User:Illuminatedwax/List of Outdated English Slang

This is a list of outdated English slang. These phrases or words are no longer used, their meaning is no longer understood, or their usage causes the speaker to appear old or outdated. This differs from the List of archaic English words and their modern equivalents in that these phrases or words are considered colloquial. Very often slang can become part of the accepted language, but usually these phrases come and go from generation to generation.

1920
{| 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! 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
 * bees' knees || novel, best
 * Ab-so-lute-ly - affirmative
 * Ab-so-lute-ly - affirmative
 * Ab-so-lute-ly - affirmative

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 - 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 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 beer 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 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 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" 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

Juice Joint - a speakeasy 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, from the comic strip character Joe Palooka 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 [up]

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

1960
...

big bandgagler= to be outraged. i.e. I'm a big bandgagler

lucky jester- someone who is content with being bald i.e. ya, i suppose i'm just a lucky jester...