# Slang Dictionary **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651 "2001-08-09T19:45:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![madcowmccoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@madcowmccoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madcowmccoy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/1 "2001-08-09T19:45:44Z")
Yeah, I know I’m being anal retentive, but does anyone know of any sort of slang dictionary out there? Is there such a thing as an “offcial” spelling for words like “bad-ass,” etc.? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/2 "2001-08-09T20:00:04Z")
Mine is Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang, edited by Jonathon Green. It was about $25.00 and in paperback format. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/3 "2001-08-09T20:38:28Z")
Online there’s [Rogers Profanisarus](http://www.viz.co.uk/profanisaurus/profanis.htm), but that’s more devoted to vulgarities than slang. And Yahoo has an [entire category](http://dir.yahoo.com/Reference/Dictionaries/Slang/) devoted to slang dictionaries. I’m sure the other portals do as well. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/4 "2001-08-10T00:06:48Z")
NOt knowing your age and your intent, I will say that the best, most complete, authoratative books on American Slang would the be _The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, edited by J.E.Lighter_. Currently, there are two volumes out, which take it from A-O. These are the most masterful works ever done on American Slang. But Expensive. If they are for you, I will give suggestions as to how to acquire them cheaper than cover price(about $60/volume). They are for serious etymologists. But if it’s just a down and dirty cheap book which lists slang words and how to spell them, well, just go browse a Borders. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2001, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/5 "2001-08-10T05:24:57Z")
I own the **Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang**. $9.95 in paperback. I love it; in addition to being a great reference book, it also makes for great casual reading. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/6 "2001-08-13T15:15:12Z")
_A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English_, by Eric Partridge is a great one. It’s out of print but you could probably scrounge a used one. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/7 "2001-08-13T20:08:05Z")
I have _Slang and Euphemism_ by Richard A. Spears, which is “a dictionary of oaths, curses, insults, ethnic slurs, sexual slang and metaphor, drug talk, college lingo, and related matters.” It has two full pages of synonyms for “penis”, and slightly more for “vagina”. Oh, and it’s either “badass” or “bad-ass”. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-dictionary/75651/8 "2001-08-13T20:35:24Z")
What the? I posted to this thing the other day and now it’s gone. I guess it got erased during the cracker attack. [A Dictionary of Slang](http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/index.htm) is a good online version. It’s based in the UK, but it’s had every slang word I’ve ever wondered about listed in it.