1920's Slang: A guide for writers&vintage lovers

[oddball247]

The utterly beautiufl slang of the Roarin' 20's IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER! lol...If anyone has more, please post.

Ab-so-lute-ly - affirmative

All Wet - describes an erroneous idea or individual, as in, "he's all wet."

And How - I strongly agree!

Applesauce- an expletive same as horsefeathers, As in "Ah applesauce!"

Attaboy - well done!; also Attagirl!

Baby - sweetheart. Also denotes something of high value or respect.

Baloney - nonsense!

Bank's Closed - no kissing or making out - i.e. - "Sorry, Mac, the bank's closed."

Bearcat - a hot-blooded or fiery girl

Beat it - scam or get lost

Beat one's gums - idle chatter

Bee's Knees - An extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate

Beef - a complaint or to complain

Beeswax - business, i.e. None of your beeswax."

Bell bottom - a sailor

Berries - That which is attractive or pleasing; similar to bee's knees, As in "It's the berries."

Bible Belt - Area in the South and Midwest where Fundamentalism flourishes

Big Cheese - The most important or influential person; boss. Same as big shot

Big six - a strong man; from auto advertising, for the new and powerful; six cylinder engines

Bimbo - a tough guy

Bird - general term for a man or woman, sometimes meaning "odd," i.e. "What a funny old bird."

Blind Date - going out with someone you do not know

Bluenose - An excessively puritanical person, a prude, Creator of "the Blue Nozzle Curse."

Bootleg - illegal liquor

Breezer - an convertible car

Bronx Cheer - A loud spluttering noise, used to indicate disapproval. Same as raspberry

Bull - (1) a policeman or law-enforcement officer including FBI (2) nonsense (3) to chat idly, to exaggerate

Bull Session - Polite way of saying Men conversation; the things women would not appreaciate hearing

Bum's rush - ejection by force from an establishment

Bump Off - To murder, To kill

Butt me - I'll take a cigarette

Caper - a criminal act or robbery

Carry a Torch - To have a crush on someone

Cash - a kiss

Cash or check? - Do you kiss now or later?

Cat's Meow - Something splendid or stylish; similar to bee's knees; The best or greatest, wonderful.

Cat's Pajamas - Same as cat's meow

Cheaters - Eyeglasses

Check - kiss me later

Ciggy - cigarette

Clam - a dollar

Copacetic - Wonderful, fine, all right

Crush - An infatuation

Daddy - a young woman's boyfriend or lover, especially if he's rich

Dame - a female

Dapper - a Flapper's dad

Darb - An excellent person or thing (as in "the Darb" - a person with money who can be relied on to pay the check)

Dead soldier - an empty bear bottle

Deb - an debutant

penis- a private investigator

Dogs - feet

Doll - an attractive woman

Dolled up - dressed up

Don't know from nothing - don't have any information

Don't take any wooden nickels - Don't do anything stupid

Double-cross - to cheat, stab in the back

Dough - money

Dry up - shut up, get lost

Ducky - very good

Dumb Dora - a stupid female

Earful - enough

Edge - intoxication, a buzz. i.e. "I've got an edge."

Egg - a person who lives the big life

Fall Guyp - Victim of a frame

Fire extinguisher - a chaperone

Fish -(1) a college freshman
(2) a first timer in prison

Flat Tire - A dull witted, insipid, disappointing date. Same as pill, pickle, drag, rag, oilcan

Flivver - a Model T; after 1928, could mean any old broken down car

Flapper - A stylish, brash, young woman with short skirts & shorter hair

Fly boy - a glamorous term for an aviator

Frame - To give false evidence , to set up someone

Gams - A woman's legs

Get a wiggle on - get a move on, get going

Giggle Water - An intoxicating beverage; alcohol

Gin Mill - An establishment where hard liquor is sold; bar

Glad rags - "going out on the town" clothes

Gold Digger - A woman who associates with or marries a man for his wealth

Goofy - in love

Hair of the Dog - a shot of alcohol

Handcuff - an engagement ring

Hard Boiled - a tough, strong guy

Hayburner - (1) a gas guzzling car (2) a horse one loses money on

Heebie-Jeebies - The jitters

High-Hat - To snub

Hooch - Bootleg liquor

Hood - hoodlum

Hoofer - Dancer

Horsefeathers - an expletive ; same usage as applesauce

Hotsy-Totsy - Pleasing

Iron - a motorcycle

Jack - money

Jake - OK, as in , "Everything is Jake."

Jalopy - Old car

Jane - any female

Java - coffee

Jitney - a car employed as a private bus. Fare was usually five cents; also called a "nickel"

Joe - coffee

John - a toilet

Joint - an establishment

Juice Joint - a speakeasy

Joint - A club, usually selling alcohol

Keen - Attractive or appealing

Kisser - Mouth

Left holding the bag - (1) to be cheated out of one's fair share (2) to be blamed for something

Level with me - be honest

Line - Insincere flattery

Live wire - a lively person

Middle Aisle - To marry

Mrs. Grundy - An extremely tight-laced person

Moll - A gangster's girl

Nifty - great, excellent

"Now you're on the trolley!" - Now you've got it, now you're right!

Nobody Home - Describes some one who is dumb

On the lam - fleeing from police

On the level - legitimate, honest

On the up and up - on the level

Orchid - an expensive item

Ossified - a drunk person

Owl - a person who's out late

Palooka- (1) a below-average or average boxer (2) a social outsider, from the comic strip character Joe Palooka

Piker - (1) a cheapskate (2) a coward

Pill - (1) a teacher (2) an unlikable person

Pinch - To arrest

Pipe down - stop talking

Pushover - A person easily convinced or seduced

Putting on the Ritz - after the Ritz hotel in Paris; doing something in high style

Rag-a-muffin - a dirty or disheveled individual

Razz- to make fun of

Real McCoy - The genuine article

Ritzy - Elegant (from the hotel)

Rubes - money or dollars

Sap - a fool

Says you - a reaction of disbelief

Scram - Ask someone to leave immediately

Sheba - A woman with strong physical appeal (from the move Queen of Sheba) or (e.g. Clara Bow)

Sheik[/c] - A man with strong physical appeal (from the Valentino movies)

Shiv - a knife

Sinker - a doughnut

Speakeasy - An illicit bar selling bootleg liquor

Spifflicated - Drunk. The same as canned, corked, tanked, primed, scrooched, jazzed, zozzled, plastered, owled, embalmed, lit, potted, ossified or fried to the hat

Spiffy - An elegant appearance

Spoon - to neck, or at least talk of love

Stuck On - Having a crush on

Swanky - Ritzy

Swell - Wonderful. Also: a rich man

Take for a Ride - To drive off with someone in order to bump them off

Tin Pan Alley - the music industry in New York, located between 48th and 52nd street

Tomato - a female

Torpedo - A hired gun

Wet Blanket - a solemn person, a killjoy

What's eating you? - What's wrong

Whoopee - To have a good time

You slay me - that's funny

Shoosh! That took a long time; I edited for content so if I missed something, just know it's because I probably didn't even understand what it meant. lol. Hope it's helpful, and I REALLY hope no one else has posted this before.

~Rose

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

I use so many of those woids... people think I belong in the nut house. But it's fun!

You're a perfectionist like me, Rose! I have to edit until my fingers are blue to make it look pretty!

But thanks for taking your time and effort into posting this! It's real nifty!

I think Angie (Coopsgirl) posted one like this, too, but there are so many versions out there.

I even found an 1800's slang site. Hey! *Snaps fingers* That's what we should do: make a category all about the slang for each era!

[oddball247]

I do the 40's slang; I use as much of it as I can.

lol. I guess I am when it comes to the things I love.

What a fantasticle idea! I know so much slang from the 20's-40's (and a little 50's).

But anway, yeah. That's an awsome idea. hehehe!

~Rose

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

My mom and I always take this 80 year old woman around the town on fridays (errands) and she is such a spunky little thing! One day I had lost my glasses and without even thinking I asked my mom, "Hey, where are my cheaters?" Dorothy (the elderly woman) turned to me and said she hadn't heard that word in over 40 years. Now Dorothy and I always have that inside joke -- it's like we have our own language! People passing by us just don't get it -- and strangely...that's perfectly okay with me.

[oddball247]

rofl! That's awsome. :teehee: I wish I knew an elderly woman; well, I DID met this amazing WWII veteran at my local meuseum, though, once. He was in the DDAY invasion of Italy and boy did he have some stories to tell me! They were utterly amazing...and for 84, he remembered a lot. He teared up a few times when I was asking him questions about his comrades who died and the Germans he had to kill.

It touched my heart.

Okay, so I shift topic too much. lol...

~Rose

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

I know, I have that problem, too -- and I'm the administrator! It isn't good to have an ADD administrator, lol.

Wow, that's amazing. I'd get teary-eyed right along with him; because when you see that emotion still lingering in an 80 year old veteran it just touches your heart and leaves you in awe. They gave so much and people hardly even pay any attention to them anymore.
I love old people, they are so amazing.

[oddball247]

They are amazing. I wish I could talk to every veteran in the world before their candles burn out, you know? I mean, they have some really interesting, eye-popping stories that, if not documented, will disappear along with them.

I really need to shift topic because just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

~Rose

So...did anyone start a thread for 1930's slang?

[nutsaboutjerry]

It's amazing to see how what some of the words meant then have changed in meaning in today's society! I have used some of these before, but I can't say that I've probably ever used them on a regular basis. Those are such cute stories too. Old people are grand!

[oddball247]

Totally! I love the elderly. They each have a unique story that I wish I could document and know. It depresses me to know WWII veterans won't be around for forever.

And about the slang: Totally! I love to go around using '40's slang terms and some from the '20's. lol

~Rose