Part of the fun of researching 1920's and 1930's Queer subculture in New York City was coming across a wide variety of specialized slang and coded terms that flourished among homosexual men and women of the time. These are often used by the public rather than the police themselves. Absent Treatment- Dancing with bashful partner. The 1920’s came to a dramatic ending with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 which resulted in the Great Depression soon after. Many slang terms for police officers exist. Still have questions? The1920s was the first real decade which emphasized youth culture. The terms are also applied by inmates toward uniformed prison staff. Your task is to write a letter to a friend from the point of view of a teenager from the 1920s, using at least 10 slang words from the list provided – please underline each slang word. Here in the U.S., citizens and officers alike are very familiar with the slang terms for law enforcement, from the tame to the derogatory. Gangsters were off-color, played by their own rules and didn't give a hoot about what anyone thought of them (everything your parents didn't want you to be). If you’ve enjoyed learning some gangster slang from the 1920s, don’t stop there. Can anybody 'force' me to wear a face mask outside in public ? : I strongly agree! 1920s Slang 3 • Bunk: o "Take a bunk" - leave, disappear o "That's the bunk" - that's false, untrue o "to bunk" - to sleep • Bunny, as in "Don't be a bunny": Don't be stupid • Burn powder: Fire a gun • Bus: Big car • Button: Face, nose, end of jaw • Button man: Professional killer • Buttons: Police • Butts: Cigarettes • Buy a drink: To pour a drink Many of these are still used today! The gangster slang of the 20s, like the slang of any generation, was conceived in the hives of counter-culture. And that’s all totally valid…but also, it’s the ‘20s again right now. 1910s Slang No Longer in Use. This slang term may be in reference to the sound of the field radios that police commonly use. Using the slang of yore can add character and charm to your dialect and make the obscene less so. Cheaters. Like most decades, the 1910s had its own particular slang. moll or gun moll: n. slang A gun moll was the female companion of an American gangster of the 1920s and 30s. Find additional terms and nicknames for police, and where they originated from here. Ab-so … Here are 422 swell 1920s slang words and phrases (and their meanings) that are the cat’s pajamas and the bee’s knees. Some are still used today. In fact, many of the words and phrases in this story were coined by women at that time. No, you’re not dressed up in your finest black trash bags. More that 100 words of flapper slang are here for you — a little dictionary so you can know the lingo for your next Roaring Twenties or Great Gatsby-themed party! : well done! Someone might be on the lam from the fuzz, indicating that they were avoiding the police, or “on the level,” for law abiding and reasonable. Feedback? Slick-Top – For a police car without a lightbar. "Berries and Cherries" refers to the lights on a patrol car. Slang has been around since the beginning of language. Stuck On- To have a crush on someone. your own Pins on Pinterest Victorian Bicycle Slang | The Dictionary of Victorian Insults & Niceties on Scorching: the cyclist menace of the 19th century. Telegram: Australian term, circa 1899, for … 5 - 0: warning that police are approaching. Some are considered offensive. 1920s slang was prevalent all through the decade: from gangsters to the everyday civilian, learn what was popular to say amongst each other with our list. Apple knocker- A hick, a hay-shaker. Fuzz: This North American term first appeared in the 1920s and gained popularity in the 1930s. Giggle water? Riding the struggle buggy? June on Policing in the 1920s: the problem of motor traffic. Cruiser – Commonly used when referring to a police car. Wearing your glad rags? fire extinguisher: a chaperone fish: (1) a college freshman (2) a first timer in prison flat tire: a bore flivver: a … Not all slang of the 1920s tied directly to gangsters and law enforcement. It’s a common trend elsewhere, as evidenced by these four terms. (Andy Griffith, look out!) Anchor- Box of flowers. Find additional terms and nicknames for police, and where they originated from here. Call In (v.) The act of ordering - without explanation - a made man to report to his superiors. Snickle: A confusion of snitch and snilch, this American term meaning "to inform to the police" dates back to 1859; it was obsolete by 1920. In the 20s, no one was more counterculture than gangsters. Elephant Ears. That was because many cops were army rejects supposedly because their feet were flat (no arch) and at the time the belief was anyone with flat feet could not maintain balance well or run (wrong but common medical belief). It surfaced in Britain in the 1960s. Duck Soup: something that’s easy peasy. Only ancient slang can make young ladies blush and grannies laugh. "Berries and Cherries" refers to the lights on a patrol car. Struggle-Buggy- A automobile. The history of American slang words is fascinating. When a police officer refers to "berries and … Get your answers by asking now. The Heat, Bulls, Heavies, If you stoped and talked to them. Spiffy- 1920s slang term for "looking sharp," usually referring to a man's appearance. The Bee's Knees, copacetic. Cars and other vehicles were referred to by a number of slang terms during the 20s. Some of these terms are solely of their time, some have survived into the modern era, albeit often… From approximately 1890 to 1919, that term mean they were going to blow-up a safe to rob it, and the person doing it was likely a yeggman, slang for safe robber. Swanky- Upscale, Ritzy. American Mafia History Website ... A police officer or politician who takes money in exchange for allowing crime to continue is "bought." Giants owner: I wasn't aware of Boebert's QAnon support, Company's single-dose vaccine deemed 'promising', Woman arrested in Capitol riot: 'I listen to my president', Shelton claps back at critics of 'Minimum Wage', Russia makes military move with Biden set to take office. Police services also have their own internal slang and jargon; some of it is relatively widespread geographically and some very localized. One story behind this word is that police officers were “fussy” about small crimes, and over time the term evolved into “fuzz.”. Prohibition be damned, words were just better in the 1920s. What seemed dirty or off-color almost a hundred years ago seems rather tame by today's standards. Swell- Awesome. a police officer. Find more slang from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s right here in CULTUREIFY.COM Apple Sauce- Flattery; bunk. Are there any words or phrases that we forgot on our list? Guy on Policing in the 1920s: the problem of motor traffic. In 1910, if someone said they were “blowing the peter,” — it’s not what you’re thinking. There were slang terms reserved just for the guys during the roaring 20s. Also called a plodder (Northeast US) because when you walk a beat, very few cops were in vehicles, you tend to walk deliberately, plod. Documentary Takes New Look at JonBenét Ramsey Case . As the poet Carl Sandburg once said: “Slang is a language that rolls up its sleeves, spits on its hands and goes to work”, but essentially it is the language of the dispossessed, the marginal. Also, the 1920 slang was to conceive in the hives of counter-culture. The Roaring 20’s gave birth to a number of new phrases – some of which are distinct to that era, and some of which are still used today. The precise sociological and etymological provenance of some of these terms is significant: 5-O (Five-Oh) Slang for police officers and/or a… Flat Foot, Ankles,Asphalt coy boy. was there a slang word for the police? It wasn't so much a code to keep the police in the dark words like that was Edge: intoxication, Dope: drugs, esp. Which of the above 1920s slang terms will you be adding to your repertoire? Rollers if they had a car,Cherry Toppers if it had a red light on top. GLOSSARY OF SLANG. A Anda An … See more words with the same meaning: British, UK slang (list of). Man arrested in Capital riot refuses to eat jail food. Airedale: an unattractive man 5. alarm clock: a chaperone 6. all wet: incorrect 7. Most of it is still in use today, although the meanings in some cases have changed. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Ella Hartung recorded this dictionary of 1920’s slang words for the Flapper in 1922.. Icy mitt: You receive the “icy mitt” when you express feelings for someone, and said feelings are not … This question is worth people's attention, police officers that wore pigons for a living. If a Good Samaritan shot Derek Chauvin to protect George Floyd, would he serve time ? I love the old movies and got most of the 1940s slang from those old flicks like Twice Blessed, Jive Junction, and Buck Privates. The term is said to stem from a corruption for the name of the Hutsnuwu tribe in Alaska, known for … "Popular report has it that he listens so often, so long, so hard, that his ears grow to … 1920s Slang Terms and Definitions. Jake. There is a variety of slang for police used across the globe. Dropping pins – making hints about one’s homosexuality, usually to other gay men (comes from “letting one’s hair down”). Check out this killer diller list of 1940s slang. Here’s a large list of 1920’s slang. Fuzz: the police. Struggle-Buggy- A automobile. if they walked. The police put out a dragnet for the guy who beat you up. As quickly as it is assimilated into the mainstream it slips its chains and reinvents itself. The 1940s slang in America reflected an era filled with a can-do attitude. This 1920s slang term is pretty savage. Attaboy! But one of the most popular slang terms for the local police today is “popo”. These indexes are then used to find usage correlations between slang terms. And{ PO-9] a black term I have no idea of why that. Slang of the 1920’s The 1920’s were fertile years for language in America; dozens of new slang words and expressions sprang into existence. Something that ’ s a large list of 1920 ’ s/1930 ’ s slang the... 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