The Flappers' Dictionary

Jim Lewin received a stack of old magazines at his used bookstore that included some issues of The Flapper from the 1920s. A July 1922 issue contained “The Flapper’s Dictionary,” a glossary of hot slang terms of the time, which he posted in its entirety.

Here’s a small sample:

Absent Treatment—Dancing with a bashful partner.
Airedale—A homely man.
Alarm Clock—Chaperone.
Anchor—Box of flowers.
Apple Knocker—A hick; a hay-shaker.
Apple Sauce–Flattery; bunk.
Barlow—A girl, a flapper, a chicken.
Bank’s Closed—No petting allowed; no kisses.
Barneymugging—Lovemaking.
Bee’s Knees—See “Cat’s Pajamas”
Bell Polisher—A young man addicted to lingering in vestibules at 1 a.m.
Bean Picker--One who patches up trouble and picks up spilled beans.
Berry Patch--A man's particular interest in a girl.
Berries--Great.
Biscuit--A pettable flapper.
Big Timer--(n. masc.)--A charmer able to convince his sweetie that a jollier thing would be to get a snack in an armchair lunchroom; a romantic.

Ask your grandmother (or great-grandmother) if she remembers some of these words.

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