Swing Lingo
Spice up your daily conversations with these classic swing terms and expressions.
Special thanks to the USU Big Band Swing Club, as much of this list is borrowed from theirs.A
AC/DC (adj)leads AND follows, can dance with anyone. Ex. "She's AC/DC"
ain't coming on that tab (exp)
won't accept the proposition. Usually abbr. to "I ain't coming."
Alligator (n)
jitterbug, hep person
apple (n)
the big town, the main stem, Harlem.
armstrongs (n)
musical notes in the upper register, high trumpet notes.
B
baby (n)
girl or woman. Ex. "Look at all the beautiful babies."
back (adv)
the ultra or peak. Ex. "She sang that song back", "He danced back."
ballroom weinies (n)
beginning dancers who look a bit stiff. As opposed to good ballroom dancers who look relaxed and comfortable.
ball and chain (n)
a follower who thinks she only needs a few lessons because she's talented or beautiful. Sometimes she's neither, just stupid
barbecue (n)
the girl friend, a beauty.
barrelhouse (adj)
free and easy.
battle (n)
a very homely girl, a crone.
beat (adj)
(1) tired, exhausted. Ex. "You look beat" or "I feel beat".
(2) lacking anything. Ex. "I am beat for my cash", "I am beat to my socks" (lacking everything).
beat it out (v)
play it hot, emphasize the rhythm.
beatup (n)
small change. Ex. "Can you lend me a little beatup?"
beat up the chops (or the gums) (v)
to talk, converse, be loquacious.
beef (v)
to say, to state. Ex. "He beefed to me that, etc."
bible (n)
the gospel truth. Ex. "It's the bible!"
black (n)
night.
black and tan (n)
dark and light colored folks. Not colored and white folks as erroneously assumed.
blues and grays (n)
colored and white folks.
blew their wigs (v)
gone crazy, excited, enthusiastic
blip (n)
something very good. Ex. "That's a blip", "She's a blip".
blow the top (v)
to be overcome with emotion (delight). Ex. "You'll blow your top when you hear this one".
boogie-woogie (n)
(1) harmony with accented bass.
(2) a new dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1938.
break it up (v)
to win applause, to stop the show.
bree (n)
girl.
bright (n)
day.
bring down
(1) (n) something depressing. Ex. "That's a bring down".
(2) (v) Ex. "That brings me down".
buddy ghee (n)
fellow.
business class (adj)
possessing a large enough posterior to necessitate flight arrangements other than coach seatings Ex. "She’s got a beautiful face, but she’s business class."
bunter (n)
a dud, someone with no rhythm, "Can’t jump that jive"
bust your conk (v)
apply yourself diligently, break your neck.
buying her a drink first (exp)
letting her get a few basic steps in before laying your heavy moves on her. Also known as "foreplay"
C
canary (n)
girl vocalist.
capped (v)
outdone Ex. "He sure capped me on that one!"
cat (n)
(1)musician in swing band.
(2)hep guy or girl
chick (n)
girl.
clambake (n)
ad lib session, every man for himself, a jam session not in the groove.
collar (v)
to get, to obtain, to comprehend. Ex. "I gotta collar me some food", "Do you collar this jive?"
come again (exp)
(1) try it over, do better than you are doing, I don't understand you.
(2) comes on like gang busters (or like test pilot)
(3) playing, singing, or dancing in a terrific manner, par-excellence in any department. Sometimes abbr. to "That singer really comes on!"
cooling (v)
laying off between engagements, not working.
cop (v)
to get, to obtain (see collar and knock).
corny (adj)
old fashioned, stale.
crept out like the shadow (v)
"comes on", but in smooth, suave, sophisticated manner.
cubby (n)
room, flat, home.
cups (n)
sleep. Ex. "I gotta catch some cups".
cut (v)
to outclass, be superior to. Ex. "That trumpet player cuts them all!"
cut out (v)
to leave, to depart. Ex. "It's time to cut out", "I cut out from the joint in the early bright".
cut rate (n)
a low, cheap person. Ex. "Don't play me cut rate, Jack!"
D
dicty (adj)
high class, nifty, smart.
dig (v)
(1) meet. Ex. "I'll plant you now and dig you later".
(2) look, see. Ex. "Dig the chick on your left duke".
(3) comprehend, understand. Ex. "Do you dig this jive?"
digits (n)
phone number
dillinger (n)
a killer-diller, too hot to handle.
dime note (n)
ten dollar bill.
doghouse (n)
bass fiddle.
doss (n)
sleep. Ex. "I'm a little beat for my doss".
down with it (n)
through with it
dracula (n)
something in a class by itself.
drape (n)
suit of clothes, dress, costume.
dry goods (n)
same as a drape.
dry long so
(1) (n) fate
(2) (exp) "that's life", or "just like that".
dutchess (n)
girl
duke (n)
hand, mitt.
E
early black (n)
evening.
early bright (n)
morning.
evil (adj)
in ill humor, in nasty temper.
F
fall out (v)
to be overcome with emotion. Ex. "The cats fell out when he took that solo".
faust (n)
an ugly girl, a hag (see battle).
fews and two (n)
money or cash in small quantity.
final (v)
to leave, to go home. Ex. "I finaled to my pad" (went to bed), "We coped a final" (went home).
fine dinner (n)
a good looking girl.
focus (v)
to look, to see.
foreplay(n)
see "buying her a drink first"
foxy (adj)
shrewd
fraughty issue (n)
a very sad message, a deplorable state of affairs.
frame (n)
the body.
freeby (n)
no charge, gratis. Ex. "The meal was a freeby".
frisking the whiskers (v)
what the cats do when they are warming up for a swing session.
frompy (adj)
a frompy queen is a battle or faust.
fruiting (v)
fickle, fooling around with no particular object.
G
gammin’ (adj)
flirtatious
gate (n)
a male person (a salutation), abbr. for "gate-mouth".
gauge (n)*
intoxication, when you set your gate you get "high" or intoxicated. "Dry gauge" is the weed, reefers.
get in there! (exp)
go to work, get busy, make it hot, give all you've got.
gimme some skin! (exp)
shake hands/high five
giving good hair (exp)
any follower who uses her hair to hit breaks in the music by simulating a Harlequin heroine in a moment of passion. Sometimes called "tit for tat".
gladrags (n)
drapes, threads, clothes
glims (n)
the eyes.
got your boots on (exp)
you know what it is all about, you are a hep cat, you are wise.
got your glasses on (exp)
you are ritze or snooty, you fail to recognize your friends, you are up-stage.
gravy (n)
profits.
grease (v)
to eat
growl (n)
vibrant notes from a trumpet.
groovy (v)
to feel fine
guido (n)
a dance hall Lothario who thinks staring intensely into your eyes and invading your personal space is attractive or desireable. Makes you want to take a shower. see "ickaroo"
gutbucket (adj)
low-down music.
H
hard (adj)
fine, good Ex. "That's a hard tie you're wearing".
have a ball (v)
to enjoy yourself, stage a celebration. Ex. "I had myself a ball last night".
hep cat (n)
a guy who knows all the answers, understands jive.
hide-beater (n)
a drummer (see skin-beater).
high (adj)*
intoxicated (by liquor or marijuana). Ex. "He was as high as a Georgia pine".
hincty (adj)
conceited, snooty.
hip (adj)
wise, sophistocated, anyone with boots on. Ex. "She is a hip chick".
home-cooking (n)
something very nice, (see fine dinner).
honey (n)
a compellingly attractive member of the opposite sex.
hot (adj)
musically torrid; before swing, tunes were hot or bands were hot.
hummer (n)
exceptionally good thing
hype (n)
wooing a girl, persuasive talk Ex. "but nevermind all that hype"
I
I grooved this platter from the very first lick (exp)
I got this record figured out from the beginning
ickaroo (n)
see icky.
icky (n)
one who is not hip, a stupid person, can't collar the jive.
igg (v)
to ignore someone. Ex. "Don't igg me!"
in the groove (adj)
perfect, no deviation, down the alley.
J
jack (n)
name for all male friends (see gate and pops).
jam
(1) (n) improvised swing music. Ex. "that's swell jam".
(2) (v) to play such music. Ex. "That cat surely can jam".
jeff (n)
a pest, a bore, an icky.
jelly (n)
anything free, on the house.
jitterbug (n)
a swing fan; formerly a person addicted to "jitter sauce" (liquor).*
jive
(1) (n) Harlemese speech or lingo; also stuff and things. Ex. "did you bring the jive (liquor)?"*
(2) (v) to kid along, to blarney, to give a girl a line. Ex. "He can jive his way into any chick's heart".
joint is jumping
the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun.
K
kill me (v)
show me a good time, send me.
killer-diller (n)
a great thrill.
knock (v)
to obtain (see collar). Ex. "I'm gonna knock me some food".
kopasetic (adj)
absolutely okay, the tops.
L
land o'darkness (n)
Harlem.
latch on (v)
grab, take hold, get wise to.
lay some iron (v)
to tap dance. Ex. "Jack, you really laid some iron that last show!"
lamp (v)
to see, to look at.
lane (n)
a male, usually a non-professional.
lay your racket (v)
to jive, to sell an idea, to promote a proposition.
lead sheet (n)
a top coat.
left raise (n)
left side. Ex. "Dig the chick on your left raise".
licking the chops (v)
see frisking the whiskers
licorice stick (n)
A flute or clarinet
licks (n)
hot musical phrases.
lid (n)
hat (fedora)
light up (v)*
to smoke a reefer or weed.
lily whites (n)
bed sheets.
lindy circle (n)
(1) area of the dance floor circled off for show, Also known as a "jam circle"
(2) a lindy swingout variation, resulting in both partners in closed position.
line (n)
cost, price, money. Ex. "What is the line on this drape". (how much does this suit cost)?, "Have you got the line in the mouse" (do you have the cash in your pocket)? (Also, in replying all figures are doubled. Ex. "This drape is line forty" (this suit costs twenty dollars).
locked up (exp)
to acquire something exclusively. Ex. "He's got that chick locked up", "I'm gonna lock up that deal".
M
main kick (n)
the stage.
main on the hitch (n)
husband.
main queen (n)
favorite girl friend, sweetheart.
man in gray (n)
the postman.
mash me a fin (exp)
give me $5.
mellow (adj)
all right, fine. Ex. "That's mellow, Jack".
mess (n)
something good. Ex. "That last drink was a mess".
meter (n)
quarter, twenty five cents.
mezz (n)
anything supreme, genuine. Ex. "This is really the mezz".
mitt pounding (n)
applause.
money (n)
top shelf Ex. "that's the money shot", "That dance was the money"
moo juice (n)
milk.
mouse (n)
pocket. Ex. "I've got a meter in the mouse".
muggin' (v)
making 'em laugh, putting on the jive. "Muggin lightly", (light staccato swing); "Muggin heavy", (heavy staccato swing).
murder (n)
something excellent or terrific. Ex. "That's solid murder, gate!"
murderistic (adj)
terrific. Ex. "That's one murderistic dame!"
N
naipes (n)
a lane, or gate.
neigho pops! (exp)
nothing doing, pal.
nickelette (n)
automatic phonograph, music box.
nickel note (n)
five dollar bill.
nix out (v)
to eliminate, get rid of. Ex. "I nixed that chick out last week", "I nixed my garments" (undressed).
nod (n)
sleep. Ex. "I think I'll cop a nod".
O
ofay (n)
white person.
off time jive (n)
a sorry excuse, saying the wrong thing.
off the cob (adj)
corny, out of date.
orally fixated dancer (n)
a dancer who gives you advice on the dance floor unasked.
orchestration (n)
an overcoat.
out of the world (adj)
perfect rendition. Ex. "That sax chorus was out of the world".
ow! (exp)
an exclamation with varied meaning. Ex. When a beautiful chick passes by, it's "Ow!", and when someone pulls an awful pun, it also is "Ow!"
P
pad (n)
bed.
pecking (n)
a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1937.
peola (n)
a light person, almost white.
peppermint candy (n)
sweets following a reefer session, (use of weed creates a craving for sugar).
pigeon (n)
a young girl.
pink (n)
a white person.
pops (n)
salutation for all males (see gate and Jack).
pounders (n)
policemen.
priss (n)
a crush
puppy dogs and ice cream (n)
refers to any topic of safe, meaningless conversation used when someone is afraid to come to terms with their sexual desires
Q
queen (n)
a beautiful girl.
R
rank (v)
to lower.
rat on a treadmill (n)
what a good dancer feels like when she dances with a traffic cop.
ready (adj)
100 per cent in every way. Ex. "That fried chicken was ready".
reefer (n)*
marijuana cigarette, the weed, the bush.
ride (v)
to swing, to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing.
riff (n)
hot lick, musical phrase.
righteous (adj)
splendid, okay, Ex. "That was a righteous queen I dug you with last black".
roach (n)*
butt of a partially smoked reefer cigarette.
rock me (v)
send me, kill me, move me with rhythm.
rounder (n)
one who has been around and possesses life experience; opposite of square
ruff (n)
quarter, twenty five cents.
rug cutter (n)
a very good dancer, an active jitterbug.
S
sad (adj)
very bad. Ex. "That was the saddest meal I ever collared".
sadder then a map (n)
terrible
sailing (v)*
intoxicated, high.
salty (adj)
angry, ill-tempered.
send (v)
to arouse the emotions (joyful). Ex. "That sends me!"
set of seven brights (n)
one week.
simon (n)
person who circles a dance floor endlessly copying the movements of others.
sharp (adj)
neat, smart, tricky. Ex. "That hat is as sharp as a tack".
shim-sham-shimmy (n)
a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1930.
siegfried (n)
a leader who doesn't lead but commands. Rather than his leads suggesting, "Please do a whip", they instead command, "Ve vill do zee whip NOW!"
signifying (v)
to declare yourself, to brag, to boast.
slave (v)
to work, whether arduous labor or not.
slide your jib (v)
to talk freely.
snapper (n)*
a lead who has a few drinks and uses his partner like a battering ram
so help me
it's the truth, that's fact.
skin-beater (n)
drummer (see hide-beater).
skin (n)
drums.
solid (adj)
great, swell ,okay.
spaghetti arms (n)
arms that are waft and sway like spaghetti (makes it impossible to lead or follow)
spastic relationships (n)
aka symbiotic relationships Ex. 'ball and chains' and 'Siegfrieds' dancing together.
spoutin’ (n)
talking too much
square (n)
an un-hep person (see icky and jeff)
stache (v)
to file, to hide away, to secrete.
stand one up (v)
play one cheap, to assume one is cut-rate.
stick (n)*
a reefer cigarette.
susie-Q (n)
a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1936.
supermergentroid (n)
wonderful, terrific, etc.
sweet (adj)
good, cool
swingability (n)
the ability of a dress to twirl open while the wearer executes turns
swingers (n)
individuals who share a proclivity for leisure activity
swingingest (n)
bestest
T
take it slow (v)
be careful.
take off (v)
play a solo.
tart (n)
a girl
tea (n)*
marijuana, reefers, the bush.
teapad (n)*
a place to smoke weed.
the human zoo (n)
the assortment of dancers you encounter at weekend workshops.
threads (n)
suit, dress, or costume (see drape and dry-goods).
tick (n)
minutes, moments. Ex. "I'll dig you in a few ticks". Also, ticks are doubled in accounting time, just as money is doubled in giving "line". Ex. "I finaled to the pad this early bright at tick twenty" (I got to bed this morning at ten o'clock).
to dribble (v)
to stutter
to lift (v)
to steal
togged to the bricks (n)
dressed to kill, from head to foot.
too much (adj)
term of the highest praise. Ex. "You are too much!"
traffic cop (n)
A lead who never actually dances himself, this curious individual just leads the follower through a bunch of arm heavy moves while standing in the same spot and faking his footwork.
trickeration (n)
struttin' your stuff, muggin' lightly and politely.
trilly (v)
to leave, depart. Ex. "Well, I guess I'll trilly".
truck (v)
to go somewhere. Ex. "I think I'll truck on down to the gin-mill (bar)".
trucking (n)
a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1933.
twister to the slammer (n)
the key to the door.
two cents (n)
two dollars.
U
unhip (adj)
not wise to the jive, an icky, a jeff, a square.
unhep (adj)
not wise to the jive, a square
V
vibe (n)
atmosphere or attitude Ex. "This place has a great vibe."
vine (n)
a suit of clothes
viper (n)*
one who smokes reefers, a tea-hound.
v-8 (n)
a chick who spurns company, is independent, is not amenable.
W
wanker (n)
any dancer who shows off while ignoring his/her partner.
what's your story? (exp)
what do you want, what have you got to say for yourself, how are tricks, or what excuse can you offer? Ex. "I don't know what his story is."
weed (n)*
marijuana, reefers.
whipped up (adj)
worn out, exhausted, beat for your everything.
wing man/winger (n)
teammate who assists in a scoring drive
wren (n)
a chick, a queen.
wrong riff
saying or doing the wrong thing. Ex. "You're coming up on the wrong riff".
wuh wuh (n)
a weekend workshop wonder: dancers who've learned to massacre a dance style (and partner) by trying to learn to be a dancing super-star in a few weekend workshops.
X
Y
yard dog (n)
uncouth, badly attired person
yeah, man (exp)
an exclamation of assent.
You don't know which platters to pick (exp)
you don't know which records to pick.
Z
zoot (adj)
over exaggerated
zoot suit (n)
over exaggerated clothes
*Note: The Swing Kids @ UW do not in any way endorse or encourage the use of alcohol or marijuana. However, these substances were often used in the swing scene of the 30s, 40s and 50s, so many swing terms evolved that reference them.