X-amount of t'anks for tuning in to the YUSH Ponline Slanguage page. This is where we list some of the dancehall slang terms used in the magazine or out on the streets. So if you're baffled by a particular word or term this is the place to be!
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- ONE DROP: A type of laid back reggae rhythm, that was the hallmark of Bob Marley & the Wailers music.
- A -
- A: Means "to" as in "go a dance."
- A GO: Means "going to" as in "me a go check them" meaning I'm going to see them.
- A DOOR: Exposed, outside or outdoors; open to the elements..
- ACID: A special unit of the Jamaican police force. They are really feared because of their severe tactics.
- AGONY: The sensations you feel during sex, notably popularised by Pinchers in a dancehall song of the same name.
- AH SEH ONE: It's really saying something; something outstanding; far out; hot item.
- ALIAS: deadly, violent, dangerous.
- ALL FRUITS RIPE: Everything is fine/OK/alright; fit; all systems are go; popularised by Junior Reid in song of same name.
- ARTICAL: See HORTICAL.
- B -
- BABYLON: See BEAST, THE.
- BAD: Conveys the opposite meaning. See WICKED.
- BAD BWOY: A baddie.
- BADNESS: Delinquent or unruly behaviour, often just for the sake of it.
- BANDULU: Literially means a bandit, someone who lives by guile, trickster.
- BANDULU BIZNESS: Shady business, a racket, a swindle.
- BASHMENT: A dance, stageshow, disco, etc.
- BATTY BWOY (usually a man).: A homosexual; a gay person
- BATTY RIDER: A type of skimpy cut off shorts worn so tight that it 'rides' over and exposes the sides of the wearer's bottom.
- BEEMER: A BMW car.
- BEAST, THE: The police, authoritarian figure or anyone who represents the real or perceived oppressors. Means the same as BABYLON.
- BIG UP: Way to greet friends, pay tribute to something or someone big or important ("Big up the dancehall crew dem, seen, come again").
- BIG UP YOUR CHEST: Be proud of yourself.
- BIG IT UP: To praise or celebrate something.
- BIG SHOT: A playboy, a rich (or pretentious) high life liver.
- BLIGH or BLY: A chance; opportunity; an opening.
- BLOOD FIRE or BLOOD & FIRE: A curse word meaning hell; Blood fire fe dem, (hell for them).
- BOASIE: Proud and very showy behaviour, conceited, pretentious.
- BONAFIDE: Genuine; sincere.
- BOGLE: A dance originated by Jamaican Gerald Levy in 1991, popularised in song by artists such as Buju Banton; dance style named after one of Jamaica's national heroes.
- BOOYAKA!: Sound made by mouth simulating gun shots fired in celebration or appreciation of something. [Similar to PRAM! PRAM!]
- BOX: To thump, hit or smack someone.
- BOX SHIT OUTTA HOG MOUT': To scrounge or live off the governement.
- BREDREN or BRETHREN: A friend who's as close as a brother, your peers, a male Rasta friend; opposite to SISTREN.
- BROWNING: A black person of light skin complexion, usually meant as a compliment.
- BUDDY: Penis; dick; male sex organ.
- C -
- CAAD (CARD): To jokingly jeer or mock someone about some event, their appearance or situation.
- CARGO: Usually heavy gold chain and medallion sported as an outward (sometimes pretentious) show of wealth.
- CHAKA CHAKA: Untidy or unkempt.
- CHANDON: The very best; Kris.
- CHECK FOR, NUH: Not into, hate, dislike, can't stand or detest someone or thing; don't get involved with.
- CHECK (TO), CHECKING: To see, seeing or having a (usually sexual) relationship with someone; to visit or call on someone.
- CHUH: Common expression indicating impatience, boredom, anxiety or disappointment
- CLAAT or CLOT: Literally means cloth but usually preceded by other words like Blood, Bumbo, Raas or Pussy to form curse words; to hit someone derived from "to clout".
- COCONUT: A black person who is black on the outside, but white on the inside; a black sell-out; Uncle Tom;
- COME AGAIN!: Dancehall instruction to replay a piece of music.
- COOK & CURRY: Done, finished or ready; as in "Everything is cook 'n' curry" meaning "the task is done".
- COOL RUNNINGS: Everything is fine; going smoothly; alright.
- CORN: Money or gunshot.
- CRAVEN: Greedy, glutinous.
- CRIS' or KRIS: Crisp; primarily refers to brand-new things; slick.
- CRUCIAL: Very important, grave, serious.
- D -
- DARKERS: Dark glasses, sunglasses, shades.
- DAWTA: A female whether young or old but more commonly used to describe a younger woman.
- DEADERS: (Dead) animal meat; meat by-products eaten as food. E.g. beef, etc.
- DIBBI DIBBI: Small and insignficant thing or person; stupid; useless; not resourceful; worthless.
- DI: The.
- DIFFERENTLY: Unofficially, away from the normal channels.
- DIS: To disrespect.
- DIS DI PROGRAMME: Put a planned thing on hold; delay something; disrupt schedule.
- DOGHEART: Cold hearted, cruel or ruthless person.
- DON, DONETTE, DON MAN, DONNA: A respected boss or leader etc.; master of a situation.
- DON DADA: The highest ranking leader; Don of Dons.
- DRAW CAAD (CARD), TO: To trick or connive; mislead; "pull a fast one" on someone.
- DREAD: A dreadlocks wearer, serious thought or idea, dangerous person, thing or situation, well feared thing.
- DREADLOCKS: Matted together, uncombed or cut hair forming long clumps; someone who wears hair like this.
- DREADY: Friendly for a fellow dreads.
- DUB: Music without vocals invariably spiced up with snatches of echo, effects etc.
- DUPPY: A ghost.
- DUTCHY: Heavy cooking pot originally from Holland.
- DWEET: Do it, usually used in a sexual request as in "Mek wi dweet" (let us do it).
- E -
- F -
- FEEL NO WAY: Comforting advice meaning not to take offense at something; don't worry or be sorry.
- FIESTY: Spunky, Cheeky, or out of order behaviour.
- FI REAL: Precisely or genuine as in for real.
- FLEX: A person's mannerism, idiosyncrasies, etc.
- FRONT LINE: The main street or area; main area of attraction; focus of activities.
- FUCKERY: Foolishness, insignificant or trivial thing.
- G -
- GANJA: See MARIJUANA.
- GINNAL: A con artist whether man or woman.
- GLAMITY: A woman's private parts.
- GORGON: Outstanding person, usually a dreadlocks.
- GRAVALICIOUS: greedy, avaricious.
- GRINDSMAN: Someone, more commonly a man, who is basically sexually wicked in bed.
- GWAAN: Word of encourage or appreciation meaning go ahead! or get going! Literally means go on from which the word derives.
- H -
- HALF EEDIAT (IDIOT): A stupid person.
- HIGGLERS: Commonly women involved in importing and selling goods.
- HITEY-TITEY: Posh, upper class person.
- HOL' IT DUNG: Keep it a secret; keep a lid on it; don't reveal it; take care.
- HORSE DEAD & COW FAT: A term used for excuses made by people.
- HORTICAL: Bonafide; genuine; sincere.
- HOT STEPPER: A jail-breaker; fugitive from prison, jail or penal institution.
- I -
- I & I: Us; we; you and I.
- IDLE JUBIE: See LAZY BODY
- I-DREN: Male Rastafarian.
- I-MAN: Me, I, mine.
- INNA: Inside; in the; in.
- INIVERSAL: Rastafarian religious practitioners often substitute the word "you" and its sound for "i". In this instance "ineversal" really means "universal", as it were.
- IRIE: Originally meant feeling high after smoking a spliff, now means feeling fine or euphoric; cool.
- ISM(S) and SKISM(S): Term denoting society's ways, class conscious systems, sub-systems and/or classifications.
- ITAL: Natural, unprocessed food e.g. fresh vegetables, fruits, etc; food prepared without salt.
- J -
- JAH: Title of respect for Rastafarian God.
- JAMDUNG: Another name for Jamaica.
- JAMMIN: Enjoying oneself, having a good time.
- JOOK, JOOKING: To have penetrative sex with someone; to fuck; fucking. The term literally means to "prick" someone as with a needle or pin.
- JUNGLE: A kind of music originating out of London and combining rave and ragga; an area in West Kingston, Jamaica.
- JUNGLIST: A lover of jungle music; someone who comes from an area in West Kingston, Jamaica.
- K -
- KALI: Ganja.
- KAYA: Ganja.
- KIN TEET: To smile, joke with, grin with or laugh at; literally to skin your teeth at someone/thing is to bare your teeth at.
- KISS TEET: To show disapproval, disappointment, or dislike of something by making hissing noise to kiss with mouth. ; an area in West Kingston, Jamaica.
- KUTCHIE: A chalice or chillum pipe, usually made from coconut shell and used by Rastaman and woman for smoking ganja.
- L -
- LABBA: to talk too much or chat people's business; "too labba-labba" or "labba mout".
- LABBA MOUT': Someone who loves to talk too much or chat other people's business.
- LATER: As in "see you later".
- LAZY BODY: A slob; someone who is averse to physical exercises and exertions.
- LET OFF: Hand out or donate money.
- LEVEL VIBES: On a level; hope that everything is fine, cool, o.k.
- LICK: See BOX.
LICKY-LICKY: Fawning. See RED EYE.- LICKLE: Little.
- LICK SHOT: To fire a shot from a (real or imaginary) gun shot usually used to signal appreciation of music or event.
- LICKSPECT: To get respect with a well placed lick when its not given willingly.
- LICK, THE: The in thing; fashionable; trendy; a hit as in to slap or smack.
- LIKKI LIKKI: Greedy; never satisfied yet wants everything.
- LITTLE MORE: As in see you later.
- LIVE BLANKET: A human body, particularly when cover another, as in during sex.
- M -
- MAAMA MAN: A gay or effeminate person, usually a man.
- MAGGY: A magnum gun.
- MAMPI: Person, usually a woman, who's outsized, fat or overweight; big..
- MARIJUANA: The dried leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis rolled into a SPLIFF and smoked for medicinal or recreational use.
- MASH IT UP: An event, occasion or act that proved successful. For example "I mash up the show" means "I did a successful show."
- MASS: Money; currency.
- MASSIVE: A crew; gang; posse or group of more than two people who stick together with shared social interests, such as a dancehall crowd.
- MATEY: The lover or secondary partner of a man, who is usually married or who already have a wife or girlfriend.
- 'MATIC: An automatic gun.
- MEN: See BATTY BWOY.
- MR. MENTION: A man who has had many women or who is the talk of the town; a popular ladies' man.
- NANNY: Money; A Jamaican $500 bill.
- N -
- NATTY or NATTY DREAD: See DREAD.
- NEW BRAN: Inverted meaning of brand new.
- NOTCH: A high or top ranking bad man; a Don.
- NUH TRUE?: Ain't that right? Isn't it so?
- NUH: "Isn't that so?"
- NYAM: To eat.
- NYAMI-NYAMI: Some who will eat anything, a human pig or scavenger who eats indiscriminately; someone who wants other people's possessions.
- O -
- OBEAH: The practice of African "science" involving communicating with spirits, casting spells, predicting omens through extra-sensory knowledge.
- ONE ONE: One by one, a little at a time
- OONU: Literally means you, you all or even y'all.
- P -
- PIECE: A gun, girl or a little sex.
- PEEL OFF A MASS: To hand out money.
- PRAM! PRAM!: Sound made by mouth simulating gun shots fired in appreciation of something, such as a dancehall song, etc. [Same as BOOYAKA!]
- PUM PUM: A vagina; woman's sexual organ.
- PUNAANY: Same as PUM PUM.
- Q -
- QUASHIE: Peasant class citizen, unrefined or stupid person; originally a term of insult for low class black people.
- R -
- RAGGAMUFFIN: A roughneck; street tough; lover of modern dancehall regga
- RASTA,e.
- RANKS, RANKING: A highly regarded (and revered) person. RASTAMAN/WOMAN: Someone who belives devoutly in His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie as God.
- RASTAFARIAN: Someone who believes in the divinity of his Hailie Selassie; sames as RASTAMAN.
- READY: Sexually attractive.
- RED EYE: Jealous; envious.
- RISPECK or RESPECK: to hold someone (or thing) in high esteem.
- RISPECK DUE: It's time for one to get the credit (or tribute) one deserves; a recognition that it's about itime one is given credit for past good deed(s).
- ROPE IN: Come on in; invitation to join or participate in an activity.
- RUDE BWOY/GAL: A rebellious youth.
- RUFF NECK: A rebellious person; a bohemian; a person with a couldn't-care-less attitude.
- S -
- SALT: Used to describe someone or something that isk plagued with bad luck; unlucky; bad omen.
- SAMFI: Pulling a fast one; attempt to deceive; someone who claims to be a bonafide obeah man (or woman) but is not and is only out to take your money.
- SCHOOLERS: School children, students, those who attend school.
- SCREW: To crumple up your face in annoyance; tightly puckering up lips and features into a vexed look.
- SCREW FACE: Some whose face shows a screw.
- SEEN: Acknowledgement that (or question asking if) you understand something; (do you) understand?
- SENSIMILLIA: Literally means seedless; a particularly potent form of ganja.
- SESE: To whisper; whisperings; rumours; gossips.
- SISTREN: A female, friend or woman Rastafarian; opposite to BREDREN.
- SKANK: A scam; a confidence trick; a con; a dance form.
- SKETTEL: A loose type of woman, usually a donna, flashily or scantily dressed.
- SKIN TEETH ('KIN TEET'): To have a laugh or a joke with someone or at something; to mess around; to bare your teeth; smile broadly.
- SLAM: To have sex with some, or simply to fuck; a style.
- SOUND BOY, MAN: A sound system operator.
- SOUND SYSTEM: A huge, high-wattage, mobile disco.
- SPECHIE: A gun, particularly a .38 special.
- SPENG: A gun; nickname for a notorious policeman from Manchester in Jamaican; a rude
bwoy or a rudie ( rudebwoy speng).- SPLIFF: Cone-shaped marijuana cigarette; a reefer; joint; blunt.
- STAMINA DADDY: Man with strong power of sexual endurance.
- STAMINA MUMMY: Woman with strong power of sexual endurance.
- STAR: A term of respect as in 'Sir'; also colloquial expression for "man" e.g. "Whaapen star?" means "What's up man?"
- STEP UP LIVELY: Jamaican bus conductor's instruction to come onboard quickly, with some urgency, fast, as if you've got life in you, with purpose.
- T -
- TEK LIFE: When someone or something is enjoying popularity; trend; fashionable.
- TAN PON IT LONG: The ability to make love/have sex for a long time; strong sexual staying power.
- TEG-A-REG: As in "Punnani teg 'a' reg". Someone who is well versed in pleasuring a woman sexually.
- TRASH AN' READY: Look good; fashionable; trendy.
- TRUS WI/MI: Have faith and confidence in us/me; believe us/me; trust us/me.
- U -
- UPFUL: Postitive or encouraging vibes.
- UPTOWN: Rich or upper class people who usually live above everyone else in the hills, their minds or materialistically.
- V -
- W -
- WANGA GUT: Connotes greediness or RED EYE behavour. Also see LIKKI LIKKI.
- WATCH DI RIDE: Mind how you go; take care; instruction to passengers from Jamaican bus conductors or 'ductors!
- WHAT A GWAAN (WHA' GWAAN): What is going on; what's happening; how are things.
- WHA'PPEN: A form of greeting meaning what's happening?; what's going on?; how are you?
- WHEEL! An order to replay a favourite song, sometimes used before COME AGAIN as in "wheel and come again".
- WHEELS: Mode of transport; a car; how you get round.
- WHEN PUSS BELLY FULL, RAT BATTY STINK: When things start looking up you forget where your coming from, in other words; "don't get rich and switch".
- WICKED: Conveys the opposite meaning such as good, excellent, great, etc.
- WOOD: A penis; dick as in Bob Marley's "I'll push wood, light my fire, can't satisfy my heart's desire" from Stir it Up.
- WORK, WUK: Another way of describing having sex or the sex act.
- X -
- X-AMOUNT: An unspecified amount as in "x-amount of loving".
- Y -
- YARDIE: Originally someone from Back-A-Yard as Jamaica is called, now distorted to mean a Jamaican drug dealer.
- YARDMAN: Someone from Yard (Jamaica).
- YOUT'MAN: A young person, man or woman.
- YUSH: Expression of greeting used at the start of a phone call; on meeting someone or to attract attention. Name of this wicked urban mag-e-zine for the streetwize, the wanna- get-wize and the otherwize!
- Z -
- ZION: Rastafarian holy land; the highest spiritual plain.