Browsing my social media apps a while ago, I stumbled upon this great trove. No less than the official Beatnik Glossary, containing all the keywords of the 1960s beat movement slang, scanned from a magazine of the time (not sure which one, because there was no indication on the post). The Urban Dictionary of the 1960s. Great for cultural historians and sociologists who wish to achieve a better understanding of the historical period, but also for modern day cool cats who want to learn how to sound groovy next time they meet a chick. Here’s a transcription of the article, followed by an image of the scan and a link to a PDF file containing both.
Angel: One who pays the check
Axe: Musical instrument
Ape: Off your rocker
Beat (movement generation): Way of life for select few …thank God!
Beatnik: One who lives “like no tomorrows”
Beakel: Tourist, square
Blow your jets: To become angry
Bread: Money, salary, compensation
Bugged (like crazy): Bothered, annoyed
Beatsville, Swingsville: A good place
Blast the Edison: Turn off the light
Bent Brummel: Bow tie
Barrelsville: Las Vegas
Cat: Cool jazz musician, beatnik
Cool: Wonderful, one who enjoys without showing emotion
Crazy: Good, beatnikism, accepted
Cube: Worse than square, strict conformity
Chick: Single girl
Chicken: Engaged girl
Plucked chicken: Married woman
Cover: Lingerie
Make with cover: to dress
Cheap creep: Freeloader
Cave: Office
Can the lip: Stop talking
Cyclops: Eye glasses
Cool it: Slow down
Crazy quilt: new dress
To “cherry tree”: to lie
Dad, Daddy-O: Term of affection
Dullsville: Unpleasant place, i.e. classroom
Dig: To understand
Dummy up: shut up, stop talking
Dildor: Dippy dame
The end: The most wonderful, the utmost
Face: I.D. Identification
Freebee: Freeloader
Flat: Analyst’s couch
Fuzz: Police federal agents
Fall in: To enter
Fall on: To rough an individual up
Fall out: to leave, exit
Far out: Weird, exciting, pretty
Flick: Motion picture
Goat: Beard, goatee
Groove, A: a thrilling, exciting thing to do
Groovie, A: One who understands the swing of things
Gas, A: Something wonderful
Gone: Really with it, swinging
Ginchiest: The greatest
Galaxy: One’s circle of friends, group
Germsville: Hospital
Gooney Roost: Library
George Change: Change of a dollar
Graveyard: A bore, deadbeat
Hip: to be with it, to understand
Hipster: Beat character, musician
Hootenanny: Wild beat party
Hairy, To feel: To feel good
Handcuffs: Parents
Head Shrinker: Psychoanalyst
High, To be: Enjoying oneself, on a “kick” swinging
Hen house: Sorority house
Hustling Hershey: Ex lax
Horn, The: Telephone
Ivy, An: Suit of clothes
Ivy tower: University, college
Iron pile up: Get away
Hot iron: A gun
IICCKK: a bow tie
Jazz: Music, collection of items
Jazzing: To make love
Juice: Liquor
Juicehead: One who drinks a lot
Juiceman: Bartender
Jambakers: Music crowd
Johns, Long Johns: Trousers
Cigarettes: Kick Sticks
Kings Jive: English language
Kookie: Wild character, far out person
Knuckles to the creep: To do physical harm to someone
Lama, The: Leader of the group
Later: Goodbye
Leathers: shoes
Large charge: Big thrill, double drink
Mazda, A: Very hip person (one who really sees the light)
Moo juice: Milk
Moo goo: butter
Make, to: accomplish an action (used with scene, i.e. make the scene)
Moss, Moss: etc. etc.
Mickey Mouse, A: wrist watch
Murgatroid: Dope, an outcast, square
Monkey run: Easy, very ordinary
Muscle cats: Rock and rollers
Nadaville: No where, dull place
Orbs: Eyes
Ol’ St. Beatnik: Santa Claus
Off the Wall: Very far out, extremely unusual
Pad: apartment
Pick up on: to understand, to dig, to watch, to do
Pucker Palace: Drive in movie
Rags: Sportswear
Rio, Short trip to: Coffee break
Rod, Hot or Cool: Automobile
Rod, Fuzz: Police car
Real wild thrill: To be born
Swin-ing: The greatest, terrific, one who is with it
Swings like sixteen: Really wild, greatest
Short, A: Automobile
Shades: sunglasses
Swings in squareville: Inferiority complex
Squaresville iron: Jail
Squaresville peep: Police line up
Stable: Garage
Stable the iron: Park the car
Solo flight: Going stag
Snagged stag: going steady
Shake it: Forget it
Soco: Social conscience
Sides: Phonograph records
Squatchel: Love making
Turn up the stereo: Listen to me
Tournequet: Wedding ring
Twin trees: high heels
Thrill pills: Benzadrine, Dexidrine
Tough: Terrific, too much
Tough toenails: Very difficult, rough going
Tuned In: With it, understands
Thin, A: Ten cent piece, dime
Vitamin village: Grocery store
Washington, A: Dollar bill
Words, A: An attorney, lawyer
Way out: Unusual, far out
Wild: terrific, unusual
Wow, like: Expression of amazement
Wail, to: To have a good time, to play a tune well
Whistleburg: Corner where many girls pass by
Wasteland: Freeway (no drag racing allowed)
Magazine Scan
