Gilded Age

/BUL-ee/

Excellent; first-rate

Origin: Dutch 'boel' (lover), positive 19th c. usage

"A bully day for a stroll in the park."

/SPIF-li-kay-tid/

Drunk

Origin: 1890s American slang

"He came home thoroughly spifflicated."

/GAD-uh-bowt/

One who flits from place to place

Origin: 16th c., popular in Victorian use

"Auntie is a dreadful gadabout."

/DOO-zee/

Something remarkable

Origin: 1880s, from Eleanora Duse or 'daisy'

"That hat is a real doozy."

/KODZ-wol-uhp/

Nonsense

Origin: Late Victorian British

"Pure codswallop, the lot of it."

/kad/

Dishonorable man

Origin: 18th c. 'caddie', shifted meaning

"He is no gentleman — he is a cad!"

/KAP-i-tuhl/

Excellent

Origin: British upper-class 1800s

"A capital idea, old chap!"

/mash/

A crush or flirtation

Origin: 1870s American theatrical

"She has a mash on the young vicar."

/CHUK/

A slang term for food or a hearty meal.

Origin: Mid-19th century American frontier origin, popularized in cities by the 1880s.

"After the opera, George took us to a lobster palace for some expensive chuck."

/SPARK-ler/

A bright or high-quality gemstone, usually a diamond.

Origin: Late 19th century underworld and high-society crossover term.

"That diamond stickpin is a real sparkler, isn't it?"

/BIG GUN/

An important, influential, or powerful person.

Origin: 1870s American colloquialism referring to heavy artillery.

"He thinks he's a big gun because he owns three dry goods stores."

/DAY-zee/

A person or thing that is excellent, remarkable, or highly attractive.

Origin: 1880s Americanism, used to describe someone "fresh" and pleasing.

"See that daisy in the velvet vest? He thinks he's quite the charmer."

/BOO-duhl/

Money, specifically money obtained through graft, corruption, or illicit means.

Origin: Dutch 'boedel' (property), became popular in 1880s New York politics.

"He spent all his boodle on racehorses and expensive champagne."

/CHAY-sing thuh DUK/

A slang term for drinking heavily or going on a bender.

Origin: 1870s saloon slang.

"I spent all night chasing the duck and now I can barely stand."

/BRIK/

A reliable, good-hearted, and courageous person.

Origin: Originally British, widely adopted in American colleges in the 1870s.

"He's a regular brick for helping me pay off that gambling debt."

/GAL-ee-nip-er/

An annoying, insignificant, or pestering person (originally a large mosquito).

Origin: Southern US folk term, widespread in the 1880s.

"Tell that gallinipper to stop buzzing in my ear and go home."

/DED-wayt/

The silent treatment or a cold, unresponsive attitude.

Origin: Late 19th century urban slang.

"Is he still giving you the dead-weight? You deserve a man who speaks."

/HEV-ee SWEL/

A wealthy, high-society man who dresses in the height of fashion.

Origin: 1870s term evolving from the British 'swell.'

"That heavy swell in the silk hat looks like he's never worked a day in his life."

/CHIN-myoo-zik/

Idle chatter, talk, or gossip.

Origin: 1870s Americanism, comparing the sound of talking to a rhythmic noise.

"Don't give me any of your chin-music, just get back to work!"

/IN thuh BOKS/

To be in a position of great difficulty, trouble, or poor health.

Origin: 1880s, possibly referring to a coffin or a tight spot.

"You'd better see a doctor; you look like you're in the box."

/KIL-ing/

Overwhelmingly attractive or fashionable; fascinating.

Origin: Mid-to-late 19th century colloquialism.

"She looked absolutely killing in that new Parisian gown."

/STRAYT TIP/

Reliable, inside information or the absolute truth.

Origin: 1880s horse racing slang.

"Give me the straight tip: which horse is going to win?"

/ON thuh FLY/

Moving quickly, or slightly intoxicated and "festive."

Origin: 1870s urban slang.

"He was a bit on the fly last night after three glasses of bourbon."

/KAYS noht/

A five-dollar bill.

Origin: 1880s, possibly from the "V" shape or ledger marking.

"Hand over a case note and we'll call the debt even."

/GRAF-ter/

A person who makes money through dishonest or shady practices.

Origin: 1890s American political and circus slang.

"That man is a common grafter who doesn't care who he cheats."

/KEEP yure SHURT on/

An injunction to stay calm or be patient.

Origin: 1870s Americanism; to take one's shirt off was the first step to a fight.

"Keep your shirt on, the train isn't leaving for another ten minutes!"

/RAT-uld/

Confused, nervous, or flustered.

Origin: 1880s Americanism.

"I was so rattled by the accident that I forgot my own name."

/BEE-fing/

Complaining or whining.

Origin: 1880s Old West origin, later widely used in cities.

"Quit your beefing and help me move this piano."

/DOOD/

A man overly concerned with his clothes and appearance.

Origin: Coined in the early 1880s, possibly from "Doodle."

"He's a regular dude with his high collar and shiny shoes."

/SHORT-kard/

Cheating at games of chance.

Origin: 1870s gambling slang.

"I suspect he's been playing the short-card on us all evening."

/RED SENT/

Absolutely no money at all.

Origin: 1880s, referring to the copper color of the penny.

"I haven't a red cent to my name until payday."

/THEE JEE-BEE/

The "Grand Bounce"; being dismissed or fired.

Origin: 1880s American urban slang.

"She gave him the G.B. before he could even ask for a dance."

/SNOOZ/

A short nap or to sleep.

Origin: Mid-19th century, became common parlance by the 1870s.

"I'm going to take a snooze before the dinner party begins."

/RA-zul DA-zul/

A state of confusion or a deceptive trick/hustle.

Origin: Late 1880s Americanism.

"He got the razzle-dazzle from the city slickers and lost his watch."

/A-pul-saws/

Nonsense, lies, or flattery.

Origin: Late 1890s, originating as a term for cheap filler food.

"That story is all applesauce; he wasn't even in Chicago last week!"

/UP thuh FLOOM/

To fail, die, or go bankrupt.

Origin: 1870s mining slang (California Gold Rush era residual).

"It’s time to go up the flume if we can’t pay the rent."

/JAM/

Excellent, elegant, or high-class.

Origin: 1880s British/American crossover slang.

"She's real jam, the finest lady in the county."

/LAY/

The current state of affairs or the "deal."

Origin: 1870s Americanism.

"What's the lay of the land regarding the new railroad contract?"

/WIND-bag/

A person who talks a lot but says very little of substance.

Origin: 1870s American political slang.

"Listen to that windbag talk about himself for hours."

/JIN-mil/

A low-class tavern or saloon.

Origin: 1870s temperance movement term.

"I'm going to the gin-mill for a quick nip before I head home."

/TOO-too/

Exaggeratedly elegant, precious, or "over the top."

Origin: 1880s Aesthetic movement slang (Oscar Wilde era).

"That new operetta is just too-too for my simple tastes."

/guh-LOOT/

A clumsy, foolish, or awkward man.

Origin: Sailor slang used widely on land by the 1870s.

"He made a total galoot of himself by tripping over his own cane."

/DED BURD/

A certainty or something that is easily accomplished.

Origin: 1880s American slang.

"That's a dead bird, I tells ya; it's a sure thing."

/BIG HED/

An inflated sense of vanity or self-importance.

Origin: 1870s Americanism.

"He's got a big head because his father was elected mayor."

/DAWG-er-ee/

A cheap, disreputable drinking saloon.

Origin: Common in the 1870s-80s, especially in the South/Midwest.

"Look at that doggery; I wouldn't trust the whiskey there."

/GET yure BAK UP/

To become angry or defensive.

Origin: Mid-19th century, standard slang by the 1880s.

"Don't get your back up just because I asked a question."

/kuh-POO-zul/

A confusing, crowded, or chaotic situation.

Origin: 1890s obscure urban slang.

"It was a regular tight capoozal of a meeting."

/TAF-ee/

Flattery or "soft soap" talk.

Origin: 1870s Americanism (sweetened talk).

"I believe you're giving me the taffy because you want a favor."

/BUNK-oh/

A swindle or confidence trick; to defraud by deception.

Origin: Spanish banca, card game, into American criminal slang, 1870s

"He ran a bunco scheme on arriving immigrants at the rail station."

/FLOO-zee/

A gaudily dressed, morally loose, or disreputable woman.

Origin: American slang, possibly from flossy, attested 1890s

"The alderman was seen escorting some floozy into the hotel on Fifth."

/MUG/

The face; to assault and rob someone in the street.

Origin: English, mug as face (18th c.), mugging as robbery, 19th century

"He was mugged near the gas-lamp and relieved of his watch and wallet."

/SPEEL-er/

A fast-talking barker, swindler, or gambling-house operator.

Origin: German spielen, to play, into American underworld slang, 1880s

"The spieler out front promised untold pleasures within for a dime."

/CHEEZ IT/

Stop it; run away; a warning to desist or flee from danger.

Origin: English cant, cease it corrupted, into American use, 19th century

"Cheese it — the copper is coming round the corner right now!"

/RING-kee-DINK/

Small, inferior, or unimportant; of poor quality.

Origin: American slang, rinky-dink, attested 1880s–1890s

"He played in every rinky-dink theater from Pittsburgh to St. Louis."

/FOR-flush-er/

A bluffer; a person who pretends to more than they possess.

Origin: American poker, four-card flush bluff, attested 1880s–1890s

"Everybody in the ward knew the councilman was a four-flusher."

/TIN-horn/

A petty gambler or boastful person of little actual means.

Origin: American, tin-horn gambler as small-time operator, 1880s

"The tin-horn at the faro table was betting with borrowed money."

/KRIB/

A low gambling den or saloon; a small, disreputable establishment.

Origin: English cant, crib as small dwelling or den, into American 19th c.

"He lost his last dollar in some crib near the river docks."

/STIF/

A hobo; a working tramp; a common laborer on the move.

Origin: American tramp and labor slang, stiff as poor laborer, 1890s

"A dozen stiffs were camped under the rail trestle by the yard."

/puh-LOO-kuh/

A mediocre or inferior boxer; a dull, stupid fellow in general.

Origin: American boxing slang, attested early 1920s but rooted in 1890s

"That palooka they put against the champion lasted barely one round."

/GRAFT/

The practice of obtaining money through corruption or bribery.

Origin: American political slang, graft as corrupt gain, attested 1859

"Tammany Hall ran on graft and everyone from the mayor down knew it."

/SWEL-hed/

A conceited, arrogant person; one puffed up with self-importance.

Origin: American, swell + head, 19th century

"That swellhead refused to ride in the same carriage as the others."

/JAG/

A bout of drinking; a spree; a load of spirits consumed at once.

Origin: English, jag as load or binge, 17th century into American 19th c.

"He came home from a three-day jag with nothing but his hat."

/FAY-ker/

A street vendor of quack medicines or novelties; a swindler.

Origin: English cant, fake + er, 19th century, widespread American use

"The faker on the corner sold colored water as a cure for rheumatism."

/BOSH/

Nonsense; foolish or empty talk.

Origin: Turkish boş, empty, into English via novel Ayesha 1834

"His plan to corner the steel market was utter bosh from the start."

/DED-beet/

A person who evades payment; a loafer who sponges off others.

Origin: American, dead beat as worthless fellow, attested 1863–1870s

"Every dead beat in the city knew which soup kitchens kept no roll."

/HEP/

Aware; informed; in the know about current affairs or trends.

Origin: American slang, hip variant, attested in use by late 1890s

"She was hep to every scheme in the tenement before noon."

/KY-bosh/

To put an end to something; to stop or suppress decisively.

Origin: Origin disputed; Yiddish or English cant; in use by 1836

"The reform committee put the kibosh on the whole aldermanic scheme."

/MOL/

A gangster's girlfriend; a female companion of a criminal.

Origin: English, Moll as women's name in cant, 17th century into American

"His moll kept the money while he ran the three-card table."

/PLUG-ug-lee/

A street ruffian; a member of a violent urban gang.

Origin: American, Baltimore Plug Uglies gang, 1850s–1870s

"The plug-uglies controlled every block between the wharf and the market."

/GRUB-stayk/

Supplies or money advanced to a prospector in exchange for a share.

Origin: American mining slang, grub + stake, attested 1860s–1870s

"She grubstaked three miners and grew rich when one struck gold."

/FAN-see MAN/

A woman's kept lover; a pimp; a man living on a woman's earnings.

Origin: English slang, fancy man as paramour, 19th century

"Everyone suspected the fancy man at the boardinghouse was living well."

/STEER-er/

A confederate who lures victims into gambling dens or cons.

Origin: American criminal slang, steerer as decoy, 1870s–1890s

"The steerer on Broadway approached every well-dressed traveler in sight."

/BLOHK/

A man; a fellow; an ordinary male person.

Origin: English Shelta bloke (man), into common use by mid-19th century

"Some bloke in a checked suit offered to sell me a racehorse."

/spon-DOO-liks/

Money; cash; coin of any denomination.

Origin: American slang, Greek spondylikos corrupted, attested 1856

"He had the spondulix to buy out the whole block if he chose."

/KROOK/

A criminal; a dishonest person; one who makes a living by fraud.

Origin: American, crook as dishonest person, attested 1870s

"Half the board of aldermen were crooks on the city's payroll."

/BUL-ee/

Excellent; first-rate; used as an expression of approval.

Origin: English, bully as fine/admirable, 17th century into American

"Bully for you — that was the finest speech the hall has heard this year."

/guh-ZAY-boh/

A fellow; a man; sometimes an odd or foolish person.

Origin: American slang, Spanish gazapo (young rabbit) corrupted, 1890s

"Who is that gazabo standing outside the stage door every evening?"

/HOO-doo/

Bad luck; a jinx; a person or thing that brings misfortune.

Origin: American, voodoo variant, hoodoo as bad luck, attested 1880s

"The fighter refused to enter the ring — said the promoter was a hoodoo."

/SLUM/

Cheap jewelry or prizes given at fairs and game booths.

Origin: American carnival slang, slum as cheap goods, 19th century

"He won nothing but slum at the ring-toss and spent a dollar doing it."

/GRIF-ter/

A small-time con artist who travels from town to town cheating people.

Origin: American, grift + er, variant of grafter, attested 1900s

"That grifter sold the same miracle tonic in six counties last summer."

/NUK-ul-dus-ter/

Brass knuckles; a metal weapon worn over the fist.

Origin: English, attested 1858, common in American urban slang by 1870s

"The bouncer carried a knuckle-duster under his apron at all times."

/FLY KOP/

A plainclothes detective; a shrewd police officer in disguise.

Origin: American, fly (sharp/aware) + cop, attested 1870s–1880s

"Three fly cops were watching the Exchange for exactly this kind of deal."

/FIK-ser/

A person who bribes officials and arranges corrupt outcomes.

Origin: American political slang, fix + er, attested 1880s–1890s

"Every ward had its fixer who knew which palm to cross with silver."

/PEEL/

To strip or fleece someone of money; to rob by degrees.

Origin: English, peel as strip, in figurative financial use, 19th century

"The card sharp peeled the visiting merchant down to his last coin."

/guh-ZOOK/

An odd, foolish, or contemptible man; a strange fellow.

Origin: American slang, origin uncertain, attested 1890s

"Some gazook in spats and a tall hat tried to join the boxing club."

/AY-lek/

A know-it-all; a smart, impudent fellow who thinks himself clever.

Origin: American, smart Aleck, attested 1860s–1880s

"That aleck behind the counter had an answer for everything and was wrong."

/SPEEL-ing/

Fast, persuasive talking to attract a crowd or sell a product.

Origin: German spielen, to play, into American showman slang, 1880s

"He was spieling outside the dime museum for six hours straight."

/RUB-er-nek/

To stare at curiosities with craning neck; a gaping sightseer.

Origin: American, rubber + neck for flexibility, attested 1890s

"Every rubberneck in the city crowded the block after the building fell."

/BOO-ster/

A shoplifter; also an enthusiastic promoter of a city or product.

Origin: American, boost + er as promoter and thief, dual use 1890s

"The department store hired a detective after a booster cleared the glove counter."

/HOH-lee SHOH/

A spectacle; a scene of embarrassing or ridiculous behavior.

Origin: Irish-American immigrant slang, holy show as embarrassment, 19th c.

"She made a holy show of herself arguing with the conductor on the car."

/PUG/

A boxer; a pugilist; any prize-fighter professional or otherwise.

Origin: English, pug as boxer, short for pugilist, attested 1880s

"Every pug in the city wanted a bout with the heavyweight champion."

/MIL/

A boxing match; a fistfight; the action of fighting.

Origin: English boxing slang, mill as fight, 18th–19th century

"The two dockhands had a mill behind the warehouse that lasted an hour."

/PLANT/

To hide stolen goods; also a concealed trap or ambush.

Origin: English cant, plant as hidden cache or setup, 18th–19th century

"The stolen silver was found planted under the floorboards of his cellar."

/SHY-ster/

An unscrupulous lawyer or business person who uses dishonest means.

Origin: American, possibly German Scheisser, attested 1843–1850s

"Every shyster in the courthouse had a hand in that estate settlement."

/BLOH-hard/

A braggart; a person who boasts loudly and without basis.

Origin: American, blow + hard as braggart, attested 1850s–1870s

"That blowhard claimed to have dined with three presidents and two kings."

/SKWEEL/

To inform to the police; to betray one's associates.

Origin: American criminal slang, squeal as betray, attested 1870s–1880s

"Someone in the crew squealed and the whole gang was taken in one night."

/TOWT/

To solicit business aggressively; a tipster who sells horse-race advice.

Origin: English, toot/tout as spy or tout, 17th into 19th century American

"Every tout at the track had a sure winner for a modest consideration."

/PY-ker/

A petty gambler or miser; a person who does things in a mean way.

Origin: American, Pike County (Missouri) as poor-rural slur, 1860s–1870s

"That piker would not raise the bet above two dollars all evening."

/NOB-ee/

Smart, elegant, or fashionable in dress and manner.

Origin: English, nob (person of quality) + y, into American use, 19th century

"He wore a nobby suit and carried a cane as though he owned the avenue."

/RAK-it/

A fraudulent scheme; a dishonest business; noisy commotion.

Origin: English, racket as noise, extended to criminal scheme, 19th century

"Running the numbers was just one of the rackets operating in that ward."