bang a uey
/ˌbæŋ ə ˈjuː.i/
To make a U-turn, especially in casual driving directions.
Boston · Eastern Massachusetts
What does Boston mean?
A focused dictionary of Boston slang and local expressions—built to show not only a definition, but also tone, pronunciation, neighborhood context, and the limits of each usage.
20 entries
Boston dictionary
Meanings need context.
This expanded starter dictionary covers 20 highly searched Boston and New England terms. Usage differs across neighborhoods, generations, ethnic communities, social groups, and individual speakers; no entry should be treated as a universal Boston rule.
bubbler
/ˈbʌb.ləɹ/
A public drinking-water fountain.
clicker
/ˈklɪk.əɹ/
A television remote control.
Dunks
/dʌŋks/
An informal local nickname for Dunkin’, the Massachusetts-founded coffee and doughnut chain.
frappe
/fræp/
A New England milkshake made with ice cream, milk, and flavoring.
grinder
/ˈɡraɪn.dəɹ/
A long filled sandwich similar to a sub, hoagie, or hero; usage is stronger in some parts of New England than in Boston itself.
jimmies
/ˈdʒɪm.iz/
Tiny candy sprinkles placed on ice cream, doughnuts, and other desserts; some speakers use the word especially for chocolate sprinkles.
kid
/kɪd/
A familiar way to address or refer to a friend, peer, acquaintance, or other person, regardless of actual age.
Masshole
/ˈmæs.hoʊl/
A coarse insult or self-deprecating nickname for a Massachusetts resident, often associated with aggressive driving, blunt behavior, or exaggerated state pride.
packie
/ˈpæk.i/
An informal New England shortening of “package store,” meaning a liquor store.
pisser
/ˈpɪs.əɹ/
A person, event, or thing that is especially funny, impressive, memorable, or frustrating; tone and context determine the direction.
rotary
/ˈroʊ.tə.ri/
A circular road junction, commonly called a traffic circle or roundabout elsewhere.
space saver
/ˈspeɪs ˌseɪ.vəɹ/
An object placed in a shoveled-out curbside parking spot after a declared snow emergency to mark that a resident intends to return, where City rules allow it.
spuckie
/ˈspʌk.i/
An older or neighborhood-specific Boston term for a sub-style sandwich, an Italian sandwich, or in some families the long bread roll used to make one.
Storrowed
/ˈstʌr.oʊd/
Describes a truck that strikes or becomes wedged beneath a low bridge, especially after entering Boston’s Storrow Drive despite height restrictions.
the Pike
/ðə ˈpaɪk/
The Massachusetts Turnpike, the east–west toll highway that forms part of Interstate 90.
the T
/ðə ˈtiː/
The common local nickname for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and especially its subway and light-rail system.
tonic
/ˈtɑː.nɪk/
A sweet carbonated soft drink; broadly equivalent to soda or pop in this older regional usage.
townie
/ˈtaʊ.ni/
A long-time local resident strongly identified with a particular town or Boston-area neighborhood.
wicked
/ˈwɪk.ɪd/
An adverbial intensifier meaning “very” or “extremely.” In Boston and wider New England speech, it commonly appears before an adjective or adverb.
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