# What "old" slang do you still use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027 "2005-03-11T14:49:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/61 "2005-03-12T07:07:34Z")
What’s up, home slice? Just chillin over here. S’all good! That’s lame. Your mom… And I think **Ponder Stibbons** and I were separated at birth. I’m all over the “dude” like white on rice. I’m 23 and work in a hospital and sometimes catch myself uttering the ever-present noncommittal “Later…” to end professional phone conversations. :smack: Yesterday, I had to explain to my boss what it means when someone is “hot.” It was totally awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/62 "2005-03-12T09:35:43Z")
Dude, cool isn’t cool anymore? Fuckin’ A! When did this happen? I’m 19, I’m supposed to be with it and hip, damnit! I guess all of my slang’s outdated, then, so here’s what I can come up with at the moment: Cool Dude Awesome Fuckin’ A (rarely) The Fuzz Sweet (when in jest, pronounced “schweet”) Word (started out in jest, but I find myself actually using it now) Neat Nifty Straight (as in “want another drink?” “Nah, I’m straight.”) Woot (mostly typed) Fo’ rizzle (in jest) Give [someone] what-for lame Based on how often people tell me they’ve never heard my expressions before, that list should be longer, but damned if I can think of the expressions they were referring to. To my horror, I’ve caught myself uttering “that’s hot” a la Paris Hilton more than once; I’ll have to replace it with “that’s hep.” ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/63 "2005-03-12T10:24:34Z")
I sing “old slang sign” every New Year’s… Sadly, I am old enough to remember almost all of the above answers. Anybody still use “it’s the pits”? I heard the trivia story that the phrase “it’s the pits” started in the ghetto when someone was shooting up heroin and their arm veins were so bad, they had to inject in the arm pits…hence, “it’s the pits”. Right on! ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/64 "2005-03-12T12:01:44Z")
My preferred word for the constabulary, **ROZZER** , dates from the 30s, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/65 "2005-03-12T14:31:34Z")
Oh, Man. Hey, Dude. That’s the cat’s pajamas. You’re the bees knees. Ginchy. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/66 "2005-03-12T14:46:35Z")
Someone said “neato torpedo” a while back - my version is “neato mosquito.” I’m also guilty of “easy-peasy-Japanesey.” I say “cool beans” too - and twice in the last year, someone has commented on it. Also in my slang vocabulary: Dig that! Cool. Peachy-keen. Fine-and-dandy (sometimes expanded to include George Carlin’s take on the phrase: “I am both fine AND dandy!”) Cutie pie. “You rock!” (My friend Jon’s highest compliment: “You rock in a box!”) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/67 "2005-03-12T14:56:15Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > Someone said “neato torpedo” a while back - my version is “neato mosquito.” I’m also guilty of “easy-peasy-Japanesey.” I say ‘neato mosquito’ and ‘easy peasy’. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/68 "2005-03-12T15:13:34Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > “You rock!” (My friend Jon’s highest compliment: “You rock in a box!”) Not followed up with, “I burning your dog!” ? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/69 "2005-03-12T17:18:19Z")
I call my mom “dude” all the time. She’s picked up the same habit and now refers to everyone younger than she with the aforesaid nominative. Hence, “dude” has been milked of every ounce of hipness it could have ever clung to. I mean, dude, my mom says it… ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/70 "2005-03-12T17:42:41Z")
I use “groovy” and “far out” a lot. It gets noticed when I first get to know people, but after a while, I have noticed, it gets into their vocabulary, too. I actually don’t think before using either, though. Stuff is often “cool” or “neat”, but never “neato”. I have noticed that when I describe someone as lovely, that gets noticed, although to me it’s just a nice word to describe things with. “I’m hip” as a synonym for I understand is another one I use pretty often. I sometimes “grok” things, or more often ask if others grok. Actually, they are all pretty much age appropriate. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/71 "2005-03-12T17:46:20Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > I call my mom “dude” all the time. She’s picked up the same habit and now refers to everyone younger than she with the aforesaid nominative. Hence, “dude” has been milked of every ounce of hipness it could have ever clung to. I mean, dude, my mom says it… I used to do the same thing, years ago. I got bored of that though and now she’s “dog”, “g”, or “sucka”. She think it’s hilarious. Usually when she calls me now the first thing she says is, “What’s up, dog?” > [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > Duuuuuuuuuuude. Dude, dude, dude. Dude? > > Dude. I guess you got a point there, dude. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/72 "2005-03-12T17:51:40Z")
> [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > I’m fairly young, 29, and I teach in a middle school. I am constantly trying to keep up with the new slang, so I can be the hippest cat around 🆒 > > Regardless of my efforts, I always end up slipping up and causing a great burst of laughter when I say something like “Let’s bust a move on these math problems yo!”. > > Mostly I do this fun. However, when I was talking with some coworkers yesterday and mentioned that an event was “off the hook”, they had no idea what I was talking about. They said that off the hook could only mean someone didn’t have to get in trouble for what they did. This caused me to wonder how many people still were using the great slang words and phrases from many moons ago. > > Don’t be ashamed, just lay it on me man. _ **off the hook** _, ain’t that a vaudeville term? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/73 "2005-03-12T19:13:27Z")
“Sockdolager” and “beesknees” find their way into my vocabulary whenever appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/74 "2005-03-12T20:21:42Z")
Here’s a swell glossary of “hard-boiled” retro slang: [http://www.miskatonic.org/slang.html](http://www.miskatonic.org/slang.html) Swingin’ slang from the Jazz Age: [http://home.earthlink.net/~dlarkins/slang-pg.htm](http://home.earthlink.net/~dlarkins/slang-pg.htm) And a funny look at Fellowship of the Ring, translater into “133t-speaK”: [http://www.hohto.to/forums/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=17720](http://www.hohto.to/forums/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=17720) ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecc23a/32.png) [@Uncle\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/75 "2005-03-13T04:15:51Z")
> [@Tastes of Chocolate](#): > > Just yesterday I used “He’s dead Jim” to indicate that something wasn’t going to work out the way we wanted. I was told I was dating myself. That’s beautiful!! Gotta remember to use that one. Let’s see, my slang includes cool dude far out groovy let me ponder that for a spell Shoot, I know I have more than that… Hmmm, how about way (“No way” “Way”) dogface (that dogface is annoying me) I got that from my dad fair to middlin’ (response to “how ya doin?”) finer than frog’s hair (ditto) ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/76 "2005-03-13T18:23:47Z")
I still use **spaz** : One who is considered clumsy or inept. Alternatively, to freak out. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/77 "2005-03-13T19:58:28Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > _And Desi loved Othello cuz he had a big…sword!_ …We’re honkies. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/78 "2005-03-13T20:10:45Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I frequently threaten peopel with knuckle sandwiches. Do you ever end up actually having to treat them to a little chin music? ---
**Author:** ![Sample\_the\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Sample\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sample_the_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/79 "2005-03-13T20:34:02Z")
I still regularly use the following, among others: put the kibosh/quietus on [something] kerfuffle ye gods! to hell in a handbasket fubar take the cake shake a leg shank’s mare ancient Chinese secret (from a '70s TV ad) gets my goat like Hogan’s goat into a cocked hat pie-eyed half in the bag come hell or high water hell’s come to breakfast fine as frog hair rare as hen’s teeth roger that the whole nine yards a lick and a prayer tight as Dick’s hatband all over but the shouting draw a bead on … and one phrase from very early Doonesbury I don’t get to use often enough: “Negative, Cap’n America, sire. You’re into a freaky power trip I’m having a hard time digging.” PS: Shameless plug for my favorite neo-slang – jump the shark ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027/80 "2005-03-13T21:18:04Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > Do you ever end up actually having to treat them to a little chin music? I’ve been known to threaten to box the ears of some scalliwags, and to give them what-for! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-old-slang-do-you-still-use/294027.md?page=3)