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| Kamus American Slang |
Dalam setiap bahasa, hampir bisa dipastikan terdapat istilah-istilah khas yang menunjukkan asal dari bahasa itu. Demikian pula di Amerika.
Sebagai orang yang belajar bahasa Inggris, seringkali kita mendengar terutama dalam film-film Amerika, istilah-istilah khas Inggris-Amerika yang terkadang sulit kita pahami artinya, karena kalau diterjemahkan secara apa adanya, pasti akan tidak nyambung dengan situasi peristiwa.
Catatan ini kami tulis untuk memberikan gambaran tentang istilah-istilah khas (slang) Inggris Amerika yang sering digunakan dalam percakapan sehari-hari.
-A-
ace = sangat baik
He's an ace reporter.
airhead = orang bodoh
My sister's boyfriend is a real airhead.
all wet = benar-benar salah
Your ideas about politics are all wet.
all-nighter = belajar semalaman
I almost fell asleep during the test after an all-nighter.
ammo = amunisi / peluru
The gun was useless after the killer ran out of ammo.
antifreeze = minuman penghangat
I really need some antifreeze in me on cold days like this.
armpit = tempat yang tidak menyenangkan
This town is really an armpit
awesome = hebat, sangat bagus
What an awesome sunset.
-B-
barf = muntah
He barfed all over the seat of the airplane.
beat = lelah
After working all day I am really beat.
Beemer = mobil BMW
He just bought a new beemer to drive to work in.
bench = cadangan / tidak dimainkan
He was benched during the basketball playoffs.
bent = marah
It's OK. Don't get so bent.
bent out of shape = menjadi marah / sedih
Don't get so bent out of shape.
big gun = orang kuat
The president brought two big guns to the meeting.
big mouth = banyak bicara
Shut up! you really have a big mouth.
big stink = isu besar
The citizens made a big stink about the new nuclear power station.
blade = pisau
He carried a ten inch blade with him.
blimp = orang yang sangat gemuk
I always seem to have a blimp sitting next to me when I travel.
Blow = meninggalkan tempat / pergi
I'm going to blow out of here now.
blow = hilang / kalah
He blew all his money gambling.
blow a fuse = hilang kendali, marah
Hey, don't blow a fuse.
blow one's cool = menjadi sangat marah
Calm down. Don't blow your cool.
Blown away = sangat terkesan
I was blown away by his donation of a million dollars.
bom = buruk
The movie was a bomb.
Bombed = mabuk
The driver of the car was bombed.
bonkers = gila
I think I am going bonkers.
boo-boo = kesalahan
If you make another boo-boo like that, you won't have a job.
booze = alkohol
I promised to bring two bottles of booze to the party.
bread = uang
I need some bread to pay for my car.
break = kesempatan
A lucky break helped him get the job.
break it up = berhenti
Break it up, or I will call the police.
bring-down = menyedihkan
The news of the airplane crash was a bring-down
buck = dolar
Do you have a buck I can borrow?
bummed = sedih
I was really bummed after I heard the news.
bummer = pengalaman buruk
My trip to New York was a bummer.
bust = kesalahan
The whole idea was a bust.
but it = mati
If you don't slow down, you're going to buy it in a car accident.
-C-
call = prediksi
The weatherman made a good call about when the storm would come.
can = camar mandi
Do you know where the can is?
carb = karburator
My motorcycle's carb is out of adjustment.
catch some rays = berjemur
I'm going to lie on the beach and catch some rays.
catch some Z's = tidur
I need to catch come Z's before I go on my trip.
cheesy = murah
That is really a cheesy looking outfit
chicken = pengecut
Don't be a chicken
chintzy = murah
That really was a chintzy present yhou got him.
chow down = makan yang banyak
I need to find a place to chow down.
clip = menipu / mencurangi
Watch out or they will clip you at that bar.
clunker = mobil tua
I can't go on a date in that clunker.
cold fish = membosankan
My date for the dance was a cold fish.
collar = menahan / menangkap
I knew they would collar the robber sooner or later.
come up for air = istirahat sejenak
He has to come up for air or he will die from exhaustion.
con = menipu
Don't try to con me.
cool = bagus
This is a really cool place to work.
cool down = tenang
Things should cool down in a day or two.
cop = polisi
The cop showed me his badge.
couch potato = pemalas
He is a couch potato
crack open a bottle = membuka
Let's crack open a bottle for his birthday.
cram = belajar keras
I need more time to cram for the test.
cream = mengalahkan
Our team cramed them badly.
croak = mati
I feel like I am going to croak.
cruise = meluncur dengan sangat cepat
The skier was cruising down the hill.
cuffs = borgol (handcuffs)
He put the cuffs on the killer.
cushy = mudah
He has a really cushy job.
cut out = pergi
It is late. I have to cut out.
-D-
damage = biaya
Let's get the bill and find out the damage.
dead = sepi
This disco is really dead tonight.
deck = roboh
He was decked in the fight.
deep pockets = banyak uang
her boyfriend has deep pockets.
dicey = tidak menentu
Since the weather is a little dicey, I won't go today.
dirty = tidak senonoh
I hear that it's a dirty movie.
ditch = meninggalkan
I'll ditch my younger brother with my grandmother.
do a snow job on = menipu
Don't try to do a snow job on me.
dope = orang bodoh
He is such a dope
dork = orang aneh
He is such as dork
dough = uang
I need some dough before I can go Christmas shopping.
down = minum dengan cepat
Let's go to a bar and down a few beers.
drag = membosankan
Doing homework on the weekend is a drag.
dynamite = kuat; besar
This drink is really dynamite
-E-
earful = banyak gosip
My grandmother gave me an earful about about the neighborhood.
easy mark = korban target
The Japanese are an easy mark because they usually carry cash.
eat = mengganggu
The problem is really eating away at me.
Excellent = baik
That's excellent man.
-F-
face-off = konfrontasi
The two sides were headed for a nasty face-off.
far-out = hebat
This music is really far-out
fix = dosis obat
The addict needs another fix.
flaky = tidak bisa diandalkan
He is too flaky to do the work.
flashback = ingatan masa lalu
At the wedding he had a flashback of his old girlfriend.
flick = film
I haven't seen a flick in a long time
flip out = hilang kendali
He flipped out when he heard that his mother had been killed.
flip side = sisi lain
What kind of music do you have on the flip side of the tape?
fox = sangat menarik
His older sister is a fox
Foxy = seksi
She is a foxy lady.
freebie = gratis / bonus
The pillow was a freebie
-G-
get into something = menjadi sangat tertarik
I got into gardening in high school.
get it = mengerti
I listened to the joke twice, but I still don't get it.
get with it = bersegera
If you don't get with it, we will never finish this work.
gig = pekerjaan
I have a gig on Saturday night from 7.00 to 10:00
glitch = kerusakan
This computer program has a glitch.
glitzy = mewah / bagus
This is a pretty glitzy hotel to be staying in.
go = mencoba
Let me have a go solving the problem.
go bananas = gila
I am going to go bananas If I don't have a vacation soon.
go down = terjadi
What is going down?
goof = bodoh
I am really a goof at times.
goof up = membuat kesalahan fatal.
I really goofed up when I painted my room green.
goofy = bodoh
You are always acting goofy these days.
gourd = kepala
Use your gourd to figure out what is happening.
grand = ribu dolar
His salary is twenty grand.
grass = marijuana
Lots of students smoke grass in the dormitory.
groovy : menyenangkan
This music is groovy.
gross = menjijikkan
Picking your nose is really a gross habit.
gross-out = saat-saat yang tidak menyenangkan
The party was a gross-out.
grub = makanan
Where is the best place to get some grub around here?
grubby = tidak bersih dan tidak rapi
Those clothes are too grubby to wear to the party.
grungy = kotor
That is a really grungy jacket.
gut = perut
He got shot in the gut.
gut = dasar
The gut issue is about what we are going to do now.
guts = nyali
It takes a lot of guts to give the boss your true opinion.
-H-
hairy = berbahaya
That was a hairy plane trip. I am glad the storm is over.
hang it up = keluar
I have decided to hang up my teaching job.
hang loose = rileks, beristirahat
Just hang loose for another few days.
hang tough = memegang teguh
We need to hang tough on our decision.
hardware = senjata
The police were surprised by all the hardware the gang members had.
have a buzz on = sedikit mabuk
I had a buzz on after the third martini.
have good vibes = senang dengan
I have good vibes about our new secretary.
heave = muntah
I heaved up on the floor.
high = mabuk karena obat=obatan atau alkohol
The teenagers look high to me.
hip-shooter = selalu berbicara tanpa berfikir terlebih dahulu
He is such a hip-shooter.
history = masa lalu
I don't have any idea where my old boyfriend is. He's history.
hit = sukses / berhasil
Your proposal was a hit with the boss.
hole up = bersembunyi
I had to hole up for three days because the police were looking for me.
honcho = boss
The honcho says that we are going to have to give up two days of our vacation.
hooker = PSK (Pekerja Seks Komersial)
Her clothes make her look like a hooker.
huffy = marah
I will do it soon so please don't get huffy.
hungry = berkeinginan mencari uang
If you are not hungry, you won't get ahead in the business.
hustle = terburu=buru
If you don't hustle, we will be late again.
hyped = bersemangat / senang
The fans were all hyped up for the football game.
hyper = terlalu senang / GR
Don't get hyper about what she told you. You know it isn't true.
-I-
I.D. = kartu identitas
Can you show me some I.D. please?
in = trendy
The tie you are wearing is really in.
in deep = terikat erat
They are really in deep with each other.
in the bag = ada pada tempatnya
Everything is in the bag. There is nothing to worry about.
intense = serius
This is a very intense situation we are discussing.
-J-
jam = permasalahan
I am glad you got yourself out of that jam.
Jerk someone around = menyia-nyiakan waktu dan menyebabkan permasalahan.
recently it seems like everyone is jerking me around
jock = seorang atlit
My roommate is a jock for the basketball team.
john = kamar mandi
The John really smells.
joint = bar murah
Where is the closest joint to here.
joint = rokok marijuana
He is good at rolling joints.
junkie = pecandu narkoba
Sam is a junkie.
just off the boat = naif
He acts like he is just off the boat.
-K-
keep one's cool = tetap tenang
He kept his cool when his house burned down.
kegger = pesta bir
I hear there is a kegger at John's house tonight.
kick = menikmati
I get a kick out of watching him paint.
klutz = orang bodoh
He is a real klutz.
knock = mengkritik
Don't knock it if you can't do it any better.
knocked up = hamil / bunting
My do gets knocked up once a year.
knockout = hebat / luar biasa
Who was that knockout I saw you with last Friday?
knuckle sandwich = memukul mulut
Shut up or I'll give you a knuckle sandwich.
kook = orang asing
Watch out for all the kooks in this neighborhood.
-L-
laid-back = tenang dan rileks
You need to be more laid-back.
lame = tidak mencukupi
That is really a lame excuse.
line = cerita
I have heard that line a million times.
loser = pecundang / orang yang tidak penting
John is a loser.
love handles = gulungan lemak di perut
I exercise every day, but I can't get rid of these love handles.
-M-
make waves = membuat masalah
Try not to make waves around the office.
maxed out = lelah
I am maxed out at my work and need to rest.
mean = dengan sangat hebat
He plays a mean violin.
Mega = besar / banyak
I have mega amounts of tomatoes in my garden this summber.
megabucks = banyak uang
He made megabucks when he sold his company.
mellow = tenang dan rileks
You need to mellow out and enjoy life.
meltdown = benar-benar rusak / hancur.
There has been a meltdown in the relationship between my parents and I.
mickey mouse = nggak ada gunanya / hanya buang-buang waktu.
The homework, the teacher gave us was mickey mouse.
mush = tak ada artinya
That is total mush and you know it.
-N-
nark - polisi narkoba
Watch out for the narks in the airport.
neat = bagus
That was a neat idea that you had.
negative = hal-hal buruk
There are too many negatives about the company merger.
nick = menahan
The police nicked the shoplifter as he was leaving the store.
nip = minum dengan cepat
He took a nip out of the bottle.
no sweat = tak masalah
It's no sweat to have the report in to you by Monday.
nuke = memanaskan di microwave
I'll nuke our dinner in a few minutes.
nuke = senjata nuklir
Does that attack plane have any nukes?
nut = orang gila
I think that he is a nut.
nuts = gila
You are completely nuts if you think I will go with you.
-O-
Dalam referensi dari buku yang kami tulis ini, tidak dicantumkan huruf "O"
-P-
pad = tempat untuk tinggal
Have you found a pad yet?
pain in the neck = mengganggu
My wife's best friend is a pain in the neck.
paper-pusher = karyawan kantor birokrasi
My office is filled with paper-pushers.
party animal = pesta cinta
You're too old to be a party animal.
party-hearty = merayakan
We need to party-hearty because we just got a raise in salary.
paw = tangan
Get your paws off of my body.
peanuts = yang tidak ada uangnya
I am going to work for peanuts.
pickled = mabuk
He gets pickled after only one beer.
piece of cake = mudah dikerjakan
Working on a computer for me is a piece of cake.
pig = makan sangat banyak
He is a pig at parties
pig out = makan sepuas-puasnya
Let's go tot the restaurant and pig out.
pit stop = berhenti dan pergi ke kamar mandi
Let's make a pit stop at the next rest area.
plastered = mabuk
He drinks too much and is always plastered on the weekend.
pooped out = keluar / pergi
He pooped out after we started to do the hard work.
pop = memukul
Shut up or I will pop you
pop for something = membeli
It is my turn to pop for the doughnuts.
pro = profesional
He is really a pro at his work.
prod = pengingat
Can you give me a gentle prod next week so I won't forget?
psyched up = siap secara mental
The players are really psyched up for the game on Friday.
psycho = sakit secara mental
She is psycho. She should be in a hospital.
puke = muntah
I feel like I am going to puke.
push off = pergi
I am going to push off now.
put the moves on = menggoda
You should give up trying to put the moves on her. She is married.
put-on =tipuan
It was an elaborate put-on which I almost believed.
-Q-
quarterback = memimpin
Who is going to quarterback the meeting?
-R-
rack = tempat tidur
I have to hit the rack by ten or I'll be tired in the morning.
rack out = tidur
I am going to rack out for two hours.
racket = bunyi bising
There sure was a lot of racket outside last night.
rag = koran
I can't believe we still get this same old rag.
rap = berbicara
We need to sit down and rap about a few things.
rathole = tempat yang sangat buruk
When are you going to be able to move out of that rathole?
raw = baru
The raw office workers were not getting much done.
ream someone out = marah dengan
The boss really reamed him out for his bad report.
red hot = penting
Your idea is really red hot.
repo = mengambil kembali
Hey, don't repo my car. I will pay next week.
rinky-dink = buruk / inferior
The circus was really rinky-dink.
riot = lucu
The comedy program was a real riot.
rocks = degnan es
Would you like your whiskey on the rocks ?
rough time = saat-saat yang sulit
We have had a rough time this winter.
rug = wig / rambut palsu
Is that a rug on this head?
rug rat = anak
My sister has three rug rats.
rule = mendominasi / mengatur
My wife rules the house.
run off at the mouth = terlalu banyak bicara
He is always running off at the mouth.
run out of gas = kehilangan semangat atau mementum
The politician ran out of gas during the campaign.
-S-
sack = tidur
When did you hit the sack last night?
scam = taruhan yang penuh tipu daya
Don't lose your money in some kind of scam.
scarf = makan dengan cepat
Since he hadn't eaten in a week, he scarfed down everything on his plate.
screw around = membuang-buang waktu
If you screw around all day at this work, you will have to come back again.
screw up = membuat kesalahan
If you screw up one more time, I will fire you.
sharp = cerdas
He is very sharp with numbers.
shot = mencoba
I'll give the puzzle another shot.
shot down = tidak setuju
Every shot down my idea at first, but later agreed that it was a good idea.
slammer = penjara
The police threw them both in the slammer.
smashed = mabuk
Try not to get smashed at the beer party.
smoke eater = petugas pemadam kebakaran
My father is a smoke eater.
split = pergi
It is time to split and go see the movie.
spook = takut
The cows were spooked by the howling of the wolves.
spud : kentang
Do you want rice or spuds for dinner?
square = kuno
My father looks square in his jacket.
steamed up = naik darah, marah
Don't get so steamed up over the issue.
stink = menjijikkan
This whole operation stinks.
straight = jujur
I want you to give me a straight answer.
stressed = sedih / kecewa
I am really stressed by all the recent world events.
sucker = mudah ditipu
Don't be a sucker.
-T-
take a hike = pergi
I am tired of all your complaining. Take a hike.
taken = ditipu
He was taken for all his money at the casino.
taking care of business = melakukan apa yang harus aku kerjakan
I have been taking care of business.
threads = pakaian
Those look like expensive threads he is wearing.
tool around = berkendara berputar-putar
I don't want to tool around all night. It is time to go home.
totaled = benar benar rusak
My car was totaled in the accident with the garbage truck.
-U-
up = bahagia dan senang
He has been up ever since he met his new girlfriend.
up for grabs = tersedia
This is a sale. Everything is up for grabs.
-V-
veg out = bersantai
I want to veg out in front of the television this evening.
vibes = perasaan
He really gives off good vibes.
-W-
wad = segepok
You don't want to carry a wad like that with you in the big city.
waste = membunuh
After you waste him, throw the body in the river.
Wheels = mobil
If you let me borrow your wheels, I'll go out and buy a pizza.
whiz = orang yang berbakat
He is a whiz at the computer.
wired = terjaga / tidak bisa tidur
I am really wired after drinking five cups of coffee.
wussy = orang yang lemah
Don't be such a wussy all the time, Say what you are thinking.
-Y-
yukky = buruk
This food tastes yukky
-Z-
zapped = lelah
I am too zapped to help you right now.
zip = tak satupun / tak apapun
He knew zip about running the company.
# Thank god. About three days, I finished this article.
Referensi: Kamus American Slang & Expressions, Ungkapan-ungkapan Khas Inggris Amerika, Cara Cerdas Belajar Bahasa Inggris, Karya Achmad Fanani