French letter = condom? | WordReference Forums French letter = condom? I've just learned that condoms in UK may be also called French letters. How come? United Kingdom, English/Italian Speaker It would be quite an old-fashioned way to refer to them. I believe it stems from the fact that they were issued to British soldiers on leave in France during World War One. English-Ireland (top end) The OED's earliest quotation is from around 1856. I seem to recall that a condom in French is a capote Anglaise = English overcoat, which adds further confusion. panjandrum said: ↑ The OED's earliest quotation is from around 1856. I seem to recall that a condom in French is a capote Anglaise = English overcoat, which adds further confusion. Click to expand... It's a large overcoat with a hood, usually - an item of military costume: here's the best photo I could find - surplus stock from the hospital corps - , or the hood of a convertible car.

In normal circumstances I would now produce my piece on the habit all over Europe of attributing contraceptive devices, diseases, and particularly nasty habits, to neighbouring countries, with examples - it's funny: some have even called it brilliant, but last time I gave it to the world I was Panjed. I'm now braced for the worst. Belfast, Ireland English-Ireland (top end) If someone could rationally and effectively give an answer to the specific question of this thread, I am sure it would be appreciated ... ... Oman English (USA) Well, in French, lettre d'amour means love letter, and lettre de présentation means letter of introduction. Maybe there is some history there ... U.S. English Here's a reasonable explanation: "The most likely origin of "French letters" lies in an interesting but now obsolete verb let, ‘to hinder or prevent’, as in "without let" or hindrance and the more familiar tennis expression "let ball" (where the progress of the ball is hindered by the net). . .a letter could refer to someone or something that hindered.

The purpose of the French letter is precisely this — to hinder or prevent in this case conception or to prevent the spread of venereal infection" Wise Words - Episode 19 - Can We Help - ABC TV Maybe it's a letter because it lets you do what your passion desires without consequences.... My Websters 3rd International lists "French Letters" (caps.) as slang, chiefly British. It also lists "French Disease" as syphilis. The French have a lot to answer for. Northern California AE, Español The "French" was picked for the same reason that "French disease" and "French kiss" were coined: stereotypes and racial enmity. As for letters, I always thought that a condom was similar to an envelope, topologically and in use (as a protective covering), hence the "letter" reference. Zacatecas, México English UK There is a not so conclusive discussion on the origin of French Letters here . Another source is quoted which: ... traces the word derivation to a Colonel Condum of Britain's Royal Guards. This authority notes that the colonel devised the 'French letter' early in the mid-17th century to protect his troops from the French. Click to expand...

which makes me wonder if 17th century warfare was a little different from how I imagined it. I thought they used muskets. A note to Packard - the French used to refer to syphilis as the English disease. The fraternal warmth between the French and the English is famous, of course The fraternal warmth between the French and the English is famous, of course Click to expand... And the English called it the Great Spanish Pox because it was brought back from the Americas by Columbus. I thought pig's intestine had been used for this purpose for donkey's years - both to inhibit conception and to prevent contagion. English - Ireland Just came across this thread and it reminded me of something I recently read. May I suggest that the good Colonel was reading the dedication in Charles Baudelaires 'Les Fluers du Mal' .... fleursdumal.org/poem/098 (can't post urls) It was published in 1857 I know and that seems to coincide with Panjandrums suggestion, around 1856. Your equivalent of fetish porn these days maybe? If it was the other way around and Charles B.

was referring to Colonel Condum, then by Jingos he must have been a British spy, undermining French society with his wicked words... English (Singapore/UK), basic Chinese Old thread, but this came up in a discussion. French is used to label anything considered rather decadent, I think, as the Online Etymology Dictionary notes: Euphemistic meaning "bad language" (pardon my French) is from 1895. Used in many combination-words, often dealing with food or sex. French dressing recorded by 1860; French toast is from 1630s. French letter "condom" (c.1856, perhaps on resemblance of sheepskin and parchment), French (v.) "perform oral sex on" (c.1917) and French kiss (1923) all probably stem from the Anglo-Saxon equation of Gallic culture and sexual sophistication, a sense first recorded 1749 in the phrase French novel. To take French leave, "depart without telling the host," is 1771, from a social custom then prevalent.

However, this is said to be called in France filer à l'anglaise, literally "to take English leave." Click to expand...

capote - French Verhüterli (n) [flexible sleeve worn on the penis] (Switzerland' colloquial) Fuffz´cher [flexible sleeve worn on the penis] (East German'colloquial) Wintermantel (n) [heavy overcoat] {m} Präservativ [flexible sleeve worn on the penis] {n} FR PT Portuguese 5 translations capô (n) [automobiles] {m} camisinha [condom, flexible sleeve worn on the penis] {f} sobretudo (n) [heavy overcoat] {m} preservativo (n) [flexible sleeve worn on the penis] {m} camisa-de-vênus [flexible sleeve worn on the penis] {f} FR NL Dutch 6 translations capotje [flexible sleeve worn on the penis] {n} condoom (n) [flexible sleeve worn on the penis, condom] {n} rubber (n) [condom] {m} Dictionary of Contemporary Slang ‘Marx stands out as refreshingly creative and literate among a batch of flakes.’ (Robert Conquest, Independent, 27 January 198

9) 2.Australian shark meat flake and chips 3.American cocaine.

Peruvian cocaine, e.g., is often sold in the form of small flakes. 4.Australian an unscrupulous, untrustworthy person 5.Scottish an unreliable or dangerous individual. See also flaking flaked, flaked outadj exhausted, collapsed flake out vb 1.American to leave (a place). An American teenagers’ idiom in use since the late 1970s. 2.American to act eccentrically. Fromflake andflaky. 3.to collapse from weariness, fall asleep. In this sense the word is now a common colloquialism. Its derivation is uncertain. flakers adj British usage, from the colloquial ‘flake out’ (collapse from fatigue). They were all flakers after the manoeuvres. flaking n American doctoring, manufacturing or planting evidence to secure an arrest and/or conviction. Police jargon of uncertain derivation. flaky1, flakey adj American eccentric, crazy, unstable and irresponsible. This Americanism was given wider currency when President Ronald Reagan referred to Colonel Gaddafi as ‘flaky’ in January 1986; the word had to be translated in the press for British and Australian readers.

The original connotations of the word are obscure. Suggested derivations are from flake as a word for cocaine, or from ‘flaking’ or ‘crumbling’ stucco, stone, timber, etc. This second derivation, with overtones of disintegration and splitting or dividing, is more plausible. flaky2, flakeyn British See throw a flaky flame vb to attack verbally and/or humiliate by sending an Internet or e-mail slang dating from the later 1980s. flamer n 1a. American a flagrant or obvious solecism or blunder 1b. American a person who commits a gaffe or error Both these sub-senses of the word are campus terms, used especially inpreppie jargon. 2. a flagrant male homosexual, in American and Australian slang of the 1970s and 1980s. Since the beginning of the 19th century the word had been employed in British English to refer to something conspicuous. flaming1 n 1. American (of homosexual males) behaving in a provocative or flamboyant manner 2a. using computer links and networks to carry on obscene or sexually titillating conversations.

A term of the late 1980s. This noun form preceded the later use offlame as a verb. 2b. posting verbal attacks upon an Internet user, in the 1990s patois ofcyberpunks and net-heads flaming2 adj an intensifying adjective; an alternative to bloody or a euphemism forfucking. The word is mainly heard in Britain, where it is rather dated, and in Australia, where it is fairly common. Especially in the north of England it forms part of several colourful but inoffensive oaths such as ‘flaming heck’, ‘flaming ’eck’ and ‘flaming Nora’. flange n British the vagina. The phrase ‘piece of flange’ is armed-forces’ slang for (an attractive) woman. In its primary sense flange was publicised by its use in 2003 TV revelations of drunken revelling by young UK tourists in Ibiza. Show us your flange! drunk. An expression used on campus in the USA since around 2000. flannel vb, n (to subject someone to) talk intended to flatter, deceive, bamboozle, cajole, etc.

This term is now a well-known colloquialism for waffle or nonsense. It was originally (in the 19th century) a scathing term for the pretentious ornamentation on commercial letterheads, etc. She got flamed. fuss, agitation, consternation. An invented nonsense word dating from the 19th century. flap one’s gums vb American to talk, speak or converse. An item of black street-talk that was included in socalledEbonics, recognised as a legitimate language variety by school officials in Oakland, California, in late 1996. ‘Flap one’s lips’ is a less common variant,snap/bump one’s gums are synonyms. flaps n pl 1.ears, especially large or protruding ears 2.the female labia flash1 n 1. a glimpse of, or deliberate exposure of, the genitals, breasts, underwear, etc.2a. the sensation felt immediately after the injection of a narcotic; the sudden, initial effect of a drug 2b.

alsoacid flash a sudden recurrence of a previous experience of the drug LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) 3.British a street trader’s display of goods 4.an ugly or unattractive female, minger. The derivation ‘because she mings mercilessly’ is from the Flash Gordon cartoons and film in which the villain is ‘Ming the Merciless’. flash2 adj ostentatious, showing off. Since the 1960s, especially in Britain and Australia, this form has tended to replace the earlier ‘flashy’. ‘Why do you bring horses if not to sell? It’s flash.’ (Recorded, gypsy boy, Appleby horse fair, 1988) flasher n a sexual exhibitionist, a man who deliberately exposes his genitals in public. The word was slang or police jargon until the 1960s when the prevalence of the activity and a lessening of verbal prudishness brought it into common currency. Flash Harry n British a flamboyant or boastful person. The identity of the eponymous Harry is unknown. flash the ash vb British to offer a cigarette. Usually the expression is in the form of a request or demand.

flat adj British penniless. A shortened form of the colloquial ‘flat broke’, heard in raffish speech of the late 1980s. flatlining adj drunk. The term is medical jargon for the state of a patient whose vital signs have disappeared, leaving only a flat trace on monitoring screens. flave adj American fashionable, stylish, cool. A vogue term amongrappers and hip hop aficionados in the early 1990s, the word is an abbreviated form of the earlier word ‘flavor’, denoting personal style. flavour of the month n the current favourite or fashionable person or thing. An expression which usually expresses a scathing or critical attitude to fads or ephemeral popularity. (It derives from the use of the phrase in advertising ice cream in the USA in the 1950s and 1960s.) fleabag n b.a scruffy, dirty person or animal c.an old sleeping bag or bed fleapit n a cheap, dirty cinema. Originally the term usually referred to the front-stalls section and the ‘pit’ in front of the screen. Before World War II, in the case of rural cinemas especially, the term was often a literal description.

flex n British energy, enthusiasm. A term from the jargon of dancefloor and acid house aficionados in the 1990s. Give it flex! flexin’ n showing off, acting ostentatiously. A vogue term in club culture since the later 1990s, by 2001 also in use among UK schoolchildren. flick n a film. This word was first common slang, then trade jargon in the film business and now, via such American magazines as Variety, is emerging again as a general term for a film. (For the derivation seeflicks.) See also skinflick flicking adj British an intensifying adjective, a euphemism for fucking. It is used, e.g., by schoolgirls and adult women. 165 ‘I can lay any amount of hands on them – no flicking danger.’ (An Evening with Victoria Wood, British TV programme, 1988) flicks, the flicksn pl the cinema, films. An early slang term in all English-speaking countries, derived from ‘flicker’ or from the homemade moving pictures made by flicking cards.

This form of the word is now obsolete in the USA and has rarely been heard in Britain or Australia since the early 1960s. The singular formflick is still current. We’re going down the flicks tomorrow night. flid n British a stupid person. The word was reported as being in use among schoolchildren by the sociolinguist Peter Trudgill in his 1990 work Bad Language, but seems to have arisen in the 1970s. It may be an arbitrary coinage, an obscure dialect term or, alternatively, a conflation of ‘flip one’s lid’ or, some suggest, of ‘thalidomide (victim)’. flim-flam vb, n (to attempt) trickery or deceit, specifically a confidence trick involving a tall story. The word, which is in use in Britain, but more widespread in the USA, probably comes, via Scottish dialect, from an old Scandinavian word flim meaning mockery.

The added second syllable is an example of a common linguistic change in comical words (such as knick-knack, right down to the paperclips you make me buy.’ (Columbo, US TV series, 1976) fling vb, n British 1. (to give someone) a bribe, illicit payment. A piece of criminal and police jargon which is a more recent coinage inspired bybung. We’ll have to fling him to square it. I’d need a fling in that case. 2. an affair, usually extramarital flip, flip outvb to lose control, either through delight, anger, etc., under the influence of an illicit drug, or during the course of a nervous breakdown. Both words spread from American English to world English in the 1960s and derive from the earlier ‘flip one’s wig’ or ‘flip one’s lid’, in use in the late 1940s and 1950s among hipsters, jazz enthusiasts andbeatniks. To flip out was used to describe temporary insanity caused by LSD in the early days of the hippy era.

The term is now old-fashioned (although surviving in French, particularly in the formflippé). ‘He was worried about his mother, though. The old lady was flipping out.’ (Requiem for a Dream, Hubert Selby Jr., 1979) flipping adj British a euphemism for fucking used as a mild intensifier, especially in such phrases as ‘flipping hell’ or ‘flipping heck’ ‘“Stop standing there dreaming, lass”, shouts Dad, “and get the top orf this flipping bottle of ’arp”.’ (Town magazine, May 1964) FLK n ‘funny looking kid’ in medical shorthand, a jocular version of ‘possible dysmorphology’ as written, e.g., on a paediatric patient’s notes floating adj euphoric, especially from the effects of illicit drugs. A now dated term common in the late 1950s and early 1960s. flob vb British to spit. An echoic term heard among schoolchildren since the 1950s. flog vb to sell. A common colloquialism in Britain which would still be considered slang by some speakers.

The word originally referred to selling off military stores illicitly and is said to derive from a 19th-century army expression to ‘flog the clock’, meaning to put the clock forward to shorten the working day, later extended to other devious behaviour. flog the lizard / log / dong / meat / mutton / bishop vb to masturbate. Colourful expressions used of, and usually by, men. The verb to flog was employed in the formation of a large number of slang terms in the 18th and 19th centuries. flook n American an unattractive and/or unpopular person. An expression used on campus in the USA since around 2000. floored adj British drunk. An item of student slang in use in London and elsewhere since around 2000. floozy, floosien flop 166 word which is still in use (now usually said lightheartedly). The word originated in the USA, but by the end of World War II was in widespread use elsewhere. It is probably a deformation of ‘flossy’, an archaic word for a prostitute (itself deriving from ‘flossy’, meaning ‘showy’, or from the female nickname).

flop1 n 1.a place to sleep, a temporary bed or shelter. Especially in the USA the term has been used by vagrants since the early 20th century. 2.excreta. Probably originating in the USA, where dogflop is heard, this euphemism is paralleled by the Britishplop(s). flop2 vb 1.to collapse exhausted, go to bed 2.to consent to sex. In this sense the word has been used, albeit rarely, in the USA at least since Raymond Chandler’s private eye Philip Marlowe said of a woman that she would ‘flop at the drop of a hat’. flophouse n a cheap hotel or dormitory for vagrants. Originally an Americanism, the word is now part of international English. floss1 n American abbreviated female underwear; a G- string or thong. The colloquial shortening of ‘dental floss’ was used by females from the late 1980s to refer to thongs (in the sense in underwear). floss2 vb American (of a female) to behave ostentatiously and/or offensively, usually in public.

The term was popularised by its use by singer Jennifer Lopez. By 2002 it was also heard in the UK. flossed-up dressed ostentatiously, presenting an extravagant or elegant appearance. The term has been widespread since 2000. flossie, flossyadj, n (behaving like) an ostentatious, pretentious or otherwise obnoxious female. Said to derive originally from floss in the sense of thong underwear, the term is used by females in the UK and USA of those they disapprove of. flub vb to fail, blunder. The word, of uncertain origin, was recorded among computer specialists and rave devotees in the 1990s. fluff1 n (Recorded, contributor to November 2003) 2.See bit of fluff fluff2 vb 1a. to stimulate sexually. The term, from the jargon of pornographers, refers to assisting the male performer to an erection before filming. 1b.

to arouse, excite ‘Here, fluffing the crowd for Thirteen Senses, Liverpool’s Afterkicks steal the night.’ (NME, 28 March 2005) 2. British a euphemism forfuck, used in the formfluffing as an intensifying adjective or in the expression ‘fluff off!’ (an exclamation delivered at journalists by Prince Philip in October 1987) fluff3 adj American easy, unchallenging. An expression used on campus in the USA since around 2000. fluffing adj British a mild euphemism for flaming orfucking, when used as intensifiers fluffy n British marihuana. The term was recorded in 2002. fly1 adj American streetwise, fashionable. A vogue term in black street slang of the mid-1980s, ‘You fly, you cool: too much macho man fu’ one woman.’ (LA Takedown, US film, 1989)fly2 n American a.a cool male b.an unfortunate male who thinks he is cool fly a kite vb to issue a worthless cheque.

Originally an underworld term from the jargon of fraudsters, the expression is now a common colloquialism with the meaning of presenting any dubious scheme or idea for approval. It retains its original meaning in criminal and police parlance. fly-girl the female counterpart of a B-boy ‘prissy’, conceited fool around vb American to commit a sexual indiscretion, typically adultery. A common euphemistic use of the expression, heard particularly among middle-class and middle-aged speakers since the 1960s. The term in this specific sense has not caught on outside the USA. foolio n a foolish person. A lighthearted insult in use since 2000, employing a mock-Ital- ian termination (as in Coolio, the nickname of a well-known footsie n See play footsie footy n football. An abbreviated form popular in Australasia and in Britain where it is now more common than the older footer (which persists in public-school foozling adj a.clumsy, bungled b.trivial, footling. From the verb foozle meaning to play or move clumsily or bungle; itself from the German fuseln, meaning to work carelessly.

form n British a criminal record. A police and underworld term derived from the language of the racetrack where it refers to a record or reputation based on past performance. Has he got any form? fornicating adj British a jocular euphemism for fucking (as an intensifying adjective) I’m fed up hearing about his fornicating job! foul adj American immoral, unacceptable. The standard term was appropriated by black street slang as a general indication of disapproval. four-by-two, forby n British a Jew. London rhyming slang in current usage. A descriptive, rather than an intrinsically offensive term. A four-by- two is a standard size of timber plank used for rafters, etc. (In the USA it is known as a two-by-four.) four-on-the-floor adj, adv flat out, extremely, excessively. This term, used typically by the young in the 1980s, comes from the hot rodders’ term for a ‘stick shift’ or four-speed When I realised I wanted it, I tell you, I went at it four-on-the-floor. fox n a person who is sexually attractive.

The word was used in black American slang of the 1940s by men of women (who were also known as ‘minks’). Fox was adopted by white speakers in the 1960s and can now also be said of men by women. ‘She’s a fox and she knows it too.’ (Lyrics to ‘Deborah’, written by Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe, 1978) foxy adj attractive in a ‘feral’, sexually exciting way. Usually, but not invariably, used of women by men. The word was originally a black Americanism derived from the noun form fox; it is now widely known and used. fraff ‘Lookit all these foxy chicks! Everywhere I turn.’ (Robert Crumb, cartoon in Head Comix, 1970) fraff n spoken nonsense. An item of London youth slang recorded for the film Backslang in 2003. You’re talking fraff. ruined or badly damaged. The term derives from the Vietnam-era practice of ‘fragging’ or killing one’s own officers, itself based on ‘fragmentation grenade’. The fraternity house was totally fragged.

fraggle n British a new-age traveller orcrustie. The term, from the lexicon of the homeless, neo-hippies, etc., denotes an unkempt and/or seemingly deranged youth. It is inspired by the TV puppet seriesFraggle Rock. framed adj falsely accused, incriminated or convicted of a crime. The term was first used in the USA in the early years of the 20th century. frame-up, frame n a situation in which someone is framed. Originally an Americanism from the early years of the century. francis, francesn American the buttocks. The derivation of this term, heard in the armed forces and on college campuses, is obscure but it may be a euphemism for fanny. franger n Australiana condom a TV remote control. The reference is to the late musician Frank Zappa and zapper. Pass the Frank, will you. frass 1.untidy His crib is well frass. An item of London youth slang recorded for the film Backslang in 2003.

frat vb, n 1.British a schoolchildren’s alteration offart 2.(to indulge in) fraternisation freak1 vb to lose control of oneself, become hysterical. A shortening of freak out, this term came, inhippy usage of the late 1960s and early 1970s, to have a negative connotation of alarm or over-reaction. I told her I was leaving home and she completely freaked. freak2 n 1. ahippy, a long-haired (if male), nonconformist member of the ‘alternative society’ of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Freak was originally a term of abuse directed bystraights at homosexuals and later at those guilty of outlandish behaviour and/or bizarre appearance. The term was quickly adopted by the objects of abuse and used as a badge of pride in themselves. (Hippies almost never referred to themselves as hippies after 1966; freak remained the acceptable epithet until the movement faded in the early to mid-1970s.) The word has now reverted to its original derogatory sense and is applied for instance to sexual deviants.

‘I feel like lettin’ my freak flag [i.e. long hair] fly.’ (Song lyric, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, 1970) 2.(as a suffix an enthusiast, devotee. From the mid-1970s the word was used in this sense, as in health-freak, etc. It was originally ahippy usage, as in acid-freak. The term now sounds dated and has partially been replaced by the less radicalbuff. 3.American a sexually active or promiscuous person. This item of black street slang may be used pejoratively or appreciatively. See also a bout or scene of wild abandon, selfexpression or loss of control. Originally, in 169 freshi hippy terminology, it was the result of ingesting hallucinogenic drugs, but later came to refer to any simulation of their effects.

‘These guys that come up and say: “Wouldn’t it be a mind-blower if we got 6,000 million kids in red uniforms and had a big freak-out in the middle of Ealing Common”.’ (Pete Townshend of The Who, interviewed in Oz magazine, June 1969) freak someone out vb to alarm, traumatise or ‘transport’ someone. A transitive form of freak out. ‘Coming up next on channel 4: a task that freaks out one of the girls on Big Brother.’ (UK TV announcement, 20 June 2005) freaky adj the anus. One of many Australian vulgarities (ace,date, etc.) to denote this anatomical feature. freebasing n taking cocaine by mixing the crystals with various volatile solvents, including ether, to form a base which is then smoked in a pipe. This activity is also known as ‘basing’. ‘…the technique known as freebasing, a method of separating the base cocaine from the hydrochloride salt…the result is pure crystals of cocaine…’ (Guardian, 5 September 1989) french vb 1. to perform oral sex.

A jargon term from the world of prostitution and pornography. The word may refer to cunnilingus or fellatio and derives from the British notion that all forms of ‘deviant’ sexual behaviour are widespread among, if not invented by, the French. This may originate in the widespread accusation or supposition of the spreading of venereal disease by foreign neighbours. 2. to engage inFrench kissing, in the language of teenagers. In this sense the word is most commonly heard in the USA. See also Frenching unit frenchie, frenchyn a condom. From the now obsolescent ‘French letter’, one of many examples of ascribing anything with sexual connotations to the French. (In French the equivalent is une capote anglaise, meaning an English bonnet or overcoat.) Frenching unit n American the mouth or tongue. A humorous euphemism, popular among college students for instance, and derived from the verb, to french, in the sense of tongue kissing or oral sex. French kiss n an open-mouthed kiss with tongue contact. A phrase which appeared in British and American speech shortly after World War I, before which there was, perhaps significantly, no equivalent term. Later alternatives were ‘soul kiss’ andtongue sushi.

French safe n Canadian a condom. The phrase has been heard since the 1970s. fresh adj American excellent. A vogue term among teenagers in 1987 and 1988. Teenage argot is in constant need of new terms of approbation but this fairly obvious example (derived probably from its over-use in advertising hyperbole rather than its standard American colloquial sense of cheeky) was still in use after 2000. ‘I’ve got to have that [red carpet] in my crib in LA. That’s fresh to death!’ (Damon Dash, hip hop record producer, quoted in the Sunday Times, 6 June 2004) freshi n British a newcomer, unassimilated immigrant, unsophisticated person. An abbreviation of the dismissive phrase ‘fresh off the boat’, used by British Asians. Compare desi an act of sexual intercourse. A rhymingslang form of fuck. fridge n British a male. An item of rhyming slang (‘fridge freezer’, meaning geezer) heard since the 1970s. fried adj suffering from the effects of drug intoxication.

The term probably derives from the notion of ‘frying one’s brains’, and denotes a state of dangerous disorientation, physical collapse, etc. Baked andtoasted are used in the USA in similar senses. frig vb 1. to masturbate (oneself or another person). The ultimate origin of the word is the Latinfricare, meaning to rub (from which friction is derived), via the Middle Englishfriggen. ‘Friggin’ in the rigging ’cause there’s fuck-all else to do.’ (Chorus from the rugby song ‘The Good Ship Venus’) 2. to have sex (with). Since the 19th century the word has been used as a slightly less offensive alternative tofuck, although this was not its original sense. The verb is nowadays rarely used in either sense except in the noun or adjectival form frigging. frigging adj an intensifier used with adjectives and nouns for emphasis in the same way as bloody orfucking. It is considered substantially more offensive than the former and slightly less offensive than the latter.

‘I was talking to my Canadian niece this very weekend; she (a devout Mormon, 22-ish, not given to profanity) used the word frigging and said, “I’m sorry. I keep forgetting it’s a bad word over here” or words to that effect.’ (Recorded, editor, London, 1989) frighteners, the n pl See put the frighteners on (someone) frill n American a girl or woman. A condescending male term which may be related to the archaic ‘frail’ rather than to a more obvious origin. frog, froggien, adj 1. (a person who is) French. The only slang term for this particular nationality dates from the end of the 18th century when the French were known as ‘frogeaters’. 2. Australiana condom. frog (and toad) n British a road. A piece of London rhyming slang which is occasionally still heard. ‘I’m off down the frog for a pint of pig’s.’ (Recorded, financial journalist, York, 1980) froggy adj American aggressive, willing to fight.

This item of black street-talk of the 1990s was probably derived from the phrasefeel froggy rather than vice versa. front, the frontn British courage, cheek, effrontery, chutzpah. This use of the word, as opposed to the colloquial senses of bearing or façade, occurs in phrases such as ‘loads of front’ or ‘he’s got more front than Harrods’ (a reference to the large, impressive frontage of the London store). See also front out/off/it front (someone) vb Australian to confront. This abbreviated form from the speech of adolescents was featured in Australian soap operas from 1990. ‘Why don’t you just front her about it.’ (Neighbours, Australian TV soap opera, December 1991) front bottom, front bum n the female genitals. A term used by young children of both sexes and, often jocularly, by some adults in Britain and Australia. front out/off/it vb a. to face up to someone or something, either with courage or bluff She decided to front him out. b. to behave aggressively or over-asser- tively.

An activity of young working-class males, often containing an implicit invitation to violence. ‘He was fronting out down our boozer, so me and a couple of mates gave him a good kicking.’ (Recorded, youth, London, 1988) The phrase in both its senses was popular in the 1980s in Britain, and became a vogue term in US black slang of the 1990s. front-wheel a.to snub or ignore b.to anger or irritate Both senses have been in use (based on social coolness, ‘chilling’ or ‘freezing’) since the 19th century. The word is currently fashionable in teenage use in the USA. frost2 n 1.a failure, a woeful example of inadequacy. This fairly rare usage of the word occurs in educated speech, particularly in reference to a disappointing performance (e.g. in the theatre; it may originate in a literary or Shakespearean ‘killing frost’). 2.a snub or silent rebuff. This sense of the word derives from the verb form, currently in vogue among adolescents, particularly in the USA. frost-top n American an elderly person.

This item of adult and family slang often refers to a relative. Synonyms are cotton-top moss-back. frowdy n, adj British (someone) dull, unattractive. The term, probably a blend of ‘frump(ish)’ and ‘dowdy’, was in use among teenage girls in 2001. frowsy adj unpleasant, nasty. The word, used by UK adolescents since around 2000, may be an alteration or mis-hearing of the archaic ‘frowsty’ which, since the 19th century, has meant smelly, stuffy, oppressive. fruit n American 1.a male homosexual. From the idea of exotic, ‘ripe’, etc. A common term of abuse in the USA since the early 20th century. 2.an eccentric person. A shortening of fruitcake. fruitcake n 1.an eccentric or crazy person. This is a term from the late 1960s, originating in the 1950s catchphrase, ‘as nutty as a fruitcake’. 2.American a male homosexual. An elaboration offruit. fruit-fly a.a male homosexual. An elaboration of fruit and synonym offruitcake.

b.a woman who frequents or escorts male homosexuals, a fag-hag fruity adj 1.British sexually suggestive or provocative. In the former sense the word has become a common colloquialism, as in fruity jokes/stories, etc. In the latter sense it remains a more restricted slang term in use especially among British cockneys and their imitators. 2.American strange or eccentric. The word is often used adverbially as in ‘acting fruity’. It presumably derives from the nounfruitcake. fry vb American a.to execute someone by electrocution in the electric chair b.to punish or chastise someone. A college students’ and armed-forces recruits’ term, used in such expressions as ‘he got fried’ or ‘they fried her ass’. fubar n a spectacular instance of incompetence, a hopeless mess. The term originated as an acronym standing for ‘fucked up’ or ‘fouled up beyond all recognition’. It probably originated in armed-forces usage like the similarsnafu and is now heard particularly in US campus and office speech. fuck1 vb 1. to have sex with.

The most commonly used ‘four-letter’ word, used intransitively (‘let’s fuck’) and transitively (‘he fucked her/him’); now also used of women (‘she fucked him/her’). Surprisingly, the age and origins of this word are obscure. It may not be Anglo-Saxon as is often supposed (it was not recorded in writing until the 16th century) and does not occur in Chaucer and Shakespeare, but may have been borrowed from Norse (fukkar in Norwegian,fockar in Swedish). Wherever and whenever the word entered English, it is undoubtedly related to a pattern of words in Indo-European languages which give, among many others, the Latinpungere (meaning to prick), the Germanficken (meaning to fuck or strike) and the Frenchfoutre (meaning to fuck). The common semantic feature of these words is that they all contain the meanings strike, push or prick. Fuck has always been a taboo word in all English-speaking countries and is still omitted from broadcasts and generally asterisked if written in the press. In the late 20th century the verb often had the more specialised sense of ‘habitually copulate’

Question: The French slang 'capote anglaise' meaning English hood, or English overcoat refers to what?
Answer: A condom