1920's Slang Terms
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Absolutely: Yes
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All Wet: Bad Idea or Individual
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And How: I Agree
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Applesauce: Expletive, Nonsense, foolishness
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Babe/Baby: Sweetheart
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Bangtails: Racing horses
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Bean-shooter: Gun
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Be on the nut: Out of Money
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Beat One's Gums: Talk About Nothing
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Beef: Having an issue
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Bee's Knees: You are the best
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Behind the Eight Ball: In a difficult spot
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Bent Cars: Stolen vehicles
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Berries: Like bee's knees, used to describe something as very good
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Big Cheese: An important person, a leader
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Big One or Big Sleep: Death
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Bit: Jail Term
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Blow One Down: Murder someone
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Bluenose: A prude or puritanical person
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Bo: Pal, friend
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Boob: Dumb Person
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Boozehound: Drunkard
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Bootleg: Illegal alcohol
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Bop: Murder Someone
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Broad: A Lady
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Bruno: A Rough and Tough Man
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Bum Rush: To be Thrown Out
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Bump Guns: To waste time talking about something
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Bump Off: Murder Someone
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Button Man: Assassin
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Butt Me: Give me a Cigarette
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Butts: Cigarettes
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Buzzer: Cop's Badge
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C: One Hundred Dollar Bill
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Cabbage: Cash
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Cake-Eater: A ladies' man
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Can: Prison
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Can-Opener: Someone who opens or cracks a safe
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Carry a Torch: To have a crush on someone
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Cat: Man
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Cat's Meow: Something Really Fashionable / Cool
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Cat's Pajamas: You are Super Awesome
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Cheaters: Shades, Eyeglasses
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Chew: Eat
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Chicago Lightening: Gun Fire
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Chicago Overcoat: Coffin
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Clam: A Dollar
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Clammed: Doesn't Speak
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Clubhouse: Police Station
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Cooler: Prison or Jail
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Copper: Police
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Croak: To Murder Someone
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Cut Down: Murdered
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Daddy: A Young Girl's Lover
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Dame: Woman
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Dance: To be Hanged
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Dewdropper: A lazy person
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Dingus: Thing
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Dish: Pretty Lady
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Dive: A Cheap, Dirty Place
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Dogs: Feet
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Doll: A Pretty Lady
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Doll Dizzy: Crazy about women
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Drum: Speakeasy
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Dry Up: Get Lost
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Duck Soup: Easy, Piece of Cake, Something easy to do
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Egg: A person who lives the big life
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Fire Extinguisher: Chaperone
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Flat Tire: A Dull Person, A boring or disappointing date
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Flapper: A young, rebellious woman known for her bold fashion and attitudes
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Fry: To be Electrocuted
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Gams: Legs
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Gasper: Cigarette
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Gat: Gun
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Get Sore: Get Angry
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Getaway Sticks: Legs
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Giggle Water: Alcoholic beverage, Liquor
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Glad Rags: Fancy Clothing
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Gold Digger: A woman who pursues men for their money
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Grifter: Con Artist
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Gumshoe: Detective
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Hard Boiled: Tough, strong
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Harlem Sunset: Fatal Injury by Knife
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Hatchet Men: Assassins
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Have the Bees: To be Wealthy
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Heater: Gun
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Heebie-Jeebies: The jitters
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High-Hat: To Snub, be Snotty
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High Pillow: Boss
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Hinky: Suspicious
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Hoofer: Dancer
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Horsefeathers: Expletive
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Hoosegow: Jail
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Hotsy-Totsy: Perfect, the best, Pleasing
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Ice: Diamonds
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Iron One's Shoelaces: To excuse oneself for the restroom
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Jake: Okay, fine
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Jalopy: An old car
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Jazz: Music style, also used to describe something lively
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Joint: A place, could be an establishment of any sort, Place
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Juice Joint: Speakeasy
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Keen: Attractive or appealing
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Kiss: Punch
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Kisser: Mouth
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Knock Off: To Murder
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Lammed Off: Escaped
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Lead: Bullets
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Looker: Pretty Lady
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Made: Recognized
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Mark: Victim of a Swindle
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Moll: A Gangster's Girl, Girlfriend of a gangster
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Nerts: An exclamation of disdain or disbelief
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Newsie: News Reporter
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On the Lam: Fleeing from the police
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Oyster Fruit: Pearl Necklace
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Paw: Hand
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Peepers: Eyes
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Pinch: Arrest, Capture, To arrest
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Pushover: A person easily convinced or seduced, A Push Over
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Rags: Clothes
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Razz: Make Fun Of
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Real McCoy: The real thing, genuine
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Ritzy: Luxurious
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Sap: Dumb Person
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Scram: Leave quickly
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Scratch: Cash
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Sheba/Sheik: A woman with sex appeal/a man with sex appeal, A woman/man with sex appeal
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Skidoo: To leave quickly or be forced to move on
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Slug: Bullet
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Speakeasy: A hidden bar or nightclub where alcohol was sold illegally during Prohibition, An illicit liquor store or nightclub, Illegal bar that serves bootlegged liquor
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Spill: Talk, i.e., spill the beans
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Square: Honest
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Swell: Cool
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Swanky: Fashionable or luxurious
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Torpedo: Hired Gun
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Upchuck: To vomit
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Weak Sister: A Push Over
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You Slay Me: You're Hilarious
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