Language is chaotic, meanings constantly shifting, words continuously invented to meet modern situations and dilemma. It isn’t always pretty. When we add slang terms like “selfie,” “twerk,” and “YOLO” to the dictionary, self-aggrandizing critics always worry what future civilizations will think of us. How silly and stupid will we seem?
Probably no more idiotic than any other generation that’s ever lived. Hindsight belies superiority. Everyone just wants to feel smarter than they are. These self-aggrandizing critics also exist in this fantasy world of future humans hanging out in their virtual reality immersion rigs, casually discussing lexicographical history. How often do you gather friends just to rip how Victorians used to call mouths “sauce-boxes” and best friends “chuckaboos?” You haven’t. It’s never happened anywhere.
Slang dies as often as it’s created. Phrases and idioms fade for one reason: people stop saying them. So let’s cease pretending people didn’t use to say stupid stuff or that we (kind of) have some silly catch phrases ourselves. In fact, we’re more comparable to the past than we care to admit. Here are 12 old slang terms and our versions of the words today. (A huge shout-out to Mental Floss for this impressive list of outdated slang.)
“Happy cabbage”
Meaning: To finally have money to blow and looking fancy
Current slang: “Bougie” or “Boujee”
“Give someone the wind”
Meaning: To abruptly reject a lover or suitor
Current slang: “ghosting,” or “curved”
“zozzled,” “seeing snakes,” “soapy-eyed,” “swacked”
Meaning: When someone is drunk
Current slang: “faded”
“Claws sharp”
Meaning: Being well informed
Current slang: “woke”
“Off the cob”
Meaning: To be trite or banal
Current slang: “corny,” “extra”
“Focus your audio”
Meaning: Informing someone to listen closely
Current slang: excessive usage of the [clap emoji] in between text
“Cabbage hat” or “Blobber”
Meaning: Someone you can’t trust
Current slang: “sus”
“Butter and Egg man”
Meaning: A small-town businessman who tries to show off and spend a lot when visiting a large city
Current slang: A $30K Millionaire
“Lobbygow”
Meaning: Someone who goes to an opium den with specific intent to bum some opium
Current slang: A mooch
“Master John Goodfellow,” “The Staff of Life,” “The Maypole”
Meaning: Male genitalia
Current slang: “anaconda,” [eggplant emoji], “little buddy”
“the Netherlands,” “Phoenix Nest,” “Mrs. Flubbs’ Parlor”
Meaning: Women genitalia
Current slang: “kitty,” “box,” “cookies”
“Basket Making,” “Amorous Congress,” “Convivial Society”
Meaning: Sex
Current slang: “hooking up,” “baking cookies,” “smashing,” “work”
