The Hildy Johnson Flapper Slang Dictionary

All askiff – crooked, out of place

At the crack – at the crack of dawn, in the morning

Bank is closed – no sex

Bank is open – opportunity for sex

Bee’s knees – the best of the best

Berries – great

Berries, sour – something you expected to be great but it turns out it isn’t

Big-timer: a charmer

Billboard – very flashy man or woman, very noticeable

Blaah – boring, mundane, not good

Blouse – to leave

Blow – a wild party, a good time

Blushing violet – a shy, retiring person

Cancelled stamp – an unhelpful person, someone who blocks you and stops you from getting where you are going

Fanta – fantastic

Flap – woman or girl

Flukey – funny, odd, peculiar, different

Goofy – stupid in a romantic way, love struck

Goss – gossip

Handcuff – relationship

Hawk – make something sell good in order to persuade someone to buy it; make yourself sound good to a potential partner

Hush Money – an allowance from your father. Yes, she technically called Stella daddy. No, this doesn’t mean there’s any chance of the 16 year old and 25 year old getting together. Please, I am begging you

Monog – monogamous (yes, some of your great-grandparents were poly, or at least serial daters, before they settled down)

Monologist – a person (almost always a man) who talks and talks and talks and never listens.

Noodle juice – tea

Sparkly – attractive

Spiffy – well-dressed