A couple a Janes

It’s Friday, we’re hittin on all sixes,  time to get a wiggle on, head down to the juice joint  and shake a leg with the other hoofers!…ahem, in other words, it’s the weekend, why don’t you grap some dancers and head out to some of Londons great events this weekend? We’ll mostly be shaking it down at Club Thunderbird, The Big Ten Inch or maybe the Last Days of Decadence.

Don’t forget to go prepared with some more essential twenties slang

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
Juice Joint – a speakeasy

Essential twenties slang A-B

Essential twenties slang C-D

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Donnning your glad rags

So we’re all off to Stokey! Are you donning your glad rags and heading out to the gin mill this weekend? Perhaps you’re off to get an edge off some giggle water or get goofy with some fish or who knows…maybe you’re heading for a real flat tire? Whatever you’re doing, get swotting up on this new installment of essential twenties slang – if only so you can find out what all of that actually meant

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

Essential twenties slang A-B

Essential twenties slang C-D

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Welcome to our second installment of essential twenties slang where we walk you through the slang of the flapper sub-culture!

Caper - a criminal act or robbery

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

Copacetic - Wonderful, fine, all right

Daddy - a young woman’s boyfriend or lover, especially if he’s rich

Dame - a female

Darb - An excellent person or thing (as in “the Darb” – a person with money who can be relied on to pay the check)

Dogs - feet

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

Click here for Essential Twenties Slang A-B

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Are you out getting your Charleston on this weekend? Well, while you’re out practicing your steps why not get down with the lingo too? Let Swing Patrol walk you through the slang of the flapper sub-culture! Why not memorise some of these and see if you can’t crowbar them in to some of your between dance conversations at the Speakeasy tonight. Stay tuned for more over the coming weeks. Enjoy!

All Wet – describes an erroneous idea or individual, as in, “he’s all wet.”

Applesauce - an expletive, As in “Ah applesauce!” See also horsefeathers

Attaboy - well done!; Can also be used for women…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 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.”

Berries - That which is attractive or pleasing; similar to bee’s knees, As in “It’s the berries.”

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

Bronx Cheer – A loud spluttering noise, used to indicate disapproval. Same as raspberry

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