The Jazz Age Glossary

The exuberant ‘20s were extraordinarily fertile years for language in America; dozens of new words and expressions sprang into existence. Much of the new verbiage was scornful of established ways; no less than half a dozen of the terms are roughly synonymous words meaning “nonsense.” A partial list of terms that were coined or popularized in the decade appears below.

ALL WET – wrong; arguing a mistaken notion or belief

APPLESAUCE – a term of derogation; nonsense; same as baloney, bunk, banana oil, hokum and horsefeathers

BALONEY – nonsense; same as above

BANANA OIL – nonsense; same as above

BEE’S KNEES – a superb person or thing

BELLY LAUGH – a loud, uninhibited laugh

BERRIES – anything wonderful; similar to bee’s knees

BIBLE BELT – an area in the South or south Midwest where Fundamentalist religion prevails (coined by H. L. Mencken)

BLIND DATE – a date with an unknown person of the opposite sex, usually arranged by a mutual friend

BIG CHEESE – an important person

BRONX CHEER – a loud derisive noise from an audience

BULL SESSION – an informal group discussion

BUMP OFF – to murder

BUNK – nonsense; same as applesauce, etc.

CAKE-EATER – a ladies’ man

CARRY A TORCH – to suffer from unrequited love

CAT’S MEOW – anything wonderful; similar to bee’s knees, berries

CHEATERS – eyeglasses

COPACETIC – excellent

CRUSH – an infatuation with a person of the opposite sex

DARB – an excellent person or thing

DOGS – human feet

DRUGSTORE COWBOY – a fashionably dressed idler who hangs around public places trying to pick up girls

DUMB DORA – a stupid girl

FALL GUY – a scapegoat

FLAPPER – a typical young girl of the ‘20s, usually with bobbed hair, short skirts and rolled stockings

FLAT TIRE – a dull, boring person

FRAME – to cause a person’s arrest by giving false evidence

GAM – a girl’s leg (from French dialect gambe)

GATECRASHER – a person who attends a party without an invitation, or a show without paying admission

GIGGLE WATER – an alcoholic drink

GIN MILL – a speak-easy

GOLD DIGGER – a woman who uses feminine charm to extract money from a man

GOOFY – silly

GYP – to cheat (from gypsy)

HARD-BOILED – tough; without sentiment

HEEBIE-JEEBIES – the jitters

HEP – wise

HIGH HAT – to snub

HOKUM – nonsense; same as applesauce, etc.

HOOCH – bootleg liquor

HOOFER – a chorus girl

HORSEFEATHERS – nonsense; same as applesauce, etc.

HOTSY-TOTSY – pleasing

JAKE – okay (most commonly used in the phrase “Everything’s jake”)

JALOPY – an old car

KEEN – attractive; appealing

KIDDO – a familiar form of address

KISSER – the mouth

LINE – insincere flattery

LOUNGE LIZARD – a ladies’ man; same as cake-eater

LOUSY – bad; contemptible

MAIN DRAG – the most important street in a town or city

NECK – to caress intimately; to kiss

NERTS (NUTS) – an interjection expressing the speaker’s disgust

OSSIFIED – drunk

PEPPY – full of vitality

PET – same as neck

PINCH – to arrest

PUSHOVER – a person or thing easily overcome

RASPBERRY – same as Bronx cheer

RITZY – elegant (from Ritz, the famous Paris hotel)

REAL McCOY, THE – the genuine article

RUN-AROUND – deceptive or delaying action, especially in response to a request

SEX APPEAL – physical attractiveness to members of the opposite sex

SHEBA – a young woman with sex appeal

SHEIK – a young man with sex appeal

SMELLER – the nose

SOB SISTER – a woman reporter who leans toward sentimentality in the treatment of her subject matter

SPEAK-EASY – a saloon or bar selling bootleg whiskey

SPIFFY – having an elegantly fashionable appearance

SPIFFLICATED – drunk

STRUGGLE BUGGY – a car (from its use as a place in which boys tried to seduce girls)

STUCK ON – having a crush on

SWANKY – ritzy

SWELL – marvelous

TORPEDO – a hired gunman

UPCHUCK – to vomit

WHOOPEE – boisterous, convivial fun