Turn of the Century

/TWEN-tee-three skuh-DOO/

Scram; get out fast

Origin: Coined c. 1906, possibly from Flatiron Building winds

"Twenty-three skidoo, the cops are coming!"

/beez neez/

Something excellent

Origin: 1900s nonsense phrase, popularized in 20s

"That new motorcar is the bee's knees."

/SPOO-ning/

Romantic cuddling

Origin: 1800s, peak use 1900s

"Caught them spooning on the porch swing."

/mayk WHOO-pee/

Have a good time; party

Origin: 1900s, popularized by song in 1928

"Let's make whoopee at the fair!"

/KAYK-ee-tuhr/

A ladies' man; dandy

Origin: 1910s American

"That cake-eater's been by three times this week."

/FLIV-uhr/

A cheap car, esp. a Model T

Origin: 1910 American auto slang

"I cranked up the old flivver and away we went."

/HORS-feth-uhrz/

Nonsense

Origin: 1900s American

"Horsefeathers! He never said any such thing."

/pip/

An admirable person or thing

Origin: British, popular 1910s

"Old Reggie is a pip."

/SUHM PUHMP-kinz/

Someone or something of great importance, impressive quality, or high status.

Origin: American colloquialism dating to the mid-1800s but peaking in usage around 1910.

"Look at that fellow's new check suit; he is certainly some pumpkins!"

/LAH-dee-DAH/

A person who is overly pretentious, affected, or puts on aristocratic airs.

Origin: Late 19th-century British music hall influence that became common in US cities by 1905.

"See that swell in the high collar? He thinks he's a real lah-di-dah."

/AP-uhl-sawss/

Nonsense, lies, or flattery that isn't believed.

Origin: Emerging in the late 1900s from the idea of cheap, ubiquitous food used to filler a meal.

"Don't try to hand me that applesauce about working late."

/too the BOW-wowz/

Ruined, failed, or fallen into a state of decline.

Origin: A variation of 'to the dogs' popularized in the early 1900s.

"The neighborhood has gone to the bow-wows since the factory opened."

/THREE-sheet/

A large, flashy advertising poster for a theatrical performance.

Origin: มาจาก the standard size of printing paper sheets used for billboards in the 1900s theater world.

"I went to the nickelodeon and saw a three-sheet for the new Mary Pickford film."

/TIGHT-wod/

A person who is exceptionally stingy or misery with money.

Origin: Early 1900s Americanism referring to someone who keeps their roll of bills tied tightly.

"Old Man Harrison is a real tightwad who won't even buy a Sunday paper."

/BAHM uv GILL-ee-ad/

Money used as a bribe or 'hush money.'

Origin: A biblical reference to a soothing ointment repurposed by early century underworld figures.

"I had to give the copper some balm of Gilead to keep him from closing the back door."

/OSS-if-eyed/

Extremely intoxicated or drunk.

Origin: Literally meaning 'turned to bone,' used as slang for being stiff with drink by 1900.

"After three rounds of whiskey, he was truly ossified."