Small Home Gazette, Winter 2023
Everything Is Jake!
What if you travelled back in time to 1920s America? Maybe you could grill an ancestor or get them to sing. But be sure you know your onions!
The ‘20s was the first decade to emphasize a youthful, carefree culture. Flappers, along with gangsters, jazz and Prohibition, had a huge influence on mainstream America. The informal language, or slang, spoken by these groups created new words, many of which are still used today.
Never underestimate the power of words to communicate culture and define the spirit of the age. And the Roaring Twenties certainly had a lot of spirit. Take a look at just a portion of the words that are the cat’s pajamas and the bee’s knees—and are probably familiar to you.
- Applesauce: Nonsense.
- Babe: Woman.
- Baloney: Nonsense, something not to be believed.
- Beef: Problem.
- Bee’s knees: An extraordinary person, thing, or idea.
Behind the eight ball: In a difficult position, in a tight spot.- Bracelets: Handcuffs.
- Bull session: An informal group chat or discussion.
- Bunk: Nonsense.
- Canary: Woman singer.
- Cheese it: Put things away, hide.
- Crush: An infatuation.
- Duck soup: Easy, a piece of cake,
- Flimflam: Swindle.
- Gams: A woman’s legs.
- Gasper: Cigarette.
- Grilled: Questioned.
- Gumshoe: Detective.
- Head doctor: Psychiatrist.
- Hinky: Suspicious.
- Hood: Criminal.
- Hoofer: Dancer.
- Ice: Diamonds.
- Jake: All right, fine.
- Jalopy: An old car.
- Jam: Trouble, a tight spot.
Java: Coffee.- Neck: To snuggle, kiss, or caress intimately.
- Patsy: Person who is set up; fool, chump.
- Peepers: Eyes.
- Screwy: Crazy; eccentric.
- Shyster: Lawyer.
- Sing: Make a confession.
- Spiffy: Looking elegant.
- Swanky: Fancy, high quality.
- Swell: Wonderful.
- Tail: Shadow or follow.
- Take a powder: Leave.
- Tomato: Pretty woman.
- Wet blanket: Someone who is no fun.
- You slay me: You’re hilarious.
Some words simply fade away. Here are a few of the crazier words from the 1920s that would be awkward, if not difficult, to use in today’s conversations.
Bank’s closed: No kissing, “Sorry babe, bank’s closed.”- Blouse: To go.
- Cat’s pajamas: I think you are really cool.
- Cellar smeller: Prohibition enforcement officer.
- Dead soldier: An empty beer bottle.
- Egg harbor: A free dance.
- Get a wiggle on: To get going.
- Giggle juice: Alcohol.
- Glad rags: Going out clothes.
- Hen coop: Beauty parlor.
- I’m gonna go iron my shoelaces: I’m gonna go use the bathroom.
- Know one’s onions: To know what someone’s talking about.
- Noodle juice: Tea. (But noodle on its own means head.)
- Rock of ages: An old maid.
Much of the slang of the 1920s has died away but many words and phrases have retained their original meaning or come to mean something entirely different. The phrase for crying out loud remains an expression of exasperation, as it was in the 1920s. Beating the gums still means idle chatter. A flat tire now refers to an automotive inconvenience rather than a disappointing date or event. Some people refer to reading glasses rather than sunglasses as cheaters. Slang has been creeping into our language for over 500 or so years and is far from having said its last words.
I will leave you with something screwy. “I must blouse now to meet some tomato and lap some noodle juice and then head for an egg harbor.” Translation?—“I must go meet a pretty woman, drink some tea and then go to a free dance.” But I bet you knew that.
If you want to add more words to your 1920s slang vocabulary, take a look at these online videos:
- “1920s Slang That Needs to Make a Comeback,” Buzz Feed Video (YouTube video), April 16, 2015, 1:36.
- “Slang of the 1920s,” The 1920s Channel (YouTube video), March 12, 2020, 14:26.
