What was some of the slang used in the 1920s?
Bee’s knees: An extraordinary person, thing, or idea. Berries: Anything wonderful; similar to bee’s knees. Big cheese, Big shot: The boss — someone of importance and influence. Big house: Jail.
What does the 20’s slang term cast a kitten mean?
cast a kitten/have kittens: to have a fit. Used in both humorous and serious situations. i.e. “Stop tickling me or I’ll cast a kitten!” celestial: derogatory slang for Chinese or East Asians.
What does all wet mean in the 1920s?
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!
What does applesauce mean in 1920s slang?
Applesauce: flattery, nonsense, i.e. “Aw, applesauce!”
What were cops called in the 1920s?
The mob, referring to organized crime, originated in 1927. The fuzz, slang for the police, is from 1929, while cop a plea is from 1925.
What does Jellybean mean in the 1920s?
In United States slang during the 1910s and early 1920s, a “jellybean” or “jelly-bean” was a young man who dressed stylishly but had little else to recommend him, similar to the older terms dandy and fop.
What did the term boiled as an owl mean in the 1920’s?
When discussing alcohol, some Prohibition slang terms are going to sound pretty familiar since many still exist in the American lexicon, such as bent, canned, fried, plastered or blotto to describe an intoxicated person. Spifflicated, zozzled and boiled as an owl are terms that mean the same but are no longer common.
What does high hat mean in the 1920s?
To snub
High-Hat: To snub.
Was applesauce a swear word?
Applesauce: A mild curse, like “darn” (also, “Horsefeathers!”)
What does cat’s meow mean in slang?
Definition of the cat’s meow —used to say that someone or something is very appealing I really like that car; it’s the cat’s meow. Going to the movies was the cat’s pajamas when I was a kid.
What does I’m all wet mean?
Completely wrong, mistaken
Completely wrong, mistaken, as in If you think you can beat the system and win at roulette, you’re all wet. The original allusion in this expression is unclear, that is, how moisture or dampness is related to wrongness. [ Slang; first half of 1900s]
What were male flappers called?
Did you know that the male equivalent to a flapper is a sheik? Thank the wildly popular 1919 novel The Sheik by E.M. Hull which was turned into a wildly popular film starring heartthrob Rudolph Valentino.