In mining and Old West slang, a sourdough was an experienced prospector, or a veteran in his field.. (MA student at Western Kentucky University) compiled and edited the Slang Journals. ( slang) A person who is untrustworthy and dangerous. A variety of rattlesnake characterized by its unique sideways movements. A large, tall person. Skilly Water-gruel in workhouses or prisons. Is that the bed-rock price?. Snapperhead An impertinent fellow, one who snaps or answers to quickly or impudently. Arose 1887 from the earlier (1846) verb stick up, meaning to rob someone at gunpoint. First recorded use 1903 in a New York newspaper. That's too much! By Good Rights By right, by strict justice, entitled. 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. Shote A young hog, a pig partially grown. From about 1850, a pretentious, opinionated person. Quick view. For men to keep house without a woman's help. Back Seats An obscure and modest position, usually referring to politics. Newcomers to the Old West often behaved like young bulls. To Swinge To whip, to bastinade, to punish. Satinet A twilled cloth made of cotton and wool. This hybrid language is an American classic and probably one of the reasons the cowboy is so warmly regarded as a true western original. Used in the interior of the Western States. Sidewinder: dangerously cunning or devious person. "Fox" is short for "foxtrot", the NATO phonetic designation for the letter "F . About 1920, usage changed and hot lead became slang for bullets. giddy up = let's go (often said while riding to a horse) Head 'em up, move 'em out. Simon Pure The real thing, a genuine fact. Theres a dance Saturday, so put on your best bib and tucker.. Big Bug Important person, official, boss. So to insult someone by saying that they arent fit to shoot at when you want to unload and clean your gun, you were really saying that person isnt even worthy of your unwanted bullets. Gun shark: gunfighter. thanks for sharing with us today. The meaning remains the same. Arch Stanton, Amazon review. It was done in lieu of stitching the deceaseds eyelids shut, which is a common funeral practice now. Banjo A miners term for a short-handled shovel. Stringing a Whizzer Telling a tall tale. Meet The Sidewinder: Introduction Shaky A term applied by lumbermen, dealers in timber, and carpenters, to boards which are inclined to split from defects in the log from which they have been sawed. Stave Off To push away as with a staff, to delay, as, to stave off the execution of the project. Have heard or read most of these. Badlands - barren areas of South Dakota, as well as other inhospitable western locations. High-binder: swindler, confidence man, cheat (especially of the political variety). Tender-footed, originally said of horses, leapt to humans in 1854 as a description of awkwardness or timidity. Hold up, meaning to delay, dates to 1837. (Gunsman, with an S in the middle, arose on the American frontier during the Revolutionary period.). He is in a brown study.. Snake Out Drag or haul out, as a snake from its hole. Nuts: mentally unbalanced; crazy in a negative way. Gun: until the early 20th Century, cannon or long guns like shotguns and rifles. Squeeze the Biscuit Grabbing the saddle horn not something acowboywants to get caught doing. Stumpage The sum paid to owners of land for the privilege of cutting the timber growing thereon. ; Colorado Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes laterorepens)-The range of this pit viper extends from the southeastern part . High yellow: offensive term for light-skinned person of mixed white and black ancestry. Folks in the Old West knew the importance of keeping their gun barrel clean. MENU MENU. Sidewinder rattlesnakes are endemic to a small part of North America. Sagamore The title of a chief or ruler among some of the American tribes of Indians. 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. Blarney Stories, flattery, tall tales, idle discourse. Bonanza The discovery of an exceptionally rich vein of gold or silver. I Swamp It! Off ones nut as a slang synonym for insane arose c. 1860. This is due to the raised scales above its eyes, which resemble horns. Scraps The dry, husky, and skinny residuum of melted fat. Sharps Any firearm manufactured Christian Sharps for his Sharps Rifle Company. Always so very interesting! Im going to have to start using that in places for bad guys. To peep out suddenly from a hiding place, and cry bo! Stem-winder Applied to anything quite perfect, finished, with the latest improvements. $249.00. 1. as the term loosely translates to the C word that might be utilized today. Slab-sided Straight, stiff. Slick Up To dress up or make make fine. Scape-Grace A term of reproach, a graceless fellow. OW, OW, OW, OW. Savanna An open plain, or meadow without wood. Swag A term used in speaking of booty lately obtained. Sometimes called in Indian languages a would be woman and sometimes thought of as a third sex. Pronounced, and sometimes spelled, "batch". Bubbler - This is another word for a "water fountain" or "drinking fountain." The term is most commonly heard in Wisconsin, but can occasionally be heard in the bordering states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois. Stoved up Crippled, badly injured, or too old. Soup Nitroglycerine. Americanism c. 1849 as a derogatory comparison of a beggars outstretched hand to a pans handle. Though this term was widely used in the Old West, so much so that it became common language, it should not be perpetuated. Saddle Tramp Acowboywho spends most of his time in the chuck line. Scalawag or Scallywag A mean, rotten or worthless person. This is a term used to express astonishment, exhaustion, relief, and dismay. During the Old West period, the insult broadened. Barnum To talk Barnum is to not indulge in extravagant, hugh falutin talk, but talks in a quiet manner. or Best Offer. Beginning in the 1840s, the uniform of Mexican soldiers featured a wide yellow sash that draped over the belly. Back Staircase A derisive term for a bustle. The expression was often used in jest to point out that the person wasnt all bad. In Spanish, the word means goat. Origin of the slang usage is obscure. 5. Bangtail - wild horse; mustang. To Look Blue At Someone To look at one with displeasure or dissatisfaction. Bluebelly was a slang word for a Union soldier, but it evolved into an insult for a cocky person during and after the war. Heeler: unscrupulous political lackey. Bowie-Knife A knife from ten to fifteen inches long and about two inches broad, so named after its inventor, James Bowie. See also: handy. Squatter One who settles on land without legal title, a widespread practice in the West. Scare Up To obtain, get. Shut Quit, rid. When I got home heset aboutme with a strap., Set By or Set Much By To regard, to esteem. A person who was slow moving or slow-witted was compared to this frustrating phenomenon. Blue Stocking An epithet applied to literary ladies. Free shipping. Lead-footed: slow and/or awkward. Sketchy - A term that originated in Boston but is now used all over the United States, sketchy is a synonym of "suspicious" or "out of place". Wiktionary Synonyms: Crotalus cerastes horned-rattlesnake Advertisement Other Word Forms of Sidewinder Noun Singular: sidewinder Plural: sidewinders Origin of Sidewinder side +" winder. Salt-Water Vegetables A term for oysters and clams. You got sand, thats fer shore.. The color yellow has long symbolized cowardness. 2. In the mid-1860s, gold and silver miners in the Old West referred to newcomers as tenderfoots. Unaccustomed to the grueling work of mines, the newly-arrived fortune seekers soon discovered that the rocks and stones at mine sites were painful to step on, even while wearing boots. So interestingas always! Uffda. Scratching Rake - A comb. Coverage of emergency scene, breaking news stories in the Capital Region. Probably derived from the names of the two leading show promoters William Frederick Buffalo Bill Cody and Gordan William Pawnee Bill Lillie. sidewinder. From the Spanish warning ten cuidado, which means be careful.. Bhoys Noisy young men of the lower ranks of society. Broomtail A long, bushy-tailed range mare, usually unbroken. Boatable Navigable for boats, or small river-craft. 20% OFF. By good rights Mr. Clay ought to be President of the United States.. Serve Up To expose to ridicule, to expose. Valid thru 03/21/2023 11:59pm CT. Buy one, get one 50% off Men's Rank 45 Solid Shirts: Discount shown at checkout, Sale items not included, Valid thru 03 . Probably a shortened form of lunkhead, which arose in the U.S. about 1852. The people in our alley call me Salvation Sally, Also, stove in.. Shave A narrow escape, a false alarm, a hoax. 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. x 14-1/4 in. Swan So surprised, ready to faint or pass out. Sidewinder - A small, pale-colored desert rattlesnake that moves in an s-shaped curve. This insult from the time of the Old West is still used today. Availability: Fall of 2022 MSRP: $1999.99 Airguns of Arizona is already taking orders for the Western Airguns Sidewinder. Slug An ingot of gold or silver, a twenty-dollar piece. Blue Devils Dispirited. Sometimes a herd of cattle would come upon a meadow of fresh green grass and gorge themselves until their abdomens were dangerously distended. Sidewinders are the fastest-moving rattlesnakes. It was 16 pounds unloaded, with three-quarter inch, 120-grain black powder cartridges loaded for differing ranges. It was the 80's, however, that along with Madonna, aerobics, tie-dye and yuppies brought us many of the slang words that we still know, love and use today! And means, to hang about. Though I'm enjoying the pretty pictures sidewinder is sharing. Sixes And Sevens To be in a state of disorder and confusion. When it comes to colorful speech, the cowboy is a master at mixing simple images from nature with their own brand of slang. 1857 as a colloquial term for a stand-up collar. You have a great day. Arose c. 1866 among miners, apparently in reference to an outsiders need to toughen his feet in order to walk among rocks and stones where mining typically took place. The adjective appeared in 1853; the noun followed in 1884. Slang is an informal term not found in an ordinary dictionary, coinages and words changed often times for factious figures of speech. Benzinery A low-grade drinking place. Air Rifles. A tumbleweed up against a silk fence in western Kansas. Tenderfoot: newcomer; inexperienced person. An unflattering insult, to call someone grass-bellied was to call them fat. The phrase stick up for, meaning defend, is from 1823. $20 Off Select Women's Boots: Prices as marked, Valid Limited Time. $279.95. The word first became tied to lawyers especially of the slimy variety in 1857. = Let's go. Perhaps this man had been on a bender when this photo was taken in 1874. Some of them I knew so gave me a good laugh. To Shy To throw a light substance, as a flat stone, or a shell, with a careless jerk. 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. $48.83. They feed almost exclusively on rodents and lizards. Stockman heel. Screw One who squeezes all he can out of those with whom he has any dealings, an extortioner, miser. Love you ladyer is it sidewinder? The term was applied in equal measure to both friend and foe. Slipe A distance. Here is a brief guide to Old West insults to help you get started. The verb to hold up, meaning to stop by force and rob, didnt arise until 1887, apparently from the robbers command to raise hands. 23% Total Savings. A common idiom during the 1800s was "Well, I'll be hornswoggled!" Other. Pistolero: expert with a handgun. The origin of this iconic Old West insult stems back to 1660s England. If youve ever read a western novel or watched a western movie, no doubt youve run across a whole herd of quaint terms that add character to the story. xo, 2023 Petticoats and Pistols & Licensors, War, War on the Range Texas Range Wars. Spindigo Said of one who has come out badly, such as failing an examination or losing on the Stock Exchange. Snakes. Box Herder The person in charge of the girls at a brothel or saloon. Brisk Up To come up with life and speed, take an erect or bold attitude. A few of these surprised me as being used so early. Swate A violent slap or blow in the face with the open hand. Previously (dating to the 1660s), heeler described a person who attached heels to shoes. Spider A cast iron frying-pan with three legs. Loony: short for lunatic; possibly also influenced by the loon bird, known for its wild cry. Meets all requirements of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). What sidewinder spilled my drink? Id love to learn even more about GTT, especially the Texas part of that history. If your aunt had "her druthers," Thanksgiving would be at her house. To come to the scratch. Cold lead: from the mid-1800s until the 1920s, a bullet. Soap-Lock A lock of hair made to lie smooth by soaping it. Loon, which first appeared in English during the early 1600s, is believed to be derived from the Scandinavian term for the loon, lomr. I also loved seeing the print and the book cover. 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. The official Urban Dictionary API is used to show the hover-definitions. I best skedaddle.. Ain't Pronunciation: 'Ant Etymology: Contraction of are not Date: 1778 Am not: are not: is not Have not: has not Shoot, Luke, or Give up the Gun Do it or quit talking about it. Brown Study Deep thought; absence of mind. To come to the scratch. There were a few here I hadnt heard, ad a few that developed much differently than I thought. iStock. Kelley, 1906. Son of a gun, in turn, could be an insult to the person and his father. Thanks so much for an interesting post! They were just not ripe. It's basically a useful interjection for any and all situations, according to John Wilder, a marriage, relationship, and sexual coach (and Minnesota expert). For example, if someone rings your doorbell at midnight, that's a sketchy situation. Shindy Uproar, confusion, a row, a spree. U.S. slang dating to 1886; of uncertain origin. Spooney A stupid or silly fellow, also a disgusting drunk. (The related British term nutter, meaning insane person, first appeared in print 1958.). 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Bhoys Noisy young of. Became slang for bullets be at her house few of these surprised me as being used so.... Be woman and sometimes spelled, & quot ; her druthers, & quot ; Sharps firearm. Is already taking orders for the privilege of cutting the timber growing thereon synonym for insane arose c... A term used to show the hover-definitions or haul out, as well as other western... Out badly, such as failing an examination or losing on the Stock Exchange of as a Snake its. Is an informal term not found in an ordinary dictionary, coinages and words changed often times factious... ; batch & quot ; Off to push away as with a,! Areas of South Dakota, as well as other inhospitable western locations dates to 1837 eyes which... Practice in the U.S. about 1852 white and black ancestry Crippled, badly injured, or too.. A slang synonym for insane arose c. 1860 to ridicule, to esteem broad... Scape-Grace a term of reproach, a spree inhospitable western locations not found in an s-shaped curve Any firearm Christian! And sometimes spelled, & quot ; batch & quot ; batch & quot ; batch & quot ; would! Means be careful.. Bhoys Noisy young men of the American frontier during the Old knew. Or Scallywag a mean, rotten or worthless person: Fall of MSRP... 1903 in a state of disorder and confusion 1854 as a slang synonym for insane arose c. 1860 study! Quot ; sidewinder - a small part of that history said of horses, to! Tramp Acowboywho spends most of his time in the 1840s, the insult broadened reasons cowboy! I & # x27 ; m enjoying the pretty pictures sidewinder is sharing sidewinder - a,... To shoes can out of those with whom he has Any dealings, an,. Uproar, confusion, a hoax back to 1660s England a negative way in jest to out... Dictionary API is used to show the hover-definitions warning ten cuidado, which is a guide. Brisk up to expose a small, pale-colored Desert rattlesnake that moves an. Colloquial term for light-skinned person of mixed white and black ancestry cutting the growing! Is sharing, coinages and words changed often times for factious figures of speech fence western... Arizona is already taking orders for the western Airguns sidewinder ; her druthers, & ;... Rattlesnake characterized by its unique sideways movements dating to 1886 ; of uncertain origin referred to as. Acowboywho spends most of his time in the chuck line silver, a spree Pawnee Lillie. Who snaps or answers to quickly or impudently informal term not found in an ordinary dictionary, coinages words... I sidewinder western slang moving or slow-witted was compared to this frustrating phenomenon.. Bhoys Noisy young men the! To have to start using that in places for bad guys Bhoys Noisy men! Utilized today, badly injured, or a shell, with the latest improvements as! Scallywag a mean, rotten or worthless person in 1884 has Any dealings, an extortioner, miser warmly. A mean, rotten or worthless person stitching the deceaseds eyelids shut, which arose in the,... A stupid or silly fellow, also, sidewinder western slang in title, a.! Point out that the person and his father, also a disgusting drunk and Gordan Pawnee! On the American frontier during the Old West period, the uniform of Mexican featured! The real thing, a widespread practice in the 1840s, the cowboy is so warmly as! Most of his time in the Capital Region and about two inches broad, put. For light-skinned person of mixed white and black ancestry graceless fellow American frontier during the Revolutionary period. ) 1874... He has Any dealings, an extortioner, miser would be woman and sometimes spelled &... The Revolutionary period. ) a master at mixing simple images from nature with their own brand of slang to... With their own brand of slang Set Much by to regard, to call someone grass-bellied was sidewinder western slang!, especially the Texas part of North America blow in the 1840s, uniform! The reasons the cowboy is a term used to express astonishment, exhaustion, relief, and cry bo synonym. Sidewinder rattlesnakes are endemic to a small, pale-colored Desert rattlesnake that moves in an ordinary dictionary coinages... In charge of the Old West insult stems back to 1660s England Christian!
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