Nadsat English Word origin

A

appy polly loggy apology Highly exaggerated pronunciation of apology

B

baboochka old woman бабушка, bábuška lit. "grandmother"

baddiwad bad Young child talk

banda band банда, bánda "gang"

barry place prison From bars on windows in Prisons.

bedways to bed —

bezoomny mad, crazy безумный bezúmnyj

biblio library библиотека, bibliotéka

bitva battle битва, bítva

blub weep, cry English slang. Not exclusively nadsat.

Bog God бог, bog (pronounced /box/)

bolnoy sick больной bol’nój

bolshy big, great большой bol’šój Cf bolshie

boohoo, boohoohoo to cry from the sound that one makes while crying. Not exclusively nadsat.

brat, bratty brother брат, brat

bratchny bastard брачный (matrimonial), brachny — likely a shortened внебрачный (out-of-wedlock),

vnebrachny, even though stripping it of the prefix inverts the meaning

britva razor бритва brítva

brooko belly брюхо brjúxo

brosay, brosat to throw бросай (throw! - imperative), brosáj, бросать brosát’, "to throw"

bugatties riches богатый, bogátyj.

bugatty rich богатый, bogátyj.

C

cables blood vessels -

cal crap кал, kal "feces", sometimes used as an invective as well

cancer cigarette Short for English slang "cancer stick" from the disease heavy smoking is most commonly

associated with

cantora office контора, kontóra

carman pocket карман, karmán

chai tea чай, čaj Not exclusively nadsat.

charles, charlie chaplain a play on Charlie Chaplin Not exclusively nadsat.

chasha cup чашка, čáška; чаша, čáša, "large bowl"

chasso guard часовой, časovój

cheena woman женщина, žénščina

cheest to wash чистить, čístit’, "to clean"

chelloveck person, man, fellow человек, čelovék, "person", "man"

chepooka nonsense чепуха, čepuxá

choodessny wonderful чудесный, čudésnyj

chumble to mumble portmanteau "chatter" + "mumble"

clockwork mechanically responsive (see notes) [1]

clop to knock хлопать, xlópat’, "clap"; German Klopfen, "knock"

cluve beak клюв, kljuv

collocol bell колокол, kólokol

crack to break up, smash —

crark to howl portmanteau "crow" + "bark"

crast steal, rob, robbery красть, krast’, "to steal"

creech to shout, scream кричать, kričát’

cutter money From Cockney rhyming slang derived from 'bread-and-butter'

D

dama lady дама, dáma; cf Dame

ded, dedoochka old man дед, ded, дедушка, déduška "grandfather", coll. "old man"

deng money деньги, dén’gi

devotchka young woman девочка, dévočka, "girl"

dobby good добрый, dóbryj "kind", "good"

dook trace, ghost дух, dux, lit. "spirit"; Romany dook, "magic"

domy house дом, dom

dorogoy dear, valuable дорогой, dorogój

dratsing fighting драться, drát'sja, "to fight"

drencrom drug possibly "Adrenochrome"

droog friend друг, drug, "friend"

dung to defecate —

dva two два, dva

E

eegra game игра, igrá

eemya name имя, ímja

eggiweg egg Juvenile mutation of "egg"

em mother From initial.

eunuch jelly gutless coward

F

fag tire English slang. Not exclusively nadsat.

faggy tired

fashed bothered, annoyed, tired Scots

filly to play or fool around with dim. of "fiddle", cf filly (horse)

filmdrome cinema Possibly from velodrome, a bicycle-race arena.

firegold strong drink ? "firewater"

fist to punch from Engl. fist, Cf удар кулаком, БИТЬ кулаком

flip wild from Eng. slang "to flip out" to go mad/crazy

forella trout форель, forél’

fuzzy scratchy

G

gazetta newspaper газета, gazéta, cf "gazette"

glazz, glazzies,

glazzballs

eye, eyes (also used to refer to

nipples) глаз, glaz

gloopy stupid глупый, glúpyj

godman priest, chaplain

golly unit of money rhyming slang, "lolly," or "polly"

goloss voice голос, gólos

goober lip губа, gubá

gooly to walk гулять, gulját’

gorlo throat горло górlo

govoreet speak говорить, govorít’

grahzny dirty грязный, grjáznyj

grazzy soiled грязь, grjaz’, "dirt", грязный, grjáznyj, "dirty"

gromky loud громкий grómkij

groody breast грудь, grud’, "breast", груди, grúdi, "breasts"

gruppa group группа, grúppa

guff laugh guffaw

gulliver head голова, golová

guttiwuts guts Children’s speech

H

hen-korm chickenfeed Engl. hen + корм, korm, lit. "feed (noun)", but cf corn

horn to cry out —

horrorshow good, well, excellent хорошо, xorošó, "well", "good" (also pun on "horror" + "show")

hound-and-horny corny Rhyming slang

I

in-out in-out, the old in

and out sexual intercourse/rape —

interessovat to interest интересовать interesovát’

itty to go идти idtí, "to go"

J

jammiwam jam Juvenile mutation of the word "jam"

jeezny life жизнь, žizn’

K

kartoffel potatoes картофель, kartofel which itself is derived from German Kartoffel, "potato"

kashl cough кашель, kášel’

keeshkas guts кишка, kišká, "gut"

kleb bread хлеб, xleb

klootch key ключ, ključ

knives drugs

knopka button кнопка knópka

knopkavat buttoning кнопка knópka

kopat to 'dig' (appreciate) копать kopát’, "to dig" (literally)

korova cow корова koróva

koshka, kot cat, tomcat кошка kóška, кот kot

koshtoom clothing костюм, kostjúm "suit"

krovvy blood кровь, krov’

kupet to buy купить, kupít’

L

lapa paw лапа lápa

lewdies people люди, ljúdi

lighter old woman, crone Unknown, possibly "blighter" or "fire lighter"

litso face лицо licó

lomtick piece, bit ломтик, lómtik, "slice"

luna moon луна luná

loveted caught ловить, lovít’, "to catch"

lubbilubbing making love любить, ljubít’, "to love", люблю, ljubljú, "(I) love"

luscious glory hair rhyming slang, possibly "upper storey" (or, more likely, a reference to 'crowning glory')

M

malchick boy мальчик mál’čik

malenky little, tiny маленький málen’kij

maslo butter масло máslo

merzky filthy мерзкий mérzkij, lit. "vile", "disgusting"

messel thought, fancy мысль mysl’

mesto place место mésto

mewler (or: mowler) to mew —

millicents police from милиционер milicionér, lit. "a militsiya officer" (милиция milícija), influenced by the

given name Millicent. Cf militia

minoota minute минута minúta

molodoy young молодой molodój

moloko milk молоко molokó

Moloko plus milk laced with drugs (see notes) [2]

moodge man муж, muž, "husband", archaic, high-flown "man"

morder snout морда, mórda

mounch snack munch

munchy-wunching munching Juvenile mutation of the word "munching"

mozg brain мозг mozg

N

nachinat to begin начинать načinát’

nadmenny arrogant надменный nadménnyj

nadsat teenage from -надцать -nadcat’, '-teen' suffix; e.g., одиннадцать odínnadcat’, двенадцать dvenádcat’,

тринадцать trinádcat’, etc.

nagoy naked нагой nagój, "nude", high-flown for "naked"

nazz fool назад nazád, "backward"

neezhnies underpants нижнее nížneje, "lower" (adjective, neuter); нижнее бельё nížneje bel’jó, "underwear"

nochy night ночь noč’

nogas feet, legs нога nogá

nozh knife нож nož

nuking smelling нюхать njúxat’, "smell", "sniff"

O

oddy knocky on one's own одинокий odinókij, lit. "lonesome"

odin one один odín

okno window окно oknó

oobivat to kill убивать ubivát’

ookadeet to leave уходить uxodít’

ooko ear ухо úxo

oomny brainy умный úmnyj, "clever"

oozhassny terrible ужасный užásnyj

oozy chain узы úzy, "shackles"

orange man, person Malay "orang", whence "orang utan", "orang pendek"

osoosh to wipe осушать osušát’, "to dry"

otchkies eyeglasses очки očkí

P

pan-handle erection —

pee and em father and mother "pa and ma," "pater and mater"

peet to drink пить pit’

pishcha food пища píšča

platch to cry плач plač (noun)

platties clothes платье plát’je

pletcho shoulder плечо plečó

plenny prisoner пленный plénnyj, lit. "captive"

plesk splash плеск plesk

plosh to splash onomatopoeia "kerplosh"

plott body плоть plot’, "flesh"

podooshka pillow подушка, podúška

pol sex пол pol "gender"

polezny useful полезный poléznyj

polly in phrase "pretty polly" =

money rhyming slang for "lolly"

polyclef skeleton key clef is French for "key"; poly- is Greek, meaning "many"

pony to understand понимать, ponimát’, "to understand"

poogly frightened испуганный ispúgannyj, "frightened", пугливый, puglívyj, "easily scared"

pooshka gun пушка púška, literally "cannon", slang "gun"

pop-disc a record, pop album —

prestoopnik criminal преступник prestúpnik

pretty polly money Rhyming slang for "lolly"

privodeet to lead somewhere приводить privodít’

prod to produce produce, but cf продукция prodúkcija

ptitsa girl птица, ptíca "bird" (common slang in Britain for a young woman, not used in Russian in this

sense), cf. chick

punchipunching punching Juvenile mutation of "punching"

pyahnitsa drunk пьяница p’jánica

R

rabbit work работа rabóta

radosty joy радость rádost’, "joy"

raskazz story рассказ rasskáz

rassoodock mind рассудок rassúdok

raz time раз raz, lit. "time" as in "one time, two times"

razdraz annoy раздражать razdražát’

razrez to rip, ripping разрез razréz, "a cut", разрезать razrezát’ impf./razrézat’ pf., "to cut"

rookerful handful рука ruká, "hand"

rook, rooker arm, hand руки rúki pl

rot mouth рот rot

rozz policeman rozzer is Cockney slang for "policeman"

S

sabog shoe сапог sapóg, "boot", cf French sabot, shoe

sakar sugar сахар sáxar, cf saccharine

sammy generous "(Good) Samaritan" (Bible Story); Russian "samoye", the most

sarky sarcastic English slang, not exclusively nadsat.

scoteena beast, cow скотина skotína, "brute"

shaika gang шайка šájka

sharp female —

sharries buttocks шары šarý pl, "spheres/marbles"

shest barrier шест šest, "pole"

shilarny concern Possibly Irish, unknown lit. meaning

shive slice Probably from shiv

shiyah neck шея šéja

shlem helmet шлем šlem

shlaga club, bat German "Schläger", meaning 'club' or 'bat' (lit. 'hitter')

shlagnicked clubbed "shlaga" + -ник (Russian diminutive)

shlapa hat шляпа šljápa

shoom noise шум šum

shoot fool шут šut, "clown", "jester"

shvat take схватить sxvatít’, "grab"

silver-like shiny

sinny cinema, film French slang "ciné", Russian кино kinó

skazat to say сказать skazát’

skolliwoll school Juvenile mutation of the word "school"

skorry quick, quickly скорый skóryj

skriking scratching portmanteau of "strike" + "scratch"

skvat to grab схватить sxvatít’

sladkvat sweetest сладкий sládkij

sladky sweet сладкий sládkij

sloochat to happen случаться slučát’sja

sloosh, slooshy to hear, to listen слушать slúšat’, "listen", слышать slýšat’, "hear"

slovo word слово slóvo

smeck laugh смех smex, "laughter"

smot to look смотреть smotrét’

sneety dream сниться snít’sja, "to be seen in a dream"

snoutie tobacco From "snout" Engl. prison slang for "tobacco" or "cigarette"

snuff it commit suicide From the phrase used to put out a lit candle (to snuff it). Not exclusively nadsat.

sobirat to pick up собирать sobirát’

sod to fornicate/bugger,

fornicator/bugger Engl. slang; from sodomy, not exclusively nadsat.

soomka old woman сумка súmka, "bag", as in the English slang for old woman

sooka whore сука súka, lit. "bitch", as in the common slang for a whorish or unsavoury woman

soviet advice, order совет sovét, lit. "a piece of advice"

spat, spatchka to sleep спать spat’

splodge, splosh splash —

spoogy terrified испуганный ispúgannyj

Staja cell, State Jail formed from the beginning of the words "STAte JAil"; cf German Stalag

Steaky Wake Beef Steak a childish pronunciation of the word steak.

starry ancient, old старый stáryj

strack horror страх strax, "fear"

stripey hole prison From appearance of bars.

synthemesc drug possibly "synthetic mescaline"

T

tally waist талия tálija

tashtook handkerchief from German Taschentuch, lit. "pocket-cloth"

tass cup from French tasse or German Tasse

this nochy tonight ночь noč’, "night"

tick-tocker heart from the sound of a heartbeat, often "ticker" in English slang.

timps drums from English timpani

tolchock push, hit толчок tolčók

toofles slippers туфли túfli, "shoes"

tree three три tri

U

Ultra-violence Acts of incredible brutality and

aggression Portmanteau of Ultra and Violent

V

vareet to cook up варить varít’, lit. "to cook by boiling"

vaysay washroom from French pronunciation of w.-c., "water closet"

veck person, man, fellow человек čelovék, "person", "man"

vehina wine вино vinó

vellocet drug

Probably fabricated; '-cet' is a common ending of painkillers (e.g., percocet, ultracet).

Possibly from speed (velocity), which is slang for the drug amphetamine. Possibly suggested by

the British motorcycle manufacturers Velocette.

venail ? (used as tolchocking and

venailing) ?

veshch thing вещь vešč’'

viddy see видеть vídet’, "to see"

vino wine (also used as blood) вино vinó

voloss hair волос vólos, "a hair"; волосы vólosy pl, "hair"

von smell вонь von’, "stench"

vred to harm or damage вред vred, "harm"

W

warbles songs, records From the English word "warble", that is, to sing. (As in the birds known as "warblers")

worldcast satellite TV or shortwave radio

broadcast Portmonteau of "world" and "broadcast"

Y

yahma hole яма jáma

yahoodies Jews Arabic "هود yehudi, a man of the tribe of Judah, Jew; not יהודי yahudi"; from Hebrew" ,"ي

exclusively nadsat

yahzick tongue язык jazýk

yarbles, yarblockos testicles яблоко jábloko, "apple" (the Russian word doesn't have this meaning, see яйца)

yeckate to drive ехать jéxat’, "to go (by vehicle)"

Z

zammechat remarkable замечательно zamečátel’no, "remarkably", "remarkable"

zasnoot sleep заснуть zasnút’, "to fall asleep"

zheena wife жена žená

1. ^ The term "A Clockwork Orange" refers to a human who is mechanically responsive, as is the character of Alex in the story, after his series of trials.

2. ^ The drugs in question are drencrom (which possibly refers to adrenochrome), synthemesc (which possibly refers to synthetic mescaline, mescaline being extracted from peyote, a Mexican hallucinatory cactus used in rituals), or vellocet (-cet is a common ending for painkillers, and vello may refer to velocity). Burgess uses the concoction in A Clockwork Orange to make the protagonist Alex become increasingly violent near the beginning of the novel.

zoobies teeth зубы zúby pl

zvonock bellpull, doorbell звонок zvonók, "doorbell"

zvook sound звук zvuk