HOW TO SOUND LIKE THE BEE'S KNEES

Welcome to the speakeasy - unless you're the fuzz! The Roarin' 20's were known for jazz and prohibition.  Juice joints were filled with molls and gold diggers in glad rags.  Do you have the moxie to be the niftiest sheik or sheba at the speakeasy?  Brush up on special code of the 20's to become a true insider.

DOLLS:

• Babe, Bim, Broad, Doll, Dame, Kitten - a woman
• Sheba - a woman with sex appeal, a girlfriend
  
• Choice bit of calico, Dish, Looker - a desirable / pretty woman
• Gold-digger - a woman who pursues men for their money
• Bearcat - a lively, spirited woman with a fiery streak
• Cancelled stamp - a shy, lonely female
• Moll - a gangster's girlfriend
• Canary - a female singer

FELLAS:

• Cake-eater - a lady's man
  
• Cat, Fella, Guy, Mac - a man
• Sheik - a man with sex appeal, a boyfriend
• Dewdropper, Lollygagger - a slacker or unemployed man
  
• Bruno, Hard Boiled, Bimbo - tough guy, enforcer, macho man
• Goon - thug

OTHER PEOPLE:

• Stool-pigeon - a person who informs the police
• Bulls - plainclothes police
• Gum-shoe - detective
• Copper - policeman
• Fuzz - police
• Shylock - loanshark
• Grifter - con man
• Bluenose, Wet blanket, Mrs. Gundy - a prude or killjoy
• Egg - a person who leads an absurdly extravagant, wealthy lifestyle
• Four-flusher - a mooch
  
• Oliver Twist - a very good dancer
• Big Cheese - the boss
• Fire extinguisher - a chaperone
  
• Daddy - a young woman's wealthy boyfriend
• Fly boy - a glamorous term for an aviator

SAYINGS:

• Bee's Knees, Cat's Meow, Cat's Pajamas, Hotsy-totsy, Elephant's Eyebrows, Gnat's Whistle - an extraordinary person / thing / idea
  
• Berries, Darb - something that is good / desirable.  "That sounds like berries to me!"
• "Bank's closed!" - what you tell someone to stop making out
  
• "Go chase yourself!" - "Get out of here!"
• "Let's blouse!" - "Let's blow this popsicle stand!"
• "Now you're on the trolley!" - "Now you've gotten it right!"
• "Applesauce!" - "horsefeathers!"
• "Phonus balonus!" - "That's nonsense!"
• "Rhatz!" - "how disappointing!"
• Jake - okey dokey, "Everything is jake."
  
• Behind the eight ball - in a difficult position / tight spot
• Carry a torch - suffering from an unrequited love
• Dizzy with a dame - deeply in love with a woman
• Scram - to ask someone to leave immediately
• "You slay me" - "you're hilarious."
• "Mind your potatoes." - "Mind your own business."

THINGS:

• Bangtail - racehorse
• Cabbage, Scratch, Dough, Jack, Spinach, Kale, Sugar - money
• Large, Grand - $1,000; "Twenty Large" - $20,000
• Giggle water, Giggle juice, Quilt, Hooch, Tiger milk - liquor, alcoholic beverage
• Speakeasy, Gin Mill, Juice Joint - an illicit bar
• Darb - an empty beer bottle
• Noodle juice - tea
• Java, Joe - coffee
• Glad rags - fancy clothes
• Ice - diamonds
• Marbles, Oyster fruit - pearls
• Handcuff - engagement ring
• Manacle - wedding ring
• Gams - a woman's legs
• Dogs - feet
• Paw - Hand
  
• Bracelets - handcuffs
• Big house, can - prison
• Clubhouse - police station
• Cheaters - eyeglasses
  
• Boiler, Bucket - car
  
• Sockdollager - an event / action of great importance
• Flat Tire - a dull or disappointing date
• Heebie-Jeebies - the jitters

OTHER SLANG:

• Peaching - informing
• Finger - identify
• Blow - leave
• Iron one's shoelaces - to excuse oneself to the restroom
• Icy mitt - rejection from the object of one's affection
  
• Bump Gums, Punch the Bag - small talk
• Crush - an infatuation
• Stuck on - having a crush on
• Nibble one - to have a drink
• Keen - attractive, appealing
• Ritzy, Swanky, Spiffy - elegant
• Swell, Nifty - wonderful / great