Slang of the 1920s

All Wet - Describes an erroneous idea or individual, as in, "he's all wet."
Applesauce - an explative; same as horsefeathers, As in "Ah applesauce!"
Bee's Knees - An extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate.
Berries - That which is attractive or pleasing; similar to bee's knees, As in "It's the berries."
Big Cheese - The most important or influential person; boss. Same as big shot.
Blind Date - going out with someone you do not know
Bluenose - An excessively puritanical person, a prude, Creator of "the Blue Nozzle Curse."
Bump Off - To murder, To kill.
Cake-Eater - An effete ladies' man, or someone who attends tea parties.
Carry a Torch - To have a crush on someone.
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.
Cheaters - Eyeglasses.
Crush - An infatuation.
Darb - An excellent person or thing (as in "the Darb" - a person with money who can be relied on to pay the check).
Dogs - feet.
Drugstore Cowboy - a guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls
Dumb Dora - a stupid female.
Fall Guy - Victim of a frame.
Flapper - A stylish, brash, hedonistic young woman with short skirts and shorter hair.
Flat Tire - A dull witted, insipid, disappointing date. Same as pill, pickle, drag, rag, oilcan.
Frame - To give false evidence, to set up someone.
Gams - A woman's legs.
Giggle Water - An intoxicating beverage; alcohol.
Gin Mill - An establishment where hard liquor is sold; bar.
Hard Boiled - a tough, strong guy.
Heebie-Jeebies - The jitters.
High-Hat - To snub.
Hooch - Bootleg liquor
Hoofer - Dancer.
Horsefeathers - an explative; same usage as applesauce.
Hotsy-Totsy - Pleasing.
Jake - OK, as in, "Everything is Jake."
Jalopy - Old car.
Joint - A club, usually selling alcohol.
Keen - Attractive or appealing.
Kisser - Mouth.
Line - Insincere flattery.
Lounge Lizard - a guy that is sexually active.
Moll - A gangster's girl.
Neck - Kissing with passion.
Ossified - a drunk person.
Pet - Same as neck, but more so.
Pinch - To arrest.
Pushover - A person easily convinced or seduced.
Ritzy - Elegant (from the hotel).
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).
Speakeasy - An illicit bar selling bootleg liquor.
Spiffy - An elegant appearance.
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.
Torpedo - A hired gun.
Upchuck - To vomit when one has drunk too much.
Whoopee - To have a good time.

Some slang is directly quoted from
1920's Interactive Literature Resource Home Page

As of 8 Feb. 1999