Reactions & judgment

Extremely muscular, powerfully built, or visibly strong; sometimes extended to anything unusually sturdy or forceful.

““He came back from training looking brolic.””

Acting irrationally, overreacting, misunderstanding, or saying something unreasonable.

““You’re bugging if you think I’m taking three trains for that.””

A seasoned spread traditionally made from chopped cooked liver, onions, fat, and often egg; the words also appear in a humorous expression about being ignored.

““He ordered chopped liver on rye with a pickle.””

Bold nerve, audacity, gall, or striking self-confidence, with the judgment ranging from admiration to disapproval.

““It took real chutzpah to demand a refund after causing the damage.””

As an adjective, excellent, impressive, stylish, or exciting; as a noun, it can carry several unrelated meanings.

““That old concert flyer is dope.””

A rejection, refusal, failed plan, or person or situation being dismissed; as a verb, to ignore, turn down, or reject.

““Three transfers in the rain? That trip is a dub.””

Very or extremely when placed before an adjective, as in dumb nice, dumb far, or dumb expensive.

““That new spot is dumb far from the train.””

Stylish, attractive, polished, or impressively put together, especially when evaluating clothing or presentation.

““That jacket still looks fly after all these years.””

Pretending, exaggerating, acting tougher or more successful than reality, or presenting an image the speaker believes is false.

““Stop frontin’—you know you liked the song.””

A stylized spelling of forget about it that can dismiss an idea, close a subject, express disbelief, or intensify praise.

““Get a table there without a reservation? Fuhgeddaboudit.””

To question someone intensely, scrutinize them, or stare at them in a challenging way.

““Why are you grilling me? I already answered.””

Exceptionally good, skillful, striking, or impressive in a positive slang use; ordinarily, ill can still mean sick or harmful.

““That DJ played an ill closing set.””

Supporting, believing, claiming, or approving something; in the negative, refusing to endorse or accept it.

““I’m not jacking that excuse at all.””

To complain repeatedly or habitually; also a complaint or a person known for persistent complaining.

““We spent the whole subway delay kvetching about the heat.””

Very, extremely, or a lot of; in other contexts it can still mean angry.

““That spot gets mad crowded after six.””

A person regarded as decent, honorable, responsible, and trustworthy.

““He stayed late to help everyone clean up—a real mensch.””

An extremely short amount of time, suggesting that decisions, reactions, and daily life move unusually fast in New York.

““I’d take that apartment in a New York minute.””

A phrase used before an opinion, warning, or criticism to signal that the point has a reason behind it.

““Not for nothing, but we should leave before rush hour.””

Excessive, extremely, or doing too much; the exact grammar changes with the sentence.

““Twenty dollars for that small plate is OD.””

An insulting slang term for a foolish, unlikeable, inconsiderate, or contemptible person.

““Only a schmuck would block the doorway during rush hour.””

Upset, annoyed, or bothered; elsewhere it can also mean close, secure, or excellent.

““He was tight they closed the doors early.””

Good, acceptable, impressive, legitimate, or worth approving.

““That late-night dumpling spot is valid.””

Bad, low-quality, unappealing, unfair, or lacking skill, depending on what the speaker is judging.

““Canceling after everybody arrived was wack.””

Behaving excessively, recklessly, dramatically, or far outside what the speaker considers reasonable.

““Charging that much for a slice? They wildin’.””