Talking Swing 101

Talking Swing 101

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Click on large letter to go back to top of page.

A

A hummer (n.) - exceptionally fine.
Ain't coming on that tab (v.) - won't accept the offer.
Alligator (n.) - jitterbug dance.
Apple (n.) - Harlem.
Armstrongs (n.) - high trumpet notes (ala Louis).

Barbeque (n.) - the girl friend.
Barreihouse (adj.) - free and easy.
Battle (n.) - a very plain looking girl.
Beat (adj.) - exhausted.
Beat it out (v.) - play it hot.
Beat up the chops (v.) - to talk.
Beef (v.) - to say, to state.
Bible (n.) - the gospel truth.
Black (n.) - night.
Black and tan (n.) - dark and light colored people.
Blew their wigs (adi.) - gone crazy.
Blip (n.) - something very good.
Blow the top (v.) - to be overcome with delight.
Boogie-woogie (n.) - accented bass line.
Boot (v.) - to give.
Break it up (v.) - to stop the show.
Bree (n.) - girl.
Bright (n.) - day.
Brightnin' (n.) - daybreak.
Bring down (n.) - something disheartening.
Buddy ghee (n.) - fellow.
Bust your conk (v.) - apply yourself diligently.

Canary (n) girl vocalist.
Capped (v) outdone.
Cat (n.) musician in swing band.
Chick (n.) girl.
Chime (n ) hour.
Clambake (n) - ad lib jam session.
Chirp (n) female singer.
Cogs (n.) sun glasses.
Collar (v.) - to obtain.
Come again (v.) - try it over, I don't understand you.
Comes on like gangbusters (v.) - sings, plays or dances in a sensational way.
Cop (v.) - to get, to obtain.
Corny (adj.) - old-fashioned..
Creeps out like the shadow (v.) - "comes on," but in sophisticated manner.
Crumb crushers (n.) - teeth.
Cubby (n.) - room, apartment, home.
Cups (n.) - sleep.
Cut out (v.) - to leave the scene.
Cut rate (n.) - a cheap person.

Dicty (adj.) - high class.
Dig (v.) - to understand.
Dim (n.) - evening.
Dime note (n.) - ten-dollar bill.
Doghouse (n.) - bass fiddle.
Domi (n.) - ordinary flat to live in.
Doss (n.) - sleep.
Down with it (adj.) - through with it.
Drape (n.) - suit of clothes.
Dreamers (n.) - comforters, blankets
Dry-goods (n.) - same as drape.
Duke (n.) - hand.
Dutchess (n.) - girl.

Early black (n.) - evening.
Early bright (n.) - morning.
Evil (adj.) - in bad humor, in a nasty temper.

Fall out (v.) - to be overwhelmed with emotion.
Fews and two (n.) - money or cash in small amounts.
Final (v.) - to go home.
Fine dinner (n.) - a nice-looking girl.
Focus (v.) - to see.
Foxy (v) - shrewd.
Frame (n.) - the body.
Fraughty issue (n.) - a distressing state of affairs.
Freeby (freebie) (n.) - no charge, gratis.
Frisking the whiskers (v.) - what musicians do when they are warming up for a swing session.
Frolic pad (n.) - place of entertainment.
Front (n.)- a suit of clothes.
Fruiting (v.) - fooling around for particular reason.
Fry (v. )-togo to get hair straightened.

Gabriels(n.)- trumpet players.
Gammin' (adj.) - flirtatious.
Gasser (n., Adj.) - sensational.
Gate (n.) - a male person.
Get in there (exclamation)-go to work, get busy.
Gimmie some skin (v.)-sha~e hands.
Gums (n.) - eyes.
Got your boots on - you are a hep cat.
Got your glasses on - you are ritzy, snooty.
Gray (n.) - profits.
Grease (v.) - to eat.
Groovy (adj.) - fine.
Ground grippers (n.) - new p air of shoes.
Growl (adj.) - vibrant notes frnm a horn.
Gut-bucket (adj.) - low-down music.
Guzzlin' foam - drinking beer.

Hard (adj.) - fine, good.
Hard spiel (n.) - interesting line of talk
Have a ball (v.) - to enjoy yourself.
Hep cat (n.) - a guy who understands jive.
Hide-beater (n.) - a drummer.
Hincty (adj.) - conceited.
Hip (adj.) - wise, worldly.
Home-cooking (n.) - a fine dinner.
Hot (adj.) - musically torrid.
Hype (n., v.) - wooing a girl, persuasive talk.

Icky (n.) - one who is not hip, a boring person.
Igg (v.) - to ignore someone.
In the groove (adj.) - perfect, no deviation.

Jam (n.) - improvised swing music.
Jeff (n.) - a pest, a bore.
Jitterbug (n.) - a swing fan.
Jive (n.) - Harlemese speech.
Joint is jumping - the place is lively.
Jumped in port (v.) - arrived in town.

Kick (n.) - a pocket.
Kill me (v.) - show me a good time.
Killer-diller (n.) - a great thrill.
Knock (v.) - give.
Kopasetic (adj.) - absolutely the tops.

Lamp (v.) - to look at.
Land o'darkness (n.) - Harlem.
Lane (n.) - a male, nonprofessional.
Latch on (v.) - take hold, get wise to.
Lay some iron (v.) - to tap dance.
Lay your racket (v.) - to sell an idea, to promote a proposition
Lead sheet (n.) - a overcoat.
Left raise (n.) - left side.
Licking the chops (v.) - see frisking the whiskers.
Licks (n.) - hot musical phrases.
Lily whites (n.) - bed linen.
Line (n.) - cost, price.
Lock up - to acquire something.

Main kick (n.) - the stage.
Main on the hitch (n.) - husband.
Main queen (n.) - favorite girl friend.
Man in gray (n.) - the mailman.
Mash me a fin (command) - give me $5.
Mellow (adj.) - all right, fine.
Melted out (adj.) - broke.
Mess (n.) - something good.
Meter (n.) - twenty-five cents.
Mezz (n.) - anything supreme.
Mitt pounding (n.) - applause.
Moo juice (n.) - milk.
Mouse (n.) - pocket.
Muggin' (v.) - putting on the jive.
Murder (n.) - something terrific.

Neigho, pops - Nothing doing, pal.
Nicklette (n.) - automatic phonograph, juke box.
Nickel note (n.) - five-dollar bill.
Nix out (v.) - to get rid of.
Nod (n.) - sleep.

Ofay (n.) - white person.
Off the cob (adj.) - out of date.
Off-time jive (n.) - a sorry excuse.
Orchestration (n.) - an topcoat.
Out of the world (adj.) - perfect rendition.

Pad (n.) - bed.
Peola (n.) - a light person, almost white.
Pigeon (n.) - a young girl.
Pops (n.) - greeting for all males.
Pounders (n.) - cops.

Queen (n.) - a beautiful girl.

Rank (v.) - to lower.
Ready (Adj.) - 100 per cent in every way
Ride (v.) - to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing.
Riff (n.) - hot lick, a musical phrase.
Righteous (adj.) - splendid, fine.
Rock me (adj.) - send me, move me with rhythm.
Ruff (n.) - quarter.
Rug cutter (n.) - a very good dancer.

Sad (adj.) - very bad.
Sadder than a map (adj.) - terrible.
Salty (adj.) - angry, bad-tempered.
Sam got you - you've been drafted into the army.
Send (v.) - to arouse the emotions.
Set of seven brights (n.) - one week.
Sharp (adj.) - neat, smart.
Signify (v.) - to brag, to boast.
Skins (n.) - drums.
Skin-beater (n.) - drummer man.
Sky piece (n.) - hat.
Slave (v.) - to work, whether laborious or not.
Slide your jib (v.) - to talk freely.
Snatcher (n.) - private eye.
So help me - it's the truth.
Solid (adj.) - great, swell.
Sounded off (v.) - began a conversation.
Spoutin' (v.) - talking too much.
Square (n.) - an unhep person.
Stash (v.) - to hide away, to file.
Stand one up (v.) - to assume one is cut-rate.

To be stashed (v.) - to stand or remain.
Take it slow (v.) - be careful.
Take off (v.) - play a solo.
The man (n.) - the law.
Threads (n.) - suitor dress.
Tick (n.) - minute.
Timber (n.) - toothpick.
To dribble (v.) - to stutter.
Togged to the bricks - dressed to kill, from top to bottom.
Too much (adj.) - term of highest praise.
Trickeration (n.) - struttin' your stuff.
Trilly (v.) - to leave.
Truck (v.) - to go somewhere.
Twister to the slammer (n.) - keys to the door.
Two cents (n.) - two dollars.

Unhep (adj.) - not wise to the jive, a square.

Vine (n.) - a suit of clothes.
V-8 (n.) - a chick who spurns company, is independent.

What's your story? - What do you have to say for yourself.
Whipped up (adj.) - worn out, exhausted.
Wren (n.) - a chick, a queen.
Wrong riff - the wrong thing said or done.

Yarddog (n.) - uncouth, badly attired.
Yeah, man - an exclamation of ageement.

Zoot suit (n.) - overexaggerated clothes.

Click on large letter to go back to top of page.

Meet The Boys Talking Swing 101 CD The King The Boys News Boys Archive

Directions To The Boys Picture Gallery Video Gallery Boys Chat Boys Forum