The Petting Green, and others

Image from Gatochy's Flickr

A long while ago I did a post on 1920s slang (which I unfortunately cannot located at the moment); in doing some research for a current project I found yet another list of "flapper slang." This list has a few new-to-me words, so I decided to make a little list of my favorites. Some I put on this list because I've heard them in old movies or read them in pulp books and had no idea what they meant at the time. Others just made me laugh. The ones with asterisks are bits of slang I especially like and am going to try to work into daily conversation for shits and giggles.

all wet: incorrect
And how!: I strongly agree!
apple sauce: flattery, nonsense, i.e.. "Aw, applesauce!"
*baby grand: heavily built man
bearcat: a hot-blooded or fiery girl
breezer (1925): a convertable car
busthead: homemade liquor
bushwa: a euphemism for "bullshit"
cake-eater: a lady's man
Chicago typewriter: Thompson submachine gun
*choice bit of calico: attractive female; student
chunk of lead: an unnattractive female; student
*coffin varnish: bootleg liquor, often poisonous
drugstore cowboy: a well-dressed man who loiters in public areas trying to pick up women
eel's hips: teriffic
*fire extinguisher: a chaperone
*get a wiggle on: get a move on, get going
get in a lather: get worked up, angry
glad rags: "going out on the town" clothes
handcuff: engagement ring
horse linament: bootleg liquor
insured: engaged
iron one’s shoelaces: to go to the restroom
ish kabibble (1925): a retort meaning "I should care," from the name of a musician in the Kay Kayser Orchestra
let George do it: a work evading phrase
*munitions: face powder
on a toot: a drinking binge
*petting pantry: movie theater
rain pitchforks: a downpour
stilts: legs
trip for biscuits: wild goose chase
water-proof: a face that doesn't require make-up

This tiny list was complied from the long list here.

Comments

[Tara]

I love this! Fantastic! If you don't mind, I think I will add this to my weekend links post on Friday. I also like the way they would add "-making" to various expressions: "this so so shy-making" or "what a lot of silly-making," etc.

[Casey]

Oh my--these are a hoot! :D I just love some of the expressions; I think I'm going to have to start trying to use a few. Just to completely mystify people, if nothing else. ;) hehe!

[Andi B. Goode]

I just love old slang! I like to say 'And how!' quite often, actually

[Elissa of Spandexpony]

I use "get in a lather" all the time! I'd love to start calling my man "baby grand"! Hehe!

[Rachel]

So cool! Might try to work these into conversation.

[Rebecca]

You may be pleased to know that some of those expressions, while not used all the time, would still be understood in Britain today. Examples are: "get a wiggle on", "get in a lather", and "glad rags" especially.

I do love the ones I haven't heard before, too!