1940 SLANG

[Cadetat6]

1940 Slang add to it !!!

 

 

A

All's I'm Saying -- all I’m saying. . .

Aces -- great

 

B

big to-do -- the big deal

bring home the bacon -- who makes the money

beat -- tired

beef -- problem

breathe a word -- telling someone

 

C

cheapskate -- someone who won’t spend money

crimeny -- geez

 

D

Dear John -- break-up letter

dropping you like a hot potato -- dumping you

deer talking to headlights -- someone who has trouble speaking to

another

dollar to a donut hole -- a sure thing

drop of a hat -- just like that

 

E

easy -- a person who puts out

 

F

fag -- cigarette

fool of the western world -- idiot

 

H

haven’t the foggiest -- have no idea

heaven’s sakes -- geez

holy smokes -- oh my gosh

 

J

joker -- clown, fool

 

L

luckier than all get-out -- I’m luckier than anything

the line -- assembly line

lousy -- not good

lose your shirt -- you’ll lose everything

 

M

making time -- going out with someone

marbles -- your mind

mits -- hands

my back teeth are floating -- I need to pee. . .really bad

 

N

no skin off my nose -- not my problem

not being square -- not telling the truth

notice -- getting fired from a job

no nevermind -- no difference to me

no siree -- nope

 

O

out of sorts -- in a bad mood

on the 8 ball -- having bad luck

 

P

pleased as punch -- happy

pity sake -- heaven’s sake

 

Q

queer bird -- strange person

 

R

round heels -- prostitute

Rockefeller -- rich person

righto -- right

 

S

snafu -- situation normal all fouled (effed) up

says you -- (sarcastic) according to you

so to speak -- not literal

scrounged -- cheated

section 8 material -- crazy

swell -- good

[the] sack -- bed

sap -- idiot

sure as tootin -- (s)he better. . .

 

T

two timer -- one who cheats on girl or boyfriend

 

U

under your skin -- annoying

 

Y

you know so much -- (sarcastic) smart alec or wise guy

[Cadetat6]

Jimmney Crickets --when you blow your top

[Jimmydoorknobs]

stool pigeon----someone who rats

 

rat----stool pigeon

 

 

 

I'm not sure those are of 40's origin but just a guess.

[colinhotham]

As a "Limey" I've often wondered how you people saw the term "Yanks" as used during WW2 in the UK and up to to-day? Is/was it ok.

 

The saying I remember most was "the Yanks are, overpaid, oversexed and over here". They were definately the latter, we needed them! But the first two???

 

This is probably not PC and I hope no one takes it too seriously.

 

Colin.

 

 

[Cadetat6]

Sucker someone falls for a scam

 

Take a powder go ahead and leave

[James Pickering]

As a "Limey" I've often wondered how you people saw the term "Yanks" as used during WW2 in the UK and up to to-day? Is/was it ok.

 

The saying I remember most was "the Yanks are, overpaid, oversexed and over here". They were definately the latter, we needed them!    But the first two???

 

This is probably not  PC and I hope no one takes it too seriously.

 

Colin.

 

 

I remember that, Colin. The bantering I recall was:

 

(Brit) "The trouble with the Americans is that they are overpaid, oversexed and over here!"

 

(Yank) "The trouble with the Brits is that they are underpaid, undersexed and under Montgomery!"

 

Hopefully, that was always in jest and with friendly

[James Pickering]

From ITMA -- TTFN (Ta Ta for now)

[James Pickering]

Blighty: Britain -- the home land

 

Java -- coffee

 

Knock me up -- (Brit) wake me up in the morning -- at that time each street in the towns of industrial England (at least where I lived) had a designated "knocker up" whose job it was to tap on the bedroom windows of working people with a long stick early in the workday mornings in order to awake them -- he was the alarm clock for the street. The term had common usage to mean "come by and get me" -- it caused some confusion when girls used it in conversation with GIs (Yanks).

[Walt's Daughter]

Knock me up

 

Over here that has quite a different meaning. There was a similiar phrase, "knocked-up", which meant she was pregnant.

 

[James Pickering]

Knock me up

 

Over here that has quite a different meaning. There was a similiar phrase, "knocked-up", which meant she was pregnant.

 

Yes, that was the thrust of my post!