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 main stream America; many new words and phrases were coined
by these liberated women. Many of these are still used today!
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Ab-so-lute-ly - affirmative
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All Wet - describes an erroneous idea or
individual, as in, "he's all wet."
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And How - I strongly agree!
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Applesauce- an expletive same as
horsefeathers, As in "Ah applesauce!"
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Attaboy - well done!; also Attagirl!
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Baby - sweetheart. Also
denotes something of high value or respect.
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Balled Up - confused, messed up
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Baloney - nonsense!
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Bank's Closed - no kissing or
making out - i.e. - "Sorry, Mac, the bank's closed."
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Bearcat - a hot-blooded or fiery girl
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Beat it - scam or get lost
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Beat one's gums - idle chatter
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Bee's Knees -
An extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate
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Beef - a complaint or to complain
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Beeswax - business, i.e. None of
your beeswax."
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Bell bottom -
a sailor
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[up]
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Berries - That
which is attractive or pleasing; similar to bee's knees, As in "It's the
berries."
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Bible Belt -
Area in the South and Midwest where Fundamentalism flourishes
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Big Cheese - The
most important or influential person; boss.
Same as big shot
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Big six - a strong
man; from auto advertising, for the new and powerful; six cylinder
engines
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Bimbo - a tough
guy
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Bird - general term
for a man or woman, sometimes meaning "odd," i.e. "What a
funny old bird."
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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
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Bronx Cheer - A loud spluttering
noise, used to indicate disapproval. Same as raspberry
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[up]
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Bull - (1) a policeman or law-enforcement
officer including FBI (2) nonsense (3) to chat idly, to exaggerate
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Bull Session - Male talkfest,
gossip, stories of sexual exploits
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Bum's rush - ejection by force from
an establishment
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Bump Off - To murder, To kill
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Butt me - I'll take a
cigarette
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Caper - a criminal act or
robbery
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Carry a Torch - To have a
crush on someone
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Cash - a kiss
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Cash or check? - Do
you kiss now or later?
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Cat's Meow -
Something splendid or stylish; similar to bee's knees; The best or
greatest, wonderful.
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Cat's Pajamas -
Same as cat's meow
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Chassis - the female body
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Cheaters - Eyeglasses
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Check - kiss me
later
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Ciggy - cigarette
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Clam - a dollar
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[up]
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Copacetic - Wonderful, fine, all
right
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Crush - An infatuation
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Daddy - a young
woman's boyfriend or lover, especially if he's rich
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Dame - a female
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Dapper - a Flapper's
dad
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Darb - An excellent
person or thing (as in "the Darb" - a person with money who can be
relied on to pay the check)
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Dead soldier - an
empty bear bottle
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Deb - an debutant
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Dick - a private
investigator
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Dogs - feet
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Doll - an attractive woman
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Dolled up - dressed up
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Don't know from nothing - don't
have any information
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Don't take any wooden nickels -
Don't do anything stupid
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Double-cross - to cheat, stab in
the back
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Dough - money
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Drugstore Cowboy
- a guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls
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[up]
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Dry up - shut up, get lost
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Ducky - very
good
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Dumb Dora
- a stupid female
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Earful
- enough
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Edge - intoxication, a buzz.
i.e. "I've got an edge."
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Egg - a person who lives the
big life
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Fall Guy - Victim of a frame
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Fire extinguisher - a chaperone
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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, hedonistic young woman with short
skirts & shorter hair
Fly boy - a glamorous term for an aviator
Frame - To give false evidence , to set up someone
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Gams - A woman's legs
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Get a wiggle on - get a move on, get going
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Giggle Water - An intoxicating beverage; alcohol
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Gin Mill - An establishment where hard liquor is sold; bar
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Glad rags - "going out on the town"
clothes
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[up] |
Gold Digger - A woman who associates with or marries a man for
his wealth
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Goofy - in love
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Hair of the Dog - a
shot of alcohol
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Handcuff - an engagement ring
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Hard Boiled -
a tough, strong guy
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Hayburner - (1)
a gas guzzling car (2) a horse one loses money on
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Heebie-Jeebies
- The jitters
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High-Hat - To
snub
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Hit on all sixes
- to perform 100 per cent; as "hitting on all six cyclinders"
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Hooch - Bootleg
liquor
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Hood - hoodlum
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Hoofer - Dancer
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Horsefeathers
- an expletive ; same usage as applesauce
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Hotsy - Totsy
- Pleasing
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It - Sex appeal
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Iron - a
motorcycle
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Jack -
money
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[up]
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Jake - OK, as in ,
"Everything is Jake."
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Jalopy - Old
car
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Jane - any female
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Java - coffee
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Jitney - a car
employed as a private bus. Fare was usually five cents; also called a
"nickel"
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Joe - coffee |
John - a toilet |
Joint - an establishment |
Juice Joint - a speakeasy |
Joint - A club, usually selling alcohol
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Keen
- Attractive or appealing |
Kisser - Mouth
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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
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Middle Aisle - To marry
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Mrs. Grundy - A priggish or extremely tight-laced person
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Moll - A gangster's girl
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Neck - Kissing with
passion
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[up] |
Nifty - great, excellent
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"Now you're on the trolley!" - Now you've got it, now you're
right!
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Nobody Home -
Describes some one who is dumb
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On the lam -
fleeing from police
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On the level -
legitimate, honest
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On the up and up
- on the level
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Orchid - an
expensive item
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Ossified - a drunk person
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Owl - a person who's out
late
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Palooka (1) a
below-average or average boxer (2) a social outsider, from the
comic strip character Joe Palooka
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Pet - Same as neck, but more so
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Piker - (1) a cheapskate (2) a coward
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Pill - (1) a teacher (2) an
unlikable person
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Pinch - To arrest
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Pipe down - stop talking
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Pushover - A person easily convinced or seduced
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Putting on the Ritz - after the
Ritz hotel in Paris; doing something in high style |
[up]
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Rag-a-muffin - a dirty
or disheveled individual
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Razz- to make fun of
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Real McCoy - The genuine article
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Ritzy - Elegant (from the hotel)
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Rubes - money or dollars
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Sap - a fool
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Says you - a reaction of disbelief
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Scram - Ask someone to leave immediately
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Sheba - A woman with sex appeal (from
the move Queen of Sheba) or (e.g. Clara Bow)
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Sheik - A man with sex appeal (from the
Valentino movies)
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Shiv - a knife
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Sinker - a doughnut
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Speakeasy - An illicit bar selling
bootleg liquor
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Spifflicated - Drunk. The same as canned, corked, tanked, primed,
scrooched, jazzed, zozzled, plastered, owled, embalmed, lit, potted,
ossified or fried to the hat
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Spiffy - An elegant appearance
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[up] |
Spoon - to neck, or at least talk of
love
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Struggle Buggy - the backseat of a car.
A parent's worst nightmare
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Stuck On - Having a crush on
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Swanky - Ritzy
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Swell - Wonderful. Also: a rich man
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Take for a Ride - To
drive off with someone in order to bump them off
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Tin Pan
Alley - the music industry in New York, located between 48th and 52nd
street
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Tomato - a female
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Torpedo - A hired gun
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Upchuck - To vomit when
one has drunk too much
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Wet Blanket - a
solemn person, a killjoy
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What's eating you? -
What's wrong
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Whoopee - To have a good time
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You slay me
- that's funny
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