Slang phrases are the product of their times. They become wildly popular, then go out of fashion like they never existed. Slang refers to words and phrases that particular groups and subcultures use for a while to differentiate from the rest.
Some phrases from over half a century ago deserve to stay in our vernacular. They're quirky and whimsical and work as well now as they did then.
So, what was “cool” in the '40s and '50s and should make a comeback? Here's our list of the words that should experience a revival.
Razz My Berries
It's easy to express when you find something exciting. However, we find it better to say it's “razzing your berries.”Why? There's something inherently charming about comparing something you find fun to berries.
Sure, it's nonsensical, but isn'tall slangthis way? Think about some of the words we use today. They don't need to make sense to catch on like a house on fire.
Made in the Shade
Ifyou're“made in the shade,”you're in your good place, and nothing could bother you. This phrase couldn't be further from “throwing shade,”an everydayslang phrase todaythat means ridiculing someone.
In the '50s, however, being made in the shade meant you didn't have a care in the world. How cute is that?
That's the Living End
You may remember people saying, “That's the pits,”about something they were excited about. In the '50s, they would have said, “That's the living end.”
We think it's an effective way to show surprise and joy, and we'd love to hear more people saying, “This movie was the living end.”The imagery is worth it.
Everything's Copacetic
This one is just plain adorable, and it's a shame nobody uses it anymore. Back in the '50s, instead of saying, “Everything's cool, bro'”when things seemed to be lining up perfectly, you'd say, “Everything's copacetic.”
The origin of “copacetic”is obscure, yet it's still used — albeit rarely — to describe something very satisfactory or hunky-dory.
You Dig?
This question originated in the '50s and remained relevant for a few decades before fading away. If you ask someone if they dig you, you want to know if they agree.
If you were a kid in the '90s, you'd probably like to see this slang return as much as we do. It's pretty copacetic.
Cool Cat
You're a cool cat if you dig your buddies and vibe with them. A “cat”was hip and enjoyed everything new and fun. A cool cat was “it”— someone at the center of the fun and action.
Cats still rule the internet and our lives, so let's make “cool cats”a thing again. It's old-school and fun.
Let's Burn Rubber
If you're looking to “burn rubber,”you're probably in a sticky situation and can't wait to get out. This 1950s slang originates in the era'slove of hot rodsand refers to peeling out of a situation fast enough that you're leaving tire tracks.
We don't know why, but something is endearing about using a car metaphor to signal that you should get out while you can.
Big Tickle
If you tickle easily, you'll love this '50s expression. A joke that's a “big tickle”is funny enough to leave you in stitches. We're still determining what we love more: the literal meaning of something abstract being a physical sensation or the simplicity of the phrase.
Either way, we'd love to hear people say the movie they just watched was a big tickle again.
My Pad
You may be familiar withMTV Cribs. If so, you know that a crib is slang for your home. In the '50s, however, the network would have called its show “MTV Pads” because that was the cool way to refer to your house or apartment.
If someone had you over at their pad, you were probably a cool cat, and they thought you could tell them a few big tickle stories.
Beat Feet
If a situation wasn't bad enough to warrant burning rubber but still wanted out, you'd say you were about to “beat feet.”It's a less urgent circ*mstance, but it involves running for your life, as this slang phrase implies.
You're likely not made in the shade if you need to beat feet, but you must find it.
Bee's Knees
Most people still use the expression “bee's knees”sarcastically. For example, someone may say, “Well, aren't you the bee's knees to come in half an hour late every day?”
The speaker implies that someone thinks they're too cool or essential to arrive on time. Try using this phrase the way it was intended — as a synonym for “cool cat.”
Backseat Bingo
In the 1950s, drive-in theaters were the main attractions for couples who wanted to play “backseat bingo”or make out in their car. They were ubiquitous, and kids loved catching a movie while engaging in this pleasurable experience.
The era called these theaters “passion pits”because backseat bingo was popular with couples.
Cruisin' for a Bruisin'
Ifyou're“cruisin' for a bruisin',”you're not the type to burn rubber or beat feet. Instead, you're about to face the situation head-on and ask for a fight.
This expression didn't ever leave the American consciousness, as evidenced by theTeen Beach Movie'ssong ofthe same name, so it's high time it made a welcome comeback.
Chrome-Plated
If you returned to someone's pad in the '40s and '50s, you wouldn't dress casually. Instead, you'd get all “chrome-plated,”which was the hip way of saying you'd dress up.
It needs to be clarified if the expression originated with cars, but given the decade's obsession with fast automobiles, it's a safe assumption that it did.
Anchor Clanker
This imaginative phrase uses auditory imagery to reimagine a sailor. When ships lower or raise their anchors, they make a clanking sound. So, it's only natural that the sailors who cause this sound would become “anchor clankers.”
We'd love to see this one return because it's so intelligent. Why use plain English when you can have fun?
Bobbysox Brigade
Bobby socks wereshort socksthat girls wore with dresses and skirts when they went dancing, among other activities. In the 1940s, swing reigned supreme, and the bobby-socked girls became known as the “bobbysox brigade.”
These girls were the youth of the day who loved dancing to swing music and were cool cats!
Cheaters
The cheaters of yesteryear had nothing to do with infidelity. Instead, they were helping you cheat by improving your vision. Yes, in the '40s and '50s, “cheaters”were reading glasses people used to cheat their lying eyes.
If someone wears sunglasses, they may call their eyewear “cheaters.”In this case, the glasses don't help them cheat by reading the menu but by disguising themselves.
Clams
Today, we know clams as bread, dough, moolah, or loot. These words all refer to money. Clams are plentiful on the beach, so they could be a synonym for money.
Moreover, in the olden times,many tribes, including Native Americans, used clams and shells as currency, so it was natural that they would become interchangeable with money.
Cookin' With Gas
Ifyou're“cookin' with gas,”you're on your way to become copacetic. Everything is going well, and your goal is in sight. The phrase dates back to the late 1930s when gas cookers were widespread and had replaced wood-burning stoves.
You didn't need to keep adding wood to keep the fire going, so cooking with gas was more efficient. That's where the meaning of this expression comes from.
Dish
When you're hanging out with the cool cats, and you're a cute young girl, they may call you a “dish.”You're almost as tasty, appealing, and attractive as their favorite meal.
This use is divorced from “dish”as a verb, which refers to ranting or moaning about something unpleasant.
Dopey
Before it became synonymous with “cool”or certain drugs, dope was a thick paste or liquid. As such, someone “dopey”was not quick on the uptake. Instead, they were slow or foolish.
While we don't want to encourage people to use slurs, “dopey”is a fun synonym for “nerdy”or “geeky.”There's nothing wrong with either of these words.
Drip
Someone or something that's a drip is boring. If your faucet leaks, you know how slowly water can drip from it. That's likely why our great-grandparents associated “drip”with something boring.
It's similar to saying, “watching the paint dry,”which is another visual hint of something that's the opposite of exciting or fun.
Jalopy
This term refers to a beat-up old car, but its origins still need to be determined. One theory is that it comes fromJalapa, Mexico, where many beat-up cars from the US used to end up in the 1920s.
As such, jalopy originates from jalapeno, the Spanish word for the hot pepper that translates as “of Jalapa”in English.
Jeepers Creepers
People express surprise or alarm in many ways. “Jeepers Creepers”is one of them, and its origins are even cloudier and more mysterious than those of“Jalopy” above.
It may be aminced oathor euphemistic expression to replace a blasphemous term like “Jesus Christ.”Similar expressions include using “tarnation”instead of “damnation”or “gosh”instead of “god.”
