Listed below are some of the Most Common
Slang Terms used in America.
(Resource: http://www.uwplatt.edu/university/documents/international_student_handbook/slang.pdf.)
awesome:
very good, interesting, or appealing
big deal:
important event; may be used
sarcastically to refer to something that is not important
blast or It’s going to be a blast!
It’s going to be a lot of fun
bomb:
to be unsuccessful
blow it off:
to ignore or avoid someone or something
blue or have the blues:
feel depressed
bogus:
1) nonexistent, fake
2) bad, awful, unsatisfactory
to book:
1) to hurry up or do something
very quickly
2) to reserve a ticket to an event
or on transportation
born again:
to hold strong, fundamentalist, Christian beliefs
bounce a check:
to overdraw a checking account
broke:
having no money
buddy:
friend
bum a cigarette:
to borrow a cigarette
bummed out:
depressed
bummer:
unpleasant experience
burned:
rejected, insulted, or otherwise negatively treated
burned out:
1) exhausted
2) dull or lifeless as a result of excessive
work or drug use
busted:
1) to be caught by anyone in authority while
misbehaving, or by the police while using
drugs
2) to be “broke” or out of money
check out:
1) to sign out materials from a library
2) to try to find out something
check it out:
to look over a situation
chill out or cool it:
a command to stop what you are
doing, relax
cop out:
to not face the issue
couch potato:
a lazy person who spends a large amount of
time (perhaps on a couch) watching television
cram:
To study frantically the night before a test
crash:
1) to stay overnight in someone else’s dwelling,
usually without notice or formal arrangement
2) to go to sleep after becoming extremely tired
cruising:
Driving around for pleasure with no particular destination
to have a crush on someone:
To be extremely infatuated with someone
cut it out!
Stop it!
dead:
1) very tired
2) not living
dork:
an unfashionable and awkward male
dorm:
dormitory
dough:
money
down in the dumps:
depressed
drop in:
to visit unexpectedly:
dude:
a fashionable man
fire up:
to get excited about something;
to motivate
fix up
to arrange a date for a friend
fed up or sick of
disgusted with; tired of
freak out
to lose control of oneself
fuzzbuster
device used by some motorists to
determine when police are using
radar to detect drivers who are speeding
geek
unattractive, unstylish, socially
inept person
get a kick out of someone/something
find someone or something amusing or enjoyable
get on someone’s case
to annoy
get off someone’s case
to stop annoying a person
give someone a break
to stop criticizing
or teasing
Give me a break!
Expresses disbelief
Give someone a buzz
a ring to call someone on
the telephone
goofing off
acting silly; doing something
that has no particular purpose
give up:
to quit
go bananas
to be so excited that one loses
control of oneself
gross
something crude, usually unpleasant
hang in there
keep trying;
do not be discouraged
hang out
1) to waste time
2) a regular meeting place for friends
hang-up
fear; phobia or worry
hassle
1) a problem or inconvenience
2) cause another person to have a problem or
inconvenience
head
another name for the bathroom or toilet facilities
hick
someone from a small town or rural area (usually
uncomplimentary meaning unsophisticated)
hit the road
to leave a place
hit the sack or turn in
to go to bed
hitch a ride
to get a ride from another person
hung up
to be in conflict over a problem
ID
identification card
in a nutshell
very briefly and concisely
jerk
person who cannot do things correctly;
a mildly derogatory term
jock
an athlete or athletic person,
or one who is not very intelligent
john
another name for the toilet or bathroom facilities; head
Knock it off!
Stop doing that! Usually expressed when
you are doing something annoying
Lighten up!
Relax, don’t be so serious
loaded
someone who has had too much to drink;
someone who has a lot of money
Loosen up!
Relax
lose it
to lose control of oneself
luck out or get lucky
to have something good happen
due to luck or chance
Don’t mess with me!
Leave me alone
Mind your own business!
Do not ask questions or make statements
about this matter; it is my concern and not yours
mooch
to borrow frequently and/or take things from
others, usually without the intention of
returning or repaying
nerd
a strange or socially inept person
on the house
free, no cost
Oops!
An exclamation used when a small
mistake is made
to be open
to be accepting of something or
someone; to speak frankly about oneself
out of one’s mind (head)
1) crazy
2) doing something ridiculous
out of it
tired and not concentrating
pal
friend
pig out
overeat
pop, soda pop, soda, or soft drink
carbonated beverage (Coke, Pepsi,
Sprite, et al)
psych up
prepare oneself mentally or
emotionally for something
psyched up
enthusiastic
pull someone’s leg
to tease
put someone on
to tease or try to fool
take a raincheck
postpone; accept the same
invitation but for a later date
raunchy
vulgar, crude
relationship
a close affiliation with someone;
usually romantic
right-hand
an important and reliable assistant
"He's my right-hand man."
rip off
1) steal
2) anything too expensive and not
worth the price
rowdy
noisy, loud, obnoxious
scoop
gossip, recent news
see eye-to-eye
having the same opinion
show
television program, movie, film, or theater
performance
shush!
Be quiet, don’t make so much noise
slam
insult a person
slob
1) a lazy, fat person
2) a person who is not dressed neatly
3) an untidy person
spaced out
unable to concentrate
split
to leave
stood up
to be left waiting for someone who never arrives
tacky
in poor taste
Take a hike!
Go away and leave me alone
to be crazy about
to like someone or something very much
to be into something
to be very interested in or concerned with something;
“I can really get into this song.”
touch base
verify information with someone
tough luck
it’s too bad that happened to you
turn over a new leaf
adopt a better course of conduct
change the way you do something (usually for the better)
unreal
unbelievable
uptight
worried, tense
Way to go!
That’s very good! Sometimes used sarcastically
What’s up? What’s happening? What’s going on?
What event is taking place?
What are you doing?
wimp
weakling
zero in on
to focus or concentrate on
zits
pimples, red puss-filled dots on people's skin
zonked or zonkered
completely exhausted
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