Meaning: I don’t care

With this one word, said in a slightly sarcastic tone, you can disparage anything. The preferred one-liner for sulky teenagers:

• “If you don’t start taking this class seriously and completing the assignments, you’re going to fail!”
• “Whatever.”

Meaning: (very) drunk

• “I got so plastered last night. I’m embarrassed to show my face now.”
• “Don’t worry, everyone was too wasted to notice when you ripped off your shirt and danced on the table.”

Meaning: to wait patiently

• “Hang tight, I’ll be with you in a minute.”

Meaning: a misfortune / to be disappointed or depressed

• “It’s a bummer that the concert was canceled.”
• “I know! I’m totally bummed about it.”

Warning: British English has a very different definition for these words.

Meaning: crazy; out of control; beyond belief

• “The line at the post office was so long and slow, I was going bonkers.”
• “Yeah, that place is nuts at lunch time.

Meaning: upset

• “Don’t get bent out of shape just because I overcooked the rice!”

Meaning: to give credit or recognition (short for “proper respect”)

• “I gotta give her props for that song. She’s an amazing singer.”

Meaning: very fun and exciting; out of control in a good way

• “Last night’s party was off the chain!”
• “I know, right? Those mojitos Brandy was mixing were off the hook.”

Meaning: to believe something

OK, OK — so we’re raging capitalists, we know. What better proof than this phrase that equates belief with willingness to pay money?

• “Her story is just too crazy. I don’t buy it!”

In the late 19th century, dude was an epithet for fastidiously dressed East-coast “city boys” who came out west to vacation on cattle ranches. The only current use that hearkens back to the original meaning is the verb, to dude up, which means to get dressed up in stylish clothes. But dude is now most widely used as a synonym for “man” or “guy.”

Perhaps the most American use of the word “dude” might be as an interjection for emphasis. When used this way, it no longer only means “some guy” and can start to mean anything:

• girlfriend: “Who’s that dude over there?”
• boyfriend: “Dude, I can’t see where you’re pointing!”
• girlfriend: “Look, the one by the bar who’s all duded up like he’s a movie star or something. Doesn’t he look familiar?”
• boyfriend: “Dude, that’s Keanu Reeves!”
• girlfriend: “Dude, you’re right!”
• boyfriend: “Duuuuuuuude.“

Dude conveys such a wide range of meanings, especially as an interjection, that entire conversations can be conducted with only that word. The bonus definition for dude is, of course, Jeff Bridges’ character from The Big Lebowski: The Dude. If you still can’t understand how to use this word, watch that movie, like now, dude!

This can obviously mean “be quiet,” but it also functions as an exclamation to express that what someone just told you is too shocking to believe.

• “Did you hear that Amy and Ben got back together?”
• “Shut up!“
• “No, really, I’m serious!”

This exclamation is not as pious as it sounds. In fact, conservative religious types would probably find it tasteless (not to mention that it breaks the fourth commandment!) and would likely substitute with “Oh, my goodness!” Denizens of the internet probably recognize the version of this phrase that’s become enshrined in meme-dom as “ermahgerd.”