The Phrasebook
What she meant by that.
Dating and texting slang, one straight answer each. 40 terms so far.
Texting
The stuff in her messages.
- double textSending a second message before she’s replied to the first.
- dry textingShort, low-energy replies that give you nothing to work with.
- istgEmphasis. Mild exasperation, usually playful.
- left on readShe saw the message and didn’t reply.
- lolAlmost never actual laughing.
- nglIntroduces something slightly honest or slightly bold.
Slang
Words she uses that you might not.
Dating
Where things stand, and what to call it.
- breadcrumbingKeeping someone mildly interested with just enough contact to stop them from leaving.
- exclusiveNot seeing anyone else: stated out loud, not assumed.
- ghostingDisappearing with no explanation.
- green flagSomething small that suggests someone is a good person to be around.
- the ickA sudden, hard-to-explain turn-off.
- situationshipMore than friends, less than a relationship, undefined on purpose.
- soft launchPosting a person without showing who they are: a hand, a shoulder, two drinks.
- the talking stageThe period after you’ve started texting and before you’re anything official.
Signals
What she’s telling you without saying it.
Nails, hair, lashes
What she got done today.
- acrylicsArtificial nail extensions built on top of the natural nail.
- balayageHand-painted highlights that fade in gradually instead of starting at the root.
- blowoutA professional wash and blow-dry, styled smooth.
- brow laminationBrow hairs set upward so they look fuller and brushed-up.
- claw clipThe big hinged plastic clip that holds hair up in one motion.
- French tipsNails painted with a thin line of color across the very tip, usually white.
- gel nailsPolish cured under a UV lamp so it lasts a couple of weeks without chipping.
- lash extensionsIndividual synthetic lashes glued to her own, one at a time.
- lash liftA perm for your natural lashes: curls them upward, no extensions added.
Conversation
How it’s actually going.