American Slang & Idioms Starting with "P"

147 entries

• Pack heat Slang meaning to carry a concealed firearm, often heard in crime dramas and f...
• Packie A liquor store — short for 'package store,' the New England term for a shop s...
• Paddleboarding (SUP) Standing on a large surfboard and propelling yourself with a long paddle.
• Pain point A specific problem or frustration that a customer or user experiences.
• Paleo A diet based on foods similar to what our Paleolithic ancestors supposedly ate.
• Papa bear A fiercely protective father who will defend his family at all costs.
• Paper Slang for money or cash, used informally across many American dialects.
• Par for the course Typical, expected, or normal — nothing surprising.
• Parallel parking Parking a car parallel to the curb between two other vehicles — a skill that ...
• Parasocial A one-sided emotional connection with someone (usually a celebrity or content...
• Pardon my French Excuse my bad language; sorry for swearing.
• Park ranger A uniformed employee of the National Park Service who manages, protects, and ...
• Parking lot (meeting) A list of topics or ideas set aside during a meeting for later discussion.
• Party animal A person who loves to party and does so frequently and enthusiastically.
• Party foul A social mistake or embarrassing action committed at a party, like spilling a...
• Party pooper Someone who refuses to join in the fun or dampens everyone's enthusiasm.
• Party school A college or university known more for its active social and party scene than...
• Party wave A wave ridden by multiple surfers at once, either intentionally for fun or ac...
• Pass muster To meet the required standard; to be acceptable or good enough.
• Pass the baton To hand off responsibility or leadership to the next person.
• Pass the buck To shift responsibility or blame to someone else instead of dealing with it y...
• Passes the vibe check Meeting the standard for good energy and compatibility — being cool, likeable...
• Passive income Money earned with minimal ongoing effort, such as from investments, royalties...
• Pasty A savory hand pie filled with meat, potatoes, and onions — a Michigan Upper P...
• Pay through the nose To pay an excessively high price for something.
• Payoff (bribe) A bribe or payment made to someone in exchange for favorable treatment or sil...
• Paywall A system that blocks access to content unless you pay for a subscription.
• PB&J A peanut butter and jelly sandwich — the most iconic American sandwich.
• PDA Public display of affection — physical intimacy shown between partners in pub...
• Peace out A casual farewell meaning 'goodbye,' often accompanied by a peace sign gesture.
• Peak bagging The hobby of systematically climbing and tracking mountain peaks, often from ...
• Pedal to the metal To go as fast as possible, or to put maximum effort into something.
• Peel back the onion To examine something layer by layer, revealing deeper complexity.
• Peep To look at, notice, or check out something. To pay attention to.
• Peep game To observe and understand what's really going on. To see through a situation ...
• Peloton A brand of connected fitness equipment and classes, used colloquially to mean...
• Pencil pusher A bureaucratic office worker who handles paperwork and administrative tasks.
• Penny pincher A person who is extremely frugal or stingy with money.
• Perf A casual abbreviation of 'perfect.'
• Period An emphatic statement of finality — end of discussion, that is the absolute t...
• Period / Periodt End of discussion; no room for debate; that's final.
• Perp walk The public display of a handcuffed suspect being led by police, often for med...
• Petty Making a big deal out of something trivial, being vindictive over small matte...
• Phoning it in Putting minimal effort into a task; going through the motions without real en...
• Phony A person who is insincere or pretentious — someone whose personality or claim...
• Photoshopped Digitally altered or edited, especially to enhance or manipulate a photo.
• Pick-me A person who puts down their own group to win approval from the opposite gender.
• Pickup game An informal, spontaneous game organized on the spot, without referees or offi...
• Pickup line A rehearsed, often cheesy opening line used to start a conversation with some...
• Pickup truck A vehicle with an open cargo bed in the back, deeply embedded in American cul...
• Piddlin' around Wasting time on trivial tasks; puttering around without real purpose.
• Pie (pizza) A whole pizza — in NYC, ordering a 'pie' means a full pizza, not a dessert.
• Piece of cake Something that is very easy to do.
• Pig out To eat a large amount of food, especially in a greedy or indulgent way.
• Pilot season The period in early spring when TV networks film pilot episodes in Los Angele...
• Pinch hitter A substitute or replacement who steps in for someone else.
• Pinched To be arrested or caught by the police.
• Pinching pennies Being extremely careful with money; trying to save every possible cent.
• Pink slip A notice of termination from a job; to be fired.
• Pissah Great, awesome, excellent — a strong term of approval in Boston slang.
• Pissed off Very angry, furious, or extremely annoyed.
• Pit stop A brief stop during a trip for gas, food, or a bathroom break.
• Pitch a fit To throw a tantrum or have an angry outburst.
• Pivot To change direction or strategy, especially in business.
• Plant parent Someone who cares for their houseplants with the dedication and affection of ...
• Plant-based A diet or lifestyle centered on foods derived from plants rather than animals.
• Plastered Extremely drunk, to the point of being unable to function properly.
• Play ball To cooperate, agree to participate, or get started on something.
• Play hardball To be tough, aggressive, and uncompromising in negotiations or competition.
• Play hooky To skip school or work without a legitimate excuse.
• Play it by ear To decide how to handle a situation as it unfolds rather than making plans in...
• Playbook A set of strategies, tactics, or established methods for handling situations.
• Played out Something that has been overused, overdone, or is no longer fresh or interest...
• Player A person who dates multiple people at once, often being dishonest about their...
• Player hater Someone who resents or tries to undermine another person's success, style, or...
• Playing cupid Trying to set two people up romantically — acting as a matchmaker.
• Playing the field Dating multiple people at the same time without committing to any one person.
• Plea deal An agreement where a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge for a reduced...
• Pledge A new member in the process of joining a fraternity or sorority, or the act o...
• Plot armor Seeming immunity from consequences — as if the universe is protecting you lik...
• Plot twist An unexpected turn of events in a story, or figuratively, any surprising deve...
• Plumb Completely, totally, entirely — used as an intensifier.
• Plus one A guest you bring as your date or companion to an event, especially a wedding...
• Podcast bro A man who constantly references or recommends podcasts, especially long-form ...
• Polar vortex An extreme cold weather event caused by Arctic air plunging into the Midwest,...
• Pop Any carbonated soft drink — what coastal Americans call 'soda.'
• Pop machine A vending machine that dispenses soft drinks — what coastal Americans call a ...
• Pop off To go off, perform impressively, or celebrate enthusiastically — an exclamati...
• Pop quiz An unannounced, surprise test given by a teacher without prior warning.
• Pop smoke To leave quickly; to deploy a smoke grenade for concealment during extraction.
• Pop the question To propose marriage to someone.
• Popcorn movie A fun, entertaining movie that doesn't require much thinking — pure escapist ...
• Poppin' Looking attractive, exciting, or standing out in a crowd — visually impressive.
• Popping off Getting exciting, performing impressively, or starting to blow up with success.
• Porch sitting The Southern tradition of relaxing on a front porch, often socializing with n...
• Pork roll A processed meat product unique to New Jersey, served on breakfast sandwiches...
• Portage Carrying a canoe or kayak overland between two bodies of water.
• Poser Someone who pretends to be something they're not, especially to seem cool or ...
• Posted up Hanging out in one spot, usually standing or leaning against something. Stati...
• Potluck A communal meal where each guest brings a dish to share.
• POV Point of view — used to set up a scenario or perspective, especially in video...
• Powder day A day when fresh, deep, fluffy snow has fallen, creating perfect skiing or sn...
• Power couple A couple where both partners are highly successful, influential, or accomplis...
• Power hour A drinking game where participants take a shot of beer every minute for sixty...
• Power move A bold, impressive action that demonstrates confidence and strategic thinking.
• PR (personal record) A personal best performance in a specific exercise or athletic event.
• Pre-funk Pacific Northwest term for pregaming — drinking before going out.
• Pre-med A college track of courses preparing students for medical school, or a studen...
• Pre-workout A supplement drink taken before exercise to boost energy and performance.
• Preach An enthusiastic expression of agreement, meaning 'you're absolutely right' or...
• Pregame To drink alcohol before going out to a party, bar, or event.
• Pregame playlist A curated music playlist designed to get people hyped up before going out.
• Pregaming Drinking alcohol before going out to a bar, club, or event to save money or g...
• Preppy A style associated with East Coast prep schools — polo shirts, khakis, boat s...
• Pressed Upset, bothered, or overly concerned about something, often more than the sit...
• Primitive camping Camping with no amenities — no water, no electricity, no toilets, and no main...
• Primo First-rate, premium quality, the best available.
• Prinks Pre-drinks; alcoholic beverages consumed before going out, short for 'pre-gam...
• Props Respect, recognition, or credit given for an achievement.
• Protein shake A blended drink high in protein, used for muscle recovery and growth.
• Psyched Very excited, thrilled, or eagerly looking forward to something.
• PT (Personal Trainer) A fitness professional who designs workouts and provides one-on-one coaching.
• Pull an all-nighter To stay up all night working, studying, or completing a task.
• Pull over To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop, especially when directed ...
• Pull strings To use personal connections, influence, or power to get something done or gai...
• Pull up To arrive at a location or come to where someone is; an invitation to come over.
• Pull yourself up by your bootstraps To improve your situation through your own effort, without help from others.
• Pulled up Arrived somewhere looking impressive and stylish — showed up in style.
• Pulling an all-nighter Staying up all night to study, work on a project, or party.
• Pulling rank Using your seniority or authority to get your way.
• Pump-up jam A high-energy song that gets you motivated and excited, especially before a w...
• Pumped Excited, energized, and ready for action — full of enthusiasm and adrenaline.
• Pumpkin spice A flavor combination (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice) associated with Ame...
• Punch it To accelerate quickly, to floor the gas pedal.
• Punt To give up on something, postpone a decision, or pass responsibility to someo...
• Pupper A cute, internet-speak word for a puppy or small dog.
• Puppy chow A sweet snack made with Chex cereal, melted chocolate, peanut butter, and pow...
• Purr An expression of approval, satisfaction, or confidence — like a verbal cat pu...
• Pushback Resistance or opposition to an idea, plan, or decision.
• Put a label on it To define a relationship with an official title — boyfriend, girlfriend, part...
• Put a pin in it To set a topic aside temporarily with the intention of returning to it later.
• Put a ring on it To propose marriage to someone, or to commit to a relationship officially.
• Put all your eggs in one basket To risk everything on a single plan or investment.
• Put in the work To invest significant effort and time into achieving a goal.
• Put in your two weeks To formally resign from a job by giving two weeks' notice before your last day.
• Put someone on To introduce someone to something new — a song, artist, restaurant, or opport...
• Put together Looking well-dressed, coordinated, and polished in appearance.