Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

(Amelia) #1

know where it’s attv. to know the way
things really are. I know where it’s at.
I don’t need to be told. We know where
it’s at, and we want to change it.


know where one is coming fromtv. to
understand someone’s motivation; to
understand and relate to someone’s po-
sition. I know where you’re coming
from. I’ve been there. We all know where
he’s coming from. That’s why we are so
worried.


know which end is uptv. to be alert and
knowledgeable. Don’t try to hustle me,
sister. I know which end is up. Poor Jed
doesn’t even know which end is up.


knuckle bonesn.dice. (Streets. An elab-
oration ofbones.) Roll them knuckle
bones and tell me that your expense needs
earth pads. You’re not supposed to play
with them knuckle bones at school!


knuckle down (to something)in. to get
busy doing something. Please knuckle
down to your studies. You have to
knuckle down if you want to get ahead.


knuckle-draggern. a strong and stupid
man. (Like an ape.) Call off your
knuckle-draggers. I’ll pay you whatever
you want.


knuckleheadn. a stupid person. Oh, I
feel like such a knucklehead! Don’t
worry, you’re not a knucklehead.


knuckle sandwichn. a blow struck in the
teeth or mouth. How would you like a
knuckle sandwich? He threatened to give
me a knuckle sandwich.


knuckle under (to someone or some-
thing)in. to give in to or accept someone
or something. She always refused to
knuckle under to anyone. You have to
knuckle under to the system sometimes.


KO and kayo[“ke”o] 1. n. a knockout. (The
abbreviation is an initialism. Boxing.) 
It was a quick KO, and Wilbur was the new
champ. It was a classic kayo. It was
quick and effective. 2. tv. to knock some-
one out. (See also KOed. Boxing.) 
Wilbur planned to KO Wallace in the


third round. Wilbur usually kayos his
opponent.
KOed[“ke”od] 1. mod. knocked out. (Ini-
tialism. Originally from boxing.) 
Wilbur was KOed and got a cut over his
eye. He stayed KOed for about two min-
utes. 2. mod. alcohol or drug intoxicated.
(Initialism.) Both guys were KOed and
spent the night. How could anybody get
so KOed on a six-pack?
Kojak[“kodZAk] n. a police officer. (From
the television character of the same
name.) Ask Kojak in for a cup of cof-
fee. Here comes Kojak. Beat it!
kong[kON] n. strong whiskey; illicit whis-
key. (From the movie ape King Kong.) 
How about a big swallow of that kong? 
Here, have some kong.
konkGo to conk.
konk-busterGo to conk-buster.
kook[kuk] n. a strange person. She seems
like a kook, but she is just grand, really. 
Todd’s a kook, but I love him.
kookish[“kukIS] mod. strange; eccentric. 
There’s a lot of kookish things going on
around here. He is just too kookish. 
Who is the kookish one over there with the
purple shades?
kosheGo to kosher.
kosher[“koS# or “koZ#] 1. and koshe
mod. acceptable; cricket. (From Hebrew
kasher,‘proper,’ via Yiddish. Kosheis a
slang clipping.) Is it kosher to do this?
Of course, it’s kosher. Everybody does it.


  1. tv. to make something acceptable. 
    Do you want me to kosher it with the boss
    for you? Look, if you can kosher this stuff
    with my parents, I agree. 3. mod. having
    to do with undiluted alcohol. I’ll take
    mine kosher with a little ice. Do you
    want this kosher or with soda?
    kvetch and quetch[kvEtS and kWEtS]

  2. in. to complain. (From German
    quetschen, ‘to squeeze,’ via Yiddish.) 
    Quit your kvetching! He quetches from
    dawn to dusk. 2. n. a complainer. What
    a kvetch you are! We don’t need another
    kvetch around here.


kvetch
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