Terminology

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!

attagirl

well done!

baby

sweetheart.

something of high value or respect.

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 it

scam or get lost

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."

bell bottom

a sailor

berries

that which is attractive or pleasing; similar to bee's knees, as in "it's the berries."

bible belt

area in the south and midwest where fundamentalism flourishes

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

bird

general term for a man or woman, sometimes meaning "odd," i.e. "what a funny old bird."

blind date

going out with someone you do not know

bluenose

an excessively puritanical person, a prude, creator of "the blue nozzle curse."

bootleg

illegal liquor

breezer

an convertible car

bronx cheer

a loud spluttering noise, used to indicate disapproval. same as raspberry 

bull

(1) a policeman or law-enforcement officer including fbi (2) nonsense (3) to chat idly, to exaggerate

bull session

male talkfest, gossip, stories of sexual exploits

bum's rush

ejection by force from an establishment

bump off

to murder, to kill

butt me

i'll take a cigarette

caper

a criminal act or robbery

carry a torch

to have a crush on someone

cash

a kiss

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

check

kiss me later

ciggy

cigarette

clam

a dollar  

copacetic

wonderful, fine, all right

crush

an infatuation

daddy

a young woman's boyfriend or lover, especially if he's rich

dame

a female

dapper

a flapper's dad

darb

an excellent person or thing (as in "the darb" - a person with money who can be relied on to pay the check)

dead soldier

an empty bear bottle

deb

an debutant

dick

a private investigator

dogs

feet

doll

an attractive woman

dolled up

dressed up

don't know from nothing

don't have any information

don't take any wooden nickels

don't do anything stupid

doublecross

to cheat, stab in the back

dough

money

drugstore cowboy

a guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls

dry up

shut up, get lost

ducky

very good

dumb dora

a stupid female

earful

enough

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

a college freshman or 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

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

eebies - the jitters

high

at - 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

iron

a motorcycle

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

joint

an establishment

juice joint

a speakeasy

joint

a club, usually selling alcohol

keen

attractive or appealing

kisser

mouth

middle aisle

to marry

mrs. grundy

a priggish or extremely tight-laced person

moll

a gangster's girl      

neck

kissing with passion                                                          

nifty

great, excellent

"now you're on the trolley!"

now you've got it, now you're right!

nobody home

describes some one who is dumb

on the lam

fleeing from police

on the level

legitimate, honest

on the up and up

on the level

orchid

an expensive item

ossified

a drunk person

owl

a person who's out late

palooka

(1) a below-average or average boxer (2) a social outsider, from the comic strip character joe palooka

pet

same as neck, but more so

piker

(1) a cheapskate (2) a coward

pill

(1) a teacher (2) an unlikable person

pinch

to arrest

pipe down

stop talking

pushover

a person easily convinced or seduced

putting on the ritz

after the ritz hotel in paris; doing something in high style

rag

-muffin - a dirty or disheveled individual

razz

to make fun of

real mccoy

the genuine article

ritzy

elegant (from the hotel)

rubes

money or dollars

sap

a fool

says you

a reaction of disbelief

scram

ask someone to leave immediately

sheba

a woman with sex appeal (from the move queen of sheba) or (e.g. clara bow)

sheik

a man with sex appeal (from the valentino movies)

shiv

a knife

sinker

a doughnut

speakeasy

an illicit bar selling bootleg liquor

spifflicated

drunk. the same as canned, corked, tanked, primed, scrooched, jazzed, zozzled, plastered, owled, embalmed, lit, potted, ossified or fried to the hat

spiffy

an elegant appearance  

spoon

to neck, or at least talk of love

struggle buggy

the backseat of a car. a parent's worst nightmare

stuck on

having a crush on

swanky

ritzy

swell

wonderful. also: a rich man

take for a ride

to drive off with someone in order to bump them off

tin pan alley

the music industry in new york, located between 48th and 52nd street

tomato

a female

torpedo

a hired gun

upchuck

to vomit when one has drunk too much

wet blanket

a solemn person, a killjoy

what's eating you?

what's wrong

whoopee

to have a good time