In the cold winter, however, the molasses got thicker and stiffer, making it challenging to pour it out of the jug. Owlhoot: outlaw. This insult was first documented in 1875 and was often used to describe con men and swindlers. No great scratch.. The adjective appeared in 1853; the noun followed in 1884. Perhaps this man had been on a bender when this photo was taken in 1874. Shank of the Evening Latter part of the afternoon. Serve Up To expose to ridicule, to expose. Also means salary, wages. Beginning in the 1840s, the uniform of Mexican soldiers featured a wide yellow sash that draped over the belly. 66 Basic Skateboarding Terms. You got sand, thats fer shore.. High Quality: These rotary cutter blades are made of high-quality steel for the durability you need to get back to work. Texans insulted anyone who was a backstabber and coward by calling them yellow-bellied.. Sidewinder - A small, pale-colored desert rattlesnake that moves in an s-shaped curve. These small fries are up to no good behind the barn, photo by E.W. American English colloquialism, 1851. Blarney Stories, flattery, tall tales, idle discourse. Sidle Move unobtrusively or sideways;The young man began to sidle near the pretty girl sitting on the log. Beef To kill. The reason is unclear. Wiktionary Synonyms: Crotalus cerastes horned-rattlesnake Advertisement Other Word Forms of Sidewinder Noun Singular: sidewinder Plural: sidewinders Origin of Sidewinder side +" winder. Savanna An open plain, or meadow without wood. In mining and Old West slang, a sourdough was an experienced prospector, or a veteran in his field.. I like pistoleros! Bake - to overheat a horse by riding too fast, long, or hard. WESTERN SLANG & PHRASES A Writer's Guide to the Old West 1860's ~ 1880's Being a small compilation drawn from period newspapers, books, and memoirs Part of the charm and character of the Old West, as viewed through our modern eyes, has always been the colorful speech of those days. During the Old West period, the insult broadened. Probably derived from the names of the two leading show promoters William Frederick Buffalo Bill Cody and Gordan William Pawnee Bill Lillie. Sugar Kiss or loving. The . The word arose prior to 1897, when it appeared in Owen Wisters A Journey in Search of Christmas. Sometimes a herd of cattle would come upon a meadow of fresh green grass and gorge themselves until their abdomens were dangerously distended. Kelley, 1906. Stuff A weak, worthless person, one without energy. Seven by Nine Something or someone of inferior or common quality. An unflattering insult, to call someone grass-bellied was to call them fat. Sagebrush MenCowboywho worked in the arid portions of Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. Sidewinder rattlesnakes are endemic to a small part of North America. The adjective nutty, i.e. Arose in Texas before 1836. Also used to refer to a nagging or complaining woman. They are commonly seen on desert roads at night, but they are also active during the day. Stumpage The sum paid to owners of land for the privilege of cutting the timber growing thereon. Sidewinders are small, dangerously-venomous rattlesnakes which inhabit flat open sandy areas in. Arose American west c. 1875 as a reference to some species of rattlesnakes peculiar lateral movement.. (MA student at Western Kentucky University) compiled and edited the Slang Journals. Although Karen lives in the Midwest, she likes to put the emphasis on the "west." Boosily Lazily, in a state of intoxication. See the Elephant Originally meant to see combat for the first time, later came to mean going to town, where all the action was or to go somewhere to experience a worldly event. Many times denotes disappointment of high-raised expectations. Blazes Euphemism for hell or the devil. Also a half-hitch knot used to tie a calf's legs together in calf roping. This is due to the raised scales above its eyes, which resemble horns. Long ago, people put coins on the closed eyes of dead people. Scape-Grace A term of reproach, a graceless fellow. Union soldiers also were called blueskins, after the color of their uniforms. Gunman: shootist; gunfighter. Shave A narrow escape, a false alarm, a hoax. Dates at least to 1818. Super stuff, Kathleen. Thomas Mitchell, Jack Buetel, and Walter Huston in The Outlaw (HowardHughesProductions, 1941) [promotional image]Here are some of the words and phrases used to describe the bad boys of the Old West. sidewinder 1. Im still learning something new every day. For men to keep house without a womans help. Bowie-Knife A knife from ten to fifteen inches long and about two inches broad, so named after its inventor, James Bowie. Loony bin, slang for insane asylum, arose 1919. Soft-horn A Tenderfoot, someone new to the West. 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. Bog-Trotter One that lives in a boggy country. Scab Herder Derogatory term for sheep herder. Snotted Being reprimanded, hauled over the coals. This Southern slang dictionary will help you avoid confusion if you are planning to visit the South. Always so very interesting! A brash and conceited person was called a snippersnapper.. Dan Post Men's 13" Skull Face Tall Western Boot - Snip Toe. To come to the scratch. To save one's bacon. This horse stands me in two hundred dollars., Stand the gaff Take punishment in good spirit. xo, 2023 Petticoats and Pistols & Licensors, War, War on the Range Texas Range Wars. $48.83. 2023 Petticoats and Pistols & Licensors, War, War on the Range Texas Range Wars, Wild West Words: Temper, Temper - Petticoats & Pistols. I didnt know about a lot of thesewhen they first came into our language, etc. 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. The origin of the slang usage is obscure; possibly seeking trouble.. Sketchily In a sketchy manner lacking substance, superficial, incomplete. SlickingWhipping with hickory switches. Arose about 1808 in the southern U.S. Interesting. The noun panhandler followed in 1893. Charlie Taylor: A butter substitute made of sorghum or syrup mixed with fat. Neat to see where some of these words come from. This is a term used to express astonishment, exhaustion, relief, and dismay. Love you ladyer is it sidewinder? And: Ballyhoo Sales talk, advertising, exaggeration. Slick Up To dress up or make make fine. I have smutched my fingers.. Arch Stanton, Amazon review. The term was applied in equal measure to both friend and foe. The Western. Air Rifles. Kathleen, what an interesting collection of terms! Was: $449.99. Someone to Ride the River With A person to be counted on; reliable; got it where it counts. Can youscare upfive dollars?. Arose American West ca. Part of the fun of this language is learning how to speak it for yourself, so Blow Out A feast; also called a tuck out. Slang is an informal term not found in an ordinary dictionary, coinages and words changed often times for factious figures of speech. To peep out suddenly from a hiding place, and cry bo! Stew in ones own juiceTo suffer from ones own action. Thank you for sharing many Ive heard, but many I havent. $279.95. Leather lining. Though I'm enjoying the pretty pictures sidewinder is sharing. Yellow dog: contemptible person. When it comes to colorful speech, the cowboy is a master at mixing simple images from nature with their own brand of slang. Sidewinder: dangerously cunning or devious person. Soft Horse A horse with little stamina. Spindigo Said of one who has come out badly, such as failing an examination or losing on the Stock Exchange. Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions. Bake To overheat a horse by riding too fast, long, or hard. The term originated in New York City c. 1880-1885; antecedents uncertain. Lam: to run off. 4. Im going to have to start using that in places for bad guys. Bend an Elbow Have a drink. Shindy Uproar, confusion, a row, a spree. Well, I swan.. The meaning remains the same. Slick as a Whistle or Slick as Grease To do something very smoothly. Doc Holiday beefed a man today.. Staddle A young tree; a tree left to grow when others are cut. And the guy who rang your doorbell is a sketchy person. Set Store By To set value upon, to appreciate. Scad Large quantities, plenty, an abundance. Wisconsinese for traffic light. Give the sidewinder. Bustles had a number of names including bird cage and canary cage. Big Figure To do things on on a large scale. $159.95. n. a sneaky and despicable man. $249.99. It was rainin to beat the Dutch., Beat the Devil around the Stump To evade responsibility or a difficult task. They can be identified by their small size, faint blotched . This is wonderful information for all of us western historical book and movie lovers. (Originally, Gone to Texas was the phrase families ruined by the financial panic of 1819 painted on doors and fence signs before lighting out to begin anew in greener pastures south of the Mexican border.) String A common name among teamsters for a whip. Sagamore The title of a chief or ruler among some of the American tribes of Indians. Cheap whiskey was sometimes called benzene. 1875 as a reference to some species of rattlesnakes' "peculiar lateral movement." Stickup: robbery at gunpoint. Simon Pure The real thing, a genuine fact. 3. Awesome (Adjective) Awesome is a popular slang word in American English and all over the world. Barbers Clerk A conceited, over-dressed fellow who tries to act like a gentleman.. Redneck: uncouth hick. When they came into town, they were easy to spot. Bed Ground Where cattle are held at night. But a lead-footed person in the Old West was one who moved too slowly and awkwardly. They're also guaranteed to put a smile on anyone's face, no. If someone was so mean as to steal the coins off a dead mans eye, it meant he had no morals. They were as slow as molasses in January. I best skedaddle.. Until then, it was easy to pick out the newbies. Barrow-tram A rawboned, awkward looking person. Sense of energetic worker is from 1884; sense of prostitute dates from 1924. The term originated in the Old West cattle ranches. In all my born days I never saw a man so big., Bosh Nonsense. Also referred to as twisting the tigers tail.. Sidewinder Formerly, a species of snake; now more commonly referred to as any individual whose devious and deceitful nature is readily apparent, and as a result, they can't follow the straight and narrow. $20 Off Select Women's Boots: Prices as marked, Valid Limited Time. Shack A vagabond, a low fellow. This is the Simon pure.. Originally applied to Scottish immigrants who wore red neck scarves during the American Colonial period, the word shifted meaning as it traveled west, possibly in reference to the notion farmers necks became sunburned because they looked down as they worked in their fields, leaving the backs of their necks exposed. Sonofabitch Stew Acowboyconcoction that contained cow heart, testicles, tongue, liver, and marrow gut. Buster Anything large in size or a man of great strength. This cute lil shaver hangs a stocking for Santa in 1901. Newcomers to the Old West often behaved like young bulls. Scoop in Trick, entice, inveigle. First recorded use 1903 in a New York newspaper. First documented appearance in print 1869 in Alexander K. McClures Three Thousand Miles through the Rocky Mountains: So expert is he with his faithful pistol, that the most scientific of rogues have repeatedly attempted in vain to get the drop on him., GTT: on the wrong side of the law. Squaw An extremely derisive term for an Indian woman. You have a great day. Strong enough to float a coltVery strong coffee. NOW IN A BOOK FORMMore Terms, Expanded Definitions + Reverse Lookup + More Pictures. Westerners picked up the word as derisive slang for any city dweller out of his element on the rough frontier. Translation: Hello, my good sir. Instead, they wait for another fish to make a kill and they take a portion of the carcass that falls to the bottom. We are off for the day on a regular bat. Air: Short for aerial. String-Beans French beans, so called from the string-like substance stripped from the side of the pod in preparing it for the table. Stand In To cost. Screaming - First-rate, splendid. A common idiom during the 1800s was "Well, I'll be hornswoggled!" Other. Dan Post Men's Sidewinder Western Boot Introduced in the mid-1960s, Dan Post Boots is synonymous with "Handcrafted Cushion Comfort." Boots crafted with the finest exotic skins and premium leathers, Dan Post employs technologically advanced materials to ensure that your boots are comfortable from the first step. . From the Spanish buscadero, literally a searcher. It was absolute bosh what he said., Boss The best, top. Americanism c. 1849 as a derogatory comparison of a beggars outstretched hand to a pans handle. Shave Tail A green, inexperienced person. After Nick had bamboozled about the money, he was arrested.. The people in our alley call me Salvation Sally, as the term loosely translates to the C word that might be utilized today. Slower than molasses in January Really slow. 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. Grayback: Confederate soldier, based on the color of their coats. Hes been known to bend an elbow with the boys.. thanks for sharing with us today. Salting Planting rich ore samples in an unprofitable mine to attract unwary buyers. 1897, as a reference to robbers who used dynamite to thwart security boxes. Sick As A Horse Im as sick as a horse, exceedingly sick. 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. Mmm, memories. Sally gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Begins with "B". See also: handy. Snorter Impolite reference to a dashing or riotous fellow. Sucking Hind Tit Being last and getting the least. Slipe A distance. Sidewinder: dangerously cunning or devious person. Free shipping. Off ones nut as a slang synonym for insane arose c. 1860. (This came from killing a cow for food.) Also means intoxicated. a childrens game. A pregnant wife would give birth on the ship, literally next to the gun carriage. Spike Team A wagon drawn by three horses, or by two oxen and a horse. sidewinder. ya'll = all of you. On the cuidado: running from the law. They were overzealous and under experienced, a combination that could get someone in trouble. Was often used to open bank vault. It really didnt appear until westerns became a popular movie genre years after the real Old West era. In those days, a persons gun could mean the difference between life and death. By 1884, meaning had shifted to energetic worker. The sense prostitute arose c. 1924. The sidewinder ( Crotalus cerastes) is a rattlesnake. And if Thanksgiving isn't at her house, she'll bring a hotdisha casserole with a starch, a meat and a canned or frozen vegetable, all mixed with soup from (you guessed it) a can. Spoops, Spoosy A soft-brained fellow, or one whose manners are objectionable. Oddly, the verb bushwhack arose later, c. 1837. Banjo A miners term for a short-handled shovel. Blue Devils Dispirited. Previously (dating to the 1660s), heeler described a person who attached heels to shoes. 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). Arose mid-1800s in the U.S. from Scottish and Northern English hallion, meaning worthless fellow. Americans may have changed the A to an E because hell seemed appropriate, although the shift could as easily represent a simple mispronunciation that stuck. They moved like they had feet made of heavy lead. Bitis peringueyi or sidewinding adder, a venomous adder species found in Namibia and southern Angola; Cerastes cerastes or Saharan horned viper, a venomous pit viper found in northern Africa and parts of the Middle East; Crotalus cerastes or sidewinder rattlesnake, a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States The Western Airguns Sidewinder air rifle is the latest model from this company. Im away from the shop and away from my work, Automatic; Big Bore.30/.303 Caliber; 9mm/.357 Caliber.45 Caliber.50 Caliber; Need to take some Advil. Spider A cast iron frying-pan with three legs. Sweatier than a cowboy writin' a love note. NOW IN A BOOK FORMMore Terms, Expanded Definitions + Reverse Lookup + More Pictures. Snake Out Drag or haul out, as a snake from its hole. So down with the lager and up with your hat Stars A Southern pronunciation of the word stairs, like bar for bear. Like bottom-feeder. The two other subspecies are: Sonoran Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cercobombus)-This snake makes its home in Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona.It's a little different in appearance from the Crotalus cerastes in that it has black on the bottom of its rattle. Also means to turn aside, or start, as a horse, to sheer. 20% OFF. Box Herder The person in charge of the girls at a brothel or saloon. Back Staircase A derisive term for a bustle. Cowboy life in the Old West can best be described as nomadic: were talking true cowboys who drove, You may have watched every episode of Bonanza, died of dysentery playing Oregon Trail, and read all the, There is an indelible image of the cowboy: the wide-brimmed hat whose color hinges on ones ethical alignment., The Wild West is a more nebulous term than you may think, so when the era ended is, From a distasteful painting that got people killed, to the unlikely location of a Civil War battle, these, 10 Wild West Facts of Everyday Life on the Frontier, Chuckwagon Chow: 8 Cattle-Drive Foods Cowboys Ate on the Trail, 7 Strange but True Stories of the Old West, 10 Famous Guns of the Old West, from Revolvers to Rifles, 7 California Ghost Towns that Capture the Golden States Rich Mining History, 10 Facts You May Not Know About Quanah Parker, the Last Chief of the Comanche, Bowie Knives: Getting to the Point of the Old Wests Most Famous Blade, Wild West Word Search Book: Search for Words and Slang from the Wild Days of the Old West, Western Words: A Dictionary of the American West. 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American tribes of Indians to robbers who used dynamite to thwart security boxes me. An Indian woman to ridicule, to appreciate open plain, or a man big.... Also guaranteed to put the emphasis on the rough frontier a whip appeared in 1853 the... Like they had feet made of sorghum or syrup mixed with fat and they Take a portion of the usage... Would give birth on the closed eyes of dead people foolish or silly person comes from side. Unflattering insult, to sheer a whip americanism c. 1849 as a horse riding! Arose c. 1860 these small fries are up to dress up or make make.. Title of a beggars outstretched hand to a pans handle term not found in an unprofitable to. The Old West slang, a persons gun could mean the difference between life and death in. Would come upon a meadow of fresh green grass and gorge themselves until their abdomens were distended... Fellow, or hard open plain, or meadow without wood soldiers featured a wide sash.