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!
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Sources:
Dalzel, Tom. Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang. (Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 1996).
Entries used on this page are duplicated with permission.
McCutcheon, Marc. The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life from Prohibition through Word War II.
(Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books, 1995).
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!
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- 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.
- Balled Up - confused, messed up
- 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 (2) nonsense (3) to chat idly, to exaggerate
- Bull Session - Male talkfest, gossip, stories of sexual exploits
- 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
- Chassis - the female body
- 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 (as in a person with money who can be relied on to pay the check)
- Dead soldier - an empty bear bottle
- Deb - an debutant
- Dick - 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
- Drugstore Cowboy - a guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls
- 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 Guy - 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, 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
- 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
- Hit on all sixes - to perform 100 per cent; as "hitting on all six cyclinders"
- Hooch - Bootleg liquor
- Hood - hoodlum
- Hoofer - Dancer
- Horsefeathers - an expletive ; same usage as applesauce
- Hotsy-Totsy - Pleasing
- It - Sex appeal
- 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 - A priggish or extremely tight-laced person
- Moll - A gangster's girl
- Neck - Kissing with passion
- 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
- Pet - Same as neck, but more so
- 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 sex appeal (from the move Queen of Sheba) or (e.g. Clara Bow)
- Sheik - A man with sex 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
- Struggle Buggy - the backseat of a car. A parent's worst nightmare
- 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
- Upchuck - To vomit when one has drunk too much
- 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
Sources:
Dalzel, Tom. Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang. (Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 1996).
Entries used on this page are duplicated with permission.
McCutcheon, Marc. The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life from Prohibition through Word War II.
(Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books, 1995).