Thanks for an interesting post. The word arose prior to 1897, when it appeared in Owen Wisters A Journey in Search of Christmas. Quit beatin the devil around the stump and ask that girl to marry you.. Pistolero: expert with a handgun. Blue Devils Dispirited. Snake Out Drag or haul out, as a snake from its hole. After all, he wasnt quite as low as a snake. Big Nuts to Crack A difficult or large undertaking. American English. Bible A small packet of papers used to roll cigarettes. When they do emerge, these large lizards feed on eggs and small mammals such as mice and rabbits, other lizards, and insects. Brand Artist A rustler who alters brands with a running iron. Holdup: a robbery. Swanga A word used among some southern blacks in connection with buckra, as swanga buckra, meaning a dandy white man, or literally, a dandy devil. Sidewinders are a species of rattlesnake. Stave Off To push away as with a staff, to delay, as, to stave off the execution of the project. Wow, what a fun list! Army aviation elements may use a different nomenclature, as the nature of helicopter -fired weapons is almost always air-to-surface. Insults and pejoratives have been around since mans first spoken word. Sharps Any firearm manufactured Christian Sharps for his Sharps Rifle Company. Dunbar/Shutterstock.com Arkansas: 2 Western diamondback Timber California: 12 NAVIGATION MENU Navigation Menu. Texans insulted anyone who was a backstabber and coward by calling them yellow-bellied.. Sally gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Also applies to ambushers. Rode hard and put away wet. Sportsman A term often applied to a gambler. Discover some funny cowboy sayings that'll get you thinking! Was: $449.99. This insult was first documented in 1875 and was often used to describe con men and swindlers. Common among the tribes of the Americas, these men-women had social and religious powers. Grayback: Confederate soldier, based on the color of their coats. Scoff away, scuff away To blow away, drive away, impel. Swan So surprised, ready to faint or pass out. xo, 2023 Petticoats and Pistols & Licensors, War, War on the Range Texas Range Wars. U.S. slang dating to 1886; of uncertain origin. Most Common Teenage Slang Words [Updated for 2023]. About 1920, usage changed and hot lead became slang for bullets. x 1/2 in. Sidewinder: dangerously cunning or devious person. Smoutch To gouge, to take unfair advantage. Best Bib and Tucker Wearing your best clothes. Slew or Slue In seamans language, to turn something around. Benzinery A low-grade drinking place. Sound on the Goose True, staunch, reliable. Buckle Bunnies Female groupies who follow and befriend rodeo riders. Skilly Water-gruel in workhouses or prisons. Dry-gulch: to ambush someone, particularly in a cowardly manner. Learn the regions of Canada. This is a term used to express astonishment, exhaustion, relief, and dismay. Some of them are older than one might imagine. Balls To make a mistake, to get in trouble. $48.83. Bockey A bowl or vessel made from a gourd. From the name of the sidewinder rattlesnake.) I have the blue devils today.. Leather lining. But a lead-footed person in the Old West was one who moved too slowly and awkwardly. The origin of this iconic Old West insult stems back to 1660s England. Slick as a Whistle or Slick as Grease To do something very smoothly. Perhaps this man had been on a bender when this photo was taken in 1874. Blarney Stories, flattery, tall tales, idle discourse. Sense of energetic worker is from 1884; sense of prostitute dates from 1924. In time, however, the newcomers feet toughened up and the calluses protected them from the sharp stones. Probably derived from the names of the two leading show promoters William Frederick Buffalo Bill Cody and Gordan William Pawnee Bill Lillie. Their job was to keep the ladies in line. Skunk Cabbage A strong-scented, repulsive plant. Blacksmithing Pimping for a prostitute. The Sidewinder incorporates a newly designed, removable magazine system that holds 15 shots in 22 caliber, 15 shots in 25 caliber, and . Always interesting to read your posts on word origins and meanings. Back Staircase A derisive term for a bustle. Scratch - To come to the encounter, begin a fight, i.e. Seven by Nine Something or someone of inferior or common quality. Dressed to kill: double entendre meaning not only that a man wearing two guns most likely was a killer, but also that wearing a double rig (a holstered pistol on each hip) made it difficult for a gunman to do anything with either hand without implying a threat; therefor, dudes who adopted the practice were likely to be killed. Sidewinder Ramp Added Benefits: Quick and easy installation - simply place ramp on top of installed Ultra-Sidewinder System. Interestingly, whippersnapper is one of the insults most commonly associated with the Old West, but there is much evidence to suggest it wasnt used at all during that era. "Fox" is short for "foxtrot", the NATO phonetic designation for the letter "F . I didnt know most of the words coming from Spanish, and GTT and the Pecos terms were new to me. In Spanish, the word means goat. Origin of the slang usage is obscure. Skid A piece of light timber from ten to twenty feet in length, upon which heavier timber or other supplies are rolled or slid from place to place. Shut Quit, rid. Originally used to describe fishes, the word became American slang c. 1866. Soft-horn A Tenderfoot, someone new to the West. 66 Basic Skateboarding Terms. Contrary to popular thinking, not all cowboys could ride just any horse, though most could ride any broken mount. Stringing a Whizzer Telling a tall tale. In mining and Old West slang, a sourdough was an experienced prospector, or a veteran in his field.. Some expressions don't carry over from province to province. Sidewinders are the fastest-moving rattlesnakes. Oddly, nut also became a metaphorical term for head about 1846, probably arising from the use of nuts to describe a mental state. Screaming - First-rate, splendid. Bed-post A moment, an instant, jiffy. . Snorter Impolite reference to a dashing or riotous fellow. Nows your time, boys; switch in and let them have it., Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK), Make History Come Alive With These Online Tools and Resources. Black To look black at one is to look at one with anger or deep resentment. That's too much! See How The Cat Jumps A metaphorical expression meaning, to discover the secrets or designs of others. To Stave To break a hole in, to break, to burst, as, to stave a cask. Also means to hurry or press forward. Meets all requirements of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). First Known Use: 14th century.. Blather Impudence. $324.96. This was done for two reasons. Whippersnapper: young, presumptuous and/or impertinent person. Bully For You! Origin obscure, but possibly from traditional association of yellow with treachery or the yellow sashes that were part of a soldados uniform. Sidewinding, a form of locomotion used by some snakes . MENU MENU. "No great scratch.". with a 1-1/2 in. Americanism; arose c. 1809. After Nick had bamboozled about the money, he was arrested.. A freelance writer who specializes in American history, Karen has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Central Michigan University and a master's degree in English from Indiana University. Made from a durable polymer with a textured, non-skid surface. He got over here in the twinkling of a bed-post., Bed-rock Not able to go lower. Here is a brief guide to Old West insults to help you get started. Beef To kill. Screw One who squeezes all he can out of those with whom he has any dealings, an extortioner, miser. Also means to spur a horse. Boosily Lazily, in a state of intoxication. Well, I swan.. Scratch Not worth much. Stew To be in a stew, is to be in a heat, a confusion of mind. Swag A term used in speaking of booty lately obtained. The . If a man or woman was particularly ugly, someone might insult them by saying they were so ugly that they scared the vultures away from the gut-wagon. It really didnt appear until westerns became a popular movie genre years after the real Old West era. Arose 1825. Americanism; arose 1800-10. Reptiles have been called cold-blooded since about 1600, and the reptilian image also played into the description as applied to killers and other reprehensible sorts who acted without apparent regret. Hold up, meaning to delay, dates to 1837. Yellow dog: contemptible person. Sidewinder Concealed Carry System. Stall Your Mug Go away, make yourself scarce. There was often tension between the Mexican soldiers and Texas settlers. Stockman heel. At night, they roam relatively long distances, smelling the air and substrate for prey. We will be moving soon and I think a sign on the door saying, GTT would be appropriate. Slump To recite badly, fail, bungle, awkward. Beef Tea Shallow water where cows have stood. (MA student at Western Kentucky University) compiled and edited the Slang Journals. Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK), Make History Come Alive With These Online Tools and Resources. Arose ca. Ballyhoo Sales talk, advertising, exaggeration. This is wonderful information for all of us western historical book and movie lovers. From 1846, based on an earlier (1785) expression be nuts upon (to be very fond of), which itself arose from the use of nuts for any source of pleasure (c. 1610). The Sidewinder IA had a maximum range of around three miles and was armed with a 10-pound blast-fragmentation warhead that provided an effective kill radius of approximately 30 feet. Instead, they wait for another fish to make a kill and they take a portion of the carcass that falls to the bottom. Screamer - An extraordinary person. Snakes. The loon that means a crazy, foolish or silly person comes from the Middle English loun. Originally, this loon, which entered English in the 1400s, meant a lout, idler, rogue, and later this negative definition was extended to mean a crazy person or simpleton., English is a Germanic language like Scandinavian (from the Angles early raids on England = Anglish), but with heavy French (from Latin) influences starting from the Norman invasion, so loon/lunatic have been around a while it seems whichever route one takes. Scare Up To obtain, get. I best skedaddle.. Burg A town, rather than the common camps and small settlements. Until then, it was easy to pick out the newbies. as the term loosely translates to the C word that might be utilized today. Punchy. Fox is a brevity code used by NATO pilots to signal the simulated or actual release of an air-to-air munition or other combat function. Biddy Hen. Love your posts! Salt-Lick A saline spring, where animals resort for drink. Satinet A twilled cloth made of cotton and wool. Sam Hill A euphemism for the devil. Just like the snakes they were named after, sidewinders were dangerous, slick, and evil. These 11 Midwest slang terms are sure to bring all Midwesterners back to their childhood, especially if they have since moved away. Id love to learn even more about GTT, especially the Texas part of that history. Set Her Cap For Him To direct her attentions to him, to endeavor to win his affections. Northern soldiers wore blue uniforms even before the outbreak of the American Civil War. Beginning in the 1840s, the uniform of Mexican soldiers featured a wide yellow sash that draped over the belly. Shoot, Luke, or Give up the Gun Do it or quit talking about it. VINTAGE RARE DAN POST TAN EXOTICSNAKESKIN 10.5D MENS COWBOY BOOTS EXCELLENT VALU. Bocking Cotton or woollen cloth used to cover floors or to protect carpets. Fiddleheaded: inane; lacking good sense; possessing a head as hollow as a fiddle. Arose c. 1854; American slang. 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