1920s Slang Expressions

1920s Slang Expressions

All wet—wrong, mistaken

Applesauce—an expletive, same as horsefeathers

Baloney—nonsense

Banana oil—nonsense, insincere flattery

Bank’s closed—no kissing or making out

Bee’s knees—an excellent person or thing

Beeswax—business

Belly laugh—a loud, deep laugh

Blind date—a date between two people who do not know each other, usually arranged by a mutual friend.

Big Cheese—an important person

Bull session—an informal group discussion

Bump off—murder

Cake-eater—a ladies’ man

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, admirable or wonderful

Cheaters—eyeglasses

Check—kiss me later

Copacetic—first-rate, excellent

Darb—an excellent person or thing

Dogs—human feet

Drugstore cowboy—a fashionable man who spends his time in public places trying to pick up women

Ducky—very good

Dumb dora—an unintelligent female

Fall guy—someone who takes the blame for the crimes of others, a scapegoat

Flapper—a fashionable young woman of the 1920s, typically with short, bobbed hair, a short skirt, and stockings rolled to her knees.

Flat tire—boring person

Frame—to make someone appear guilty of a crime by giving false evidence or testimony

Gam—a woman’s leg

Gatecrasher—an uninvited guest, a person who attends an event without paying admission

Giggle water—an alcoholic drink

Gold digger—a woman who seduces a man for money of gifts

Goofy—silly

Hair of the dog—a shot of alcohol

Hard-boiled—tough, unfeeling

Heebie-jeebies—nervous jitters

Hep—wise

High-hat—to coldly ignore, to snub

Hooch—illegal, usually low-quality liquor

Hoofer—chorus girl, professional dancer

Horsefeathers—nonsense

Hotsy-totsy—pleasing

Jake—okay, as in “everything’s jake”

Jalopy—old, run-down car

Keen—appealing, attractive

Kiddo—familiar form of address, meaning “pal”

Kisser—the mouth

Line—insincere talk or flattery

Lounge lizard—a pleasure-seeking man who hangs out in nightclubs where rich people gather

Lousy—terrible

Main drag—a city or town’s main street

Neck—to kiss and touch intimately

Nobody’s home—describes someone who is dumb

Ossified—drunk

Pet—to kiss and touch intimately

Pinch—to arrest

Pushover—someone easy to overcome or take advantage of, something easily done

Raspberry—a loud noise to indicate contempt

Ritzy—elegant

Scram—to leave in a hurry

Sex appeal—physical attractiveness

Sheba—a young woman with sex appeal

Sheik—a man with sex appeal

Smeller—nose

Speak-easy—a bar or club that sells illegal liquor

Spiffy—elegant, fashionable

Spifficated—drunk

Struggle-buggy—a car, a place in which boys try to seduce girls

Stuck on—infatuated with, have a crush on

Swanky—elegant

Swell—excellent, great

Torpedo—a hired gunman

Upchuck—vomit

Wet blanket—a solemn person, killjoy

Whoopee—noisy, unrestrained fun