"Mary Ann" means: An imaginary character to whom the Sheffield Outrages were attributed.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Mary Ann
(UK, historical) An imaginary character to whom the Sheffield Outrages were attributed.
Seen in the wild
Attending an important event: The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention is running a Suicide Prevention Advocacy Day at thr RI State House with Reps Mary Ann Shallcross Smith and Joe Solomon. They are supporting 4…
Attending an important event: The American Foundation is running a Suicide Prevention Advocacy Day at thr RI State House with Reps Mary Ann Shallcross Smith and Joe Solomon. They are supporting 4 priority bills.
Mary Ann Vecchio grieving over the body of Jeffrey Glenn Miller, 1970-05-04.
Blitzy, which says its platform autonomously completes months of software development, raised $200M at a $1.4B valuation, bringing its total funding to $232M+ (Mary Ann Azevedo/Crunchbase News) Main Link | Techmeme P…
'Every single bramley apple ever eaten can be traced back to the tree, which was planted from a pip by a young girl, Mary Ann Brailsford, in the early 19th century.' www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...
Definitions
(UK, historical) An imaginary character to whom the Sheffield Outrages were attributed.
The entire family fell in love with Mary Ann, holding her, playing peek-a-boo until she would laugh so loudly. The snow had been falling for several days, and it was blistering cold. Our family didn't own an automobile, but Daddy sat
"Mary Ann" means: An imaginary character to whom the Sheffield Outrages were attributed.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"Mary Ann" means: An imaginary character to whom the Sheffield Outrages were attributed.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (UK) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
“Attending an important event: The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention is running a Suicide Prevention Advocacy Day at thr RI State House with Reps Mary Ann Shallcross Smith and Joe Solomon. They are supporting 4 priority bills.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Attending an important event: The American Foundation is running a Suicide Prevention Advocacy Day at thr RI State House with Reps Mary Ann Shallcross Smith and Joe Solomon. They are supporting 4 priority bills.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Mary Ann Vecchio grieving over the body of Jeffrey Glenn Miller, 1970-05-04.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Blitzy, which says its platform autonomously completes months of software development, raised $200M at a $1.4B valuation, bringing its total funding to $232M+ (Mary Ann Azevedo/Crunchbase News) Main Link | Techmeme Permalink”
— Bluesky· May 2026“'Every single bramley apple ever eaten can be traced back to the tree, which was planted from a pip by a young girl, Mary Ann Brailsford, in the early 19th century.' www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "Mary Ann".
🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "Mary Ann" (M)
Browse all slang words starting with M.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- Mary Ellen58%
(UK, Liverpool, historical) A working-class woman, typically dressed in a shawl, carrying one or more babies, and working as a market trader.
- reet57%
Mary Reet, one of the witnessess against serial killer Beverley Allitt
- Holy Mary52%
Irish informal term for someone who is excessively, almost ostentatiously pious — the kind of person who attends every church service, quotes scripture in casual conversation, and judges others' moral choices from a great height. 'Holy Mary' has a definite critical edge to it; it's not a compliment. It suggests performative religiosity rather than genuine faith. The phrase is deeply embedded in Irish Catholic culture, where suspicion of over-the-top holiness is practically a social tradition.
- Holy Mary52%
(Ireland, informal) One who is extremely pious.
- Miss Ann51%
(African-American Vernacular, derogatory) An arrogant and condescending woman, especially of European ancestry.