This new collection brings together some 5,000 contemporary slang expressions with origins in all parts of the world and spanning seven centuries. An interesting and amusing reference book, it is useful for anyone wishing to gain an insight into how people communicate with each other at the close of the twentieth century.Each entry has a concise and up-to-date definition. This is often accompanied by an example of the slang in common use along with the date of its introduction into the English language.Eric Partridge was a popular and prolific writer on the English language whose A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English is now in its eighth edition. Just before his death, he handed over his material to Paul Beale, who was responsible for adding some 5,000 modern expressions to the latest edition. The entries for the Shorter Slang Dictionary have been taken from A Concise Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, with new definitions compiled by Rosalind Fergusson, a freelance lexicographer.