Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

(Amelia) #1

big stinkn. a major issue; a scandal; a big
argument. There was a big stink made
about my absence. Don’t make such a
big stink about it.


big talk 1. n. boasting; exaggerated claims.
No more big talk. I want action! I
heard nothing but big talk since you got
here. 2. tv. to boss other people around.
Don’t big talk me. I know who you are.
She came in and big talked everybody,
and we just naturally thought she was the
owner.


big-ticketmod. having to do with some-
thing expensive. Will the government
cut back on the big-ticket programs? In
a survey taken last month, heads of fam-
ilies said they were unwilling to put big-
ticket items at the bottom of their shopping
lists.


big time 1. n. the high level of success. 
I’ve finally reached the big time! When
the pressure in the big time got to be too
much, the guy simply retired. 2. and big-
timemod. outstanding; extravagant. 
This is one of your real big-time stars. 
I can’t stand any more of this big-time liv-
ing. 3. and big-timemod. felonious.
(Underworld.) Frank is into big-time
stuff now. The gang pulled a real big-
time job and got away with it.


big-time operator and BTO 1. n. someone
who does business in a big way. (The ab-
breviation is an initialism.) If you’re
such a BTO, why are we standing here in
the rain? He’s no big-time operator! 2.
n. a man who chases women. This big-
time operator comes up and asks me to go
home with him. That twit thinks he’s a
big-time operator. A stud he’s not.


big-time spendern. someone who spends
a lot of money. Martin is the original
big-time spender. A big-time spender
doesn’t look at the prices on the menu.


big top 1. n. a circus tent; the circus, in
general. The best acts take place under
the big top. And now, one of the great-
est acts under the big top. 2. mod. having
to do with the circus. Big top life
doesn’t appeal to me at all. One big top
experience is enough to last me a lifetime.


big wheeln. a very important person. 
Some big wheel wrote the order. Don’t
blame me. Kelly was a big wheel with
the gas company for a while.
bigwign. an important person; a self-im-
portant person. The bigwig in charge of
that sort of thing will be in tomorrow. 
Some bigwig in a pinstripe suit waltzed
through and asked me to leave.
big with someonemod. preferred by
someone. Soup is big with everybody
in cold weather. This kind of ice cream
is really big with my family.
big Z’sn. sleep. I need me some of them
big Z’s. The big Z’s must have set in be-
fore I could finish the movie.
biken. a motorcycle; a bicycle. How
much did that bike set you back? Yo u
have to wear a helmet with a bike that size,
don’t you?
bike boysn. cops; the police. Look out!
Here come the bike boys.
bikern. a motorcycle rider. Four bikers
roared by and woke up the baby. That
biker is wearing about a dozen earrings.
bill and cooin. to kiss and cuddle. (In the
manner of love birds.) Keep an eye on
those kids. They aren’t going to be satisfied
with billing and cooing forever, you know.
If they bill and coo enough now, maybe
they will remember how when they’re
older.
billie and bill(y)[“bIli] n. paper money; a
bill. (California.) Do you have any bil-
lies on you? Nope, no billies on me.
bimbo[“bImbo] 1. n. a clown-like person.
What a silly bimbo! If that bimbo
doesn’t keep quiet, I’ll bop him. 2. n. a
giddy woman; a sexually loose woman. 
So she’s a bimbo. She still has rights. Have
a heart! Now the bimbo is a star in the
movies.
bindn. a problem; a wrinkle. I’ve got a
little bind here I didn’t anticipate. Un-
fortunately, a new bind has slowed down
the project.
bindle 1. n. a packet or bundle; a hobo’s
pack. The guy had a bindle tied to a

bindle
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