INDEX:
relating to being male or female
1. male or female
2. places for people of both sexes
3. for people of one sex
sexual activities
4. to have sex with someone
5. to persuade someone to have sex
6. to have sex with a lot of people
7. when someone has sex with someone who is not their husband, girlfriend etc
8. when someone has sex only with their husband, girlfriend etc
9. someone’s sexual feelings, needs, or behaviour
10. wanting to have sex
11. to be sexually attracted to someone
12. someone who thinks about sex all the time
13. when someone does not have sex
illegal sexual activities
14. someone who has sex with people for money
15. to attack or harm someone in a sexual way
16. books, films, or pictures that are about sex
books, jokes, films, remarks etc about sex
17. books, jokes, remarks etc that are about sex and are offensive
18. books, jokes, remarks etc that are about sex in an amusing way
19. when someone talks about sex in an offensive way
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ MAN
↑ WOMAN
↑ GAY
◆◆◆
1. male or female
▷ sex /seks/ [countable/uncountable noun]
someone’s sex is whether they are male or female :
▪ You have to put your name, age, and sex on the form.
▪ You can now find out your baby’s sex before it is born.
▪ Eating disorders affect people of both sexes, not just girls.
the same sex
▪ Are the twins the same sex?
the opposite sex
the sex which is not your own
▪ Rupert has never shown much interest in members of the opposite sex.
sex discrimination
unfair treatment of someone because of their sex
▪ Most women are confronted by sex discrimination at some time in their working lives.
▷ gender /ˈdʒendəʳ/ [countable/uncountable noun]
someone’s gender is whether they are male or female - used especially in writing about politics and society, or in job advertisements :
▪ The job is open to any suitably qualified person regardless of age, gender, or race.
gender distinction/difference/division
a difference between men and women
▪ Sociologists believe that gender differences in voting will gradually disappear.
gender bias/stereotyping
treating someone in a particular way because of their gender
▪ an interesting study on gender bias in the classroom
▷ sexual /ˈsekʃuəl/ [adjective usually before noun]
relating to the differences between male and female or the characteristics of men or women :
▪ Birds have developed a sexual difference in the colours of their feathers.
sexual equality/inequality
equality or inequality between men and women
▪ Sexual inequality exists, to some degree, in every society.
sexual politics
social and political behaviour and ideas relating to men and women
▪ Men say that they are confused by today’s sexual politics in the workplace.
sexually [adverb]
▪ Male and female behaviour is partly sexually determined and partly learned.
2. places for people of both sexes
▷ mixed /mɪkst/ [adjective] British
a mixed school, class, group etc is for people of both sexes :
▪ Brisbane High was a mixed school so we had plenty to distract us from our lessons.
▪ One hall of residence is for men, one is for women and the third is mixed.
▷ coed /ˌkəʊˈed◂ǁˈkəʊed/ [adjective] American
a school, camp etc that is coed is for students or other people of both sexes :
▪ Many coed schools provide excellent education.
▪ Almost all college students live in coed dormitories or in houses shared with friends.
▷ unisex /ˈjuːnɪseks/ [adjective]
use this for describing places that are for both men and women, especially when these places are usually for either men or women :
▪ He prefers having his hair cut in a unisex salon.
▪ a unisex toilet
3. for people of one sex
▷ single-sex /ˌsɪŋg ə l ˈseks◂/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ Single-sex schools often achieve better academic results because there is no rivalry between the sexes.
▪ Churches rarely have single-sex choirs these days.
4. to have sex with someone
▷ have sex /hæv ˈseks/ [verb phrase]
▪ Teenagers should be taught to think carefully before having sex.
have sex with
▪ Would you have sex with someone on your first date?
▪ He’s never had sex with anyone but his wife.
▷ sex /seks/ [uncountable noun]
the act of having sex with someone :
▪ She had no interest in sex after the baby was born.
safe sex
methods of protecting yourself against sexual disease while you are having sex
▪ Some people ignore advice about safe sex and do not wear condoms.
sex education
teaching young people about sex
▪ a refreshing and unusual approach to sex education
▷ make love /meɪk ˈlʌv/ [verb phrase]
if two people make love, they have sex because they like or love each other :
▪ All day they made love on the unmade bed.
make love with/to
▪ She thought about Tom Cruise every time she made love with her boyfriend.
▷ sleep with somebody/sleep together /ˈsliːp wɪð somebody, ˈsliːp təgeðəʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb not in passive/intransitive phrasal verb]
to have sex with someone you are not married to, especially regularly and over a period of time :
▪ She’s been sleeping with this guy Mark since the summer.
▪ When did you first find out that Betty and your husband were sleeping together?
▷ go to bed /ˌgəʊ tə ˈbed/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to have sex with someone on one occasion, especially because they ask you or persuade you to do so :
▪ I remember the first time we went to bed.
go to bed with
▪ He said he’d give me the job if I went to bed with him.
▷ have (sexual) intercourse /hæv (ˌsekʃuəl) ˈɪntəʳkɔːʳs/ [verb phrase] formal
to have sex with someone - used especially in medical or legal contexts :
▪ The doctor asked him when he had last had intercourse.
▪ You are strongly advised to wear a condom while having sexual intercourse.
have (sexual) intercourse with
▪ The victim later claimed that her attacker forced her to have sexual intercourse with him.
intercourse/sexual intercourse [uncountable noun]
▪ The AIDS virus can be passed on during sexual intercourse.
▷ shag /ʃæg/ [intransitive/transitive verb] especially British, informal
to have sex with someone - used especially humorously :
▪ To hear him talk, you’d think he’s shagged every woman in town!
▪ All she ever thinks about is shagging.
shag [countable noun]
▪ I don’t know where they are - they’ve probably gone upstairs for a shag.
▷ bonk /bɒŋkǁbɑːŋk/ [intransitive/transitive verb] British informal
to have sex with someone - used humorously :
▪ They said she’d bonked every man in college.
▪ My mother walked in and caught us bonking.
bonk [countable noun]
▪ A quick bonk in a lay-by is not my idea of romance.
▷ lose your virginity /ˌluːz jɔːʳ vɜːʳˈdʒɪnə̇ti/ [verb phrase]
to have sex for the first time in your life :
▪ I lost my virginity at the age of seventeen.
lose your virginity to
▪ She had lost her virginity to a law student while at university.
▷ mate /meɪt/ [intransitive verb]
if birds or animals mate, they have sex in order to produce babies :
▪ The birds mate in April and the eggs are hatched by June.
a mating call/dance/ritual
something an animal does when it wants to mate
▪ Two pigeons performed an elaborate and very noisy mating dance.
the mating season/period
the time of year when animals mate
▪ During the mating season, foxes become much more vocal.
▷ sexual relations /ˌsekʃuəl rɪˈleɪʃ ə nz/ [plural noun] formal
when you have sex with someone - used especially in legal contexts :
▪ Love has nothing to do with sexual relations.
sexual relations between
▪ In most cultures, sexual relations between adults and children are totally unacceptable.
5. to persuade someone to have sex
▷ seduce /sɪˈdjuːs/ [transitive verb]
to persuade someone to have sex with you, especially someone who is younger than you or has less sexual experience :
▪ He accused Paul of trying to seduce his daughter.
▪ She had been seduced by a man who deserted her and went off to sea.
seduction /sɪˈdʌkʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
▪ The seduction of rich men was a game that she loved to play.
▷ get somebody into bed /ˌget somebody ɪntə ˈbed/ [verb phrase] informal
to persuade someone to have sex with you :
▪ Some men say they love you just to get you into bed.
6. to have sex with a lot of people
▷ sleep around /ˌsliːp əˈraʊnd/ [intransitive phrasal verb] informal
to have sex with many different people over a period of time, usually without having a serious relationship with any of them :
▪ I don’t sleep around any more, not since I met Jack.
▪ If you sleep around, you increase your risk of getting AIDS.
▷ casual sex /ˌkæʒuəl ˈseks/ [uncountable noun]
when someone has sex with someone without intending to have a serious relationship with them, especially when they do this many times :
▪ I’ve only known you a few days Luke, and I don’t go in for casual sex.
▪ It wasn’t difficult to pick up people for casual sex, but it was difficult to form any sort of relationship with someone.
▷ promiscuous /prəˈmɪskjuəs/ [adjective]
someone who is promiscuous has sex with many different people, usually without having a serious relationship with any of them :
▪ Promiscuous men are rarely criticized as severely as promiscuous women.
▪ The survey found that single men aged 18--35 were more promiscuous than any other social group.
promiscuity /ˌprɒmɪˈskjuːəti, ˌprɒməˈskjuːətiǁˌprɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
▪ The introduction of free contraceptives led to an increase in promiscuity.
▷ orgy /ˈɔːʳdʒi/ [countable noun]
a wild party where people have sex with a lot of different people :
▪ a wild drunken orgy
▪ What do you think’s going to happen? I’m not going to an orgy or anything.
▷ slut also slag /slʌt/ [countable noun] informal
an insulting word for a woman who has sex with a lot of different men over a period of time - used to show strong disapproval :
▪ He made me take off the red lipstick, saying it made me look like a slut.
▪ That little slag slept with my husband.
▷ stud /stʌd/ [countable noun] informal
a man who has sex with a lot of different women over a period of time - use this especially when the man is proud of his sexual activities :
▪ Josh had a reputation of being the college stud.
▪ A woman who behaves promiscuously is called a slut, but a man who behaves the same way is admiringly called a stud.
▷ nymphomaniac /ˌnɪmfəˈmeɪniæk/ [countable noun]
a woman who always wants to have sex or has sex with a lot of people, and is therefore considered morally bad :
▪ Even these days, a woman who has a lot of boyfriends is labelled a "nymphomaniac'.
7. when someone has sex with someone who is not their husband, girlfriend etc
▷ unfaithful /ʌnˈfeɪθf ə l/ [adjective]
if someone is unfaithful, they have sex with someone who is not their husband, girlfriend etc :
▪ Why do women stay with unfaithful partners?
▪ Jeff promised he’d never be unfaithful again.
unfaithful to
▪ He accused me of being unfaithful to him.
▷ cheat on somebody /ˈtʃiːt ɒn somebody/ [transitive phrasal verb] informal
if someone cheats on their husband, girlfriend etc, they secretly have sex with someone else :
▪ What would you do if your boyfriend cheated on you?
▷ affair /əˈfeəʳ/ [countable noun]
a secret sexual relationship between two people when at least one of them is married to someone else :
▪ Their affair lasted for six years.
love affair
▪ They finally confessed their secret love affair.
have an affair (with somebody)
▪ He accused his wife of having an affair.
▪ My wife thinks I’m having an affair with someone at work.
▷ adultery /əˈdʌlt ə ri/ [uncountable noun]
the act of having sex with someone who is not your husband or wife, when you are married :
▪ She finally left her husband because of his adultery.
commit adultery
formal have sex with someone who is not your husband or wife
▪ 60% of men admit to committing adultery at some time during their marriages.
▷ infidelity /ˌɪnfɪˈdeləti, ˌɪnfəˈdeləti/ [uncountable noun] formal
when someone who is married has sex with someone who is not their husband or wife :
▪ Her husband never knew of her infidelity.
marital infidelity
▪ There had been rumours for a long time of Clinton’s marital infidelity.
8. when someone has sex only with their husband, girlfriend etc
▷ faithful /ˈfeɪθf ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is faithful only has sex with their husband, girlfriend etc :
▪ I’ve always been faithful, I’ve never cheated on you, not once!
faithful to
▪ The survey found that 39% of British women are faithful to one partner over a lifetime.
9. someone’s sexual feelings, needs, or behaviour
▷ sexual /ˈsekʃuəl/ [adjective]
relating to sexual feelings or behaviour :
▪ Dr Ruth offers advice on sexual problems.
▪ It’s important to take your partner’s sexual needs into consideration.
▪ He had to admit that his feelings for her were mostly sexual.
sexually [adverb]
▪ 70% of all males are still sexually active they still have sex at the age of seventy.
▷ sexuality /ˌsekʃuˈælɪti, ˌsekʃuˈæləti/ [uncountable noun]
someone’s sexual feelings or needs, that are part of their basic character :
▪ Teenagers are often confused about their sexuality, for example whether they are gay or straight.
female/male sexuality
▪ She has written a fascinating book on female sexuality.
somebody’s sexuality
▪ Gradually he came to understand and accept his own sexuality.
▷ sex drive /ˈseks draɪv/ [countable noun usually singular]
someone’s desire to have sex - use this especially to talk about how strong or weak this is :
▪ These drugs may affect your sex drive.
▪ For many men, having a powerful sex drive is essential to their confidence.
▷ desire /dɪˈzaɪəʳ/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a very strong feeling of wanting to have sex with someone, because you think they are very beautiful or sexually attractive - used especially in literature :
▪ As she held him close she was filled with desire.
▪ When she was drunk she could hardly contain her sexual desires.
desire for
▪ The smell of her perfume was enough to awaken his desire for her.
▷ lust /lʌst/ [uncountable noun]
a very strong feeling of wanting to have sex with someone - use this when you are showing that someone’s feeling is only physical and does not involve love :
▪ These were not feelings of love but of lust, pure and simple.
▪ He was a man possessed by greed, jealousy and lust.
▷ libido /lɪˈbiːdəʊ/ [singular/uncountable noun]
someone’s need to have sex - use this especially in medical contexts :
▪ Drinking too much often results in a loss of libido.
▪ Most doctors agree that a suppressed libido is often associated with emotional and psychological problems.
10. wanting to have sex
▷ excited /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd, ɪkˈsaɪtəd/ [adjective]
having strong physical feelings that you want to have sex with someone :
▪ As she kissed him, he became more and more excited.
sexually excited
▪ He was getting sexually excited, and his breathing became short and fast.
▷ aroused /əˈraʊzd/ [adjective]
if you are aroused, you want to have sex with someone, usually because of the way they look or something they have done to make your body feel sexually excited :
▪ She didn’t have a lot of experience, but she knew when a man was aroused and when he wasn’t.
sexually aroused
▪ You are more likely to have a useful conversation about safer sex if you don’t leave it until you are sexually aroused.
▷ horny /randy British /ˈhɔːʳni, ˈrændi/ [adjective]
feeling sexually excited and wanting to have sex with someone :
▪ Thinking about her made me feel really randy.
▪ I don’t want a room-mate who acts like a horny teenager with every woman he meets.
11. to be sexually attracted to someone
▷ be attracted to /biː əˈtræktə̇d tuː/ [verb phrase]
to feel attracted to someone so that you would like to have a sexual relationship with them :
▪ I’ve always been very attracted to blondes.
▪ I don’t know why I was ever attracted to him in the first place.
strongly attracted to
▪ She didn’t really like him as a person, but she felt strongly attracted to him.
▷ fancy /ˈfænsi/ [transitive verb] British informal
to be sexually attracted to someone :
▪ Everyone knows you fancy Sara. Why don’t you ask her out?
▪ Fenella really fancied the drummer and went over to chat to him after the concert.
▷ be interested in /biː ˈɪntrə̇stə̇d ɪn/ [verb phrase]
to feel sexually attracted to someone, used especially when you are being polite and do not want to say that you have sexual feelings for them :
▪ She’s not really been interested in anyone since the divorce.
▪
▷ want /wɒntǁwɔːnt/ [transitive verb]
to feel very attracted to someone and to want to have sex with them :
▪ ‘I want you,’ she whispered, ‘I want you now.’
▪ He was obsessed with her and wanted her desperately.
▷ lust after /ˈlʌst ɑːftəʳǁ-æf-/ [transitive phrasal verb] informal
to be strongly sexually attracted to someone and think about having sex with them :
▪ You must really enjoy it, having all those fans lusting after you!
12. someone who thinks about sex all the time
▷ sex maniac /ˈseks ˌmeɪniæk/ [countable noun] informal
someone who always wants to have sex or thinks about sex all the time and is unable to control these feelings :
▪ You can’t go out with him -- he’s a sex maniac.
▷ dirty old man /ˌdɜːʳti əʊld ˈmæn/ [countable noun] informal
a middle-aged or old man who is always looking at or touching young women or girls in a sexual way :
▪ She was followed through the park by some dirty old man in a raincoat.
▪ One of the school doctors was a dirty old man who always wanted to examine the girls.
▷ lecherous /ˈletʃərəs/ [adjective]
a man who is lecherous is always looking at, thinking about, or talking to women in a sexual way that is unpleasant and offensive :
▪ He was as lecherous as always, telling rude jokes and trying to kiss all the girls.
▪ Her driving instructor was a disgusting lecherous old devil -- always touching her knee.
13. when someone does not have sex
▷ virgin /ˈvɜːʳdʒɪn, ˈvɜːʳdʒən/ [countable noun]
someone who has never had sex :
▪ Some men will not marry a woman who is no longer a virgin.
▪ At 27 he was still a virgin and very shy about it.
virginity /vɜːʳˈdʒɪnɪti, vɜːʳˈdʒɪnəti/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Women in some countries are expected to keep their virginity until marriage - the same rule doesn’t apply to men.
▷ celibate /ˈselɪbət, ˈseləbət/ [adjective]
someone who is celibate has chosen not to have sex at all, especially for religious reasons :
▪ He had remained celibate for three years before he met Hannah.
▪ She was not prepared for a celibate life in the Church.
celibacy [uncountable noun]
▪ He had taken a vow of celibacy promised to remain celibate at eighteen, when he became a priest.
▷ platonic /pləˈtɒnɪkǁ-ˈtɑː-/ [adjective]
a platonic relationship is one between people who do not have sex with each other, but are just friends - use this especially when other people think they are having a sexual relationship :
▪ Their relationship was strictly platonic, even though she was living in his apartment.
▪ In the novel, Edward and Susannah present a perfect model of platonic love.
▷ be just (good) friends /biː ˌdʒʌst (gʊd) ˈfrendz/ [verb phrase]
use this to say that two people are not having a sexual relationship :
▪ ‘Are you going out with Liam?’ ‘No, we’re just good friends.’
▪ I keep telling my mother that Peter and I are just friends but she doesn’t seem to believe me.
14. someone who has sex with people for money
▷ prostitute /ˈprɒstɪtjuːt, ˈprɒstətjuːtǁˈprɑːstə̇tuːt/ [countable noun]
someone, usually a woman, who has sex with people for money :
▪ She didn’t look like a prostitute. She wasn’t even wearing any make-up.
▪ In the evenings the prostitutes would line the streets, calling out to passing men.
male prostitute
▪ Male prostitutes lined the street looking for customers.
▷ hooker /ˈhʊkəʳ/ [countable noun] American informal
a woman who has sex with men for money :
▪ Change those clothes -- you look like a hooker.
▪ Some of the hookers in Vegas are under 13 years old.
▷ call-girl /ˈkɔːl gɜːʳl/ [countable noun]
a woman who has sex with men for money and arranges to meet them by telephone :
▪ She was earning $5000 a night working as a high-class call-girl.
▷ rent boy /ˈrent bɔɪ/ [countable noun] British
a boy or young man who has sex with other men in return for money :
▪ There were rent boys as young as twelve or thirteen waiting outside the bars.
▷ prostitution /ˌprɒstɪˈtjuːʃ ə n, ˌprɒstəˈtjuːʃ ə nǁˌprɑːstə̇ˈtuː-/ [uncountable noun]
the activity or business of having sex with people for money :
▪ Criminal gangs control all the drugs, gambling and prostitution in the city.
▪ Most of these girls give up prostitution when they’re about 30 and settle down and marry.
turn to prostitution
become a prostitute
▪ Women can become so desperate for money that they turn to prostitution.
▷ whore /hɔːʳ/ [countable noun]
an offensive word for a woman who has sex with people for money - use this when you want to show that you strongly disapprove of someone who does this :
▪ We’re dealing with a professional escort, not some dumb whore.
15. to attack or harm someone in a sexual way
▷ rape /reɪp/ [transitive verb]
to force someone to have sex when they do not want to :
▪ He was accused of raping his ex-girlfriend.
▪ The woman was raped and then murdered by her kidnapper.
rapist [countable noun]
▪ Rapists and child sex offenders are kept separate from other prisoners.
▷ rape /reɪp/ [countable/uncountable noun]
the crime of forcing someone to have sex when they do not want to :
▪ It was not the first time he had been accused of rape.
▪ Rape victims receive special counselling and are treated very sensitively.
▪ A woman’s sexual history should not be introduced in a rape trial.
▷ abuse/sexually abuse /əˈbjuːz, ˌsekʃuəli əˈbjuːz/ [transitive verb/verb phrase]
to harm a child by forcing them to have sex or touching them in a sexual way, especially over a long period of time :
▪ He had been sexually abusing his daughter since she was eleven years old.
abuse /əˈbjuːs/ [uncountable noun]
▪ The police are investigating claims of child abuse.
sexual abuse [uncountable noun]
▪ None of the children showed signs of sexual abuse.
▷ molest /məˈlest/ [transitive verb]
to harm or upset someone by touching them in a sexual way :
▪ Her father had molested her and her sisters when they were children.
child-molesting [uncountable noun]
▪ He has not seen his child since the allegations of child-molesting were made.
▷ sexual harassment /ˌsekʃuəl ˈhærəsmənt/ [uncountable noun]
when someone, especially someone you work with, regularly makes sexual remarks, looks at you in a sexual way, or tries to touch you in a sexual way that you do not want. Sexual harassment can be punished by law :
▪ Victims of sexual harassment are often afraid to report it in case they lose their jobs.
▪ She successfully prosecuted her boss for sexual harassment.
16. books, films, or pictures that are about sex
▷ pornography also porn informal /pɔːʳˈnɒgrəfiǁ-ˈnɑː-, pɔːʳn/ [uncountable noun]
films, magazines, or pictures that show sexual acts and are intended to make people feel sexually excited :
▪ It is now clear that there is a link between pornography and sex crimes.
hard-core pornography
very pornographic materials, which may be illegal
▪ Two trucks full of hard-core pornography were seized by customs officials today.
hard porn
very pornographic
▪ a back-street movie theater showing hard-porn movies
soft porn
slightly pornographic material
▪ 81 per cent of our readers said they regularly watched soft-porn movies.
▷ pornographic /ˌpɔːʳnəˈgræfɪk◂/ [adjective]
a pornographic film, magazine, or picture shows or describes sexual acts in order to make people sexually excited :
▪ He admitted possessing nude photographs, but denied they were pornographic.
▪ She was offered $50,000 to pose for a pornographic magazine.
▷ erotic /ɪˈrɒtɪkǁɪˈrɑː-/ [adjective]
an erotic book, film, painting etc shows or describes sexual acts in a way that is deliberately sexually exciting but is also artistic :
▪ He wrote both poetry and erotic literature.
▪ A number of scenes in the film were very erotic.
▷ adult /ˈædʌlt, əˈdʌlt/ [adjective only before noun]
adult film/magazine/entertainment etc
an adult film etc is not suitable for children or young people because it shows sexual acts or images :
▪ Adult magazines in shops must be kept where children cannot see them.
▷ steamy /ˈstiːmi/ [adjective]
a steamy play, film etc shows sexual acts that people find exciting and slightly shocking :
▪ The movie contains some pretty steamy scenes!
▪ His latest production is a steamy thriller set in Hong Kong.
▷ raunchy /ˈrɔːntʃi/ [adjective]
a raunchy film, performance etc has a lot of parts in it that are about sex, and that are slightly exciting, amusing, or shocking :
▪ Bette Midler came up with a typically raunchy performance that delighted the audience.
17. books, jokes, remarks etc that are about sex and are offensive
▷ obscene /əbˈsiːn/ [adjective]
obscene words or pictures are about sex and are very offensive :
▪ ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ was banned as an obscene book.
▪ He was charged with smuggling obscene materials into the UK.
▷ dirty /ˈdɜːʳti/ [adjective only before noun] informal
dirty books, jokes, films etc are about sex - use this especially to show that you think these are unpleasant :
▪ They just sit around telling dirty jokes - it’s very boring.
▪ He used to keep a collection of dirty books hidden under his bed.
▷ indecent /ɪnˈdiːs ə nt/ [adjective]
clothes that are indecent show parts of the body that are usually covered; actions or movements that are indecent are sexual, but in a way many people think is not pleasant or acceptable :
▪ You can’t wear that dress to the dinner party -- it’s positively indecent!
▪ Models were forced into all sorts of indecent poses for the camera.
▷ lewd /luːd/ [adjective]
lewd remarks or behaviour show that the person saying them or doing something is thinking about sex, and they are usually offensive :
▪ ‘Say no more!’ he grinned, giving her a lewd wink.
▪ Although his jokes were a little lewd, he always made us laugh.
▷ blue /bluː/ [adjective] informal
films, jokes etc that are blue are about sex and usually use offensive language :
▪ I found the kids watching a blue movie on the video last night.
▪ Her jokes are too blue for most audiences.
▷ filthy /ˈfɪlθi/ [adjective]
showing or describing sexual acts in a very offensive way :
▪ The magazine printed filthy pictures that shocked everyone.
▷ off-color /ɒf ˈkʌləʳ/ [adjective] American
jokes, stories, remarks etc that are off-color talk about sex in a way that is not acceptable in a particular situation :
▪ He occasionally tells an off-color joke, but his image is practically that of a saint.
▷ smut /smʌt/ [uncountable noun] informal
books, stories, films etc that are about sex - use this when you strongly disapprove of this :
▪ There’s too much violence and smut on TV these days.
18. books, jokes, remarks etc that are about sex in an amusing way
▷ risqué also saucy informal /ˈrɪskeɪǁrɪˈskeɪ, ˈsɔːsi/ [adjective]
a joke, remark, song etc that is risqué or saucy is about sex and is slightly shocking and amusing :
▪ Those jokes are a bit risqué -- don’t tell them in front of your grandparents.
▪ Edgar kept us entertained with a stream of unusual and rather saucy stories.
▷ suggestive /səˈdʒestɪvǁsəg-/ [adjective]
remarks, questions etc that are suggestive have a slightly hidden meaning that is about sex :
▪ When she worked in the pub, men used to make suggestive remarks to her all the time.
▪ The film "Tom Jones’ is famous for its sexually suggestive eating scene.
▷ innuendo /ˌɪnjuˈendəʊ/ [countable/uncountable noun]
remarks that are intended to make you think about sex even though they do not directly mention sex :
▪ The programme consists of an hour of sexist banter and innuendo.
▪ She found his relentless sexual innuendoes irritating.
▷ rude /ruːd/ [adjective] British
jokes, stories, songs etc that are rude deal with sex or parts of the body, especially in a slightly stupid way :
▪ I don’t want to hear any more of your rude jokes, Damien -- shut up.
▪ If you are going to tell the children some of your stories make sure they aren’t too rude.
▷ naughty /ˈnɔːtiǁˈnɔːti, ˈnɑːti/ [adjective] British spoken
use this to describe magazines, pictures, songs etc that deal with sex in a rude, but not very serious, way :
▪ Dennis sat on his bed reading a naughty magazine.
▪ They were reading an American novel that seemed to have had all the naughty bits cut out.
19. when someone talks about sex in an offensive way
▷ crude /kruːd/ [adjective]
someone who is crude talks about sex in a way that is direct and offensive, and is often deliberately trying to shock people :
▪ The comedian wasn’t funny at all; he was just crude and offensive.
▪ She was worried that her husband’s crude remarks might have upset some of the guests.
▷ coarse /kɔːʳs/ [adjective]
someone who is coarse is impolite and offensive in the way they talk about sex :
▪ She tried to ignore his coarse jokes and crude innuendoes -- he was obviously drunk.
▷ vulgar /ˈvʌlgəʳ/ [adjective]
someone who is vulgar or who makes vulgar jokes and remarks talks about sex in a very direct and offensive way :
▪ He ruined the evening with his vulgar talk about women and about how much he could drink.