I decided to do a lighthearted breakdown of some slang from the DMV, where I’m from (If you don’t know what that is, read on!) This is Urban Dictionary style, defined by one who has been steeped in this language from a young age. It was fun to write and see how silly some of the things we say are. I hope you all enjoy this brief and non-exhaustive dictionary of sorts.
100/One Hunnit (adjective): The realest of reals; honest; truthful; straight to the point; brief.
“Imma keep it one hunnit, you need to stop drinking.”
Bad (adjective): Good looking.
Guy: She’s bad.
Girl: Why are you looking at other girls? Am I not good enough for you? Lemme check your phone.
Bamma (noun): Someone who doesn’t know how to dress. As in, plaid pants with striped wrinkled shirt, and mix matched socks.
Bet (affirmation): Basically the same as saying okay, but with excitement.
Guy 1: I’m coming to play CoD later.
Guy 2: Bet.
Brick (adjective): A long time.
“I haven’t been to the gym in eight years! That’s a brick!”
Clockin’ (verb): To watch something closely; to keep track.
“I’m clockin’ this dog, if I don’t pay attention, it’ll get away.”
DMs (noun): Direct Messages/Messaging; Refers to messages sent on Twitter or Instagram privately to a follower.
“Imma slide in her DMs”.
DMV (noun): The parts of DC, Maryland, Virginia currently accessible by the Metro system. Virginia Beach is not the DMV, and even if the monorail or whatever expands down here, it never will be. Sorry, It’s a cultural thing.
Geekin’ (verb): To be overly excited about something.
Girl: I can’t believe you bought us tickets to see Plulolah’s concert!
Guy: You geekin’?
Ghost (verb): To cut relational ties by disappearing suddenly without any explanation.
Guy: I was texting this girl the whole month until she ghosted after I asked her about.
anime.
Girl: She never really liked you.
Go smack (verb): To go flirt with someone.
Girl 1: Aye, he’s cute.
Girl 2: Go smack.
Jih/Ji (Adverb): Really; expresses emphasis on an emotion or adjective.
“That was jih like dumb.”
“I’m jih hungry right now.”
Jone (Joan): Roast, fry, cook, light, insult
Girl: That actor is so ugly.
Guy: Why you joanin’?
Kill (command): Stop what you’re doing; stop.
Guy 1: Drank too much Regent water and is trying really hard to flirt with a girl.
Guy 2: Bruh, kill!
Kill (Interjection): Indicates surprise.
Person 1: Boopbop is having a baby!
Person 2: Kill! Are you serious?!
Kirk (verb): To get excessively upset to the point of yelling and ranting.
“Aye, B, stop kirkin’!”
Main Mans 100 Grand/Ace: your best of best friends; ride or die friend.
Mans: Friends; people you’re not ashamed to claim in public; homies.
“That’s my mans right there. She always come through.”
Mo/Bruh/Cuz/Slim/B (noun): All variations of ‘bro.’ It’s a casual way to address someone.
“Mo, why would you do that when I just told you not to?”
“Bruh, did you see that?”
Rachet (adjective): A diva who thinks she’s attractive, but really isn’t; usually loud, rude, and doesn’t understand how to do anything without drawing attention.
“She’s the rachetest witch of the West”
Smack (adjective): Out of control; out of character (in a bad way); similar to wack.
Person 1: Puts banana peels on their head.
Person 2: You’re smack!
Syce/Sice (verb): To make something more than it is.
Person 1: You broke my pencil! Now I can’t write anymore. I can’t do my work! The world is ending!
Person 2: Mo, it ain’t that serious.
Talkin’ (a verb literally, but actually implies a noun): A stage before a relationship where the two parties are obviously closer and basically dating, but haven’t given themselves the title of ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’.
Girl 1: Are you dating him?
Girl 2: Nah, we’ve just been talkin’ for a while.
Tea (noun): Gossip.
Person 1: Did you hear about Soannso and Suzie Q?
Person 2: Nah, spill the tea!
The Cut (noun): A not easily visible place; somewhere that you have to go out of your way to get to.
“My house is in the cut, you’ll never find it on your own.”
Tuff/Vicious/Tight/Ill/Sick (adjective): Cool; attractive or impressive.
“That new bike is tough.”
Whole T (transition): Whole time; all the while.
“I thought she was loyal when whole T she just went behind my back.
Woke (adjective): Aware of the subtleties and implications of words and actions. Usually, people who are woke are hyperaware of the “isms” in their lives. It began in one of Erykah Badu’s songs. Later, it became one of the main hashtags of the #BlackLivesMatterMovement. It mainly appeals to African Americans by telling them to remember their rights and not to be fooled into believing racism doesn’t exist. As of late, it has been devalued as people use it out of context.
“Stay woke, or you’ll get lulled back into ignorance.”
Mambo Sauce (noun): A sweet tangy sauce available at Chinese takeouts in the DMV. It’s sweet and tangy, it’s put on fried chicken, fries, shrimp, and fried rice. If you order from a carryout in DC and don’t get Mambo Sauce, you’re missing half the experience.
Image Credits: Cover, Image 1.