Anyone know slang words from the 1930s & 40s

Just woundering since language constantly evolves and remains so colorful!

sandy t sandy t
May '11

Here is a web site w/ a bunch on there http://people.howstuffworks.com/53-slang-terms-by-decade1.htm

THE MAN THE MAN
May '11

I have one. My grandma would order a "highball" at the bar. I know it's slang for some reason. I think it had something to do with speak easies during prohibition. I could be wrong. She past away before I thought to ask her. This drives my crazy. Help! There has to be someone out there (oldman??) to clear this up for me. I know the highball (drink) was a 7 & 7. But why was it called that. Thanks.

auntiel
May '11

From Wikipedia:

"Highball is the name for a family of mixed drinks that are composed of an alcoholic base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer. Originally, the most common highball was made with Scotch whisky and carbonated water,[1] which is today called a "Scotch and Soda".

A "7 and 7" would fit that description.

Gordy Gordy
May '11

How I remember the word "highball". Sunday afternoons after a big family dinner the kids went outside to play while the adults(Irishman of course) would have their "highball". I remember it was whiskey or rye or some other alcohol with club soda or ginger ale or something and ice cube. Sometimes they called it their"after dinner drink".

joyful joyful
May '11

Another term I remember them using for having a drink was to go have a "snort".

joyful joyful
May '11

lots of slang from those days, but since you're talking about booze,

"Depth Charge"

was popular in the forties.

you get a draft beer in a mug and also a shot of whiskey next to it.

now you take the whole shot glass and drop it lock, stock and barrel into the mug.

then you drink it with the shot glass in the bottom of the mug.

that's a 'depth charge'

BrotherDog BrotherDog
May '11

Didn't they call that a "boilermaker" back then, BD?

iPhone-imal iPhone-imal
May '11

close, but unless my ,memory has faded , with the boiler maker you take the shot glass and pour the contents into the mug of beer, with the depth charge its the whole shot glass that gets dropped in.

could be fewer brain cells on my part , and this is all from my memory, i guess i could goggle it, but I'm tired now

BrotherDog BrotherDog
May '11

You look "swell"
She's a real "dish"
Make it "snappy"
I watch too many vintage movies
I will think of more

Jude49 Jude49
May '11

women were called skirts or dame .

Caged Animal Caged Animal
May '11

I remember my uncle telling my parents he saw my brother with "some Jane" refering to a girl.

Tanya Tanya
May '11

A little earlier but I do know they used a lot of slang words on Boardwalk Empire. Some of which I've heard before ... just can't remember them now.

ComputerSharp ComputerSharp
May '11

Grandma always said britches for pants, and if you spilled your milk or something she would say you've upset it.

Snoopy Snoopy
May '11

"cup of joe"

BrotherDog BrotherDog
May '11

Jimmy Durante: Everybody wants to get into the act Ha- cha- cha- cha- cha- cha-chaaaaa ­a!"

htown newbie htown newbie
May '11

Thanks Gordy, I can rest easy now. LOL. Today we call them hot flashes. My grandpa would say, don't mind grandma she's got those dam vapors. As a child I would say huh, what, I don't get it. I do now.

auntiel
May '11

The men wore a "zoot suit"
She is a real "cracker jack"
Pucker up so I can lay one on ya!
Hubba Hubba..Zing Zing!! Baby You Got Everything!

joyful joyful
May '11

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