A to Z: Put This in Your Pipe and Smoke it

New to the A to Z Challenge or my blog? Don't huff and puff--just take a long, smooth inhaaaaale and exhaaaaale and take the edge off with some background info:

My April 2014 A-Z theme

Who I am and what I'm sellin' ;)

Now that we've cleared the air on that, let's get our daily fix of 1920s slang...

~*~  SMOKE-EATER  ~*~

Meaning: A smoker.
(According to some sources, specifically a female smoker)

If you liked Snakes on a Plane (did you? Really?),
you'll love
Smoke-Eaters on a Train

A to Z: High on the Hooch

It's one thing when your giggle water gives you an edge, quite another when it sends you over one...

Today's 1920s slang term makes a cameo in my part-contemporary, part-historical novel SEVEN FOR A SECRET, and it's not a pretty scene. Let's just say when my dear Lon Ashby drinks to drown his sorrows, his evening goes from jazz to jail. :(

~*~  OSSIFIED  ~*~

Meaning: Drunk.

  

Evil-eyed when ossified.

A to Z: Whatever Wets Your Whistle

Bring out the biscuits, cream, and fine bone china...the scones, the silver, and a saucer of slang.

It's A-to-Z time, darlings!
Do you take your cup-o-Twenties terminology with one lump or two?

Now let's raise our postures and pinkies and stir up some fun. For whilst the ladies of Downton sip sweetly as Grantham walks his pooch, the flappers of Downtown spike this drink with two-parts hip-flask hooch.

~*~  NOODLE JUICE  ~*~

Meaning: Tea.

"I'm ready to chase this noodle juice with something stronger."

A to Z: Bringing out the Big Guns

If you stepped out a moment to powder your nose, don't muss yourself over what you may have missed. You can brush up on the A to Zs of 1920s slang from here: Talk the Talk for Walking the Walk.

Or simply gloss over that and pick up from here, the heavy artillery packed with some of the flapper's most powerful ammo...

~*~  MUNITIONS  ~*~

Meaning: Face powder & rouge.

"Drastic times call for drastic measures.
Bring out the munitions, darling."

A to Z: You Have it Comin'...or Do You?

There's an overwhelming number of participants in this year's A to Z Challenge, so if you haven't made it over to my blog until now, don't worry. I don't blame you. I haven't gotten around to many blogs myself, so I don't feel owed anything.

But today's slang of the 1920s is dedicated to those crummy times when we don't get paid what's due to us or, even worse, must pay the price for someone else's folly.

~*~  LEFT HOLDING THE BAG  ~*~

Meaning: Getting the blame. / Being cheated out of your fair share.

"I didn't do it, I swear! Harvey killed 'im and left me holding the bag, that lousy rat!"

A to Z: The Ease of Expertise

Ignorance is not always bliss. So if you're first joining me here and still don't get what Blogging from A to Z is all about, it's time to get in the know: A to Z Challenge.

Now that you're informed and ready to proceed, allow me to further educate you on Roaring Twenties slang so you don't go into my debut novel blindly.

~*~  KNOW YOUR ONIONS  ~*~

Meaning: Know what's up. Know what you're doing/talking about.

"So then I says to him,
'Listen. The next time you check under my hood, you'd better know your onions.'"
--Gladys on persisting car troubles, but her innuendo helps her colleagues pass the workday.

A to Z: The Colder Shoulder

Welcome back to the April A to Z Challenge, where my blog shall not spurn your advances should you wish to shower it with comments--even if today's topic is devoted to the sad affair of unrequited love...

*sigh*

Like a fickle lover who dost not warm to your tender embrace, this next 1920s slang term only puckers its lips to deliver the kiss off.

~*~  ICY MITT  ~*~

Meaning: Rejection

"Blast you, temptress! I gave you my heart, only to receive the icy mitt."

A to Z: Don't Scrape Your Nose on the Way Out

Hm? You're here for what? Oh, yes...well. I suppose I could condescend to continue with the April A to Z Challenge. I can't be bothered to explain the whole drab affair to you again, however, and the help has the day off, otherwise I'd ring them, so please redirect your inquiry here: A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

I really do think it's marvelous you came to my blog, though, darling. I apologize that I'm not dressed up for the occasion; I only wear this old thing when I don't care what I look like. And the language of commoners isn't quite the worthy spectacle, is it? So let's just be done with this next linguistic lesson in 1920s slang, as featured in my upcoming novel Seven for a Secret--which I'd love for you read, if it's not too high-brow for your tastes, of course... ;)

~*~  HIGH HAT  ~*~

Meaning: Snob

"Boy, would I like to give those high hats a real spit-shine!"

A to Z: From Bathtub to Bottle, this Brew's for You!

Welcome back *hiccup* to my contri--*hic*--bution to the April 2014 *hiccup* A to Z Challenge. If you're new to the challenge or *hiccup* my blog, here's a brief explanation of what I--*hic*--I'm aiming for here: A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

Pardon the hiccups; perhaps I over-imbibed. Or maybe I just need to wash 'em down with more smooth 1920s slang. Bottom's up!

~*~  GIGGLE WATER  ~*~

Meaning: Booze, hooch

"This date's a flat tire.
Nothing like giggle water
to give me an edge."

A to Z: The Young and the Yawning

*yawn*
Hm? What? Oh sorry, I must have zoned out for a second there on this dull and dreary day. But that's not the right attitude, is it? We must have zest for life! Live like there's no tomorrow! That's the fun of a flapper, after all, so let's dance!

If you're scratching your head in a daze because you missed my original post about the A to Z Challenge, don't feel deflated. You can find it here:  A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

Meanwhile, the Devil is finding work for idle hands to do, so let's keep ourselves occupied brushing up on our 1920s slang:

~*~  FLAT TIRE  ~*~

Meaning: A bore

"Boy, this road trip sure became
a real flat tire once we got
that...flat tire."

A to Z: Tipsy from Your Tipple?

Why, hello, hellooo! Fancy meeting you here! If you've stumbled in here after-hours and are curious what this is all about, my explanation is at this link, if you can still read it through your beer goggles:  A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

And now, let us raise our drinks in toast to my next A to Z Challenge 1920s slang term, as well as the intoxicating debut novel that inspired this theme. Cheers!

~*~  EDGE  ~*~

Meaning: Intoxication, a buzz 

"Woo! I've got an edge from that gin fizz."

A to Z: You Snooze, You Lose

 
Rise and shine! Get outta bed, you lazy lunks--there's work to be done here! Language lessons to be learned!

If you missed my first post about the Blogging from A to Z Challenge and can't be bother to navigate back to it manually, I'll make it easier for you: A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

And now it's time to roll up your sleeves to take on a new 1920s slang term. This one appears in my contemporary/historical romance novel Seven for a Secret (due out in August), so stop dawdling,  you dandy, and get wise to the jive:

~*~  DEWDROPPER  ~*~

Meaning: An unemployed young man who lies around all day

"At least have the decency to remove your hat,
you idle dewdropper."

A to Z: Felines are the Fashion

Ladies and gentlemen! Step right up to the latest craze since knees on bees...

But first, if you missed my original post about the Blogging from A to Z Challenge: A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

And now, without further ado, I give you today's installment of 1920s slang to prepare you for when Seven for a Secret is the next greatest thing. ;)

~*~  CAT'S MEOW  ~*~

Also, the CAT'S PAJAMAS or WHISKERS

Meaning: Something great, wonderful

"I'm telling you, 
cats in hats are the cat's meow.
Everyone's doing it."

A to Z: The Bee's Knees She Ain't

Well, good morning, everyone! Welcome back to my humble abode, where by the end of the month, I hope to have you speaking in Twenties tongues.

In case you missed my original post about the Blogging from A to Z Challenge:

 A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

The full list of A-Z blog-hoppers

I now bring you the next installment of 1920s slang so you're hip to the jive by the time my 1920s novel Seven for a Secret come out. I will be the first to say that this one's rather mean, but it does appear in the book, so I'd be remiss not to help you translate:

~*~  BUG-EYED BETTY  ~*~

Meaning: An undesirable woman

"Fellas, just wait-n-see. 
I'm not the bug-eyed Betty I used to be."

A to Z: Talk the Talk for Walking the Walk

Welcome one, welcome all...well, one or two of you. *shields eyes and squints* There are at least a couple of you out there, right? Good. Let's get started, before you click away to the website you were really trying to view.

First, a little background:

A-Z, and all that jA-Zz 

My fellow A-Z blog-hoppers

Up to speed? Brilliant. Now then, I'd like to kick off the 2014 Blogging from A to Z Challenge with my first favorite bit of 1920s slang so that you, too, can talk the talk by the time my 1920s novel Seven for a Secret comes out:

~*~  ANKLE  ~*~

Meaning: To walk or to leave

"Ladies, let's ankle!"

A-Z, and all that jA-Zz

So...eight days later, I'm crawling to the doorsteps of the long-since abandoned Theme Reveal party, pathetically blowing on my kazoo to stir up some residual fanfare.

HELLO! Hello! Hello! goes the echo. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? 

Ah well, I'm still going to reveal my theme for the 2014 Blogging from A to Z Challenge, the topic that I shall be exploring through every letter of the alphabet for 26 days in April.

Ready? 

You sure? 

Okay then...

...wait for it...

~*~  1920s Slang  ~*~

Ta-da!!!

Disappointed? 

Tough tootsies.

This is so you'll be hip to the jive by the time SEVEN FOR A SECRET releases later this year (August 2014, Omnific Publishing). Up to the challenge? Then put your kale where your kisser is and meet me back here on April Fool's, when we'll flap our gums flapper-style.