What is the urban dictionary?

I don't know if it ever made it onto the Urban Dictionary site, but after George Herbert Walker Bush had a digestive problem at a function in Japan, the term "bushu-suru" ("to do a Bush") immediately became Japanese slang for throwing up in public.

Ron, there are quite a few "bushisms" in the Urban Dictionary, including American and Japanese versions of bushusuru.

Garry, I would say that the Urban Dictionary is sort of like the Wiki of Words. It's not scholarly, but it can be quite useful and interesting. I find it particularly useful for looking up slang words that aren't in any other reference. If not for the Urban Dictionary, I wouldn't have been able to learn the meaning of some words or phrases. Once in a while I find a definition that is very creative and insightful. Another good feature is that usage examples are often provided, employing sentences in context.

The phrase "Pulling a Palin" is not necessarily a political putdown, though the phrase itself was of course inspired by a politician. The Urban Dictionary also has "Pulling a Clinton," as well as hundreds of other "Pulling a __________________, so it is definitely an equal opportunity resource. A while back I defined a phrase for the Urban Dictionary, though I can't remember what phrase it was. To contribute to the Urban Dictionary, you set up an account and submit your entry. Each entry gets reviewed by editors who make the final decision whether to add it. At least, that's how I think it works. As I said, it's not scholarly. But it is useful at times. Probably the best way to see how it works is to use it yourself. Put in some words or phrases and see what happens!