  ( n ) To position in a particular place. I was posted up all day on the corner.
  1980s
• postal
  
  ( adj ) Out of control. Don't go postal, now, just because I stepped on your toe.
  1990s
• posy
  
  ( n ) A flower or bouquet of flowers. Is the poor baby sick? Let's send him some posies.
  1500s
• potent
  
  ( adj ) Fine or good. That new car of his is potent, man.
  1990s
• potted
  
  ( adj ) Drunk, intoxicated. He was so potted we had to drag him to the car.
  1920s
• potty
  
  ( adj ) Slightly crazy, insane. You must be potty to go out with that geek
  1920s
• pound
  
  ( v ) Beaten up. Marlow got pounded by a gang on the way home from school.
  1790s
• pound
  
  ( v ) Drink a lot. He pounded too many beers last night.
  1980s
• preppy
  
  ( adj ) Someone who dresses like a conformist at a private (prep) school. Nobody likes her because she dresses so preppy.
  1970s
• primed
  
  ( adj ) Drunk, intoxicated. He was so primed we had to pull him to the car in my kid brother's wagon.
  1920s
• primo
  
  ( adj ) Excellent, outstanding. Hey, man, those kicks are primo.
  1970s
• Princeton cut
  
  ( np ) Close haircut. That Princeton cut makes him look too preppy.
  1950s
• props
  
  ( n ) Admiration for something well done. She has props from friends and family but still can't pull it all together.
  1990s
• psych
  
  ( v ) To influence mentally. I'm really psyched for cleaning up my room this weekend.
  1960s
• psycho
  
  ( n ) A crazy person. Lila is a psycho who should be in a hospital.
  1950s
• pug-ugly
  
  ( adj ) Very ugly. Luella and her pug-ugly friend came to the party late.
  1910s
• puke
  
  ( v, n ) To vomit. I feel like I am going to puke.
  1930s
• pull
  
  ( n ) A draw on a pipe, cigarette, etc. Hey, dude, give me a pull on that coffin nail; I'm having a nicotine fit.
  1860s
• pull
  
  ( n ) A swallow. Hey, man, give me a pull on that iced tea.
  1980s
• pull
  
  ( n ) Influence. Ask Fred to help you; he has a lot of pull at city hall.
  1940s
• pull rank
  
  ( vp ) To force someone to do something because you have the authority to do so. I didn't want to go but the boss pulled rank on me and made me.
  1920s
• pull up stakes
  
  ( vp ) To move to a new home. When Bubberly lost his job, he pulled up stakes and moved to Italy.
  1700s
• pull your chain
  
  ( vp ) To annoy, bother. Boyd has been awfully quiet lately; let's pull his chain and ask how he is doing with that girl who just left him.
  1980s
• pump
  
  ( v ) To enthuse. I love chemistry exams and I'm pumped for this one.
  1970s
• pump up
  
  ( v ) To enthuse. Harry pumped everyone up to go to the beach.
  1970s
• punch-drunk
  
  ( adj ) Brain-damaged from boxing. He had to quit the ring when he became to punch-drunk to focus his eyes.
  1910s
• punch-drunk
  
  ( adj ) Crazy, insane. Don't listen to that punch-drunk bum; he's crazy.
  1930s
• punk
  
  ( n ) A young hooligan. All the punks in the neighborhood hang out at the pool hall.
  1920s
• punk
  
  ( n ) Incense. What kind of punk are you burning, man?
  1960s
• punk
  
  ( v ) To embarrass. It really punked me, when he told everyone my chemistry grade.
  2000s
• punk
  
  ( v ) To steal. I heard Gena's car got punked.
  1990s
• punk out
  
  ( v ) To back out from cowardice. We were going over Niagara Falls in a barrel but Jason punked out.
  1920s
• push off
  
  ( v ) To leave. I am going to push off now.
  1950s
• pushover
  
  ( n ) A person easily convinced. Ask Zelda for 5 bucks: she's such a pushover, she'll give it to you.
  1920s
• Put 'em up!
  
  ( vp ) To raise your hands. Drop that gun and put 'em up!
  1930s
• put a bee in your bonnet
  
  ( vp ) Tell something interesting. Why are you grinning? You look like somebody's put a bee in your bonnet.
  1930s
• put a cork in it
  
  ( vp ) To stop talking. You talk too much; put a cork in it.
  1970s
• put down
  
  ( v ) To criticize. You put down everything I do!
  1970s
• put on
  
  ( v ) To deceive or gull. I don't believe a word you say; you have to be putting me on.
  1960s
• put on the Ritz
  
  ( vp ) To do something in high style. I just got my bonus--tonight we're putting on the Ritz.
  1920s
• put out
  
  ( v ) To intentionally allure men. Mavis was at the party putting out, as usual.
  1950s
• Put that on!
  
  ( vp ) An interjection of surprise. Sterling has a new car. Put that on!.
  1990s
• put the moves on
  
  ( vp ) To flirt, try to seduce. Victor put the moves on me at the game last night but I ignored him.
  1970s
• put-on
  
  ( n ) A deception. It was an elaborate put-on which I almost believed.
  1930s