Slang and Euphemism, 3rd revised ed.

by Richard A. Spears

A Lexicon of “Improper” English

From slang terminology describing various bodily functions and sexual acts, to the centuries-old cant of thieves and prostitutes, to the language of the modern drug culture, here are 10,000 entries and 32,000 definitions of all the words and expressions so carefully omitted from standard dictionaries and polite conversation. Extensively cross-referenced for easy access, this third abridged edition contains almost 1,500 new entries and definitions. It also includes:

• Geographic location where a particular word or phrase is most
   likely to be heard

• Time period of greatest usage

• Source and derivation

• Category to which a word or phrase belongs—slang,    euphemism, cant, colloquialism, etc.

So whether you re a writer seeking to create a more authentic dialogue, a crossword-puzzle addict in search of an obscure eighteenth-century expression, or a reader interested in the more colorful aspects of the English language, you ll find that a wealth of words awaits you in…

Slang and Euphemism: Third Revised Editon

“Try Slang and Euphemism if you want a good knowledge of contemporary cussing.”
—William Safire, in The New York Times Magazine

Genres: Reference, Language, Writing, Nonfiction, Dictionaries

412 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Kathrynn]

An excellent resource book for crossword puzzles, scrabble, or writing! It's regular mass market paperback size and the print is kind of small. This book should be revised again as the last revision was 2001.

I had no idea many of the slang terms existed, so was interesting to browse through. Examples: Carry a Flag is to have a menstrual period.

A lot of drug and body part terms.

[Shirley]

Really easy to cross reference words and phrases. I am learning language will never quit evolving. Shirley

[Max]

You wouldn't think that a dictionary could be funny. This book is hilarious! It's fun to look up synonyms of nasty words.