Glossary of early twentieth century slang in the United States
This glossary of early twentieth century slang in the United States is an alphabetical collection of colloquial expressions and their idiomatic meaning from the 1900s to the 1930s. This compilation highlights American slang from the 1920s and does not include foreign phrases. The glossary includes dated entries connected to bootlegging, criminal activities, drug usage, filmmaking, firearms, ethnic slurs, prison slang, sexuality, women's physical features, and sports metaphors. Some expressions are deemed inappropriate and offensive in today's context.
While slang is usually inappropriate for formal settings, this assortment includes well-known expressions from that time, with some still in use today, e.g., blind date, cutie-pie, freebie, and take the ball and run.[1]
These items were gathered from published sources documenting 1920s slang, including books, PDFs, and websites. Verified references are provided for every entry in the listing.
0-9
[edit]- 86
- 1. Soda-counter term meaning an item was no longer available[2]
- 2. "Eighty-six" means to discard, eliminate, or deny service[2]
A
[edit]- A-1
- First class[3]
- abe's cabe
- 1. Five dollar bill[4]
- 2. See fin, a fiver, half a sawbuck[4]
- absent treatment
- Engaging in dance with a cautious partner[5]
- ab-so-lute-ly
- Affirmative, Yes[5]
- absotively
- Absolutely and positively[3]
- ace
- 1. One dollar bill; see clam[6]
- 2. An airplane adept[3]
- 3. An artist in any line[3]
- acknowledge the corn
- Admit responsibility for[3]
- ad
- Advertisement; hence ad club[3]
- adam's ale
- Water[3]
- african golf
- The game of craps or dice[3]
- air tight
- Very attractive[5]
- airedale
- Unattractive man[5]
- alarm clock
- Chaperone[5]
- alderman
- Man's pot-belly or simply a prominent belly of a man; see bay window[7]
- alibi
- Box of flowers or candy[5]
- alibi Ike
- One who excuses all his faults[3]
- all in
- Exhausted[3]
- all to the good
- Everything is all right [8]
- all to the good, the mustard, etc
- Excellent[3]
- all wet
- Erroneous idea or individual e.g. "He's all Wet"[6]
- alley worker
- A woman thief who robs men in alleys[8]
- almighty, dollar
- Money, the god of america[3]
- also ran
- A loser[3]
- altogether, in the
- Nude, naked[3]
- ambulance-chaser
- A shyster lawyer who goes after injured people to solicit their damage suits[3]
- amuck, to run
- To behave crazily[3]
- ananias Club, member of the
- A liar; anyone who differed with theodore roosevelt[3]
- and how!
- I Strongly agree![5]
- angel
- Man who finances a theatrical or other venture, usuallyfor no angelic reason[3]
- angora, to get one's
- To discomfit or rattle one[3]
- animated ivories or cubes
- Dice[3]
- ankle
- To walk, e.g. "Let's ankle!"[5]
- anvil chorus
- A chorus of knockers or depreciators[3]
- anyhoo
- used when you want to change the topic of conversation[9]
- ankle excursion
- Walk i.e. walk home[5]
- apple-knocker
- 1. Farm laborer mostly a Fruit picker[10]
- 2. country bumpkin or Hick[10]
- applesauce
- 1. Flattery[5]
- 2. Blah, tripe, nonsense, foolish talk e.g."Aw, Applesauce!"[6][3]
- apple strudel
- Concentrated apple sauce i.e.nonsense, foolish talk[12]
- arkansas toothpick
- A sheath or bowie knife[12]
- armchair
- Love nest[5]
- ass
- A fool[12]
- attaboy!
- Well done! or Attagirl![13]
- attic
- Empty part of a house; hence head, up per story[12]
- automat
- A nickel-in-the-slot restaurant[12]
- awfully
- Very much[12]
Example
A "cotton glaumer" picks cotton, an "apple knocker" picks apples and other fruit
— 1923 book by Nels Anderson[11]
Bowie Knife made by Tim Lively
17 1⁄2-inches long Arkansas Toothpick
B
[edit]- b.v.d.
- A man's underclothing[14]
- babbitt
- Typical mediocre-brained middle class American, realtor or otherwise[14]
- babe
- Attractive person usually a woman and sometimes meaning a significant other[15]
- baby
- Something of high value or respect including your sweetheart[15]
- baby doll
- One's sweetheart[14]
- baby grand
- Heavily built man[5]
- back-scratcher
- One who praises you for your praise of him, her or it[14]
- bad egg, bad penny, etc
- A good-for-naught[14]
- bad go to the
- Attend Sunday movies, dance, or otherwise offend the rotary methodist god[14]
- bad, to the
- Having suffered loss[14]
- badger game
- An extortion scheme that loosely takes its name from the illegal practice of badger-baiting. It revolves around a scheme to deceive someone, put them in a compromising position, and then extort money from them.[16]
- bag, to hold the
- To be left responsible while others escape[14]
- baggage smasher
- Hotel porter who handles trunks[14]
- bald-headed row
- Front row at a girlie leg show[14]
- ball, to play
- Go ahead[14]
- balled up
- Confused, messed up[17][14]
- balty, bats in, the belfry
- Crazy[14]
- bally nipper
- Tomboy[5]
- baloney
- Nonsense[5]
- bamboozle
- Obtain by trickery[14]
- banana oil
- The act of using insincere flattery and deception, particularly with the intention to deceive[18]
- bang-up
- First rate[14]
- bang the ivories
- Play the piano[14]
- bang to rights
- caught bang to rights i.e. "Caught in the act" e.g. "We've got you bang to rights handling stolen property"[8]
- bangtails
- Race horses whose tail is cut horizontally to resemble a tassel e.g. "I wagered on those bangtails in the third race."[19]
- bank's closed
- No kissing or making out e.g. Sorry, Mac, the bank's closed![5]
- barber
- Talkative individual[19]
- barber shop chord
- Male quartette harmony; barbarous music[14]
- barge
- Walk along [20]
- barleycorn, John
- Spirit of alcohol, exiled by Volstead[20]
- barn-stormer
- Strolling player[20]
- barney
- Scandal walker[21]
- barneymugging
- Love-making[5]
- barnumize
- To advertise in high-faulting' language[20]
- barrelhouse
- cheap saloon speakeasy or brothel[22]
- bathtub gin
- Homemade spirit, made in a bathtub[23]
- battle royal
- Indiscriminate boxing match of three or more[20]
- bay window
- Funny, yet unflattering nickname for a man's pot belly e.g. He's trim and tough, with no bay window and zero patience; see alderman[23]
- be on the nut
- To be broke[17]
- beak, beagle
- Nose[20]
- bean-eater
- Bostonian[20]
- bean-picker
- Person who tries to patch up trouble[5]
- bean-shooter
- Gun[17]
- beans, not to know
- To, know nothing[20]
- bear
- One who speculated' for a fall in stocks; opposite of bull[20]
- bear, she's a
- She's a wow, a wonder[20]
- bearcat
- Hot-blooded, vivacious woman[17]
- beat
- In journalism, precedence in news; a scoop[20]
- beat around the bush
- To dodge the issue[20]
- beat it
- Clear a way; vamoose; depart; scram, get lost[17][20]
- beat one's gums
- Idle chatter e.g. someone "beats one's gums"or "Flap one's gums"[6]
- beats the devil, the dutch
- Beats everything[20]
- beau, beau-lover
- Suitor, lover[20]
- bedbug
- An amorous or uxorious person[20]
- bee in one's bonnet
- To be obsessed with an idea[20]
- bee's knees, the
- Something or someone outstanding, remarkably fantastic, or awesome[24][a]
- beef
- Problem, e.g. "What's your beef?"[25]
- beer, small
- Anything unimportant[20]
- beeswax
- Business, e.g. "none of your beeswax"[25]
- beezer
- Nose; see also schnozzle smeller[19]
- behind the eight ball
- In a difficult position e.g. In a § Jam[25]
- believe me
- Expletive, "this is true"[20]
- bell bottom
- Sailor[5]
- bell polisher
- Man who lingers in apartment vestibule late at night[5]
- belly laugh
- Deep, full-bodied laugh[26]
- bellyache
- Complain all the time[20]
- belly-bumper, -buster, or -whopper
- Small hand sled used for coasting, lying on one's stomach[20]
- bellywash
- Soft drink, soda water, etc[20]
- belt
- Drink, swallow or swig of liquor[27]
- bent
- 1. Individual who is intoxicated or inebriated; see § drunk; also derivative bent outta of shape; see bent outta of shape[28][b]
- 2. Spoiled and ruined 1910s[29]
- 3. Person who is criminal and corrupt 1910s[30]
- bent cars
- Stolen Automobiles; 1930s [29]
- bent outta of shape
- Alternate name for intoxicated; see § drunk[28][b]
- bent hairpin
- Elderly maid[5]
- benzine buggy
- Automobile[20]
- berries
- Great or Money e.g. "It's the Berries"[5]
- berry patch
- 1. A man's special attraction to a girl[25]
- 2. The intimate area of a woman e.g."You won't be seeing my berry patch tonight, pal."[21]
- bet, you
- Absolutely. also bet your boots, last dollar[20]
- better half
- What a man calls his wife in her presence[20]
- biff
- A blow[20]
- bible belt
Area in the south and midwest where fundamentalism flourishes[25]
- big burg, big town
- A city[31]
- big cheese
- Someone of importance and influence e.g. the big boss; [5]
- big drink
- The Mississippi; any ocean[31]
- big head, to have a
- To be conceited[31]
- big house
Prison[32]
- big mouth
- A noisy, bragging person[31]
- big one
- Death[33]
- big pond or puddle
- The Atlantic ocean[31]
- big shot
- Someone of importance and influence; Big boss; see big cheese[34]
- big six
- From auto advertising, for the new and powerful six cylinder engines inferring a Strong man e.g. Go send our big six to collect the money[32]
- big sleep
- Death[19]
- big stiff, big cheese
- Anyone who disagrees with you[31]
- big timer
- Charming and romantic man[5]
- bilge
- Bunk, blah, flapdoodle, nonsense[31]
- billboard
- Flashy man or woman[5]
- bim
- Woman[19]
- bimbo
Tough guy or strong man; see also hard-boiled Bruno[5]
- bindle
- The bundle containing cloths and possessions usually carried by a tramp[35]
- bindle Punk Or Bindle Stiff
- Tramps or hobos; Migratory harvest workers[35]
- bing
- Solitary confinement cell used for punishment[35]
- bird
- 1. Broad term for a man or woman, sometimes indicating "unusual," behavior e.g. "what a funny old bird"[5]
- 2. A young girl; anything attractive[31]
- birthday suit
- Nature's garb; nudity[31]
- biscuit
- Pettable flapper[32]
- bit
- 1. United states money equivalent to 12½ cents[31]
- 2. Prison sentence[36]
- bite the dust
- Be slain[31]
- blaah
- No good[5]
- black Hand
- A Spanish, Italian or Sicilian secret society of criminals[31]
- black hats
- Bad person, especially a villain or criminal in a movie, novel, or play; Heavy in a movie e.g. The Black hats show up at the mansion[37]
- black Maria
- The calaboose, police wagon to take criminals to jail or station house[31]
- blah
- Bunk, nonsense, spreadeagle talk[31]
- blarney
- Wheedling flattery; pretty talk[31]
- blazes, go to
- Go to hell[31]
- blazes, like
- Violently, impetuously (from the flames of hell)[31]
- bleed, to
- To victimize, extort money from[31]
- blimp
- Any non-rigid balloon[31]
- blind
- 1. Alternate names for intoxicated; Drunken bout; see § drunk[38][b]
- blind date
An appointment is set for a show or dance where your partner is someone you don't know, usually a friend of a friend[39]
- blind pig
- Unlicensed, illegal drinking establishment e.g. They just opened a new blind pig down the street serving some first-class hooch; see speakeasy[40]
- blind tiger
- Unlicensed, illegal drinking establishment e.g. They just opened a new blind tiger down the street serving some first-class hooch; see speakeasy[41]
- blink, on the
- On the fritz; no good[31]
- blip off
- Kill someone[19]
- bloated aristocrat, bloated bondholder
- Wealthy person[31]
- blockhead
- Dunce, fool[31]
- blooey
- Condition when one has gone to pieces[5]
- bloody shirt, to wave the
- To stir up political strife[31]
- blotto
- Alternate names for intoxicated[42][b]
- § drunk
- blouse
- Leave from somewhere[5]
- blow
- 1. Crazy party[5]
- 2. To boast or brag[31]
- 3. Leave[5]
- 3. Big wad in nightclubs; spend one's money excessively or irresponsibly[43]
- 4. Cocaine[43]
- blow in
- Come in unexpectedly[31]
- blow one's own horn
- To praise oneself[31]
- blow-out
- Feast, spread; puncture, as of auto tire[31]
- blue funk
- Nervous apprehension or agitation[44]
- blue in the face
- Aghast with amazement or fear[44]
- blue laws
- Severe puritanic laws[44]
- blue moon, once in a
- Hardly ever[44]
- blue pencil, to
- To edit[44]
- blues
- Depression; a jazz or ragtime tune[44]
- blue-sky laws
- Laws concerning corporations so loose that everything gets through; the sky the limit[44]
- blue-stocking
- A puritan, one holier-than-thou[44]
- blow someone down
- Kill or murder someone; blow someone away[45]
- blower
- Telephone[32]
- blue serge
- Sweetheart[5]
- bluenose
- Excessively puritanical person; prude[32]
- bluff
- Bragging, assertion without foundation[44]
- bluff, to call a
- To call for a show-down[44]
- blurb
- Printed praise, usually excessive[44]
- blushing violet
- Publicity hound[5]
- bo
- Man; see also buster mac pal[19]
- bob
- To cut the hair short[44]
- bob cut
- There were various bob haircuts, but the most common involved cutting both the bangs and back in a straight line, typically with the back shorter and off the neck i.e. shingle bob; e.g. Most flappers had their hair bobbed[46]
- bogus
- Spurious, sham[44]
- bohemian
- Artistic, as life in an artists' quarter[44]
- bohunk
- 1. Derogatory name for an Eastern European immigrant (out of use by 1930) except in certain anti-immigrant circles; See Ku Klux Klan[47]
- 2. Stupid, clumsy person[47]
- boiled
- Drunk, pickled, stewed, stewed to the gills, lit, illuminated, soused[44]
- boiled as an owl
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[48][b]
- boiler
- Automobile[19]
- bolsheviki, bolshevik
- Anything you disagree with, from Russian communist policies to prohibition[44]
- bonanza
- A profitable investment; a lucky strike[44]
- bone dry
- No liquor available. but see speakeasy, blind pig, blind tiger, bootleg, rum row, etc.[44]
- bone, to pull a
- To make a stupid mistake[44]
- bonehead
- A dull, stupid, or awkward fellow[44]
- bones
- Dice, the ivory cubes, the galloping dominoes[44]
- bones, to make no bones about
- To speak directly[44]
- boob
- Dumb guy[46][44]
- boob-tickler
- Girl who has to entertain her father's customers from out of town[5]
- boodle
- Illegal gain or graft[49]
- bookkeeping
- The art of making a date[5]
- bootleg
- To sell illegal liquor[49]
- booklegger
- 1. Dealer in suppressed novels[5]
- 2. Someone who makes or sells alcohol illegally[50]
- boom
- To advertise extensively; to puff[49]
- boom
- Inflated values, as in Florida and California real estate[49]
- boost
- To aid by pushing upward. hence booster[49]
- booze
- Drink or shot of Alcohol[51]
- boozehound
- Heavy consumer of alcohol[52]
- bop
- To kill[53]
- bosh
- Nonsense; twaddle[49]
- bosom fly
- A petter or Necker; from "let me to thy bosom fly"[49]
- boss
- Master or employer[49]
- bottle
- The drinking habit[49]
- bounce, get the
- To be discharged-- from a job also, get the sack[49]
- bouncer
- One who throws out objectionable persons[49]
- bourbon
- A stubborn conservative; old rye whiskey[49]
- bowled over
- Put out of commission[49]
- box
- Safe or a bar[54]
- box job
- Safecracking[55]
- bozo
- Person; a term of address[49]
- brace
- Interrogate informally; confront someone; Beg for money[56]
- bracer
- A stimulant, an alcoholic drink[49]
- bracelets
- Handcuffs (term originated before the 20th century) e.g. The house dick slapped a pair of bracelets on me[57]
- brainstorm
- Sudden and violent cerebral disturbance; mental attitude of any rich criminal[49]
- brand-new
- Absolutely new[49]
- brass
- Bare-faced impudence[49]
- bread-and-butter
- One's living[49]
- break it up
- Stop that; quit the nonsense; stop quarreling and fighting[58]
- break the ice
- To overcome diffidence on first meeting[49]
- breeches, to wear the
- To rule the house; said too frequently of women[49]
- breeze
- 1. Breeze Off i.e. leave; depart[59]
- 2. Leave; move; go quickly[60]
- breezer
- Convertible car[61]
- breezy
- Easy going; jovial; cheerful e.g. One movie reviewer refer to the hero of a film A Stranger from Somewhere as a Breezy Westerner[59]
- brick
- A first rate person. Also "a regular brick"[49]
- brillo
- Someone who lives fast and is a big spender[5]
- briny, the
- The sea or ocean[62]
- broad
- Expression used solely by men to refer to a woman and widely considered offensive by women[63]
- brodie
- To take a chance; from Steve Brodie's successful leap from Brooklyn bridge[62]
- broke, clear, dead, or stone
- Penniless[62]
- bromide
- A commonplace bore; a stale jest[62]
- bronx cheer
- 1. Loud spluttering noise mimicking fluctuance that expresses complete disapproval[63]
- 2. see raspberry[46]
- brown
- Whiskey in the 1920s[64]
- bruiser
- A boxer, or pugilist[62]
- bruno
- Tough guy, strong man, enforcer; see also bimbo hard-boiled[19]
- brush-ape
- Anyone from the sticks; hayshaker, farmer[21]
- bub(s)
- Female breast(s)[65]
- buck
- A dandy; also, a dollar[62]
- buck the tiger
- Gamble, play against the bank[62]
- buck up
- Be encouraged[62]
- buck, pass the
- To shift responsibility[62]
- bucket
- Automobile; see also cowpie crate heap jalopy[19]
- bucket shop
- A gambling den with faked dealing in stocks and bonds[62]
- bud
- A debutante[62]
- buddy
- Companion in arms; chum[62]
- buff
- The skin; hence, in the buff naked[62]
- bug, a
- A fanatic; as, a radio bug[62]
- bug eyed
- Amazed: astounded in the 1920s i.e. He looked all bug-eyed[66]
- bug's ear
- 1. Always with the connotation of being small e.g.Your baby is cuter than a bug's ear[67]
- 2. Attractive, Charming i.e. cute as a bug's ear[68][a]
- bugger-lugger
- A factory hand[62]
- bugs
- Go crazy[62]
- bulge, the
- Advantage e.g. have the bulge on[69]
- bull
- 1. Nonsense, exaggerated lies; chat idly, to exaggerate; hence, bull thrower, toreador, etc[70]
- 2. Stock speculator playing for a rise[62]
- 3. Uniformed policeman; law-enforcement official; plainclothes cop[71]
- 4. railroad security guard[72]
- bull session
- Male talkfest, gossip, stories of sexual exploits[73]
- bully
- Splendid; excellent[62]
- bullyrag
- To threaten, to scold[62]
- bum
- Hobo. hence, on the bum, ruined, broke[62]
- bum's rush
- Thrown out of an establishment[6]
- bump
- Kill, murder, assassination[74]
- bump gums
- Argue; talk excessively; see run one's gums[75]
- bump off
- Kill, murder, assassinate[76]
- bum's rush
- Old method of ejecting bums from saloons[62]
- bunco
- To swindle or rob. hence, bunco-game, bunco-steerer. a bunco man's decoy[62]
- bunk
- Nonsense[5]
- bunny
- Term of endearment applied to the lost, confused, etc often coupled with "poor little"[19]
- burbank
- To create a new hybrid plant or animal[62]
- burn powder
- Fire a gun[77]
- bus
- Automobile, airplane, boat, large truck; 1910s[78]
- bush league
- Second rate[62]
- bushwa
- Euphemism for "bulls#*%"[70]
- bust
- 1. A drunken revel, a spree[62]
- 2. Boxer[5]
- busthead
- Illicitly distilled liquor[79]
- buster
- Man; see also bo mac pal[80]
- busy as a one-arm paper-hanger with the barber's itch
- Very busy[81]
- butter and egg man
- 1. Man with the bankroll or money[19]
- 2. A prosperous dairy farmer (or other wealthy rural citizen), seen as coming into the big city and ostentatiously living it up.[82]
- 3. Well-to-do mid-western salesman in new York, playing with shebas and vamps; a sugar-coated papa.[81]
- buzz-wagon, buzz-buggy
- An automobile[81]
- buzzer
- Policeman or private detective's badge[83]
Pair of Handcuffs
C
[edit]- C
- cocaine[84]
- c note
- $100 e.g. pair of c's = $200[19]
- c.o.
- Conscientious objector[81]
- c.o.d.
- Cash on delivery; no credit[81]
- cabbage
- Money[19]
- caboodle
- Aggregate, whole collection[81]
- caboose
- Jail[19]
- cadet
- Pimp, pander, procurer; west point undergraduate[81]
- cain, to raise
- To raise hell[81]
- cake basket
- Limousine[5]
- cake eater
- 1. Often a cake eater was the opposite of a flapper e.g.The individual is dressed in tight-fitting attire, including a belted coat with pointed lapels, one-button pants, a low snug collar, and a greenish-pink shirt with a jazzbo tie; see flaming youth[21]
- 2. Spoiled rich person; Playboy[85]
- 3. Lady's man[86]
- 4. Self-indulgent effeminate young man[85]
- 5. A tea-hound, lounge-lizard, lady-bug [81]
- call down
- To reprove, to censure[81]
- can
- 1. Prison; holding cell at a police station; being imprisoned 1910s[88]
- 2. Dilapidated, run-down automobile; 1920s[88]
- can house
- Bordello; brothel[89]
- can it
- Forget it. hence, can the chatter. shut up[81]
- can opener
- Safecracker who opens cheap safes[19]
- canary
- 1. Informer; stool pigeon[90]
- 2. Female vocalist typically fronting a band[91]
- canceled stamp
- Shy girl at a dance or party[5]
- canned
- Intoxicated; § drunk[92][b]
- canned music
- Phonograph or radio music[81]
- cannery
- prison[89]
- cannon-fodder
- Soldiers[81]
- canoodle
- To bill and coo[81]
- canuck, Kanuck
- A French Canadian[81]
- cap, to set one's cap for
- To try to vamp[81]
- cape Cod turkey
- Salted codfish[81]
- caper
- 1. Criminal act or robbery[93]
- 2. Drunken spree[93]
- capital
- Splendid, excellent[81]
- captain of industry
- A wholesale human wolf, who buries his bones in profitable investments[81]
- card
- A character; "he's a card"[81]
- carpet-bagger
- A non-resident politician[81]
- carry a torch
- Developing strong emotions for someone, yet enduring unrequited love[94]
- case
- Queer or eccentric character[81]
- case dough
- Using one's last remaining funds[95]
- cash
- Kiss[96]
- cash or check
- Do we kiss now or later?[96]
- cash in
- Settle one's accounts[81]
- cash in one's chips
- To die[81]
- cast a kitten
- 1. Expressing intense and unexpected emotions; see have kittens[97]
- 2. Experience a sudden outburst of laughter, fear, or anger e.g. "He got so upset, I thought he was going to have kittens."[97]
- cat
- Man[19]
- cat's meow
- Someone who is smug and content with themselves; see bee's knee's[98][a]
- cat's pajamas
- see bee's knee's[21][a]
- cat's whiskers, cat's pajamas, cat's meaow, elephant's fallen arches, snake's hips
- Something excellent[100]
- catspaw
- A tool or dupe[100]
- catch
- An eligible unmarried man or girl[100]
- catch-word,
- A popular phrase used to get votes[100]
- cater-cornered
- Placed corner-wise or diagonally[100]
- caveman
- Modern forcible wooer[100]
- cellar smeller
- Man with a penchant for showing up where liquor is being served[96]
- celestial
- Derogatory term for Chinese or East Asians[101]
- century
- One hundred dollars i.e. $100[19]
- chained lightning
- White mule; southern mountain whiskey[100]
- chair, the
- The electric chair, for electrocution or a permanent wave[100]
- change
- Loose money[100]
- character
- A person of striking peculiarities[100]
- charlie
- Man with a mustache[96]
- chassis
- Female body[102]
- chaw up
- To demolish utterly, smash[100]
- cheaters
- Eyeglasses[6]
- check
- Kiss me later[96]
- check your hat
- Call me later[96]
- cherry smashes
- Weak kisses[96]
- cheek
- Barefaced impudence[100]
- cheese it
- Beat it[100]
- cherry smashes
- Weak kisses[96]
- chestnut
- An old joke; the ark was cargoed with them[100]
- chewing gum
- Doublespeak, or ambiguous talk[103]
- chicago lightning
- Gunfire[103]
- chicago overcoat
- Coffin[19]
- chicago typewriter
- Thompson submachine gun; see chopper[103]
- chick
- Young woman[104]
- chicken
- A broiler, flapper, young girl[100]
- chilled off
- Killed; murdered[105]
- chin
- Conversation; talking[105]
- chin music
- Punch on the jaw[96]
- chinese squeeze
- Grafting by skimming profits off the top[106]
- chip in
- To contribute money to[100]
- chippy
- Woman of easy virtue[107]
- chisel
- Swindle or cheat[108]
- chiv
- knife; stabbing or cutting weapon[108]
- chocolate drop
- An African-american [100]
- choice bit of calico
- Desirable female[107]
- chop-suey
- Blah, applesauce, nonsense[100]
- chopper
- Nickname because of the damage its heavy .45 caliber rounds did to the human body; see chicago typewriter[109]
- chop squad
- A squad of hitmen wielding Thompson submachine guns; also chopper squad[106]
- chorine
- A chorus girl[100]
- chump
- 1. A blockhead[100]
- 2. Person marked for a con or a gullible person[110]
- ciggy
- Cigarette[111]
- cinemagoer
- Frequently attends motion pictures (1920)[107]
- clam
- 1. Money i.e. One Dollar bills; see ace[6]
- 2. A dumb or taciturn person[100]
- clammed
- Close-mouthed e.g. he really clammed up![112]
- claptrap
- Cheap unworthy trick to get applause[100]
- claret
- In pugilistic slang, blood[100]
- class, classy
- Ritzy, elegant, swell, fashionable[100]
- claw-hammer coat
- Evening dress coat[100]
- clay-eater, dirt-eater
- Poor whites who eat clay[100]
- clean, to get
- To escape entirely[100]
- clean sneak
- Escape from a robbery with no clues left behind[113]
- clip joint
- Nightclub where the prices are high and the patrons are fleeced[114]
- clipped
- 1. Shoot dead[115]
- 2. cheated or fleeced [116]
- clodhopper
- A country jake, hick, jay, rube, etc[100]
- close
- Stingy[100]
- close your head
- Shut up[19]
- clothesline
- Person who tells neighborhood stories[96]
- clout
- Shoplifter[19]
- cloven foot, to show the
- To betray satanic character[100]
- clover, to be in
- To be well off[117]
- clubhouse
- Police station[19]
- cocaine fiend
- 1916, the term "Cocaine Fiend" was fashionable. The term was used in trade journal of the period. However, movie reviewers revised the term to "Cocaine addict" as a replacement phase which seemed a little less harsh to readers[118]
- cocked hat, to knock into
- To knock out of shape[117]
- cocky
- Saucy, impertinent[117]
- coco, koko
- Head, supposititious site of brains[117]
- codfish aristocracy
- Vulgar new-rich; fish baron[117]
- co-ed
- Girl or woman at a college for both sexes[117]
- coffin varnish
- Bootleg liquor, often poisonous[120]
- coin
- Money; loot[121]
- coin money
- To prosper in business[117]
- coke
- cocaine; cocaine addict[84]
- cokehead
- Someone who engages in frequent and uncontrollable cocaine consumption [123]
- cold
- Distant, frigid, unenthusiastic[117]
- cold deck
- Marked or stacked deck of cards[117]
- cold shoulder
- Same as icy mitt; refusal of a lover[117]
- cold water, to throw on
- To discourage[117]
- collar, hot under the
- To be angry[117]
- come to time
- 1. The term was employed in prizefighting, specifically boxing[124]
- 2. The contestants are expected to resume the competition once the rest period is over and time is called[124]
- 3. Meet expectations; keep an appointment[124]
- come-uppance, to get one's
- To get one's deserts[117]
- con
- Confidence game, swindle[126]
- con artist
- Person who cheats or tricks others by persuading them to believe something that is not true[126]
- con game
- Scam in which the victim is persuaded to trust the swindler in some way[126]
- confidence game; con-game
- A trick for extorting money from the unwary. hence, con-man, etc.[117]
- conk
- Head[127]
- cooler
- solitary confinement cell in a prison[128]
- coon
- In a bad predicament; negro, hence, gone coon[117]
- cootie
- Louse. hence, cuddle-cootie; an affectionate person[117]
- cop
- 1. Police officer[129]
- 2. Catch; capture[129]
- 3. Steal; swipe[129]
- copacetic
- Wonderful, fine, all right e.g."everything is copacetic"[6]
- copped
- Catch; Capture: Arrested by the cops[130]
- copper
- Policeman[131]
- corked
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[131][b]
- corn
- Bourbon; corn liquor; rum[132]
- corn shredder
- Bad dancer i.e. young man who dances on lady's feet[96]
- corner the market, to
- To monopolize the supply[117]
- corridor vamp
- Someone who ogles the opposite sex[96]
- cotton, to
- To stick closely to[117]
- couch-beetle
- Bedbug, amorous person[117]
- country
- Hicksville; rustic[117]
- court-plaster
- A wooer who sticks by you[117]
- cow
- An awkward waddling woman[117]
- cowpie
- Automobile; see also bucket crate heap jalopy[96]
- cowpie warmup
- Car ride[96]
- cowpuncher
- A cowboy, a he-man[133]
- crab
- 1. Grouch[133]
- 2. Figure out[134]
- crabhanger
- Reformer[21]
- crack a bottle
- Open a bottle of liquor[133]
- crack up
- To praise highly[133]
- crack, a wise
- A near-bright remark[133]
- crack wise
- Make a sarcastic, flippant, or sardonic comment[135]
- cracked
- Crazy[133]
- cracker
- Poor white, as in Georgia[133]
- crank
- A person with a mental twist[133]
- crape hanger
- Zealous reformer[96]
- craps
- Dice; African golf; Abyssinian polo; Congo croquet[133]
- crap-shooter
- One who plays craps; ivory-roller[133]
- crasher
- Person who attends a party uninvited[96]
- crate
- Automobile; see also bucket cowpie heap jalopy[136]
- crawl, to
- To wriggle out of a difficulty obsequiously[133]
- creeps
- Goose-flesh, cold shivers[133]
- croak
- To die; to be Killed; murdered[137]
- croaker
- Doctor[138]
- crook
- A criminal, dishonest person hence, to crook[133]
- crow
- To exult in triumph[133]
- crush
- Have romantic interest; Infatuation[73]
- crushed out
- Escaped i.e. from jail:Prison break[139]
- cub
- A young reporter[133]
- cuckoo
- Crazy[133]
- cuddle-cootie
- Young man who takes a girl for a ride usually on a bus[96]
- cuddler
- One who likes to make out[96]
- cups, in his
- Drunk; spifflicated; stewed, pickled[133]
- cur
- A contemptible man[133]
- curb, on the
- Out in the street; said of curbstone brokers, dealing in small securities[133]
- cuss
- A perverse or obstinate fellow; used affectionately also[133]
- cussedness, general
- General mischievousness[133]
- custard pie comedies
- Comedies in which the chief trick is throwing custard pies[133]
- cut dead
- To snub socially[133]
- cut down
- Strike down; kill; incapacitate[140]
- cutie
- A doll, peach, attractive girl[133]
- cutie-pie
- Typically a young woman who is charming or attractive; also Cutesie pie[141]
- cutting yourself a piece of cake
- Making yourself wait patiently[21]
- cuttroat
- A dealer in coal, landlord, etc.[133]
A series 1922 one-hundred dollar gold certificate
Example
"It calls for a picked clientele of fans who are able to visualize and distinguish mortal from immortal as portrayed in the flesh. It will not appeal to the Flapper, the Lounge Lizard and Cake Eater, nor to the less intelligent."
— 1923 Exhibitor's Trade Review assessment of the film – Puritan Passions[87]
Example
The Rent Collector (Vitagraph), with Larry Semon — A scream, a whirlwind, a cyclone of fun. For action and real fun his comedies are the snake's hips and the cat's meow.
— 1923 Exhibitors Herald Patron's Movie Review[99]
_-_Title.jpg)
Title card for the American exploitation film The Cocaine Fiends
Example
Browne finds a dead woman, whose jewels are missing. Foumier discovers that Browne is a cocaine fiend, and . . .
— 1916 Moving Picture World Review of No. 16 Martin Street[119]
Example
Wanted: Love *** Abe has Coin *** Girls Kid him
— 1915 Article Headline of Abe Deuce's letter to the editor of Los Angeles Record [122]
Example
Newspaper article states addicts are nicknamed according to the kind of drug they use e.g.one addicted to cocaine is called a cokehead, coke, snowbird, sniffer.
— 1923 newspaper article explaining drug usage and terms[84]
Example
They Like 'Em Rough,' with Viola Dana. – Comedy-drama in which a husband uses cave man tactics to make his flapper wife come to time
— 1922 Exhibitors Herald Movie Review[125]
D
[edit]- d.t.'s
- 1. Delirium tremens[142]
- 2. A middle-aged man attentive to a gold-digger[142]
- daddy
- Young woman's wealthy boyfriend or lover (sugar daddy)[143]
- daddy-o
- Term of address usually directed towards older males[144]
- daisy
- 1. A person or thing that is charming[142]
- 2. None too masculine[19]
- dame
- Female. did not gain widespread use until the 1930's[19]
- damper
- One or that which depresses[142]
- dance
- To be hanged[145]
- dangle
- Leave, get lost[19]
- dapper
- 1. Fashionably attired, impeccably dressed[146]
- 2. Flapper's dad[96]
- darb
- Man who pays the check; gink with a roll of coin[21]
- dark horse
- A candidate unmentioned before election[142]
- darkey
- Negro, especially the old-fashioned type[142]
- daylight
- Similar to the idea of "letting the daylight in" or "fill him with daylight" i.e. create a hole by either shooting or stabbing[147]
- day, call it a
- Let's quit work[142]
- daylight, letting through one
- Shooting a person[142]
- dead ringer for
- Exact image of[142]
- dead soldier
- Empty beer bottle[145]
- dead to the world
- Unconscious; dead drunk[142]
- deadbeat
- A sponge, parasite, one who lives on others[142]
- deadhead
- A deadbeat, especially a theatrical one; one who has not paid for his ticket; empty bottle[142]
- deb
- Debutant[145]
- deck
- 1. Refers to a single-dose packet, bag, or glassine envelope of cocaine e.g. deck of cocaine[148]
- 2. Pack of cigarettes e.g. Deck of Luckies[147]
- declaration Of Independence
- Divorce[96]
- demi-monde
- A woman of questionable reputation[142]
- demirep
- A woman of doubtful chastity[142]
- derrick
- Shoplifter[19]
- deuce
- The devil[142]
- devil
- A printer's assistant; a gay fellow[142]
- dewdropper
- Young man who sleeps all day and doesn't have a job[96]
- diamond, rough
- An unclaimed daddy; a rich man who eats peas with his knife[142]
- dib
- Share of the proceeds[145]
- dick
- 1. Private investigator coined around 1900, the term finds major recognition in the 20's[145]
- 2. A policeman, detective[142]
- dickens, the
- The devil[142]
- diff
- Difference "what's the diff"[142]
- dig in
- To work hard[142]
- dig out
- To leave suddenly[142]
- diggings
- A mine; a house[150]
- dimbox
- Taxicab; see Hack[96]
- dimbox Jaunt
- Taxi ride[96]
- dincher
- Half smoked cigarette[96]
- dingledangler
- Person who persists in telephoning[21]
- dingus
- Thing[19]
- dip
- Pickpocket[19]
- dip the bill
- Have a drink[19]
- dippy
- Unnoodled; bughouse; crazy[150]
- dirty linen
- Family or political disgraces[150]
- dish
- 1. Pretty woman[151]
- 2. Provide information to talk[152]
- dished
- To be cheated out of[150]
- ditzek
- Anything funny[96]
- dive
- 1. A disreputable resort[150]
- 2. Disreputable or low quality bar[153]
- dive ducat
- Subway ticket[96]
- dizzy
- 1. Deeply in love with a woman e.g. Are you dizzy with that dame[152]
- 2. Stupid; making a bad decision e.g. Don't do that – are you dizzy?[152]
- do
- To swindle[150]
- do the dance
- To be hanged[19]
- do time
- Serve in prison[150]
- dodo
- Fossil; antiquated specimen[150]
- dog
- Fellow[150]
- dog kennels
- Pair of shoes[21]
- dog jock
- Man who walks his wife's dogs[96]
- doggy
- Ritzy, swell, stylish[150]
- dogs
- Feet, shoes[150]
- doll
- Baby, chicken, peach, attractive woman[150]
- dolled up
- Dressed up; dressed fit to kill[150]
- don't know from nothing
- Doesn't have any information[153]
- don't take any wooden nickels
- Don't do anything stupid; also don't take any wooden dimes[154]
- doo-dad
- Thing-um-a-bob; what-dye-call-it[150]
- dope
- A narcotic; hence dope-fiend, dope-joint, the real facts[150]
- dope
- Any form of illicit drugs[155]
- dope fiend
- Drug addict usually cocaine or opium[155]
- dope peddler
- Drug dealer[155]
- doublecross
- 1. Cheat, stab in the back[154]
- 2. To judas; to betray[150]
- dough
- Money[156]
- dough
- Money[150]
- doughboy
- American soldier in the world war[150]
- doughnut
- Money all around, nothing in the middle; a rich fool[150]
- down and out
- Utterly broke[150]
- drag a sock
- Walk or dance[157]
- draw
- To pull out one's pistol[150]
- dress up
- To play up or ornament a story[150]
- drift
- Go i.e. leave[19]
- drill
- Shoot[19]
- drop a nickel
- 1. Place a phone call to the police and provide information about someone; Alternative expression – "drop a dime"[158]
- 2. Actually making a phone call[158]
- droppers
- Hired killers[19]
- dropping the pilot
- Getting a divorce[157]
- drugstore cowboy
- Well-dressed man who loiters in public areas trying to pick up women[157]
- drum
- Speakeasy[19]
- dry
- Place where alcohol is not served or person opposed to the legal sale of alcohol[159]
- dry Up
- Cover up; Keep quiet about; stop talking[160]
- dry-gulch
- Murder or kill someone[159]
- dub
- A mutt, a dud, a flat tire, a poor fish[150]
- ducat
- Ticket[19]
- duck lame
- A congressman failing reelection and still serving his unexpired term[150]
- duck soup
- Easy Ticket[19]
- ducky
- Very good[157]
- dud
- 1. An unexploded shell; a failure; a pepless person[150]
- 2. Wall flower or dress up[157]
- dud up
- Dress up[161]
- dude
- One who follows "what men are wearing" in the theater programs[150]
- dude-wrangler
- An easterner cowpunching or ranching; a tenderfoot[150]
- duds
- Belongings; especially, cloths when worn[150]
- dumb
- Stupid[162]
- dumb dora
- 1. Stupid, especially a woman[163]
- 2. Foolish woman often applied to a flapper[164]
- dummer
- 1. Thug who robs drunks[165]
- 2. Thief who robs homes when the occupants are away[165]
- dumkuff
- Nutty[157]
- dump
- 1. A house; affectionately, as "a swell dump"[162]
- 2. Roadhouse, club; more generally, any place[19]
- dump, to
- To get rid of[162]
- dust
- Money[162]
- dust out
- Leave, depart[19]
- dutch treat
- Each pays for his own[162]
Example
. . .Audrey to get her some coke. Audrey calls Max, the piano player, and he gives her a deck, which Cleo pretends to take
— 1916 Moving Picture Weekly Review of No. 16 Martin Street[149]
E
[edit]- ear muffs
- Radio receivers[21]
- earful
- Enough[157]
- easy mark
- Swindle food; one easily tricked[162]
- easy virtue
- One to whom virtue comes hard[162]
- edged
- Intoxication, a buzz e.g. When he was edged, his personality completely changed[39]
- edisoned
- Questioned[157]
- egg
- 1. Person who lives the big life[157]
- 2. A man, hence, bad egg, hard-boiled egg[162]
- egg harbor
- Fall dance[157]
- eggs in the coffee
- Easy[19]
- elbows
- Cops[19]
- electric cure
- Electrocution[19]
- elegant
- Dainty, fastidious[162]
- elephant ears
- Police officer or detective[166]
- elevated
- Slightly drunk[162]
- embalmed
- Intoxicated; see § drunk[167][b]
- embalmer
- Bootlegger[157]
- ethel
- Effeminate man; male homosexual[168]
- evil
- Anything pleasant[162]
- ex
- Out of a job; as, ex-president, ex-bartender[162]
- eye, black
- A mark to one's discredit[162]
- eye, my!
- Expletive of surprise[162]
- eye opener
- Marriage[157]
F
[edit]- face, close your
- Close your mouth[162]
- face stretcher
- Older woman trying to look younger[157]
- fade
- Go away, get lost[19]
- fag
- Cigarette[169]
- fagot
- 1. A chorus man; an effeminate man[162]
- 2. Sometime around 1920, the term meant a homosexual[170]
- fairy
- An effeminate man[162]
- fake
- Anything prepared for deceiving[162]
- fakeloo artist
- Con man[169]
- faker
- A street merchant, as of cheap jewelry; a college economist or sociologist; a statesman or patriot, preacher or doctor; a man[162]
- fall for
- To be gullible; to fall in love[162]
- fall guy
- 1. Victim of a frame[169]
- 2. One who tries to sell gold bricks ; one who takes the blame, while his accomplices escape[162]
- fan
- An enthusiast over some sport; from fanatic; to club (police term)[162]
- fancy man
- A women's preferred lover[162]
- fathead
- Nincompoop; dumb bell[171]
- father of Waters
- The Mississippi[171]
- father time
- Any man over 30[157]
- favorite son
- Politicians popular at home, but a zero elsewhere[171]
- feathers
- Small talk[157]
- fed up
- Surfeited[171]
- feed the fishes
- To be seasick; to be drowned[171]
- feed the press
- To rush copy to press[171]
- feeler
- An experimental suggestion; fingers or hand[171]
- feet
- Clumsy dancer[157]
- fella
- Man, Guy, Fellow e.g. That john sure is a swell fella ; see also bo buster mac pal[172]
- fence
- A receiver of stolen goods[171]
- fence, on the
- Undetermined[171]
- fetching
- Pleasing[171]
- few, a
- A good many[171]
- few drinks, a
- Common euphemism for drinking an unspecified amount of alcohol usually in the context of attending a Speakeasy[173]
- fiddle-de-dee
- Nonsense, applesauce, a case of tut-tut[171]
- fiddlesticks
- Nonsense, how absurd![171]
- fifty-fifty
- Half and half[171]
- fig leaf
- One piece bathing suit[157]
- fight
- A party; as, a tea-fight. hence, hen fight, woman's party[171]
- filches
- Steal or pilfer someone's possession, especially if it's something small[174]
- filibuster
- A strategic move in congress, to delay a bill or prevent passage[171]
- fin
- $5 bill and abe's cabe[4]
- finale hopper
- 1. Young man who arrives after all bills are paid[21]
- 2. Always eager to make empty promises and never present when it matters[21]
- 3. One who sticks to the last dance[171]
- findings
- Accessories; needles, pins, etc. in dressmaking[171]
- finder
- The individual responsible for detonating the safe as part of a safe blowing crew; see yegg[176]
- finger
- Identify or direct someone, especially to a professional killer; Put the finger on or to finger someone[177]
- finger man
- finger man snitch inside person find the finger man[177]
- fink
- Informant; stool pigeon[177]
- fire alarm
- Divorced woman[157]
- fire bell
- Married woman[157]
- fire extinguisher
- Chaperone at a dance or party[157]
- fish
- 1. First timer in prison i.e. a new fish[178]
- 2. Heavy drinker e.g. You drink like a fish[178]
- fish, poor
- Pepless creature[171]
- fish-story
- A lie; a cherry-tree tale[171]
- fix
- A mess[171]
- fizzle
- A failure[171]
- flabbergast
- To astound or stagger[171]
- flame
- One's beloved[171]
- flaming youth
- In the 1920s, the term referred to a group of young men known for their wild and flamboyant behavior; Male counterpart to a flapper; see cake eater[179]
- flapdoodle
- Twaddle; nonsense[171]
- flapper(s)
- 1. Unconventional young woman, often from a middle-class background, typically in her late teens or early twenties, defied her parents' wishes by embracing a bold, unconventional lifestyle with short bobbed hair, revealing outfits, lipstick, and a free-spirited attitude; Flappers are associated with the Jazz Age of the 1920s[180]
- 2. God's masterpiece, or nature's; the modern bobbed-haired heart-bandit[171]
- flat
- Broke[19]
- flatfoot
- Policeman esp officer who walks a beat[181]
- flat shoe
- Dispute between flapper and her goof[157]
- flat tire
- 1. Dull insipid, disappointing date; see Drag, Oilcan, Pickle, Pill, Rag[157]
- 2. A dud; a vim less person[171]
- flattie
- Flatfoot, cop[19]
- flatwheeler
- Young man who takes a young lady to an egg harbor[21]
- flier
- A small investment, in stocks, as a gamble[171]
- flimflam
- To cheat or swindle, as by trickery[19][182]
- fling
- A sneer[182]
- flip a coin
- Toss a coin to decide a matter[182]
- flippers
- Hands[19]
- flirt with death or the undertaker
- Run a big risk[182]
- flivver
- 1. Ford model T[19]
- 2. After 1928, could mean broken down car[181]
- 3. A ford, tin lizard, tin lizzie, etc.[182]
- floater
- 1. Person making trouble and then disappears[157]
- 2. A fraudulent voter[182]
- flogger
- Overcoat[183]
- flooey, to go
- To flop, be spoiled[182]
- floorflusher
- Insatiable dancer[157]
- flop
- 1. Go to bed; fall asleep[184]
- 2. Grown-up who is disagreeable, socially awkward, and unsuccessful; 1920s[184]
- 3. Intentionally lose a fight by taking a dive; 1920s [184]
- 4. Woman who is fat, clumsy, and lacks cleanliness; 1900-1930s [184]
- 5. Cheap room in hotel or bed; 1910s [184]
- 6. Abrupt change in political policy[184]
- 7. Seat[185]
- 8. Hit; knock down; 1910s [184]
- 9. A failure[182]
- flophouse
- Cheap transient hotel used by people down on their luck[186]
- flossy
- Ritzy, swell, classy, elegant[182]
- flour lover
- Girl with too much face powder[157]
- flu
- The influenza or grippe[182]
- fluke
- An accidental lucky stroke[182]
- fluky
- Odd; Different[157]
- flumadiddle
- Humbug; flummery; nonsense[182]
- flunk
- To fail[182]
- flunkey
- A servant in livery[182]
- flush
- Affluent; well monied; sugar-coated[182]
- fluzie
- A daughter of joy, a prostitute[182]
- fly boy
- Glamorous term for an aviator[6]
- fly-by-night
- A shady enterprise or person[182]
- fly-up-the-creek
- A capricious person[182]
- fodder
- Food[182]
- fog
- Attack; Assault; Shoot[187]
- fogy
- Old-fashioned eccentric[182]
- foot juice
- Cheap red wine[188]
- foozle
- A poorly played stroke[182]
- for a row of
- Distance[157]
- for crying out loud
- Another way of saying – are you for real?[157]
- forty, all Like everything
- Like everything[182]
- forty-niner
- Man who is prospecting for a rich wife[21]
- fossil
- A dodo, mossback, antiquated person[182]
- four flusher
- 1. Person who feigns wealth while mooching off others[157]
- 2. A bluff; one who bets on four cards instead of five of a suit[182]
- fox
- To fool, cheat, play a joke on[182]
- foxy
- Cunning[182]
- frail
- Woman[189]
- frame
- Giving false evidence to set up someone[190]
- frau
- Wife[191]
- free lance
- A writer writing without advance assignment[182]
- free-for-all
- A general fight; a battle royal[182]
- freebie
- This offer can be used for a free sample or promotion; Also spelled freebie, freeby, freebee freebye[192]
- freeze on to
- Take a tight hold of[182]
- freeze out
- To compel to retire or withdraw[182]
- french leave
- Omitted or informal leave-taking[182]
- fresh
- Presumptuous; bold; cheeky[193]
- freshman
- A first year man in college[193]
- fried
- Alternate names for intoxicated e.g. fried to the hat; see § drunk[190][b]
- frills
- Fancy accompaniments[193]
- frisk
- To search a person by going through his pockets[193]
- fritz, on the
- No good[193]
- frog's eyebrows
- Nice; fine; outstanding[21][190]
- fry
- To be electrocuted[191]
- fry, small
- Persons of no importance[193]
- frump
- A sour old maid; a prim old lady[193]
- fuddled
- Muddled; intoxicated[193]
- fudge
- Nonsense; to cheat (marbles); a kind of candy[193]
- full
- Drunk[193]
- full of prunes
- you're crazy; you're wrong[193]
- funk
- Fear; panic[193]
- fuss
- To confuse; also, to escort a girl[193]
- futz
- Euphemism for f*%k e.g. Don't futz around[190]
- fuzz
- Police officers(1930s)[194]
Example
After his arrival, Dippy filches many of the guests of their valuables
— 1922 Exhibitors Herald Movie Review[175]
Example
They Like 'Em Rough,' with Viola Dana – Comedy-drama in which a husband uses cave man tactics to make his flapper wife come to time
— 1922 Exhibitors Herald Movie Review[125]
G
[edit]- g man
- Government man; FBI employee[195]
- gabby
- A simpleton[193]
- gad, gadabout
- One always visiting[193]
- gag
- A joke, hoax; an interpolated line in a play[193]
- gal
- Woman assistant, secretary; female factotum[196]
- gall
- Confidence, audacity, assurance[193]
- gall-nipper
- A large mosquito[193]
- gallivant
- To play the gallant to the opposite sex[193]
- gallows-bird
- An abandoned criminal[193]
- gallowses, galluses
- Suspenders[193]
- galoot
- An awkward person[193]
- game
- A trick a deceitful method[193]
- game, to be
- To be a good sport, willing to take a chance hence, die game[193]
- gams
- Woman's legs[157]
- gander
- 1. Dressing up; Getting ready and duding up[157]
- 2. Look, close scrutiny, glance e.g. Take a gander at those gams[197]
- 3. Criminal lookout[197]
- gandy dancer
- A member of a crew responsible for attaching rails to ties, often called a section hand or track laborer[198]
- gang
- A group of persons for any purpose[193]
- gangster
- Member of a criminal gang[193]
- garret
- The head. garrets, empty at first, are used to store worthless trifles of nonsense[193]
- gas
- Vain or boastful talk[199]
- gas-house district
- District in city unsuitable for living; abode of gangsters[199][19]
- gas station
- Place that sells gasoline; term was coined in 1925[200]
- gasper
- Cigarette[19]
- gat
- Pistol, Hand gun; see roscoe[51]
- gatecrasher
- Attending party, type of entertainment without an invitation or ticket i.e. uninvited guest; see crasher[51]
- gawk
- A simpleton of either sex[199]
- gay
- 1. Happy or lively Happy, joyful, and lively[201]
- 2. No connection to homosexuality in 1920[201]
- gay woman, a
- One happy; one unchaste[199]
- geezer, old
- Antique bozo; a dodo; an old dud[199]
- gentle sex
- Satirically applied to women[199]
- get-hot!
- Encouragement for a hot dancer[157]
- get a wiggle On
- Get a move on, get going[6]
- get in a lather
- Get worked up; angry; agitated e.g. Stay away from Eddy when he get's into a lather[202]
- get sore
- Get mad; angry[200]
- getaway
- An escape[199]
- getaway sticks
- Women's Legs; see gams[202]
- get it
- Killed; Murdered [200]
- get-up
- Outfit[200]
- gibble-gabble, mulligatawny
- Foolish talk[199]
- giddy
- Wanton, flighty[199]
- giggle water
- Intoxicating beverage; alcohol; also Giggle Juice[19]
- gigolo
- Hired escort or dancing partner for a woman[203]
- gills, pickled to the
- Soused; drunk[199]
- gilt-edged
- Of the highest grade; as, gilt-edged Nordic Rotarian virginity[199]
- gimcrack
- A showy, useless trifle[199]
- gimp
- Cripple i.e. One who walks with a limp; Gangster Dion O'Bannion was called gimpy due to his noticeable limp[204]
- gimlet
- Chronic bore[157]
- gin mill
- Seller of hard liquor; Cheap speakeasy[19]
- gink
- 1. Man or fellow[204]
- 2. A person[199]
- girlie
- A shemale, a girl[199]
- give 'em the gate
- Bounce, reject[199]
- give the air
- Break a date[157]
- give the knee
- Dance cheek-to-cheek and Toe-to-Toe[157]
- gizzard
- Guts; pluck; one's insides[199]
- glad rags
- Clothing to 'go out on the town; Attire to wear to parties or special occasions[205]
- glom
- The act of stealing; also glaum[206]
- glorious fourth
- Independence day, July 4, 1776; still fourth - try and see how independent[199]
- glorious regalia
- Chic clothing of a flapper[157]
- go chase yourself
- Get lost; Scram[205]
- gold digger
- Woman who associates or marries a man for his wealth (1915)[6]
- go getter
- A hustler for business[199]
- go to it
- Go ahead[199]
- go to the bad
- Become evil[199]
- go to the wall
- Fail, as in business[199]
- go, a pretty, a rum go, etc
- A turn of affairs[199]
- go, on the
- Continually going to parties[199]
- goat, get one's
- To fuss or disconcert one[199]
- goat, to ride the
- To be initiated into a secret order[199]
- gob
- Sailor in the united states navy[199]
- go-by, give the
- Reject[199]
- god
- One who sits in the top gallery of a theater; a deity[199]
- god's footstool
- The earth (but see contrary opinion "protest by Florida chambers of commerce"[199]
- gold digger
- A jewel coaxer; a vamp; a girl or woman who accepts a man's attention for the sake of his gifts[207]
- goner
- Past recovery; utterly doomed[207]
- gonof, gonoph
- Pickpocket; expert thief[207]
- good night!
- You don’t say so! an expletive[207]
- goods, The
- 1. Incrimination evidence, the facts, the truth, e.g. make sure the cops don't get the goods on you [205]
- 2. Narcotics of any sort[208]
- 3. The thing bargained for; a fine thing, or person[207]
- goof
- 1. Bumbling, stupid person[208]
- 2. Flapper's boyfriend[157]
- goofus
- Dumbbell; silly person[207]
- goofy
- 1. Crazy, Silly, foolish[209]
- 2. In love[157]
- goog
- Black eye inflicted by a blow to the head[210]
- goon
- strong imitating man; compensated troublemaker[211]
- goose-egg
- The figure 0, naught[207]
- gooseberry lay
- Stealing clothes from a clothesline[212]
- gospel
- Anything received as true[207]
- gouge
- To extort excessive profits in industry[207]
- gowed-up
- High on dope[19]
- goy
- One not a jew[207]
- grab-game
- Rapacious procedure in politics,[207]
- grab a flop
- Sit down on a seat[157]
- grab some air
- Put your hands up[213]
- graft
- 1. Obtaining money through dishonest means, especially bribery[214]
- 2. Illegal profit through political pull. hence, grafter[207]
- grand
- One thousand dollars; $1000[214]
- grass-widow
- Woman divorced or abandoned by her husband[207]
- greaser
- A Mexican[207]
- great unwashed
- The rabble[207]
- green apples
- Homely woman[157]
- green glorious
- Money and checks[205]
- green, long
- Money, greenbacks[207]
- green-goods
- Counterfeit money. hence greengoods-man[207]
- greenhorn
- An inexperienced person[207]
- greenland
- A park[157]
- grift
- Confidence game or swindle; also grifter i.e. Con man[215]
- grill(ed)
- 1. Interrogation; intense and prolonged questioning[216]
- 2. To cross-examine[207]
- grindhouse(s)
- 1. Low-budget film theater that shows primarily exploitation films i.e. Term first appeared in 1920s and derived from burlesque theaters on 42nd Street in New York City; Origins based on early projectionists used a grinding or cranking motion[217]
- 2. "According to historian David Church, this theater type was named after the "grind policy", a film-programming strategy dating back to the early 1920s that continuously showed films at cut-rate ticket prices that typically rose over the course of each day."[218][219]
- gringo
- A foreigner; one who cannot speak Spanish[207]
- grubstake
- 1. To supply with food and necessities, in return for a share of profits; such supplies[207]
- 2. Invitation to dinner[21]
- grubber
- One who borrows cigarettes[157]
- grummy
- Depressed[205]
- grundy, mrs
- Middle-class propriety[207]
- grungy
- Envious[221]
- gum
- Opium[84]
- gumshoe
- Detective or private investigator; also gumshoeing i.e. pertaining to an undercover investigation[222]
- gun for
- Searching for someone with the intention of causing them significant harm. e.g. He was out gunning for Tom[223]
- guns
- Pickpockets; Hoodlums[19]
- gunman
- Hired assassin; soldier[207]
- gush
- Extravagant talk or display of affection[224]
- gussie
- Shy person[221]
- guts
- Pluck[224]
- guy
- A gender-neutral way to address any individual (1910)[225]
Example
Flyers made from San Francisco to Hawaii. It is just a hoak meller that will, for the better part, carry in some of the smaller grindhouses.
— 1926 Variety Movie Review[220]
H
[edit]- hack
- 1. Taxicab[19]
- 2. One to be had for hire; as, a hack-writer[224]
- hair of the dog
- Taking shot of booze to help recover from a hangover especially the day after going on a Toot; also The hair of the dog that bit you[226]
- half
- Fifty-cents; 50 cents i.e. $.50[227]
- half-baked
- Simple minded[224]
- half-cocked
- To go off hastily[224]
- half cut
- Happily intoxicated[21]
- half seas over
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[228][b]
- half under
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[229][b]
- ham actor
- A poor actor[224]
- hand, give 'em a
- Give them applause[224]
- handcuff
- Engagement ring or wedding band[221]
- handle
- Title, name[224]
- hank
- Handkerchief[224]
- happy
- Drunk and merry[224]
- happy-dust
- Cocaine[84]
- hard
- Tough; see also bimbo hard-boiled Bruno[19]
- hard-boiled
- 1. Tough i.e. tough guy, e.g. "He sure is hard-boiled!" ; see also bimbo Bruno[221]
- 2. Sophisticated; cruel[224]
- hard up
- Broke, impoverished[224]
- harlem sunset
- Fatal injury caused by knife (1930s)[230]
- harp
- Irishman[231]
- has-been
- One whose best days are over[224]
- hash-house
- 1. Cheap boarding house[224]
- 2. Cheap restaurant[19]
- hash-slinger
- Waitress in a hash house[224]
- hatchet man
- Killers, gunmen[19]
- have the bees
- To be rich[232]
- have kittens
- 1. Expressing intense and unexpected emotions; see cast a kitten[97]
- 2. Experience a sudden outburst of laughter, fear, or anger e.g. "He got so upset, I thought he was going to have kittens"[97]
- hay, hit the
- Go to sleep[224]
- hayburner
- 1. Gas guzzling car i.e. automobile that uses a lot of fuel and gets poor gas mileage[233]
- 2. Race Horse one loses money on[226]
- 3. Someone who smokes marijuana[234]
- hayseed
- Rustic, hick[224]
- head over heels
- Entirely; as, in love[224]
- head, swelled
- Conceited[224]
- heart, have a
- Take pity; go easy[224]
- heartwrenching
- Appealing to one's deepest emotions or inner feelings; Tug at one's heartstrings; also heart-tugging[235]
- heavens
- Formerly, god's residence; now "you don’t say so," an expletive[224]
- head doctors
- Psychiatrists[236]
- heap
- Old automobile; see also bucket, cowpie, crate, jalopy[237]
- heat
- 1. The police[238]
- 2. Pursuit by law enforcement [237]
- heater
- Gun, pistol, revolver; see gat; see roscoe[239]
- heavy sugar
- Indicator of wealth through possession or condition[240]
- heebie-jeebies
- The state of being extremely nervous caused by fear, worry, stress, etc; named after the 1926 single by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five – hit song[221]
- heeler
- 1. A political follower; ward-heeler[224]
- 2. Poor dancer[221]
- he-man
- Western, man with hair on chest[224]
- hen
- A woman[224]
- hen coup
- Beauty parlor[221]
- hep
- 1. Wise; up-to-date[241]
- 2. Jazz musician[241]
- het up
- Excited, angry[224]
- hick
- Countryman[224]
- high flier, high roller, high stepper
- A sport; fast liver[242]
- high hat
- 1. Haughty, Snobbish, Unapproachable[221]
- 2. Up stage[242]
- high horse, on the
- Supercilious[224]
- high pillow
- Person at the top; Individual in charge; the boss[243]
- highbrow
- Intellectually stimulating, highly cultured, sophisticated, cultured or learned person[231]
- highfalutin'
- High flown manner or speech[242]
- highjack
- To rob from a thief or bootlegger[242]
- highjohn
- Boyfriend[221]
- highbinders
- Corrupt politician or functionary; highly pretentious, arrogant[244]
- hike
- Walk[221]
- hikers
- Knickerbockers[221]
- hinges, off one's
- Crazy[242]
- hinky
- Suspicious; curious [245]
- hiphound
- One who drinks hooch[21]
- hipster
- 1. During Prohibition – person who wears a hip flask of alcohol dating from the 1920s[246]
- 2. A dancer, particularly a female one[246]
- 3. One who espouses the bohemian life style of the period[247]
- his blue serge
- His girl[21]
- histrionics
- Intentionally exaggerated, overly emotional behavior designed to provoke a response[248]
- hit
- A successful play; any success[242]
- hit on all sixes
- To perform 100 per cent e.g. "hitting on all six cylinders"; also hitting on all cylinders[249]
- hitch
- A period of time spent in prison or jail[250]
- hitting on all eight
- In good shape, going well[19]
- hitting the pipe
- Smoking opium[19]
- hoary-eyed
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[251][b]
- hobo
- Shiftless worker or tramp[242]
- hock
- To pawn[242]
- hock shop
- Pawnshop[19]
- hogs
- Engines[19]
- hoaky
- 1. Excessively contrived; Hackneyed; also hoakier, hoakiest, hoak[252]
- 2. Sentimental material in a film; alt spelling of hokey; see hokum[252]
- hoity-toity
- Behaviour adopted to demonstrate one's superiority; Pretentious or snobbish behaviour[253]
- hokum
- 1. An instance of excessively contrived, hackneyed, or sentimental material in a film[221]
- 2. Pretentious; nonsense; insane trash[254]
- 3. Bunk; trick of actor, politician or clergyman to get applause[242]
- holaholy
- Person that objects to necking[221]
- holy smokes
- Probation officer[221]
- home, nobody
- Crazy[242]
- home-brew
- Liquor, malt or otherwise, made at home[242]
- hombre
- Man or fellow[19]
- honest indian or injun
- In very truth[242]
- honest squeeze
- Female companion or girlfriend;see squeeze[256]
- honey
- Sweetheart, darling[242]
- honor, a nation's
- Any alleged cause of war[242]
- hooch
- Alcoholic drink made by Alaskan Indians (Hoochinoo), but more commonly refers to illicitly distilled liquor[257]
- hood
- Hoodlum[250]
- hoodlum
- A rowdy, rough, larrikin, street loafer[242]
- hooey
- Nonsense; Bullsh*t; Popular from 1925 through 1930 and used sparingly later on[258]
- hoof
- Walk[221]
- hoof it
- Walk it, beat it, depart[242]
- hoofer
- Dancer or chorus girl[221]
- hook
- To swipe or steal[242]
- hook, get the, or give him the
- Remove him; he's punk[242]
- hooligan
- Tramp[242]
- hoosegow
- Jail[259]
- hootch
- Contraband alcoholic beverage, homebrew[242]
- hop
- 1. Type of swing dance e.g. Lindy Hop; organized dance (1900s)[260]
- 2. Opiate, marijuana, morphine or other type of narcotics[260]
- hophead
- Morphine addict[84]
- hope chest
- Pack of cigarettes[221]
- hopped up
- Under the influence of drugs[261]
- hopper
- Dancer[221]
- horn in
- Get into a dance without an invitation[221]
- horse, a
- A joke at one's expense[242]
- horsefeathers
- Exclamation of disbelief contempt; Inoffensive expletive e.g. darn; see Applesauce[262]
- hot
- Stolen; Recently stolen illegal goods[263]
- hot as they make 'em
- Reckless, careless[242]
- hot dawg
- Great![221]
- hot sketch
- Card or cut-up[6]
- hotdog
- 1. A sausage supposed to be half beef and half pork. also an expletive, like "oh boy!"[242]
- 2. Relishing something with much delight![264]
- hotsy-totsy, tootsie-wootsie
- 1. A girl all to the mustard, all ok[242]
- 2. Fancy or sophisticated[221]
- hound, ( as in booze-hound, smut-hound, etc,)
- One fond of a thing[242]
- house dick
- Security officer employed by a hotel or similar establishment; Hotel detective[265]
- houdini
- Arrive on time for a date[221]
- house, disorderly
- A prostitution house, especially an orderly one[266]
- house of call
- Bawdy house with women living outside[266]
- house of representatives
- Lower house of congress, supposed to represent those they represent[266]
- house peeper
- House or hotel detective[19]
- hub, the
- Boston[266]
- huff, to take
- To take offense[266]
- hugger-mugger
- Secret, sly, underhand[266]
- hum, make things
- To do with energy[266]
- humbug
- To impose upon; a fake, cheat, sham[266]
- hump, to have the
- To be despondent[266]
- hunky
- A laborer (from Hungarian)[266]
- hunkydory
- Satisfactory, all right[266]
- hush-money
- 1. A bribe to prevent disclosure of some disgrace[266]
- 2. Allowance from father[21]
- hustle
- To be quick[266]
- hustler
- A go-getter[266]
- hype
- Shortchange artist[19]
Example
flyers made from San Francisco to Hawaii. It is just a hoak meller that will, for the better part, carry in some of the smaller grindhouses.
— 1926 Variety Movie Review[220]
Example
. . . where Nazimova comes to a house of refuge, not knowing that Sills is there, and is pronounced dying by physicians, but is saved by Sills' prayer. To us who make and sell pictures, this "saved by prayer" situation registers as hokum, but just the same it has a genuine wallop for most of your customers, and consequently this final sequence effectively tops a very good red meat dramatic yarn.
— 1924 Wid's Movie Review[255]
I
[edit]- i.o.u.
- Acknowledgement of a debt[266]
- ice
- 1. Diamonds e.g. That gal has more ice than the North Pole![267]
- 2. Kill e.g. "That mug better be careful or he's gonna get iced!"[268]
- ice, on
- In reserve[266]
- icy mitt
- When you have one-sided feelings for someone or when one is given the cold shoulder in a romantic relationships[269]
- idler(s)
- A person who wastes time doing nothing; lazy person; sluggard[270]
- illuminated
- Lit, drunk[266]
- in for it
- Committed to a course[266]
- in with
- Friendly with[266]
- indian file
- Single file[266]
- indian giver
- One who takes back a gift[266]
- indian hay
- Marijuana[272]
- in stir
- In jail[19]
- ing-bing
- As in to throw a fit[19]
- ins and outs
- Details or ramifications[266]
- ins, the
- The party in power[266]
- inside track
- Point or place of vantage, "a short cut to success"[266]
- inspired
- Editorial tone or policy, from a source outside the paper's own ship or management[266]
- insured
- Engaged[269]
- irish confetti
- Bricks[273]
- irish goodbye(s)
- Ethnophobic term used for someone who leaves a social gathering without saying goodbye; also Irish exit[274]
- irish up, to get one's
- To lose one's temper[273]
- iron
- 1. Motorcycle, among motorcycle enthusiasts 1920s[275]
- 2. Older automobile[276]
- 3. Handcuffs[277]
- 4. Carry iron i.e. armed[277]
- iron men
- Dollars, money[273]
- iron your shoelaces
- Go to the restroom e.g. It's time for me to iron my shoelaces[278]
- ish kabibble, ish ka bibble
- 1. Retort e.g. I should care from the name of the musician in the Kay Kyser Orchestra[279]
- 2. "I should worry," "I should be embarrassed[273]
- it
- Sex appeal; Actress Clara Bow was the "It" girl[275]
- it's the bunk
- I doubt that![269]
- ivories
- The teeth; dice; piano keys;· billiard balls[273]
- izzum-wizzum
- Hotsy-totsy; red-hot sweetie[273]
Example
In the park awaiting her train home she meets Forrest Chenoworth, a rich idler, whose money has gotten him into trouble with a lady named Jane.
— 1920 Wid's Daily Movie Review[271]
Clara Bow the "it" girl in 1932
J
[edit]- jabber
- Chatter, unintelligible speech[273]
- jack
- Money; a sailor[273]
- jackass
- Stupid person, blunderhead; a democrat[273]
- jack-leg lawyer
- A pettifogging lawyer; shyster[273]
- jackpot
- A corruption fund[273]
- jag
- State of intoxication, a load of drink[273]
- jagamaree
- Something for which there is no other name, or whose name is momentarily forgotten; a thingumabob, thingumajig, what dye-call-it, jiggambob, digallium, whoozis[273]
- jailbird
- One confined in jail; a criminal[273]
- jake
- Great, e.g. Everything's jake; see Copacetic[6]
- jakes
- A comfort station, privy[273]
- jalopy
- Dumpy old car; see also bucket cowpie crate heap[280]
- jam
- Trouble; Tight spot[19]
- jamboree
- Spree, carousal, frolic[273]
- jane
- Female; a dame; woman, girl[269][273]
- jasper
- Man; hick[19]
- jawbreaker
- A word hard to pronounce[273]
- jay
- A countryman, boob, greenhorn, rustic, bumpkin, yap, rube, Reuben, hick, gopher prairie dog[273]
- jay bird
- Person who takes risks[269]
- jay-town
- A country town inhabited by jays[273]
- jay-walking
- Cutting corners; crossing streets cater-cornered or midway of the block[273]
- java
- Coffee[19]
- jaw
- Talk[19]
- jazz
- Modern ragtime music; pep[273]
- jazz-baby
- A cuddly cutie strong for a jazz life[273]
- jazz-hound
- A male jazz-baby[273]
- jazzman
- Performer of jazz[123]
- jeepers creepers
- 1. Polite expletive for Jesus Christ[282]
- 2. Exclamation![282]
- jericho, ( to send one to)
- Hell or Hoboken[273]
- jerkwater
- Very rustic; as, jerkwater town[283]
- jezebel
- Painted harlot. in rotary, Baptist, and methodist eyes, a woman who ( 1) dances, (2) smokes, or (3) goes to the theater[283]
- jiff, jiffy
- An instant of time[283]
- jigaboo
- Derogatory term for African-American (1920s)[284]
- jigger, not worth a
- Worthless[283]
- jigger, old
- Lively old codger, able to jig[283]
- jiggered, well I'll be
- Exclamation of astonishment[283]
- jim jams
- Peculiarities; delirium tremens[283]
- jim-crow car
- Street car or railway car where whites are segregated from negroes. hence, Jim-crow caws, hotels, etc[283]
- jim-dandy
- Fine as silk; very good[283]
- jimmy or jemmy
- A burglar's implement, similar to a crowbar[283]
- jingle-brained
- 1. Addled or intoxicated (1910)[285]
- 2. Not that bright, muddled[286]
- jingo
- A sanguinary war-promoter; address in wartime; as far behind the trenches as possible[283]
- jitney
- 1. Car employed as a private bus i.e. travel by bus or small car[287]
- 2. Bus charging a fixed fare usually five-cents i.e. "Nickel"[287]
- 3. A small coin, a nickel. hence, jitney bus, Jit.[283]
- jizzie
- An unattractive or antique dame[283]
- job, to
- To swindle[283]
- jobbery
- Political graft or swindling[283]
- jobbie
- Man or woman[288]
- jockey
- To maneuver for favorable position[283]
- joe
- Coffee, e.g. A cup of Joe[6]
- joe brooks
- Perfectly dressed person[289]
- john
- 1. Prostitute's client[290]
- 2. Toilet or restroom[290]
- john bull
- A red-nosed gentleman farmer, personifying England[283]
- john d
- Individuals who use an abundance of polite language and insincere compliments[291]
- johnson brother
- Professional Criminal[292]
- joint
- 1. Establishment, bar, tavern or club selling alcohol[292]
- 2. Place e.g. My Joint[292]
- 3. A meeting place; a naughty resort[283]
- joker
- An innocent-looking clause slipped into a law to defeat its purpose, or permit an outside trick[283]
- jolly, to
- To spoof, make fun of[283]
- jonah
- One who brings bad luck[283]
- jorum of skee
- Drink of hard liquor usually scotch whiskey; see skee[293]
- josh to
- To spoof, jolly, cajole, tease, banter[283]
- joy-ride
- A wild auto party, often in a stolen car[294]
- jug
- Jail[295]
- jugful, not by a
- Not by a good deal[294]
- juice
- Money from bribery, corruption, or loan sharking[296]
- juice joint
- Establishment for serving illegal liquor during prohibition[296]
- jump a claim
- To take land illegally[294]
- jump at
- To grasp eagerly at[294]
- junk
- Opium or Morphine[84]
- jump the gun
- Act prematurely[297]
- jumping tintypes
- Moving pictures[269]
- junk head
- Morphine addict[84]
- junkie
- Drug addict, especially a heroin user (1923)[298]
- junket
- A picnic, feast, excursion-on; a political tour of inspection at public expense. see wine, women and song.[294]
- jury-fixer
- One who bribes jurymen, openly or subtly[294]
- justice
- Slang for what is obtained in legal courts[294]
Example
"His thousands of admirers are happy to know that no anti-toxin has yet been discovered to cure this master jazzman of his 'illness!'"
— 1926 newspaper article praising band leader Fred Hamm[281]
K
[edit]- kale
- Money[19]
- keep it dark
- Hold it secret[294]
- keep one's eye peeled
- Watch out[294]
- kettle of fish, a nice
- Ironic for an annoying situation[294]
- keen
- Something or someone attractive or appealing[269]
- kibitzer
- Bystander at a game, bystanding critic[294]
- kibosh, on the
- On the blink or fritz; spoiled[294]
- kick
- Pleasure, enjoyment, thrill, alcoholic content[294]
- kick in
- Contribute your share; pay up[294]
- kick off
- Die[19]
- kick the bucket, kick out
- To die[294]
- kicker
- One who kicks, protests, rebels[294]
- kicking the stem
- smoking opium[84]
- kid, to
- To joke or deceive[294]
- kiddo
- A casual way for a man to address a woman he knows[299]
- kiddy
- A child[294]
- kill, dresserl to
- Dressed bewitchingly[294]
- killing
- Overwhelming, bewitching; an overwhelming profit[294]
- killjoy
- Solemn person[269]
- kike
- Derogatory label for Jewish people, specifically those who immigrated from Eastern Europe as opposed to older German immigrants from previous decades[300]
- kind of, kind a, kinder
- Rather, somewhat[294]
- kink
- King[294]
- kippy
- Neat or Nice[269]
- kiss
- 1. Land a blow or punch[301]
- 2. Drink from a bottle[301]
- kiss the dust
- Be overthrown[302]
- kisser
- Mouth[19]
- kitten
- Woman[19]
- kitty
- Pot or pool, in cards, to which all contribute[302]
- kiyoodle
- Dog[302]
- knee high to a grasshopper
- Low in height[302]
- kneeduster
- Skirt[269]
- knife
- To attack in politics secretly[302]
- knock
- 1. To talk against a thing[302]
- 2. Prison sentence[303]
- knock off
- 1. Stolen[304]
- 2. Killed, murdered[304]
- 3. Beaten, defeated[304]
- 4. To quit work; kill[302]
- knock out, k.o.
- To win by knocking pugilistic opponent unconscious; a complete success in anything[302]
- knock the spots off of
- To excel[302]
- knock the stuffing out of
- To put out of commission, beat up[302]
- knock up
- Make a woman pregnant; impregnate[305]
- knock up against
- Meet accidentally[302]
- knockabout
- Fit for rough wear, as a knock about suit. a slapstick comedian. a roustabout, man of all work[302]
- knocker
- Habitual faultfinder[302]
- knockover
- 1. Murder, kill[305]
- 2. Rob or steal with violence[305]
- 3. Arrest especially after a raid[305]
- 4. Intentionally get someone in trouble[305]
- know, in the
- To be hep, to understand[302]
- know; the ropes, to
- To be acquainted with the workings[302]
- know your onions
- 1. Know one's stuff e.g. Joe really knows his onions when it comes to cooking[306]
- 2. Knowledgeable about a given subject or task; also know one's onions; knowing one's onions; knew one's onions; known one's onions[307]
- knuckle down to
- To apply oneself to energetically[302]
- knuckle uncler
- To submit[302]
- kosher
- Permitted by or fulfilling the requirements of mosaic law; said usually of food, opposed to "tref"[302]
- kowtow, kotow
- Make obeisance to[302]
- kudos
- Glory, honor, renown, publicity; opposed to the cash[302]
L
[edit]- lalapazaza
- Good sport[269]
- lady
- Any woman, in her own opinion, elevated in such usages as wash lady, lady laundress, lady of easy virtue[302]
- lady-killer
- A man supposed to fascinate women; sheik[308]
- lady-love
- Sweetheart[308]
- lallypaloozer
- A wow, knockout; also, a falsehood[308]
- lam, lambaste
- To beat, thrash, trounce, drub[308]
- lam, on the
- On the run[6]
- lamb
- One who gets fleeced, as in dealing with stocks[308]
- lammed off
- Ran away or escaped[19]
- lamp
- To see or notice[308]
- lamp, lamps
- The eyes[308]
- land
- To deliver ·or land home a blow[308]
- landslide
- An overwhelming victory, as in politics[308]
- large
- $1,000 e.g.Twenty large would be $20,000[19]
- large, at
- In general; as, a congressman at large. many still are. also, uncaught, fugitive from justice[308]
- lark
- Spree, frolicsome adventure[308]
- larrup
- Beat, thrash, rope-end, flog[308]
- late unpleasantness
- The last war; long used of the civil war; in the future, will be used of the most recent war[308]
- laugh, to get the laugh on
- Make the object of ridicule[308]
- law, the
- Police officer[309]
- lay, to lay for
- Post oneself to do something to one[308]
- lay off
- Smoke of opium[310]
- lay out
- 1. Defeat or overcome i.e. to lay out someone[310]
- 2. Knock someone out in a fight[310]
- 3. Kill someone[310]
- Laying on the hip
- smoking opium[84]
- lead
- Term used for bullets e.g. Fill ya full of lead[311]
- lead cocktail
- To be shot; Bullets, specifically when embedded in the victim's body; also poisoning[311]
- lead poisoning
- To be shot; Bullets, specifically when embedded in the victim's body; also lead cocktail[311]
- lead pusher
- gun; gat[311]
- leak
- Unintended revelation of official secrets, usually scandalous[308]
- leave off, lay off
- Quit[308]
- leech
- Parasite, blood-sucker; pawn-broker; land lord; capitalist[308]
- left holding The Bag
- Leave someone holding the responsibility or blame is to abandon them[312]
- leg, shake a
- Dance; hurry up[313]
- legs, on one's last
- Dying[313]
- legs, stretch your
- Beat it, depart[313]
- legs, to get on one's hind
- To get angry[313]
- leg-show
- Refined dancing and near-singing girlie show, patronized by successful bald heads. tights and other clothing were once worn in these[313]
- lemon
- Dud, flat tire, especially female[313]
- lens louise
- The person who dominated all the conversations[269]
- let daylight into
- To expose to the light[313]
- let george do it
- Work evading phrase i.e.Let someone else cover the cost of achieving the shared benefit[314]
- let her go, let her rip
- Let it continue.[313]
- let on
- To pretend[313]
- let's blouse
- Work evading phrase e.g.Let's blouse this clambake![269]
- lettuce
- Green folding money i.e. lettuce leaves[315]
- level, on the
- On the square, honest and aboveboard[313]
- level with me
- Be honest, trustworth, true[315]
- lick
- To beat or thrash[313]
- lick and, a promise
- A slovenly bit of work[313]
- lick the dust
- To be defeated[313]
- lickspittle
- Toady, sycophant[313]
- lid
- Hat[19]
- lie down
- To give up, shirk, soldier on the job[313]
- lie low
- To lie concealed[313]
- life-preserver
- Pocket flask[313]
- light-fingered
- Thievish[313]
- light-weight
- One below the mental or moral average[313]
- limb
- An impish child; in Baptist circles, a leg[313]
- limb of the law
- Policeman or lawyer[313]
- limey
- 1. Englishman, Briton, or person of British descent; an English or British immigrant[316]
- 2. English or British ship[317]
- line
- 1. Untruth or exaggeration, often told to seek or maintain approval from others e.g. "to feed one a line"[318]
- 2. Insincere flattery[314]
- 3. A calling, stock of goods carried[313]
- line, get into
- To adopt the same course as others, or persuade one to.[313]
- lines, hard
- Bad luck[313]
- lingo
- Language, language hard to understand[313]
- lion
- A celebrity, headliner[313]
- lioness
- A she-celebrity; a woman of note[313]
- lionizing
- Treating one as if he were a celebrity[313]
- lip
- 1. Underworld attorney i.e. criminal attorney e.g. Why don't you use Louie the Lip?[319]
- 2. backtalk[320]
- 3. Impudent or saucy speech. "none of your lip"[321]
- lip stick
- Cigarette[269]
- lit
- Drunk[321]
- live wire
- 1. Energetic, vibrant, individual e.g That joe is a real live wire[319]
- 2. A person full of energy, pep, vim; a booster; a person trying to alter all down to his rotary ideals[321]
- living spit, living image
- Exact image of[321]
- lizard ( as in lounge-lizard)
- One fond of, a habitue[321]
- loaf
- To idle, shirk, soldier on the job[321]
- loafer
- An idler[321]
- lobby
- To influence legislators; a group so employed[321]
- lobster
- A man easily imposed on; specifically, a butter-and-egg man gold-dug or jewel coaxed[321]
- lock up
- Jail[321]
- loco
- Crazy, nuts, bugs, bughouse[321]
- loggerheads
- To oppose on a question; come to blows[321]
- log-rolling
- Back-scratching; a group who further each other's ends[321]
- lollygagger
- 1. Young man who enjoys making out[269]
- 2. Lazy person; slacker; see idler[322]
- long run
- Whole course or series of events[321]
- long sweetening
- Molasses, treacle; opposed to sugar, or short sweetening[321]
- long-winded
- Talky, talkative[321]
- loogan
- Man with a gun[19]
- look alive or sharp
- Be watchful[321]
- look or speak daggers
- Express hatred by words or mien[321]
- look-out
- Somebody keeping watch for approaching enemies, police, or any potential danger i.e. Person accompanying criminals while they commit a crime and warns them of approaching police or witnesses[323]
- looker
- Good looking person of either sex especially a women[324]
- lookout
- Watchman placed by a group, as of thieves[321]
- loon
- An idiot[321]
- loony
- Crazy[321]
- loose
- Lax, as in morals; as, a loose woman[321]
- lord of creation
- Man's name for himself, as opposed to dumb beasts[321]
- Lothario
- A gallant, rake, libertine, sheik, Valentino[325]
- loud
- Showy and vulgar in dress and manners[325]
- lounge lizard
- Guy that is sexually active; ladies man[326]
- lousy
- Replete with, as with money[325]
- lousy with
- Have abundance of[19]
- low down
- Vulgar[325]
- lowbrow
- An average person; one who prefers the poetry of Eddie guest[325]
- lulu
- A hummer, speedy girl, racer[325]
- lummox
- A stupid, clumsy fellow[325]
- lump it
- To put up with, as from necessity[325]
- lump sum
- A sum collectively of many- items[325]
- lump, in the
- In its entirety[325]
- lug
- Bullet[19]
- lynch law
- Summary injustice meted out, especially to negroes, jews, Catholics, bootleggers, and strict Baptists and methodists, in various southern states[308]
- lynch law
- Summary injustice meted out, especially to negroes, jews, Catholics, bootleggers, and strict Baptists and methodists, in various southern states[308]
Example
It calls for a picked clientele of fans who are able to visualize and distinguish mortal from immortal as portrayed in the flesh. It will not appeal to the Flapper, the Lounge Lizard and Cake Eater, nor to the less intelligent.
— 1923 Exhibitors Trade Review Movie Review[87]
M
[edit]- m
- Morphine[84]
- mac
- Man; see also bo buster pal[327]
- mad after
- Greatly infatuated with[325]
- mad, like
- Furiously, recklessly; as, to drive like mad[325]
- mad money
- Carfare home used by a flapper if she has a fight with her date[269]
- made
- Recognized[19]
- madwag
- Punster[325]
- mahogany, solid; ivory, solid,
- Lacking brains[325]
- main drag
- Most important street in a town or city[6]
- main squeeze
- Primary female companion or girlfriend; lover; sweetheart; see squeeze[328]
- make
- To seduce; as, a woman says, "he tried to make me"[325]
- make a book
- To accept bets, as in horseracing[325]
- make a dead set
- To try influence by persistence[325]
- make a face
- Grimace[325]
- make it snappy
- Hurry up[325]
- make tracks
- Be off in a hurry[325]
- makings
- Material for anything from a philosophy to a cigarette[325]
- man of straw
- One put forward as an irresponsible tool[325]
- man, old
- Husband, father, source of financial support[325]
- manacle
- Wedding ring[269]
- map
- Face[325]
- marathon
- Endurance contest; as, a Charleston marathon[329]
- marathon, bible
- Latest American indoor sport, in which both testaments are read aloud in relays at breakneck speed, to the glory of god[329]
- marbles
- Pearls[19]
- mare's nest
- A discovery that looks important, then turns out to be a hoax[329]
- mark
- 1. Targeted individual in a swindle or rigged game[330]
- 2. Search for a probable location for a theft[330]
- maroon
- An idiot; a fool; Gullible person[331]
- mash, make a mash on
- Affect another sexually[329]
- masher
- A professional fascinator of women[329]
- maverick
- An unbranded, unruly animal[329]
- mawkish
- Sentimental in an exaggerated or insincere way[332]
- mazuma
- Money, cash, dollar bills[334]
- meal ticket
- When he calls, the flapper invites the man to have dinner[269]
- mealy-mouthed
- Overmild in fault-finding[329]
- meat wagon
- Ambulance[19]
- medicine, good or bad
- Straight dope or the reverse[329]
- meller
- Melodrama film; see melodrama[335]
- mellerdrammer
- Familiar or humorous name and spelling given to melodrama[336]
- mellow
- Partly intoxicated; a negro spiritual[329]
- melodrama
- Emotional drama featuring passionate love and heart-wrenching situations; any situation or action that is exaggerated[336]
- member
- A person; usually qualified by hot, warm, etc.[329]
- meringue
- Personality[269]
- michigan bankroll
- Fake bankroll consists of a large denomination bill wrapped around several smaller denomination banknotes; also michigan roll; michigan stake[337]
- mick
- Derogatory term for irishmen[338]
- mickey finn
- strong hypnotic or barbiturate put secretly into a drink[338]
- middle aisle
- Marry[339]
- middleman
- Purchaser from the producer, who makes his profit from consumer or retailer[329]
- miff
- A tantrum, petty quarrel. hence, miffed angry[329]
- milk-and-water
- Namby-pamby, vacillating[329]
- mill
- 1. Typewriter[340]
- 2. A pugilistic contest[329]
- mill, to go through the
- To learn by hard experience[329]
- milquetoast
- 1. Henpecked male based on the Comic book character Caspar Milquetoast; very timid person; wimpy[340]
- mince matters
- To affect extreme delicacy in speech[329]
- mind your potatoes
- mind your own business[339]
- mint
- A vast store; as, mint of money[329]
- minx
- A forward, pert girl[329]
- mischief, the
- The devil[329]
- missing link
- Primitive form connecting man with the anthropoid apes, the pithecanthropus erectus of java; the negro, in the eyes of southern "thinkers"; an anti-evolutionist[341]
- missouri hummingbird
- The mule[341]
- missouri, I'm from
- You've got to show me[341]
- mitten, to get the
- To be rejected as a lover[329]
- mittens, to handle without
- To treat roughly[341]
- mitt
- Hand[342]
- mix-up
- General confusion[341]
- mob
- Organized crime family or gang (not necessarily mafia)[342]
- mohaska
- Gun, Firearm, Piece; see heat; also mohoska[343]
- moll
- Gangster's girlfriend[6]
- mollycoddle
- Excessively effeminate person[341]
- moniker
- Name[344]
- monkey
- Mischievous child; to trifle or fool about[341]
- monogolist
- Young man who hates himself[21]
- mooch
- Leave[269]
- moonshine
- 1. Homemade alcohol; whiskey made from unlicensed distillers[345]
- 2. Visionary plan; illicit liquor[341]
- mop
- Handkerchief[269]
- mop up the earth, ground, or floor with
- To thrash thoroughly[341]
- moss-back
- A fossil, dodo, conservative, standpatter[341]
- mothball, to put into
- Can it, forget it[341]
- mountain dew
- Moonshine liquor[341]
- mourning, in
- Black eyes. hence half mourning. one black eye[341]
- mouth, down in the
- Depressed, dejected[341]
- mouthpiece
- Lawyer especially criminal defense attorney[346]
- movie
- Cinema, silver screen, motion pictures[341]
- mrs. grundy
- A narrow-minded person or group that is overly concerned with censoring or criticizing personal conduct; priggish; tight-laced person; Prudish; derived from Grundy[347]
- mucker
- A coarse, vulgar person; a rotter, cad[341]
- muckrake
- To reveal scandal in politics and industry[341]
- muckraker
- One who muckrakes[341]
- mud pipe
- Opium pipe[19]
- mudslinger
- One who throws outrageous aspersions[341]
- muff, to
- To spoil a project[341]
- mug(s)
- 1. Men – especially refers to dumb ones; low, crude, fellow; lout[348]
- 2. The face[341]
- mug, to
- To photograph, especially said of criminals[341]
- mugwump
- One who professes independence in politics[349]
- mulligan
- Irish cop; police officer; prison guard[350]
- mum
- Chrysanthemum; silent[349]
- mumbo-jumbo
- Any popular god; demagog, charlatan[349]
- mummer
- Strolling player, actor[349]
- munitions
- Face powder[269]
- mush
- Soft, pulpy talk, especially love talk[349]
- muss
- Disturbance or fight; to soil or confuse[349]
- mustard, all to the
- All excellent[349]
- mustard plaster
- 1. A boy who lingers around and is not wanted[269]
- 2. One who clings when not wanted[349]
- mutt
- A bum sport, an unliked person[349]
- mutton-head
- A stupid, irascible man[349]
- muzzle
- To impose silence on[349]
Example
She plays a young wife whose husband falls for the assiduous attentions of a jazzy willo' the wisp. Many of the situations are mawkish and over sentimental, but Lila makes it all possible by her sincerity and poise.
— 1924 Photoplay Movie Review[333]
N
[edit]- n.g.
- No good[351]
- nag
- To scold; a woman who scolds[349]
- nail, coffin
- A cigarette[349]
- nailed
- Caught by the police[19]
- nancy, miss
- An effeminate man[349]
- nanny, get one's
- To get one's goat[349]
- napping, to catch one
- To take on unawares[349]
- nasty one in the eye
- A telling blow[349]
- nature, in a state of
- Unclothed, naked[349]
- nature-faker
- A teller of untrue stories about nature, as of Santa clause, the stork, the cherry tree, etc.[349]
- A ditch-digger, manual laborer[349]
- neck
- 1. Kiss passionately[352]
- 2. In a dangerous spot[349]
- neck, to
- To pet, philander, use flirt age[349]
- necker(s)
- Girl who wraps her arms around her boyfriend's neck while dancing[269]
- necking-party
- A party of indiscriminate fondling[349]
- necktie party
- A hanging bee, a lynching[349]
- needful, the
- Money[349]
- nerts!
- That's Amazing[269]
- nerve
- Impudence, audacity; as, "what a nerve"[351]
- nevada gas
- Cyanide[19]
- newshawk
- Reporter[19]
- newsie
- person who sells or delivers newspapers; reporter[19]
- nibble
- To rise to a bait in trading[351]
- nibble one
- Have a drink[353]
- nibs, his nibs
- A person who exaggerates his importance[351]
- nicked
- Stolen[354]
- nifty
- 1. Great, excellent; competently[269]
- 2. A joke, a wise crack[351]
- night-rider
- A masked mounted night criminal[351]
- nip
- A small drink[351]
- nippers
- Handcuffs[355]
- nix
- No, not[351]
- no chicken
- Advanced in years[351]
- no end
- A great deal[351]
- no flies on
- Active and wide-awake[351]
- no go
- No use, impossible[351]
- no kid
- No deception, no joke, hence, no kidding.[351]
- nob
- The head; or, a swell, from "nobleman"[351]
- nobody home
- Used to describe someone who is perceived as unintelligent or mentally challenged[356]
- noddle, noodle
- The head[351]
- noggin
- The head[351]
- noodle juice
- Tea[269]
- noodle-soup
- Nonsense, applesauce[351]
- nookie
- Sex act; sexual activity[357]
- nosebag, put on the
- To feed one's face, eat[351]
- nosebaggery
- Restaurant[269]
- not so good!
- Personally disapprove[269]
- note-shaver
- Money lender, usurer, discounter of notes. as, the kaiser discounted Wilson's notes[351]
- nothing to it
- Of no consequence[351]
- now then
- Look out for the next thing[351]
- now you're on the trolley
- Now you're right; now you've got it! (1920) i.e. Now you're on board[233]
- nubbin
- Anything dwarfed or imperfect[351]
- number
- clever resourceful Person[358]
- number 1
- Oneself[351]
- numskull
- Dunce, blockhead[351]
- nut, hard
- Silly or eccentric person, lunatic[351]
- nut, hard
- A desperado, bad man[351]
- nutty
- Completely unbalanced, crazy[351]
O
[edit]- o.k.
- Correct; to approve[359]
- oats, wild
- Youthful follies; once exclusively masculine[359]
- oatmeal mush
- The superficial conversation of a cake eater[269]
- obituary notice
- Eviction declaration[269]
- ocean greyhound
- A fast ocean-plying ship[359]
- oceans of
- An undoubted amount of[359]
- odds
- Matters or conditions on an unequal basis, as the proportions of a wager[359]
- odds, what's the
- What's the difference?[359]
- off color
- Unsatisfactory, open to suspicion[359]
- off his nut, hinges, or trolley
- Mentally unsound[359]
- off the reel
- Immediately[359]
- off the track
- This person becomes insanely violent when they go off the track[19]
- off with you
- Get out[359]
- off, gone off
- Crazy[359]
- oh yeah!
- I doubt it![269]
- oil burner
- Person who chews gum[269]
- oil, to strike
- To make a fortune suddenly[359]
- oilcan
- An imposter[269]
- old
- Used to convey affection, as in old bean, old boy, old chap, old dear, old fellow, old thing, old top[359]
- old bird
- A person of experience[359]
- old fops
- People who are older than middle age[269]
- old gentleman, old harry, old nick
- The devil[359]
- old man
- term of address; also old fruit; also old boy e.g."How's everything old boy?"[360]
- oliver twist
- Skilled dancer[269]
- omnibibulous
- Able to consume almost any alcoholic beverage, or likely to do so[361]
- on a toot
- On a drinking spree[360]
- on the lam
- Running away, usually from the police; see lam, on the[6]
- on the level
- Legitimate, honest[360]
- on the up and up
- On the level[360]
- on, to be
- To understand a thing[359]
- once over, o.o.
- A survey, a look entirely over[359]
- one-horse
- Paltry, inferior; as, a one-horse town[359]
- op
- Detective[363]
- open and shut
- Must be accepted or rejected in its entirety[359]
- open up
- Talk up, speak out[359]
- orchid
- Expensive item[269]
- orphan paper
- Bad checks[19]
- ossified
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[364][b]
- ostrich
- Person who is a Know-it-all[269]
- out on parole
- Divorced[269]
- out on the roof
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[364][b]
- over, half seas
- Half drunk[359]
- owl
- Person who is out late or stays up late[269]
- owled
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[365][b]
- own, on one's
- By oneself, at one's own risk[359]
- oyster fruit
- Pearls[364]
Example
Reviewing the 1928 "The Racket" – Eight January Chicago, racketeers who, for various good reasons, or on the lam and temporarily going straight in Los Angeles, we're rounded up and induced to work and this crook melodrama.
— 1928 Motion Picture Classic Movie Review[362]
P
[edit]- packing, to send
- To dismiss peremptorily[366]
- packing heat
- Carrying a gun[19]
- pain, to give one a
- To cause one annoyance[366]
- paint the town red
- To party and celebrate in a boisterous and unruly fashion, especially in public areas e.g. to show the big city how red paint should be applied[367]
- pal
- Man; see also bo buster mac[368]
- palaver
- Idle talk, flattery[366]
- palooka
- 1. Social outsider based on comic strip character joe palooka first devised in 1921; also paluka; palooker[368]
- 2. Large, below-average or stupid man; mediocre or inferior boxer[19]
- pan
- Face[19]
- pan out
- To produce, develop[366]
- pan, to
- To knock, criticize adversely[366]
- panhandle
- To beg; hence panhandler[366]
- panic
- Produce big favorable reaction from one's audience[369]
- panther piss
- Raw or inferior whiskey; rotgut; see panther sweat[369]
- panther sweat
- Raw or inferior whiskey; rotgut; see panther piss[369]
- papa
- Middle aged man who falls for gold-diggers, Sheba's, and vamps sugar-coated papa, one well to do[366]
- pard, partner
- A partner[366]
- park
- To leave an auto in an open space. used also of people: "don't park in my parlor"[366]
- parson's nose
- Rear end of cooked fowl; also called pope's nose, rabbi's nose, Darwin's nose[366]
- party
- An entertainment; amorous tumbling[366]
- pass on, to
- 1. Christian science euphemism for "to die;" It has become general throughout these rotaries states that nobody has died since Christ - all the rest have "passed on"[366]
- 2. To give way to the next person's word[366]
- paste
- 1. Hit; Strike very hard;Punch[370]
- 2. To strike a blow; "I'll paste you one in the bean"[366]
- pastorium
- A pastor's house; a sky pilot's bunk[366]
- pathos
- The characteristic of something that stirs emotions and passions, particularly evoking tender feelings like pity and sorrow[371]
- patsy
- Person who is set up i.e. person takes the blame for a crime; victim; fool or chump[370]
- paw
- Hand[370]
- peach
- To inform or tattle-tale upon; hence, peacher[366]
- peach, peacherino
- An attractive girl; anything nice or noticeable, as "a peach of a cold"[366]
- peaching
- Informing[373]
- peanut
- Small, insignificant thing or person[374]
- peanut politics
- Small, mean, underhand, or congressional politics[374]
- peart
- Fresh, joyous, as in I feel right peart, cal.[374]
- pecker
- The mouth, the kisser; courage, as in "keep your pecker up"[374]
- peeper
- Detective[375]
- peepers
- Eyes[375]
- peeved
- Angry, irritated[374]
- peg away
- To work at industriously[374]
- peg out
- To die[374]
- pen
- Penitentiary; a home fit only for hogs[374]
- pen yen
- Opium[376]
- penny dreadful
- A cheap sensational paper[374]
- pep
- Vim, vigor, energy[374]
- peppy
- Energetic and full of vitality[377]
- percolate
- 1. To happen[378]
- 2. As of 1925, to run smoothly and well[379]
- perk up
- Cheer up[374]
- pernickety, persnickety
- Contrary, difficult to please, pesky. troublesome, vexatious[374]
- pet
- 1. Necking[379]
- 2. Making out[380]
- pet to
- To excite by fondling; flirt age[374]
- peterman
- Safecracker who uses Nitroglycerin[379]
- petting pantry
- Movie theater or cinema[381]
- peter out
- To be exhausted, fail through anemia[374]
- petticoat
- A woman. petticoats used to be articles of female attire; succeeded by camisoles, step-ins, combinations, teddy-bears, teddies, buff etc.[374]
- petting party
- 1. One or more couples making out in a room; Devoted to hugging, or kissing games[382]
- 2. Social event devoted to hugging[21]
- 3. A stimulating fondle[374]
- phiz
- Face, physiognomy[374]
- phonus balonus
- Complete nonsense[382]
- pick up
- To scrape acquaintance with tor erotic purposes[374]
- pickle
- A plight, a predicament[374]
- pickled
- Drunk, soused, stewed to the upper gills[374]
- pick-me-up
- A stimulating beverage[374]
- pickpocket
- Pickpocketing involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person or a victim's pocket without them noticing the theft[383]
- pie-eyed
- Drunk[374]
- piece
- Gun[384]
- piffle
- Nonsense, twaddle, applesauce, stewed rhubarb[374]
- pigeon
- Stool-pigeon[19]
- piker
- 1. Grasping person; cheapskate[385]
- 2. One who will take the least risk especially to help others; coward[385]
- 3. Lazy person[385]
- 4. Small time burglar; cheat[385]
- 5. A gambler in a small way; a slacker of one's share[386]
- pill
- 1. Someone who irritates you e.g. "That person is being a real pill"[387]
- 2. Teacher[377]
- 3. Bullet[19]
- 4. See Cigarette[19]
- 5. A disagreeable person[386]
- pillowcase
- Young man who is full of feathers[377]
- pinch, at a
- In an emergency[386]
- pinch(ed)
- Arrested e.g. He was pinched by the coppers[19]
- pinko
- Liberal; freespirit[380]
- pins
- Legs[19]
- pip
- A state of depression; a low card[386]
- pipe
- See or notice[19]
- pipe down
- Stop talking[377]
- pipes
- Throat[19]
- pipe that
- Did you listen to that[19]
- pipe this
- Notice this[386]
- pippin
- A desired woman, a peacherino[386]
- pirate
- A landlord or industrial magnate; a thief of uncopyrighted literary material[386]
- pitching woo
- Making love[19]
- plastered
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[380][b]
- plant
- Someone who disguises themselves as neutral or affiliated with an organization, yet covertly works with another person or external group[388]
- platonic love
- Love presbyterian on the surface[386]
- play around with
- Keep company with, pet[386]
- playboy
- Older boyfriend[377]
- plucked, to be
- To flunk an examination[386]
- plug
- To boost a song. hence, song-plugger.[386]
- plug(s)
- 1. Blow, punch; bullet wound[389]
- 2. People[389]
- plug-hat
- High silk hat[386]
- plug-ugly
- A tough city ruffian, gangster[386]
- plum
- Public office in return for political service[386]
- plumb
- Entirely; as, plumb nutty, plumb Christian[386]
- plum-tree, shake thee
- Distribute political patronage[386]
- plunge
- To speculate recklessly[386]
- plutonic love
- Censored by pure act and deed law[386]
- poke
- Bankroll; roll of money; money in general[390]
- poke fun
- To joke, jest[386]
- poky
- Dull, spiritless,[386]
- polack
- A pole[386]
- polar bear
- One who swims in cold winter[386]
- police-dog
- Young woman's fiance[21]
- polish off
- To complete, defeat[386]
- poop(ed)
- 1. Shoot or kill someone[391]
- 2. Information; the low-down[392]
- poor
- A depreciating adjective, as in poor fish, one who lacks besom, pep, energy[386]
- poor stick
- One lacking initiative; a human puncture[386]
- poor white trash
- A 100 per cent free and unterrified Nordic financial and mental pauper in the southern states, whose family never owned slaves. if a child of poor white trash becomes president, historians at once raise his ancestors to the aristocracy[393]
- pop
- Shoot or kill someone; poop[394]
- pop the question
- To propose marriage; to dare conjugal shipwreck[393]
- poppycock
- Boastful nonsense; trifle; stale tripe[393]
- pork
- Gift or contribution to party funds; federal patronage[393]
- pork barrel
- An election fund; congressional appropriation for patronage[393]
- posilutely
- Absolutely[393]
- possum, to play
- To pretend to be dead, to lie low[393]
- potato
- A person; as in a big potato, small potatoes[393]
- potted
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[395][b]
- pow-wow
- A meeting where talk and not business prevails[393]
- pretty
- Ironically used, as in "a pretty mess"[393]
- prex, prexy
- Colleges for president[393]
- prig
- One assuming moral superiority. hence priggishness, priggery, prig Dom, etc.[393]
- primed
- Approaching a state of drunkenness; see § drunk[396][b]
- primp, prink
- To doll up, dress ostentatiously[393]
- primrose path, or way
- Road to hell; anything pleasant[393]
- priscilla
- Stay-at-home girl[377]
- pro skirt
- Prostitute[397]
- produce the cash
- Kiss me![377]
- prof
- Professor[393]
- profiteer
- A substantial, well-to-do citizen, who gouges the public[393]
- proud, to do oneself
- To show to advantage[393]
- prune
- A lemon, flat tire; as in, poor prune[393]
- prune pit
- Anything that is traditional[377]
- puff
- To blurb, praise unduly[393]
- puffing
- smoke opium[398]
- pug
- Pugilist, Boxer[399]
- pull
- Influence, advantage[393]
- pull a daniel boone
- Vomit[380]
- pull off
- To accomplish[400]
- pull the strings, wires, ropes
- Set in motion secretly[400]
- pull up stakes
- Strike camp; prepare to move[400]
- pump
- 1. To question discreetly; extract facts from[400]
- 2. Heart[401]
- pump metal
- Shoot bullets; see squirt metal[147]
- punch the bag
- Small talk [377]
- punch rustler
- Individual who spends the majority of their time at parties near the refreshments[377]
- punk
- Hood, Thug[19]
- puppy
- A vain, unmannered fool; a young person[400]
- puritan
- One scrupulous about the morals of others; one who holds that the pleasant is always wicked[400]
- purp
- A dog[400]
- push
- Vim, energy, pep; a crowd[400]
- pussyfoot
- To work by stealth and se[400]
- pushover
- Person easily convinced or seduced[402]
- puss
- Face[402]
- put down
- Drink[403]
- put the bee on
- To beg from; to borrow money from[404]
- put the screws on
- 1. Harass using extreme coercive pressure[405]
- putting on the ritz
- 1. Demonstration of affluence and lavishness; Pretend to be superior; After the Ritz Hotel in Paris (and its namesake César Ritz; see Ritzy[406]
- 2. Wear fashionable and attention-grabbing clothing: Ritzy; also put on the dog[406]
- 3. Puttin' On the Ritz is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1927[407]
Example
Dorothy Davenport handles the part of Violetta in an appealing manner, obtaining considerable pathos in the latter scenes
— 1916 issue The Moving Picture World[372]
Example
but the pickpocket upsets the boat by relieving a number of the guests of their valuables, and then being obliged to flee
— 1916 The Moving Picture World[175]
Q
[edit]- q.t. on the strict
- Secretly, quietly[400]
- quality
- The upper classes, people of social position and public morals[400]
- queen
- A woman, especially a peach, a Sheba[400]
- queer
- 1. Counterfeit[19]
- 2. Mishandle something[19]
- quiff
- 1. Cheap prostitute e.g. I'm no quiff![408]
- quilt
- Drink that warms one up[408]
- quiz
- A questioning, questionnaire[400]
R
[edit]- radical
- One who believes in anything you disagree with; any person of intelligence[400]
- rag
- A woman; a piece of jazz music[400]
- rag-a-muffin
- Disheveled, Dirty individual; hooligan, lout[409]
- rag, to chew the
- To talk incessantly about[400]
- ragamuffin
- A tattered vagabond[410]
- rags
- Clothes[19]
- rags, glad
- Best clothes; hallelujah garb[400]
- ragtime
- Jazz, modern dance music[400]
- rain pitchforks
- Downpour; rain heavily[411]
- raise a racket·, the mischief, cain, the devil, a row, a rumpus
- Create a disturbance[410]
- rake off
- A share of profits, usually illegal[410]
- rally
- Political meeting to disseminate wholesale blah[410]
- rambunctious
- Rude, noisy, turbulent[410]
- rampage
- A dashing about with violence[410]
- ranked
- Observed; Given the once-over[19]
- rant
- To be uproariously gay; to rage about[410]
- rap
- Criminal charge[412]
- rappers
- Informers; professional perjurer[413]
- rapscallion
- A worthless rascal[410]
- rare
- Extraordinary; as in a rare good time, a rare 'un[410]
- raspberry, razz, to give
- To express disapproval[410]
- rate
- Merit; deserve; count for something[414]
- rat
- 1. Treacherous; disgusting person; stool pigeon[414]
- 2. College freshman; vermin of the rodent family[410]
- rats and mice
- Dice, e.g. craps[19]
- rattle
- To disturb self-possession, fluster, disconcert[410]
- rattler
- Train[19]
- rattlebox, rattlebrain, rattlehead, rattlepate
- Nobody at home; an empty-head; an empty-head[410]
- rattletrap
- A chatterbox, talkative woman[410]
- ratty
- Despicable, worthless[410]
- rave about
- Express wild admiration for[410]
- raw deal
- Bad treatment[410]
- razz
- To make fun of someone[377]
- razzle-dazzle
- Giddy confusion or bewilderment; razz[410]
- real mccoy
- Genuine item[377]
- red
- A communist, socialist, Bolshevik, radical, prohibitionist, anti-prohibitionist, or member of any belief differing from yours[410]
- redhot
- Sort of criminal[19]
- red-light
- Eject from a car or train[19]
- red tape
- Official formality and delay. hence, red tapeworm, a dilatory official[415]
- redcap
- Porter at a railway station[3]
- red-eye
- Cheap, strong whiskey[3]
- red-hot
- Extreme, passionate; as in "red hot mama"[3]
- redlight
- Bawdy, harlotry[3]
- reefer
- marijuana cigarette[84]
- regular
- Real; genuine; normal; average i.e. Regular fella[416]
- reel boy
- Man who likes to watch movies[377]
- reuben
- Unsophisticated country bumpkin; rube; fool[417]
- rhatz
- Exclamation of disappointment; darn![418]
- rhino
- Money[417]
- rib
- A woman from the major surgical operation on Adam[415]
- ride for a fall
- Ride in a cocksure way to a tumble[415]
- ride him
- To kid, fool, make fun of him[415]
- rifle
- To steal thoroughly[415]
- right
- Indicating quality[19]
- right gee
- Quality guy[19]
- right o
- Annoying British expression of approval[415]
- rigmarole, rigamarole
- Rambling statement, nonsense[415]
- rile
- To stir to anger[415]
- ring off
- Quit, stop[415]
- ringer
- Political repeater[415]
- ringers
- Fakes[19]
- ringtailed roarer
- Braggart, blowhard[415]
- ripping
- Fine, exceptional, great[415]
- ritzy
- Swell, elegant, up-to-date, junior league[415]
- ritz
- Stuck up[377]
- ritzy
- Elegant; luxurious i.e. from the hotel[419]
- roast
- Criticize severely[415]
- rock of ages
- Woman over the age of 30[377]
- rock, the
- Alcatraz[420]
- rod
- Gun[19]
- roost, gone to
- Retired for the night[415]
- root
- To work loudly for anything. hence, rooter[415]
- rope in, to
- To entice or allure[415]
- roscoe
- Gun[19]
- rot
- Twaddle, nonsense, stewed prunes[415]
- rotgut
- Bad or cheap or bootleg liquor; see panther sweat[421]
- rotter
- A cad, undesirable person[415]
- rough, rough-neck
- A tough, rowdy[415]
- roughhouse, to
- To create a disturbance[415]
- rub
- Dancing party[422]
- rub-out
- Killing[19]
- rubber
- To turn the head to see. "lot's wife, before she turned to salt, turned to rubber."[415]
- rubberneck
- Constant rubberier[415]
- rubberneck-wagon
- Sightseeing car[415]
- rube(s)
- 1. Bumpkin; Easy mark[423]
- 2. Countryman, hick, jay[415]
- rughopper
- Man who does not date[377]
- rug shaking
- Dancing the shimmy[377]
- rum
- Odd, good, excellent, strong[415]
- rum hound
- Soak, drinker, scofflaw[415]
- rum row
- The liquor-laden fleet 12 miles out[424]
- rumble, The
- News[19]
- rummy
- Alternate names for intoxicated; § drunk; also rum seller; bootlegger[425][b]
- rumpus
- Noise, disturbance[415]
- rumrunner
- 1. Individual who smuggles any form of alcohol[426]
- 2. Vessel employed for the illegal transportation of alcoholic beverages[426]
- run across
- To meet, encounter[424]
- run after
- To seek the company of[424]
- run-down
- Weakened or exhausted[424]
- run in
- To arrest, lork up[424]
- run one's gums
- Argue; talk excessively; see bump gums[75]
- run out
- Leave or escape[19]
- running, out of the
- Disqualified[424]
- runt
- A short or undersized man or woman[424]
- rustle
- Hurry up and provide; as "rustle out some food."[424]
- rustler
- A cattle thief[424]
.jpg)
Example
I jammed the roscoe in his button and said, "Close your yap, bo, or I squirt metal."
— In his article for the Ottawa Citizen, William Denton mentioned Sam Spade, the famous detective character from Dashiell Hammett's works, quoting him as saying:[19]
S
[edit]- sack, to give or get the
- To be discharged from work[424]
- sail in
- Proceed boldly into[424]
- sam hill
- The devil, as in "what the sam hill!" Sam's father was bunker hill, shortened to bunk hill[424]
- sand
- Guts, grit, courage[424]
- sap
- Fool, stupid person; see Finale hopper[427]
- sap poison
- Getting hit with a sap[19]
- saphead
- A fool[424]
- sappy
- 1. Emotional, nostalgic, mushy; see mawkish[427]
- 2. Foolish, stupid; see sap[427]
- savvy
- Understand[19]
- sawbuck
- $10 bill e.g. a double sawbuck is a $20 bill or half-sawbuck is $5.00[428]
- sawbones
- A surgeon[424]
- say-so
- One's personal assertion[424]
- says you
- A response of skepticism; A defiant exclamation![428]
- scab
- Strike-breaker, blackleg, non-union laborer[424]
- scads
- Money, resources, lots of[424]
- scalawag
- A good for nought; native southern republican during reconstruction[424]
- scalp
- To cut prices, as ticket-scalpers; to cheat[424]
- scatter
- 1. Saloon or speakeasy[19]
- 2. Hideout; room; lodging[19]
- schnozzle
- Nose; see also beezer smeller[19]
- scofflaw
- A person who openly violates the law, particularly by not adhering to a law that is challenging to enforce[429]
- scoot
- Hurry or dart off quickly[424]
- scorcher
- A speed-bug, as in motoring[424]
- scram
- Leave immediately; flee; also scram out[430]
- scrape
- 1. Fight, scuffle.[424]
- 2. Predicament, awkward situation.[424]
- scrape acquaintance
- Make friends casually. Insinuate into intimacy.[431]
- scratch
- 1. Money[19]
- 2. Starting even[431]
- scratch a ticket
- To vote a mixed ticket, to vote for candidates of more than one party[431]
- scratch, up to
- Entirely prepared, as promised[431]
- scratched
- In horse-racing; a horse withdrawn[431]
- scratcher
- Forger[19]
- screaming meemies
- State of anxiety; jitters; state of nervous hysteria; see heebie jeebies[432]
- screw
- 1. In pre-1930 talkies, screw is used to tell a character to leave[19]
- 2. Get lost, get out[432]
- 3. Prison guards[433]
- 4. In horse-racing, a horse withdrawn.[431]
- screws loose
- Mentally unsound[431]
- screwy
- Crazy; eccentric e.g. "you're screwy!"[434]
- scrooched
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[435][b]
- scrooge
- To worm one's self forward, in a crowd[431]
- scrub
- Anything mean or paltry[431]
- scrumptious
- Fine, bully, splendid[431]
- season, open or hunting; closed season
- Periods when a thing may or may not be done[431]
- see a man about a dog
- I've got to leave now i.e. to have a drink[436]
- seedy
- Run to seed, shabby[431]
- seetie
- Things that flappers despise[377]
- sell
- A hoax, deception[431]
- sell short
- To sell securities as yet unpurchased, expecting to buy them later more cheaply[431]
- send over
- Send to jail[19]
- send up
- To send one to prison[431]
- sentiment
- Emotions, particularly gentle emotions, exist separately from logic or judgment, and are often seen as weak or foolish; Originating from emotions instead of reasoning; also sentimental[437]
- set up the crowd
- Pay for all the drinks, etc.[431]
- shady side of, on the
- To be more than; of one's age[431]
- shake
- To shake hands[431]
- shake a leg, a limb, a hoof
- Dance, or move more speedily[431]
- shake-down
- An enforced levy; extortion, blackmail; a rough western dance[431]
- shakes, in a couple of
- In a minute[431]
- shakes, no great
- Of small importance[431]
- shamus
- Private detective[438]
- shanks's mare
- One's own legs. hence, to ride shank's mare. to walk[431]
- An expert; also a gouger, man-eater, as in loan-shark[431]
- Hard bargaining, tricky dealing[439]
- 1. Swindlers, especially at cards[19]
- 2. Sneaky person[19]
- A good dancer who spends his money freely[377]
- shatting on your uppers
- To be in financial despair; see uppers[19]
- sheba
- 1. Stylish and attractive woman; woman with sex appeal; originates from the film The Queen of Sheba [441]
- 2. A she-sheik, vamp, siren, seductress, queen, the end of every man's desire[439]
- shebang
- The whole group[439]
- sheepskin
- College diploma in American education, ranked far below the pigskin[439]
- sheik
- 1. A man who believes he is irresistible to women (from the Valentino movies)[442]
- 2. I'm going out in search of female conquests[442]
- 3. Young man dressed in a fashionable manner[442]
- 4. A he-Sheba, a romantic he-man, a caveman lover[439]
- shekels
- Money[439]
- shelf, laid an the
- Laid aside[439]
- shell game
- A swindling game, consisting or guessing under which of three shells the pea is hidden. it is always under the other one[439]
- shell out
- To hand over or pay money[439]
- shells
- Bullets[19]
- shenanigan
- Humbug, nonsense, trickery[439]
- shifter
- Grafter[21]
- shifty
- Untrustworthy, tricky[439]
- shilly-shally
- Undetermined, dallying[439]
- shimmy
- A dance accompanied by a shivery wriggle of arms, and shoulders[439]
- shindy, shindig
- A row, disturbance, spree; originally a dance[439]
- shine box
- Club showcasing live performances by black jazz musicians[443]
- shine, to cut a
- To make a display[439]
- shinny up, shin up
- Climb up by aid of the shins[439]
- shinplaster
- Originally any paper money; continental us paper mopey before 1789, not "worth a continental," or worthless"[439]
- shirk
- A slacker, a soldiered on the job[439]
- shirt on, keep your
- Don't lose your temper[439]
- shiv
- Knife[444]
- shoat, shote
- A pig younger than a ' year; a worthless person[439]
- shoddy
- Cloth from shredded woolen rags; anything cheap, like campaign promises[439]
- shoes, to die in one's
- To die by violence[439]
- shoestring, to start business on a
- To start a business on small capital[445]
- shoot it
- Go ahead[445]
- shooting iron
- A gun[445]
- shop, to talk
- To talk about one's own business[445]
- shoplifter
- A store thief. hence, shoplifting[445]
- shopping, window
- To make the rounds of store windows without purchasing[445]
- short
- Hard up[445]
- shot
- Drunk. hence, half-shot. half-drunk[445]
- show case
- Wealthy man's wife decked out in jewels[377]
- shucks
- As an expletive, "nonsense!"[445]
- shut up
- Can the chatter; elide the loquacity[445]
- shy at, have a
- Make an attempt to do[445]
- shylock
- Unscrupulous moneylender[446]
- shyster
- Untrustworthy and despicable lawyer or politician[446]
- sic a dog on
- To encourage a dog to attack one[445]
- side
- Pretentious display; swank. hence, to put on side[445]
- side-light
- Indirect information[445]
- silly ass
- Person given to frequent ·blundering[445]
- silver screen
- The movies, the cinema[445]
- silver-tongued
- Able to speak blah eloquently; used of the late colonel Bryan of Florida real estate fame[445]
- simoleon(s)
- Dollar(s)[447]
- simon pure
- The genuine article[445]
- simple
- Weak of intellect[445]
- sinews of war
- Money[445]
- sing
- Inform; incriminate oneself and others; see canary[447]
- sing small
- To lower one's· demand; eat humble pie[445]
- sinker
- Doughnut or biscuit[448]
- sip
- Female dancer[377]
- sissy
- An effeminate boy or man; a miss Nancy[445]
- sister
- Woman, girl[448]
- sit tight
- Wait quietly for the next move[445]
- sit up
- To take notice[445]
- sitting pretty
- Being in a superior and extremely pleasant position[449]
- sixes and sevens, at
- In confusion, dismay[445]
- sixty, to go like
- To travel fast. also "like forty."[445]
- skate around
- Woman of easy virtue[450]
- skedaddle
- Scatter[451]
- skee
- 1. Scotch Whiskey; see jorum of skee[452]
- 2. Opium (1930)[452]
- skeet
- Skedaddle, scatter, depart[451]
- skeezicks
- A scamp, rascal, rogue[451]
- skid row
- Area or neighborhood often visited by homeless individuals, vagrants, wanderers; Struggling and without resources[453]
- skidoo
- Beat it, depart, "23 for you"[451]
- skimp
- To give a niggardly allowance of skin to cheat; a cheater[451]
- skinflint
- Miser; said to be able to skin flint[451]
- skip
- To flee the country, make off quickly[451]
- skirt
- A girl, woman, attractive female[451]
- skit
- A light, humorous literary parody or lampoon[451]
- skunk
- A disliked person; an opposing politician[451]
- sky
- To hang high, as pictures at an exhibition[451]
- sky-pilot
- Preacher, minister, pastor, priest, rabbi, a guide to eternal bliss and from eternal blisters[451]
- slam
- To find fault with continually[451]
- slang-slinger
- Slang talker[451]
- slang-whang
- To talk boisterously and abusively[451]
- slat
- Young man or boyfriend[377]
- slate
- Prepared political ticket to be 0k'd by voters[451]
- slant, get a
- Take a look[19]
- slapper
- Reformer or the antithesis of a flapper[377]
- slathers
- An abundance[451]
- slave-driver
- An exacting employer; an employer[451]
- slavocracy
- Slave-owners controlling the prerecession south[451]
- sleep, to put to
- To knock out, as in boxing[451]
- sleuth
- Detective[19]
- slick
- Smooth-tongued, oily[451]
- slick up
- To primp[451]
- sling ink
- To write profusely and carelessly[451]
- slip a cog
- To make an error unconsciously[454]
- slip up
- To make a failure of; make a mistake[454]
- slop over
- To bubble over with enthusiasm; spill affection over[454]
- sloppy
- Slovenly, inefficient[454]
- slouch
- A clumsy lout[454]
- slouch debutante
- An affected shambling gait[454]
- slow-coach
- A sluggard, laggard, slow person[454]
- slug
- 1. Knock unconscious[455]
- 2. Bullet[455]
- slum
- A squalid neighborhood; to visit slums out of curiosity or sociological interest[454]
- slump
- A heavy fall in prices[454]
- sly, on the
- Secretly[454]
- smack
- To kiss[454]
- small talk
- Unimportant conversation[454]
- smart
- Bright, shrewd, intelligent[454]
- smart Aleck
- A cocksure, opinionated person[454]
- smash
- A break-up of any kind; to fail in business[454]
- smear
- Utter success; a failure[454]
- smell
- A faint suggestion or hint[454]
- smeller
- Nose; see also schnozzle beezer[19]
- smile, I should
- I should say so[454]
- smith brother
- Man who never pays i.e. coughs up[377]
- smoke
- A cigar; a negro[454]
- smoked
- 1. Consuming inexpensive low-quality alcoholic beverages and becoming intoxicated; see § drunk[456][b]
- 2. Engaging in the act of smoking opium or a marijuana cigarette[456]
- smoke-eater
- Any Smoker[377]
- smooth
- Man who cannot be trusted[377]
- smudger
- Close dancer[377]
- smut
- Indecency, obscenity; hence, smutty, as the story of Abishag, of lot's daughters, of the Levite's concubine, etc.[454]
- smut-hound
- Vice investigator, enamored of smut[454]
- snag
- A hidden or unexpected obstacle[454]
- snail
- A slow, lazy person[454]
- snake
- A habitue, used in parlor-snake, lounge-snake, and the like; a hound, a lizard[454]
- snake charmer
- Woman involved in bootlegging[377]
- snakes, to see
- To suffer from delirium tremens[454]
- snap
- Force, vigor, pep, vim, go[454]
- snap a cap
- Fire a gun shot[457]
- snap one's head off
- To speak angrily[454]
- snap out of it
- Show some pep[454]
- snappy
- Full of energy, smart, classy, ritzy[454]
- snappy, make it
- Hurry up[458]
- snatch
- Kidnapping[459]
- sneakers or sneaks
- Soft-soled shoes[458]
- sneak-thief
- One who thieves through unfastened windows or doors[458]
- sneeze
- 1. portion of a powered narcotic e,g, cocaine[460]
- 2. Arrest[460]
- 3. Kidnapped[460]
- 4. Steal[460]
- snickersnee
- A large knife[458]
- sniff, to
- To sniff cocaine[458]
- sniffer
- cocaine addict or user[461]
- snippish, snippy
- Peevish, tart[458]
- snitch
- Informer, or to inform; see stool pigeon[461]
- snob
- A person affecting gentility in vulgar fashion; who snubs those below and lickspittles those above him[458]
- snooker
- Cheat, swindle[461]
- snooper
- Private detective[461]
- snoop
- To pry into another's affairs[458]
- snoot, sneezer, sniffer
- The nose[458]
- snooze
- Sleep[458]
- snort
- To laugh boisterously[458]
- snort(s)
- Drink(s) of liquor[461]
- snow
- 1. Theatrical deadheads[458]
- 2. cocaine[84]
- snowbird
- A dope addict; narcotic fiend; cocaine addict[84][458]
- snub
- To repress by a tart, sarcastic reply; to slight socially[458]
- snub-nose
- A slight nose turned up at the end[458]
- snugglepup
- Young man who frequents petting parties[21]
- so, is that?
- Expletive of doubt[458]
- so's your old man
- Reply of irritation; retort to an insult or slur[462]
- soak
- 1. Pawn used as collateral e.g. put into soak[463]
- 2. A pawnbroker's shop; in pawn, pawned[458]
- 3. Drink; heavy drinking session[463]
- 4. Despised person[463]
- soap, soft
- Flattery[458]
- soap-box
- Portable platform for street speakers[458]
- sob stuff
- Printed matter to evoke weeps[458]
- sob sister
- 1. Female newshawk attempting to provoke a response from her readers through her emotional reporting[299]
- 2. Woman who writes "human interest" stories, overburdened with sentimentality[458]
- sociable
- A dull evening party at a church[458]
- sock
- Punch; clobber[464]
- sock, to
- To hit a blow: as, "sock on the sniffer"[458]
- sockdollager
- 1. An event or action that holds great significance; An individual or object that is extraordinary, marvelous, or exceptional[464]
- 2. A finishing blow[458]
- soda jerk
- Person who works at a soda fountain and dispense soda from a tap; also jerks soda[465]
- sodbuster
- Undertaker[21]
- soft, softie
- Of weak intellect; simple[458]
- soft shoe
- Trail behind someone[377]
- soft snap or thing
- Easy to attain, sinecure[458]
- soldier
- Loiter on the job; shirk[466]
- solid ivory, mahogany, etc
- Brainless, lacking gray matter[466]
- solid, to be solid for
- Wholeheartedly for[466]
- some
- Of considerable importance; as, "some party!"[466]
- son of a female canine
- An insult, unless said with a smile[466]
- son of a gun
- Affectionate term of address[466]
- song
- A matter of little consequence; except to Irving berlin, et al[466]
- sophomoric
- Inflated style, from sophomore, a second year collegian[466]
- sore
- Pained, vexed, touchy, angry[466]
- sorehead
- A dissatisfied, discontented person[466]
- sort of
- To some extent[466]
- sorts, of
- Unsatisfactory, mediocre[466]
- sos
- A call for help: "save, oh save!"[466]
- so's your old man
- An expletive, a snappy retort; used thus: "thank you" "so's your old man!"[466]
- so-so
- Fair to middling; mediocre[466]
- sound
- To approach, to try out, to fathom[466]
- soup
- Soup-like mixture created by dissolving the stick of dynamite in hot water to create Gelignite nitroglycerin, then the crude nitroglycerin is used for breaking open safes[467]
- soup man
- skilled criminal specializing in using nitroglycerin to crack open safes[467]
- sour on
- To become tired of, or bitter about[466]
- souse
- One who drinks to excess; to drink to excess[466]
- sow
- A woman not liked[466]
- spade(s)
- Derogatory term for African-Americans[468]
- spank
- A smart, sounding blow, usually on the buttocks[466]
- spark
- To spoon or make love to a lover[466]
- sparrowgrass
- Asparagus[466]
- spat
- A petty quarrel, tiff[466]
- speakeasy
- Illegal establishment selling liquor or Illegal liquor purveyor; see blind pig, bootleg tiger[469][470]
- special
- Newspaper extra purporting to contain fresh news[470]
- speed
- Class, pep, ritziest, pace, go[470]
- spell
- An indefinite period; a turn of duty relieving another[470]
- spellbinder
- A popular orator or demagog, a blah tossed, a bull artist[470]
- spick and span
- Brand new[470]
- spicy
- Pungent, tart, risqué, racy[470]
- spiel, speel
- To talk longwindedly[470]
- spifflicated
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[471][b]
- spiffed, spiflicated
- Drunk[470]
- spiffy
- 1. Elegant appearance; smart; fashionable[472]
- 2. Ritzy, classy, up to snuff[470]
- spill
- Talk, inform; tell everything one knows[472]
- spill the beans
- To reveal a secret[470]
- spinach
- 1. Money[473]
- 2. nonsense, worthless matter[472]
- spitter
- Mouth, as in "a biff on the spitter"[470]
- splash
- Dash, display[470]
- spliced, to be or get
- To get married[470]
- splurge
- Display; sensation; fuss[470]
- spoils
- Political patronage; hence, spoilsman[470]
- spondulix
- Money[470]
- sponge
- Drunkard, hard drinker; to act as parasite[470]
- spoof
- A deception, swindle, hoax[470]
- spoon
- 1. To flirt with, bill and coo hence spoony, to get spoons on[470]
- 2. To neck, or talk of love; flirtation[474]
- sport
- A cheap flashy person[470]
- sport, a good
- One who'll do what the party does; a woman operating under blue-sky laws[470]
- spout
- To talk voluminously; to emit blah[470]
- spout, up the
- Everything in a bad way[470]
- spread
- A meal, an elaborate meal[470]
- spread-eagle-ism
- Bombastic praise of this country[470]
- spunk
- Courage, mettle, guts[475]
- squab
- A fat short person; a woman; a youngster[475]
- square
- 1. Satisfactory, honest[475]
- 2. Honest; regular man or women; respectable, upright[476]
- square deal
- Honest dealing; what people promise to do[475]
- square meal
- A complete repast[475]
- squatter
- One who settles on land without right[475]
- squeak
- A hairbreadth; the least margin[475]
- squeal
- To betray a plot or accomplice; to inform[475]
- squeeze
- 1. Female companion or girlfriend; lover; sweetheart; see main squeeze[328]
- 2. To compel to pay tribute to; to extort[475]
- squirm
- To escape by awkward evasion[475]
- squirrel
- Hide[377]
- squirrel-food or feed
- A nut, loon, simpleton, crazy person[475]
- squirt
- A brainless conceited person[475]
- squirt metal
- Shoot bullets[19]
- stag
- A man without a woman at a dance[475]
- stager, an old
- An old egg, person of long experience[475]
- stall
- To evade in talk; to postpone a debt; stick in mud or snow[475]
- star
- One who plays a leading part[475]
- static
- Conflicting opinion; difficulties, impudent; argumentative talk[477]
- statts
- Conversation that means nothing[21]
- steam-roller
- Overrunning opposition by roughhouse tactics[475]
- steep
- Exorbitant, expensive[475]
- step off
- 1. To be executed; die[478]
- 2. To get married[478]
- step off a wharf
- Ordering drinks and then refusing to pay the bill[377]
- step on the gas
- Speed it[475]
- step out
- To go out all dressed up[475]
- stew
- Mental disturbance hence stewed, stewed to the gills; drunk[475]
- stick, a poor
- An unsatisfactory sweetie, a flat tire[475]
- sticks, in the
- In the backwoods[475]
- stiff
- 1. Corpse, dead human body[479]
- 2. Drunk passed out cold[479]
- stilts
- Legs[377]
- sting
- Culmination of a con game; swindle[480]
- stink
- A disagreeable exposure[481]
- stinker
- A rotter, a disliked person[481]
- stool pigeon
- 1. Informer; see canary[482]
- 2. A planted informer; a gambling den decoy[481]
- stoolie
- Stool-pigeon; criminal informer[483]
- stork
- A long-legged bird, purveying all human babies in the united states; the cabbage and rose bush methods have become slightly obscene; the biological is verboten; the stork, Santa Claus, and Yahweh[481]
- stovepipe hat
- High silk hat[481]
- straddle
- To pose on both sides of a question[481]
- straight goods
- The undiluted truth[481]
- strangler
- What a spendthrift isn't[21]
- strap-hanger
- Passengers permitted by public service corporations to exercise their clinging muscles instead of their sedentary anatomy[481]
- strawberry, blonde
- Carrot-top; red haired woman[481]
- streeted
- Thrown out of a party[484]
- strike breaker
- Young woman who goes with her friend's "steady" while there is a coolness[484]
- stuck on, to be
- 1. To be fond of[481]
- 2. You have a crush on someone[484]
- stuck up
- Conceited, vain[481]
- struggle
- Modern dance[484]
- struggle buggy
- Backseat of a car; Parent's worst nightmare[299]
- stutter bus
- Truck[484]
- stutter-tub
- Motor boat[21]
- sucker
- 1. Someone who is vulnerable to being swindled by a scam artist[485]
- 2. One easily imposed upon[481]
- sugar
- Flattering words; money, as in "a sugar-coated papa"[481]
- sugar daddy
- Older boyfriend who showers girlfriend with gifts[484]
- swag
- Stolen goods, loot[481]
- swanky
- Good, Elegant, Ritzy[484]
- sweet on, to be
- To be fond of[481]
- sweet tooth
- A liking for sweets[481]
- sweetie, sweetums, sweet stuff
- 1. One beloved or favored[481]
- 2. Anybody she hates[21]
- sweeten the pot
- To enlarge one's holdings[481]
- swell
- Great[484]
- swim, in the
- In company with; in the current of popular fashions[481]
- swindler(s)
- Individual(s) who deceive with the intention of stealing money or possessions from others[486]
- swing
- To manage successfully[481]
- swipe
- To steal, especially a cheap article[481]
Example
The two sharpers escape and join another member of the confidence game.
— 1916 The Moving Picture World[440]
Example
I jammed the roscoe in his button and said, "Close your yap, bo, or I squirt metal."
— In his article for the Ottawa Citizen, William Denton mentioned Sam Spade, the famous detective character from Dashiell Hammett's works, quoting him as saying:[19]
T
[edit]- table, to go to the
- To partake of the Christian communion; formerly of bread and wine, since the Volstead act of uneeda biscuits or zuzus, and Canada dry, cherry Ola, Coca-Cola, or cherry smash[487]
- tacky
- Neglected, shabby, unkempt[487]
- taffy·
- Sweet words, blarney, flattery[487]
- tail
- Shadow or follow[19]
- take a bent stick
- Instead of hoping for a perfect partner, a woman who may not be easily marriageable should consider settling for a loyal elderly admirer[29]
- take a powder
- Leave; depart hastily[488]
- take a shine to
- Take a liking to[487]
- take after
- Resemble[487]
- take for a ride
- Transport someone to an isolated area with the intention of killing them[489]
- taken in, to be
- To be deceived[487]
- take it from me
- Believe me[487]
- take of
- To imitate or mimic[487]
- take on
- 1. Get excited or hysteric over[487]
- 2. Eat[19]
- take the air
- 1. Go about one's business[487]
- 2. Leave[484]
- take the bounce
- To get kicked out[19]
- take the ball and run
- 1. Carry on with an activity or process initiated by someone else, usually when they were unable to complete or succeed at it; also run with the ball[9]
- 2. Taking an opportunity and following it[9]
- take the cake
- Win, as at a cakewalk[487]
- take the fall for
- Endure punishment, blame, criticism, or even arrest for the actions of someone else, perhaps knowingly; Getting arrested for a specific crime, particularly when others are not held accountable for committing the same crime[490]
- talent, the
- Persons in a profession[487]
- talk big
- To boast[487]
- talk turkey
- To talk business[487]
- tall timber, the
- The sticks; the backwoods[487]
- tank
- Heavy drinker, sponge[487]
- tanked
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[491][b]
- tanktown
- One horse burg, jerkwater town[487]
- tart
- A daughter of joy, a harlot, girl on the turf[487]
- tasty
- Appealing; sexually alluring[492]
- tb
- Consumption, tuberculosis[487]
- tea
- 1. Marijuana[493]
- 2. Whisky[493]
- tea fight
- Tea-party, muffin-worry[487]
- teach one's grandmother to suck eggs
- To lecture one's elders[487]
- tear
- Boisterous spree; "on a tear"[487]
- tearjerker
- It's a tear-inducing performance in a film, novel, song, or opera that evokes strong emotions; a fomenter of pathos[494]
- teetotaler
- Individual who refrains from consuming any form of alcohol[495]
- tell it to sweeney
- Expressing skepticism by dismissing a previous unrealistic claim[496]
- ten cent box
- Taxi cab; see hack[497]
- ten strike
- A complete victory[487]
- tenderfoot
- A greenhorn, easterner, in the west[487]
- tenderloin
- Choicest section of a city, in which theatres, gambling dens, etc.[498]
- the advantage bulls
- Plainclothes railroad cops[499]
- the money man
- Man with the bankroll[500]
- the nuts
- Good![497]
- the real mccoy
- The genuine thing, neither a substitute nor an imitation[501]
- they
- Refers to objecting parents[21]
- thing, the
- The proper or fashionable thing[498]
- think, I don't
- Negatives what precedes: "you're a gentleman, I don't think!"[498]
- third degree
- Illegal police method of extorting lies, faked confessions, etc.[498]
- three letter man
- Homosexual[502]
- three-spot
- Three-year jail term[147]
- throw lead
- Shoot bullets[503]
- ticket
- Private Investigator License (PI)[503]
- tickled to death, to be
- To be highly pleased[498]
- tie, can you tie that?
- Can you equal that[498]
- tiger milk
- Some sort of liquor[504]
- tight
- 1. Close, stingy; drunk[498]
- 2. Attractive[497]
- tighten the screws
- To forcefully pressure someone through coercion, force, or violent threats[505]
- tile loose, to have a
- To be crazy[498]
- tin
- Police officers badge[506]
- tin lizzie, tin lizard, tincan, flivver, henry
- A ford[498]
- tin pan alley
- Music industry in New York, located between 48th and 52nd streets[507]
- tincan tourist, tincanner, tin can town or city
- Ford tourists, living in a flivver there and here[498]
- tip a few
- Have a few drinks[147]
- toad-eater
- Fawning parasite, sycophant, lickspittle[498]
- toddle
- A dance; to depart, as toddle along[498]
- toddler
- Related to someone who shows up once everything has already been paid for; see finale hopper[497]
- tom, dick, and harry
- Any of a crowd; people at large[498]
- tomato
- Attractive woman or Good looking girl with no brains[6]
- toodle-dy-oo, toodle-oo
- Goodbye[498]
- tooting The Wrong Ringer
- Asking the wrong person[147]
- tophole
- The acme of perfection[498]
- torpedo(s)
- Hired thug or hitman[508]
- toss or toss up
- An even chance[498]
- toss and hike
- Decide to pursue a new girl and reject the current one[497]
- tote, tote a gun, tote fair
- To carry[498]
- touch
- To borrow[498]
- trail, to hit the
- To be converted by a vulgar evangelist[498]
- train with
- To go with a person[498]
- trap
- Mouth[509]
- trigger man
- Man whose job is to use a gun[504]
- trip for biscuits
- Wild goose chase[510]
- tripe
- Blah, flapdoodle, nonsense[498]
- trot along
- Depart[498]
- trottery
- Dance hall; where shimmy, etc., is danced[498]
- trotzky
- Mature woman with facial hair[497]
- trouble boys
- Groups of young men known for causing mischief or getting into minor legal troubles[147]
- tumble to
- To understand[511]
- tum-tum, tuh-tuh
- The stomach[511]
- turn up
- Give up or turn in to law enforcement officers[19]
- twaddle, twattle
- Idle chatter, piffle, bibblebabble[511]
- twist
- Woman[19]
- two bits
- Twenty-five cents ($.25) or Twenty-five dollars ($25)[512]
U
[edit]- uncle
- A pawnbroker; uncle Sam[511]
- under glass
- In jail[513]
- unreal
- Special[497]
- unwritten law
- Illegal custom allowing a man to bump off his wife's pal, or a woman to poke off her hubby's lady charitable[511]
- up and doing
- Energetic, go-getting[511]
- up and down
- Gazing intently at someone[19]
- up the flue, flume, or spout
- Gone flooey; ruined[511]
- upchuck
- Vomit, yak, spew, especially after consuming too much Giggle juice[497]
- upper crust
- The so-called aristocratic class[511]
- upper story
- Vacant part of a house; the brain[511]
- uppers
- To be in financial despair; see shatting on your uppers[19]
- upstage
- Snotty, snobbish[511]
- urban set
- New gown[497]
V
[edit]- v or v spot
- A five dollar bill[511]
- vacuum
- Entire void, especially mental[511]
- vag
- Vagrancy; Homelessness[19]
- vamoose
- To leave pronto or quickly[511]
- vamp, vampire
- 1. Female seducer of men; Aggressive female flirt[514]
- 2. Seductress, a Theda[511]
- virgin
- A girl with a presbyterian reputation; somewhat out of date[511]
- voot
- Money[514]
W
[edit]- wad, wad of dough
- Money collectively[511]
- wages of sin
- The price paid for breaking a divine or moral law; usually affluence, public esteem, success, and· a marble mausoleum; unless the infraction has been picayune[511]
- walk in
- Party crasher[497]
- walking delegate
- Business agent of a labor union; the representative of capital rides[515]
- walkover
- An easy or unopposed success[515]
- wallop(s)
- 1. A heavy blow, punch; thrash e.g. he gave him a mighty wallop[516]
- 2. Emotional impact; emotionally excited reaction; psychological force e.g. that film has some serious wallop[517]
- warm
- Heated with passion; as, warm member, warm baby[515]
- waster
- A person who wastes or lavishly spends money; wastrel[518]
- watch your step
- Watch out[515]
- water-proof
- Face that doesn't require make-up[497]
- weak end
- The brain[515]
- weak sister
- 1. A pepless dame[515]
- 2. Push-over[19]
- weaker sex or vessel
- Used by men to describe women[515]
- wear iron
- Carry a gun[147]
- weasel
- 1. Young man who steals a girl from her boyfriend[497]
- 2. Informer; squeals; see Canary[519]
- Weepie
- Film designed to elicit a tearful emotional response from its audience; Sad or sentimental film, often portraying troubled romance; see tear jerker[520]
- weeping willow
- 1. Pessimist; one who doubts; see crepehanger;[21]
- 2. See killjoy; wet blanket[520]
- wet
- 1. Place where liquor is available or person who is in favor of legal alcohol sales i.e. against prohibition [521]
- 2. Incorrect, mistaken e.g. you're all wet (1920)[521][515]
- wet blanket
- Person who spoils a fun moment i.e. Killjoy[497]
- whaled
- Heavy drinker who is drunk[523]
- whangdoodle
- 1. Jazz music[524]
- 2. A mythical creature, akin to the gymnascutus, legs shorter on one side than the other, to let him feed on a hillside; nonsense[515]
- what's eating you?
- What's currently irritating or troubling you? e.g. You seem to be in a sour mood today, What's eating you?[525]
- what's What
- The real or genuine thing[515]
- whiskbroom
- A man who cultivates whiskers[497]
- white collar slave
- The class of clerks, as opposed to class-conscious labor[515]
- white lightning
- Moonshine; inferior whiskey e,g, they had a pint of bootleg white lighting[526]
- white mule, white lightning
- Greased lightning, mountain dew, or corn; illegal liquor[515]
- white stuff
- 1. Morphine[84]
- 2. Grain alcohol used for making bootleg liquor[526]
- whoopee
- 1. Boisterous, convivial fun; wild celebration[527]
- 2. Having fun had with a romantic partner; making whoopee i.e. having sexual intercourse[528]
- whopper jawed
- Crazy[515]
- wicked
- Skilled; as, shake a wicked leg or limb[515]
- wiff
- The wife, the missus, the better two-thirds[515]
- wild to
- Anxious or crazy to[515]
- willies, the
- The jimjams, blues, feeling of dislike[515]
- windsucker
- Braggart[497]
- wise guy
- Smart aleck; individual who is showy and arrogantly knowledgeable[529]
- wise Head
- Smart person[19]
- wise to be
- To have a good understanding e.g. put us wise[19]
- wiseacre
- A know-it-all[515]
- wobbly
- Member of the iww, the "industrial workers of the world"[515]
- wooden kimono
- Coffin[19]
- woof! woof!
- Ridicule[497]
- wop
- Derogatory term for an Italian; term means without papers[530]
- worker
- Woman who takes a guy for his money e.g. She Sizes Up As A Worker[19]
- wow
- A knockout, great success[531]
- wrestle
- Dance variant of Shimmy dance[497]
- wrinkle
- 1. Girl's mother[497]
- 2. A smart dodge, a new trick[531]
- write-up
- Laudatory story for the press[531]
- wrong box, wrong pew, in the
- In a false predicament or wrong place[531]
- wrong guy
- A person who is incompetent and untrustworthy; criminal; also wrong gee, wrong ghee, wrong Injun[532]
- wrong number
- Not a good fellow; dangerous person[533]
- wrong person
- Used in secretive conversations to indicate a mistake in identity, especially in dealings that required discretion[147]
- wurp
- socially inadequate; see Killjoy[534]
Example
. . . where Nazimova comes to a house of refuge, not knowing that Sills is there, and is pronounced dying by physicians, but is saved by Sills' prayer. To us who make and sell pictures, this "saved by prayer" situation registers as hokum, but just the same it has a genuine wallop for most of your customers, and consequently this final sequence effectively tops a very good red meat dramatic yarn.
— 1924 Wid's Movie Review[255]
Example
In the park awaiting her train home she meets Forrest Chenoworth, a rich idler, whose money has gotten him into trouble with a lady named Jane. . . The alderman's son, a waster, is acquainted with Jane
— 1920 Wid's Daily Movie Review[271]
Example
I am a one-sided person—what you call, perhaps, a wet blanket. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't gamble, I don't dance. I like my home. I do not like boldness, lack of restraint.
— 1923 Photoplay interview of Joseph Schildkraut[522]
Y
[edit]- ya follow
- Do you understand?[535]
- yap
- 1. Mouth[19]
- 2. To make noise; a hick, countryman[531]
- yard
- One hundred dollars ($100)[19]
- yegg, yeggman
- A traveling safe-blower[531]
- yegg
- Safecracker who can only open cheap and easy safes; supposedly named after john yegg, first criminal to use nitroglycerin to crack a safe to break open a safe[536]
- yen
- opium[537]
- yellow
- Cowardly; sensational, as yellow journalism[531]
- yellowback
- Various dominations of U.S. dollar having a yellow-colored back e.g. Out West during the Civil War California used currencies with yellowback, while out East, they used greenbacks[537]
- Yenshee
- Opium; see yen[538]
- Yenshee baby
- Opium addict[538]
- you slay me!
- That's so funny; also you kill me[539]
Z
[edit]- zero
- A dud, an absolute blank mentally[531]
- zip
- Speed; hence, zippy[531]
- zotzed
- Individual is murdered[19]
- zozzled
- Alternate names for intoxicated; see § drunk[540][b]
See also
[edit]- Art Deco
- Glossary of Mafia-related words
- Jazz Age
- List of 1920s jazz standards
- List of police-related slang terms
- List of ethnic slurs
- Prohibition in the United States
- Roaring Twenties
- Slang dictionary
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d Animal alternatives having the same meaning as Bee's Knees [541]
Bee's ankles, bee's knee's, Bullfrog's beard,
Canary's tusks, Cat's Canary, Cat's cuffs,
Cat's eye, Cat's eyebrows, Cat's kimono,
cat's meow, cat's pajamas, Cat's underwear,
Cat's whiskers, Clam's garters, Cuckoo's chin,
Dog's ankles,Dog's bollocks, Duck's Quack, Eel's hips,
Eel's ankle, Elephant's adenoids,
Elephant's fallen arches, Elephant's eyebrows,
Elephant's instep, Elephant's hips,
Elephant's wrist, Frog's ankles,
Frog's elbow, Frog's eyebrows, Gnat's elbow,
Goat's whiskers, Grasshopper's knees,Hen's eyebrows, Kitten's ankles, Leopard's stripes,
Monkey's eyebrows, Pig's feet, Pig's wings,
Puppy's tail, Pussycat's whiskers, Sardine's whiskers, Snake's ears, Snake's hips, Snugglepup's bow-bow, Spider's ankles, Tiger's spots, Turtle's neck, - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x In the early 20th century, people commonly used these terms to describe being inebriated: Dalzell 2012, pp. 12
- Bent
- Blind
- Blotto
- Bolognied
- Canned
- Crocked
- Boiled as an owl
- Corked
- Embalmed
- Fried
- Fried to the Hat
- Half Seas Over
- Half Under
- Hoary-eyed
- Jammed
- Jazzed
- Jiggered
- Juiced
- Lit
- Oiled
- Out like a light
- Out on the roof
- Ossified
- Owled
- Pie-eyed
- Piffled
- Plastered
- Polluted
- Potted
- Primed
- Shellacked
- Shot
- Stew to the hat.
- Scrooched
- Smoked
- Spifficated
- Tanked
- Zozzled
References
[edit]- ^ "Slang of the 1920's" (PDF). center.uoregon.edu. University of Oregon. 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
Slang of the 1920's The twenties were the first decade to emphasize youth culture over the older generations, and the flapper sub-culture had a tremendous influence on mainstream America; many new words and phrases were coined by these liberated women. Many of these are still used today!
- ^ a b "What Does 'Eighty-Six' Mean?". merriam-webster.com. Merriam-Webster, an Encyclopaedia Britannica company. 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 1.
- ^ a b c "Roaring 20s Slang". quizlet.com. 2024 Quizlet, Inc. 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao Dalzell 2012, p. 11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Curland, Richard (September 10, 2016). "Historically Speaking: 1920's slang reflected the era's cultural shift". The Bulletin. Norwich, Connecticut. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 10.
- ^ a b c LeFurgy 2019.
- ^ a b c "Will These Words From The 1920s Come Back In 2020?". dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC. January 1, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
Dictionary.com is the world's leading digital dictionary. Dictionary.com's main, proprietary source is the Random House Unabridged Dictionary and supplemented with established sources including American Heritage and Harper Collins
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 6.
- ^ Anderson, Nels (1923). "The hobo; the sociology of the homeless man". Internet Archive. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 2.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 4.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 5.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 39.
- ^ a b c d e Geneviene 2018, p. 6.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex "Twists, Slugs and Roscoes – A Glossary of Hard-Boiled Slang". The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. July 5, 1998. p. 41. Retrieved August 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
Compiled by William Denton
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 5.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag O'Flahavan, Leslie (2021). "Flapper's Dictionary – by Ella Hartung, 1922". ewriteonline.com. EWRITE LLC. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
Listing copied from the authentic 1922 Flapper's Dictionary by Ella Hartung
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 68.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 17.
- ^ the bee's knees as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e Geneviene 2018, p. 7.
- ^ "Belly Laugh". An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
The first known use of belly laugh was in 1916
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- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 93.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 71.
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- ^ Green 2008, p. 101.
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- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 30.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 128.
- ^ a b "Green's Dictionary of Slang". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 7.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 132.
- ^ a b c Geneviene 2018, p. 9.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 36.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 145.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 8.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 158.
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 159.
- ^ Lighter 1994, p. 246.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 160.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 126.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 168.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 42.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 171.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 44.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 45.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 133.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 177.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 9.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 46.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 184.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 189.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 192.
- ^ Martin, Gary (January 1, 1997). "Phrase Finder". phrases.org.uk. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ cute as a bug's ear as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 199.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 10.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 8.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 200.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 202.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 51.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 207.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 52.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 214.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 216.
- ^ Lighter 1994, p. 131.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 55.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 10.
- ^ butter-and-egg man as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 227.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o ""Birds" and "Babies" play at "Doctors' Parties" as all "Lay on the Hip"". El Paso Herald. El Paso, Texas. May 12, 1923. p. 16. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 233.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 14.
- ^ a b "Puritan Passions with Glenn Hunter and Mary Astor". Exhibitors Trade Review. New York, Exhibitor's trade review, inc. September 15, 1923. p. 720. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 276.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 236.
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 75.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 237.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 239.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 61.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 184.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 248.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Dalzell 2012, p. 12.
- ^ a b c d Chapman 1987, p. 205.
- ^ cat's meow as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ "The Rent Collector (Vitagraph)". Exhibitors Herald. Chicago, Exhibitors Herald. March 10, 1923. p. 1283. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 11.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 255.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 263.
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 270.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 271.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 274.
- ^ a b Tradii 2018, p. 12.
- ^ a b c Geneviene 2018, p. 16.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 278.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 282.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 288.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 289.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 292.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 294.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 298.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 297.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 12.
- ^ cocaine addict as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ "LAEMMLE – No. 16 Martin Place". The Moving Picture World. New York, Chalmers Publishing Company. July 15, 1916. p. 583. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 309.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 76.
- ^ "Wanted: love; Abe has coin; girls kid him". Los Angeles Evening Post-Record (Los Angeles, California). January 4, 1915. p. 7. Retrieved August 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
Abe Deuce's letter to the editor of Los Angeles Record
- ^ a b "Surprising Words from the 1920s". merriam-webster.com. 2024 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 2024. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c come to time as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b "Metro-They Like "Em Rough"". Exhibitors Herald. Chicago, Exhibitors Herald. August 5, 1922. p. 487. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 319.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 320.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 325.
- ^ a b c "Cop". Merriam-Webster.com. An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "Copped". Merriam-Webster.com. An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 17.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 330.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 13.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 14.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 339.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 87.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 270.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 89.
- ^ "Crush-out". Merriam-Webster.com. An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "Cut Down". Merriam-Webster.com. An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 366.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 14.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 19.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 95.
- ^ a b c d e Geneviene 2018, p. 20.
- ^ dapper as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Denton, William (May 25, 2016). "Twists, Slugs and Roscoes: A Glossary of Hardboiled Slang". miskatonic.org. Miskatonic University Press. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ McClure's Magazine 1917, p. 62.
- ^ "Comments on the Films – Exclusively by our own Staff". The Moving Picture Weekly. October 14, 1916. p. 540. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 15.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 105.
- ^ a b c Tradii 2018, p. 16.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 21.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 22.
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 419.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 423.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap Dalzell 2012, p. 13.
- ^ a b Tradii 2018, p. 17.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 437.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 238.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 16.
- ^ Beard, Robert. "A Historical Dictionary of American Slang". alphadictionary.com. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 443.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 436.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 458.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 459.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 462.
- ^ a b c Geneviene 2018, p. 27.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 468.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 17.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 385.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 483.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 486.
- ^ a b ""A Stranger from Somewhere" – Five-Reel Bluebird Photoplay With Franklin Farnum in a Dual Role". The Moving Picture World. New York, Chalmers Publishing Company. November 18, 1916. p. 999. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 488.
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 134.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 491.
- ^ Gormandy White, Mary (September 14, 2017). "20s Gangster Slang". yourdictionary.com. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 499.
- ^ a b Tradii 2018, p. 21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 18.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 506.
- ^ a b c d e f g Chapman 1987, p. 507.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 409.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 142.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 144.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 515.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 147.
- ^ a b c d Geneviene 2018, p. 30.
- ^ a b Tradii 2018, p. 22.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 523.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 19.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 156.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 31.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 157.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 158.
- ^ gandy dancer as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 20.
- ^ a b c d Geneviene 2018, p. 32.
- ^ a b gay as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Tradii 2018, p. 24.
- ^ gigolo as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 168.
- ^ a b c d e Geneviene 2018, p. 33.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 571.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 21.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 177.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 178.
- ^ Lighter 1994, p. 930.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 179.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 490.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 25.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 183.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 600.
- ^ Lighter 1994, p. 968.
- ^ "grindhouse". dictionary.com. 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
Dictionary.com is the world's leading digital dictionary
- ^ Grindhouse
- ^ Church, David (2015). Grindhouse Nostalgia: Memory, Home Video and Exploitation Film Fandom. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-9910-0. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ^ a b "NON-STOP FLIGHT". Variety. July 7, 1926. p. 17. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Dalzell 2012, p. 14.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 610.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 513.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 22.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 615.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 36.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 260.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 35.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 195.
- ^ Harlem sunset as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 632.
- ^ Brockway, Laura Hale (April 14, 2021). "30 words and phrases from the 1920s that are still the 'cat's pajamas'". ragan.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "Slang of the 1920's" (PDF). center.uoregon.edu. University of Oregon. 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
Slang of the 1920's The twenties were the first decade to emphasize youth culture over the older generations, and the flapper sub-culture had a tremendous influence on mainstream America; many new words and phrases were coined by these liberated women. Many of these are still used today!
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 251.
- ^ heart wrenching as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 638.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 208.
- ^ heat as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 640.
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 254.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 211.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 23.
- ^ high pillow as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 652.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 214.
- ^ a b hipster as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 656.
- ^ histrionics as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 108.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 37.
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 262.
- ^ a b hoaky as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 662.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 218.
- ^ a b "NAZIMOVA AND MILTON SILLS in Madonna of the Streets". Wid's. Hollywood : Wid's Weekly. December 25, 1924. p. 191. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
Ordinary Production Given to Very Convenient Melodrama
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 489.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 668.
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 267.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 222.
- ^ a b Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 269.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 569.
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 270.
- ^ Kipfer & Chapman 2007, p. 271.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 225.
- ^ house dick as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 24.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 231.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an Dalzell 2012, p. 15.
- ^ idler as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b "Gladys Leslie in Vitagraph's "THE MIDNIGHT BRIDE"". Wid's Daily. New York, Wid's Films and Film Folks, Inc. February 1, 1920. p. 148. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 698.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 25.
- ^ Irish goodbye as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 237.
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 226.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 702.
- ^ "iron (one's) shoelaces". idioms.thefreedictionary.com. Farlex. 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 703.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 713.
- ^ "Fred Hamm and his band have an unusual record". Kirksville Daily Express and Kirksville Daily News. Kirksville, Missouri. February 14, 1926. p. 3. Retrieved August 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 718.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 26.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 725.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 729.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 31.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 730.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 732.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 32.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 735.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 42.
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 738.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 43.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 27.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 247.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 743.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 248.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 747.
- ^ a b c "1920s Slang – The Language of The Jazz Age". 1920s-fashion-and-music.com. April 15, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 761.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 764.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 28.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 770.
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 772.
- ^ a b c d e Green 2008, p. 773.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 47.
- ^ know one's onions as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 29.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 785.
- ^ a b c d Green 2008, p. 787.
- ^ a b c d Green 2008, p. 788.
- ^ left holding The Bag as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 30.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 48.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 795.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 802.
- ^ limey as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ line as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 268.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 36.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 31.
- ^ lollygagger as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ lookout as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 270.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 32.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 272.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 276.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1260.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 33.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 280.
- ^ maroon as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ mawkish as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ "Wandering Husbands". Photoplay. MacFadden Publishing Inc. August 1, 1924. p. 88. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 281.
- ^ meller as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b melodrama as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 547.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 284.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 52.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 285.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 34.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 287.
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 499.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 299.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 289.
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 602.
- ^ grundy as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 612.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 35.
- ^ Lighter 1997, p. 618.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 36.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 296.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 911.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 790.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 794.
- ^ "nobody home". idioms.thefreedictionary.com. Farlex. 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 300.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 304.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 37.
- ^ a b c d Geneviene 2018, p. 58.
- ^ omnibibulous as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Thorpe, Dunham (December 1, 1928). "Muttling "The Racket" – the underworld has sat to silence this film fusillade trained on it". Motion Picture Classic. New York: New York, Motion Picture Publications, Inc. p. 63. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 44.
- ^ a b c Geneviene 2018, p. 59.
- ^ "owled". idioms.thefreedictionary.com. Farlex. 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 38.
- ^ paint the town red as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 320.
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 321.
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 323.
- ^ pathos as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ "The Other Woman – Two-Reel Gold Seal Offering Presents Entertaining Little Study of Artistic Temperament". The Moving Picture World. Chicago, Exhibitors Herald. May 6, 1918. p. 109. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
Reviewed by Robert C. McElravy.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 61.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 39.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 325.
- ^ "Green's Dictionary of Slang". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Dalzell 2012, p. 16.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 981.
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 326.
- ^ a b c d Geneviene 2018, p. 63.
- ^ Dalzell 2012.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 62.
- ^ "Pickpocket". Merriam-Webster.com. An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 990.
- ^ a b c d Green 2008, p. 993.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 40.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 994.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1006.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1011.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1015.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1020.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 47.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 41.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1021.
- ^ Geneviene 2018.
- ^ primed as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ pro skirt as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1040.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 347.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 42.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 349.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 64.
- ^ put down as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ wikt: put the bee on as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 355.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 354.
- ^ Kimball, Robert; Emmet, Linda, eds. (2001). The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin. Knopf. ISBN 0679419438.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 66.
- ^ "rag-a-muffin". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 43.
- ^ rain pitchforks as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 360.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1068.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 361.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 44.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 364.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1081.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 68.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 368.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 369.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 370.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1195.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 372.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 45.
- ^ "rummy". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b rumrunner as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 376.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 377.
- ^ Harper, Douglas (October 25, 2017). "scofflaw". etymonline.com. Douglas Harper. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 381.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 46.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 382.
- ^ screw as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 383.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1141.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1145.
- ^ sentiment as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 388.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 47.
- ^ "Bluebird Photoplays, Inc – A Stranger from Somewhere". The Moving Picture World. New York, Chalmers Publishing Company. November 25, 1916. p. 1226. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1157.
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 1158.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1162.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 393.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 48.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 398.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 399.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 400.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 401.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 54.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 49.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1191.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 402.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 50.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 406.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1216.
- ^ "Snap a Cap". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 51.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1222.
- ^ a b c d Green 2008, p. 1223.
- ^ a b c d e Chapman 1987.
- ^ "Green's Dictionary of Slang". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b c Green 2008, p. 1230.
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 413.
- ^ Soda Jerk as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 52.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1238.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 417.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 1244.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 53.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1247.
- ^ a b c Chapman 1987, p. 418.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1248.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1253.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 54.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1258.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1269.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1272.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1276.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 1156.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 55.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 1160.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 1161.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dalzell 2012, p. 17.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1297.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 1187.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 56.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 441.
- ^ take for a ride as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ "Take a fall for". idioms.thefreedictionary.com. Farlex. 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 444.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1324.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1326.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 445.
- ^ teetotaler as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ tell it to sweeney as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Dalzell 2012, p. 18.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 57.
- ^ "Miscellaneous Slang of the 1920s". Lighthouse Translations. 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
Speakeasies and Jazz
- ^ "Miscellaneous Slang of the 1920s – Money Man". Lighthouse Translations. 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
Speakeasies and Jazz
- ^ the real mccoy as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ "Green's Dictionary of Slang". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 78.
- ^ a b Tradii 2018, p. 61.
- ^ "Tighten the screws". idioms.thefreedictionary.com. Farlex. 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 451.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 452.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 455.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 458.
- ^ Tradii 2018, p. 62.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 58.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 463.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 79.
- ^ a b Geneviene 2018, p. 81.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 59.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1414.
- ^ wallop as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ waster as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 475.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1424.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1426.
- ^ "What is Anglo-Saxon hypocrisy – By Mark Larkin". Photoplay. MacFadden Publishing Inc. June 1929. Archived from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ "Green's Dictionary of Slang – whaled". 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1430.
- ^ what's eating you as defined in Wiktionary
- ^ a b Chapman 1987, p. 480.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 482.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1440.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 486.
- ^ Chapman 1987, p. 487.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Wood & Goddard 1926, p. 60.
- ^ "Wrong Guy". 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1460.
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1461.
- ^ "English Slang Terms and Phrases of the 1920s". Penlighten & Buzzle.com, Inc. 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
penlighten is a website about books
- ^ Green 2008, p. 1466.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1467.
- ^ a b Green 2008, p. 1468.
- ^ Partridge 1984, p. 1365.
- ^ Geneviene 2018, p. 89.
- ^ Dalzell 2012, pp. 19
Works cited
[edit]Books
- Chapman, Robert L (1987). American Slang. New York, New York: Harper & Row. p. 499. ISBN 0-06-096160-0.
Abridged edition of the New Dictionary of American Slang
- Dalzell, T. (2012). Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang. Dover Publications. ISBN 978-0-486-12162-8. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
Unabridged copy of 1996 Meriam-Webster publication of the same name
- Geneviene, T.R. (2018). Speak Flapper: Slang of the 1920s. ISBN 978-1-6561-6855-9. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
- Green, Jonathon (2008). Chambers Slang Dictionary (1st ed.). London: Chambers. p. 1477. ISBN 978-0550-10563-9.
- Kipfer, Barbara Ann; Chapman, Robert L. (2007). The Dictionary of American Slang (4th ed.). New York: HarperCollins publisher. p. 592. ISBN 978-0-06-117646-3.
- LeFurgy, Bill (2019). Criminal Slang: Annotated Edition of the 1908 Dictionary of the Vernacular of the Underworld. High Kicker Books. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-7345678-2-3. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
contents of original Joseph Sullivan's criminal slang: a dictionary of the vernacular of the underworld, first published by the detective pub company in 1908 and edited by Bill LeFurgy.
- Lighter, J.E. (1994). Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang: A-G (1st ed.). New York, New York: Random House. p. 1006. ISBN 0-394-54427-7.
- Lighter, J.E. (1997). Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang: H-O (1st ed.). New York, New York: Random House. p. 736. ISBN 0-679-43464-X.
- McClure's Magazine (1917). McClure's Magazine. S.S. McClure, Limited. p. 62. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- Mitchell, C.R. (2019). 1920s Slang Dictionary (in Tagalog). Independently Published. ISBN 978-1-0728-6161-4. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- Partridge, Eric (1984). A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: Colloquialisms and Catch-phrases, Solecisms and Catachreses, Nicknames, Vulgarisms (8th ed.). New York, New York: Macmilan Publishing Company. p. 1400. ISBN 0-02-594980-2.
- Tradii, Joe (2018). From Ameche to Zozzled: A Glossary of Hard-Boiled Slang of the 1920s Through The 1940s. Amazon Digital Services LLC – Kdp. ISBN 978-1-9833-4745-0. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
Glossary of Hard-Boiled slang of the 1920s through the 1940s
- Wood, Clement; Goddard, Gloria (1926). A Dictionary of American Slang. Little Blue Book No. 56. Girard, Kansas: Haldeman-Julius.
Web Slang Dictionaries and PDFs
- "Slang of the 1920". local.aaca.org. Archived from the original on June 18, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- Beard, Robert. "A Historical Dictionary of American Slang". alphadictionary.com. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- "Green's Dictionary of Slang". 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
Green's Dictionary of Slang is the largest historical dictionary of English slang
- Historical Dictionary of American Slang (this version)
- Online Etymology Dictionary
- "Dictionaries". An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- "Time Traveler". An Encyclopædia Britannica Company. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- "Dictionaries and Works Cited: Dictionary of Newfoundland English". Heritage.nf.ca. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- Serrani, Alyssa (December 13, 2021). "Comeback-Worthy 1920s Slang That Only Rag-a-Muffins Won't Appreciate". YourDictionary. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- "Thesaurus and word tools for your creative needs". WordHippo. February 19, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- "1920's Slang". huffenglish.com. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- Wiktionary – a free standard dictionary
- "Slang of the 1920's" (PDF). center.uoregon.edu. University of Oregon. 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
Slang of the 1920's The twenties were the first decade to emphasize youth culture over the older generations, and the flapper sub-culture had a tremendous influence on mainstream America; many new words and phrases were coined by these liberated women. Many of these are still used today!
- "slang_of_the_1920s.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved August 3, 2024.
Websites
- Brockway, Laura Hale (March 25, 2021). "phrases from the 1920s". PR Daily. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- "1920s Slang". Smoky Hill Museum. 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- "1920s and 1930s Slang Dictionary". Orlando Dinner Show. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- "1920s Slang". Lighthouse Translations. February 5, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- "Learn 1920s Speakeasy Prohibition Slang!". Shot In The Dark Mysteries Murder. February 6, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- "The LSC After Dark Guide to 1920s Slang". Liberty Science Center. November 15, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- Ross, Scott (2013). "Early 20th Century American Slang". Reader's Digest. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- Smith, Sam Benson (September 10, 2019). "30 Slang Words from the 1920s That Are Worth Bringing Back". Reader's Digest. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
Further reading
[edit]- Dalzell, T. (2018). The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-351-76520-6. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Farmer, J.S.; Henley, W.E. (1890). Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present: A to Byz. Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present: A Dictionary, Historical and Comparative of the Heterodox Speech of All Classes of Society for More Than Three Hundred Years. subscribers only. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Green, J. (2005). Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0-304-36636-1. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Wentworth, Harold; Flexner, Stuart Berg (1975). Dictionary of American slang – Harold Wentworth, Stuart Berg Flexner – Google Books. Crowell. ISBN 9780690006704. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Hotten, J.C. (1894). The Slang Dictionary: Etymological, Historical, and Anecdotal. Chatto & Windus. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Kipfer, B.A.; Chapman, R.L. (2010). Dictionary of American Slang. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-204324-5. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- LeFurgy, Bill (2024). Flynn's Dictionary of the Underworld: Newly Compiled and Annotated Edition. High Kicker Books. ISBN 9798991632546. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
- Lighter, J.E. (2007). Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang: T–Z. Random House. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Maitland, J. (1891). The American Slang Dictionary. R.J. Kittredge & Company. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- Maitland, J. (2017). The American Slang Dictionary (Classic Reprint). Fb&c Limited. ISBN 978-0-266-32805-6. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- McCutcheon, M. (1995). The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life from Prohibition Through World War II. The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life Series. Writer's Digest Books. ISBN 978-0-89879-697-1. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Slang of the 1920s on YouTube
- Video (48:15) − America in color: The 1920s on YouTube
- The Jazz Age In America
- Roaring Twenties from U S History.com
- The Roaring Twenties – History.com
- Roaring Twenties Archived May 17, 2019, at the Wayback Machine study guide and teacher resources – timeline, quotes, analysis, multimedia
