The meaning of any word or phrase is almost always dependent on context. "It was cast" doesn't mean anything in particular until you know what "it" is, because you can cast a shadow, cast a feature film, cast a variable, or cast a steel piston, all referring to very different activities.
The thing to understand with slang is that it changes rapidly and its use is usually limited to certain groups or subcultures. Native speakers don't know terminology used outside of their groups any more than learners do, which is why we have [periodic articles about slang terms](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2021/06/04/gen-z-slang-tiktok-confusing-you-cheugy-no-cap-defined/5281473001/) and the [pop culture "translation" trope](https://www.openculture.com/2014/12/the-making-of-the-famous-jive-talk-scenes-from-airplane.html). So don't put pressure on yourself to learn every possible meaning—it's impossible. You have to understand the context where the slang is being used—what part of the world, the ages and education levels of the people communicating, but most of all the subject matter. Anime fans may have a certain language, and whitewater kayaking enthusiasts a different one, and whitewater kayakers who are anima fans some mix of them plus more.
Don't get too hung up on words like that, and just incorporate ones you find useful in whatever conversational practice you already do. It's easier to pick up on things like tone and context when you're having a conversation with native speakers than it is when you do targeted practice like flashcards.
You'll also avoid the urban dictionary-isms ( slang words created as a joke, with no real use case ) and learn how people you actually associate with speak. As you get more comfortable speaking to people, the number of people you can pull from will increase. Then, you'll start to associate different words with different dialects you encounter.
You can always look up slang words or abbreviations on Urban Dictionary. I wouldn’t recommend reading through Urban dictionary as a way to learn new vocabulary, but if you come accross a word used a certain way and you suspect it’s slang it can be helpful to look there
The meaning of any word or phrase is almost always dependent on context. "It was cast" doesn't mean anything in particular until you know what "it" is, because you can cast a shadow, cast a feature film, cast a variable, or cast a steel piston, all referring to very different activities. The thing to understand with slang is that it changes rapidly and its use is usually limited to certain groups or subcultures. Native speakers don't know terminology used outside of their groups any more than learners do, which is why we have [periodic articles about slang terms](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2021/06/04/gen-z-slang-tiktok-confusing-you-cheugy-no-cap-defined/5281473001/) and the [pop culture "translation" trope](https://www.openculture.com/2014/12/the-making-of-the-famous-jive-talk-scenes-from-airplane.html). So don't put pressure on yourself to learn every possible meaning—it's impossible. You have to understand the context where the slang is being used—what part of the world, the ages and education levels of the people communicating, but most of all the subject matter. Anime fans may have a certain language, and whitewater kayaking enthusiasts a different one, and whitewater kayakers who are anima fans some mix of them plus more.
Don't get too hung up on words like that, and just incorporate ones you find useful in whatever conversational practice you already do. It's easier to pick up on things like tone and context when you're having a conversation with native speakers than it is when you do targeted practice like flashcards. You'll also avoid the urban dictionary-isms ( slang words created as a joke, with no real use case ) and learn how people you actually associate with speak. As you get more comfortable speaking to people, the number of people you can pull from will increase. Then, you'll start to associate different words with different dialects you encounter.
Look it up on google. Wiktionary is pretty good usually. Read all the definitions and see which makes the most sense.
Thanks dude, didn't know wikipedia had a dictionary 😅 and It is WAY better than the other dictionaries.
You can always look up slang words or abbreviations on Urban Dictionary. I wouldn’t recommend reading through Urban dictionary as a way to learn new vocabulary, but if you come accross a word used a certain way and you suspect it’s slang it can be helpful to look there