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Slang vs Layman - What's the difference?

slang | layman |

As nouns the difference between slang and layman

is that slang is language outside of conventional usage while layman is layperson, someone who is not an ordained cleric or member of the clergy.

As a verb slang

is to vocally abuse, or shout at.

slang

English

(wikipedia slang)

Etymology 1

1756, .

Noun

  • Language outside of conventional usage.
  • Language that is unique to a particular profession or subject; jargon.
  • The specialized language of a social group, sometimes used to make what is said unintelligible to those not members of the group; cant.
  • *
    • "Oh, there are so many superior teas and sugars now. Superior is getting to be shopkeepers' slang ."
    "Are you beginning to dislike slang , then?" said Rosamond, with mild gravity.
    "Only the wrong sort. All choice of words is slang . It marks a class."
    "There is correct English: that is not slang ."
    "I beg your pardon: correct English is the slang' of prigs who write history and essays. And the strongest '''slang''' of all is the ' slang of poets."
    Synonyms
    * (jargon) vernacular, jargon, lingo, dialect, cant

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dated) To vocally abuse, or shout at.
  • * 1888', Also, he had to keep his temper when he was '''slanged in the theatre porch by a policeman — Rudyard Kipling, ‘Miss Youghal's ''Sais''’, ''Plain Tales from the Hills (Folio Society 2007, p. 26)
    • See also
    *

    Etymology 2

    Verb

    (head)
  • (archaic) (sling)
  • * 1836 , Edward Bagnall, Saul and David
    • Before he slang the all-deciding stone

    Etymology 3

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, dialect) Any long, narrow piece of land; a promontory.
    • (Holland)

    Etymology 4

    Compare sling.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, obsolete) A fetter worn on the leg by a convict.

    • External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    layman

    English

    (wikipedia layman)

    Noun

    (laymen)
  • layperson, someone who is not an ordained cleric or member of the clergy
  • by analogy, someone who is not a professional in a given field
    • Carmen is not a professional anthropologist, but strictly a layman .
    Let me explain it to you in layman's terms.
  • a common person
  • a person who is untrained or lacks knowledge of a subject
  • * 2005 , .
    • should he be held to be just a layman , or does he have some art?
  • a generally ignorant person
  • lay-sister or lay-brother, person received into a convent of monks, following the vows, but not being member of the order

    • Antonyms

    * expert * specialist * professional

    Derived terms

    * in layman's terms

    Related terms

    * laity