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US WWII dictionary


Joris

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90 day wonder: A 2nd Lt. who has received his commission by (usually) going through the Officer Candidate School (OCS)

JANFU: Joint Army Navy Fouled Up

SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fouled Up

FUBAR: Fouled Up Beyond All Repair (Recognition)

Dug-Out Doug: The uncomplimentary term for General Douglass McArthur

Do-Re-Mi: Refers to money, as in Do like 'dough.'

TNT: Today, not tomorrow.

BOHICA : bend over, here it comes again

TARFU : things are really ****ed up

FTA : follow the airborne or fun, travel, adventure (or **** The Army)

Jeet?: Did you eat yet?

Like hell: I don't think so

Hubba Hubba: double time, quick, hurry up!

 

Red Ryder: cowboy legend of film and comic books, popular in the 40's and early 50's

diner: small restaurant beside the road

joint: a place

crap: poo poo

homefries: a potato that has been peeled, boiled, sliced and then fried in butter, oil or shortening

Chingado: (Spanish slang for) to have sex

Chicano: slang for Mexican American

turdville: poo poo town

bread: money

Elmer's: brand name for a kind of glue

clap: gonorrhoea

morons: idiots

sacked out on my rear: to go to sleep

by-pass: highway, motorway

chipper: cheerful

stuck in your craw: something that makes you angry

keister: ass

crip: cripple

Ramada Inn: well-known franchise of motels

rev up: increase the speed

get the shaft: to receive severe and unfair treatment

graveyardshift: working hours 23.00-6.00

enchilada: Mexican food dish

nickels: five cents coins

weirdoes: strange people

fiddle: violin

Guarnerius: a very expensive violin made by the Guarneri family

buddy: companion, friend

long suit: the personal quality or talent that is a person's strongest asset

lad: boy or young man

jew it down: bring price down, haggle

big yap: big mouth

fag, queer, homo, fruit: homosexual

guts: courage

Little Beaver, Tonto: Indian friends of these famous cowboys

bicarbonate: alka-silzer

griddle: large pan or flat metal area where one can cook using dry heat

passle: large quantity

Gentleman Jim: James Cobert famous boxer in the late 1890's, known for his kindness in and out of the ring

cut the crap: stop the poo poo

vittles: food

hot lead: bullet

bosom: breasts

punk: rebellious young person

ride the range: ride horse out in the open field

swagger: to swag when walking (side to side)

britches: arrogant attitude

schmuck: a fool

prop girl: substitute

Dodgers, Yankees: American baseball teams

screw: having sex

pecker: penis

ignominy: dishonour, humilation

blubber: to weep noisily

vamonos: let's go

sucker: fool

swell: good, great (That's swell)

sore: mad (Aw, don't get all sore about it)

kid: affectionate reference to a female (How ya doin', kid), or used towards either sex in a protective expression, but if towards male, only when object is younger than speaker (Hey Mac, leave the kid alone)

square: to be truthful, honest (I'm on the square)

on the level: frankly (One the level . . . He's a crook)

keep your chin up: don't despair (Keep your chin up kid, you'll be fine)

go soft: weaken (He went soft on me)

spill it: confess (He's gonna spill it)

spill the beans: confess (He spilled the beans about last night)

keep your shirt on: don't get impatient (Hey, keep your shirt on, buddy)

run the show: in charge (Who's running this show?)

queer (looking): strange (looking) (That's a queer sight)

Holy Mackeral: Wow!

What a show!: amazing

Scram!: beat it

off his nut : crazy (He went off his nut when she left)

keep your eyes peeled: to look out (Keep your eyes peeled for a white car . . .)

all this ballyhoo: all these goings-on (What's all this ballyhoo about, anyway?)

angle: ulterior motive (What's his angle?)

Hep Cat: happening dude

zoot suit: type of oversized suit popular in the late 30's & 40's

Top Kick: first sergeant

cut a rug: dance proficently

lame duck: not in good operating order

scratch: money

tickle the ivory: play piano

fag: cigarette (English Term adopted by GI's)

snot box: nose

chicago typewritter: Thompson SMG

riding the L: taking the train

gams: legs

shake a leg: hustle up

taking jive: full of BS

up and up: "square" (I'm on the up and up)

Fin: five bucks

Saw buck: ten bucks

Joe: Coffee

Java: Coffee (Navy)

Tomatoe: babe, chick

Eight-to-the-bar: something good

stripe: corporal as in "the stripe wants to see you"

Bullet Magnet: Senior office/ Platoon Radio man/ other 'obvious' unit specialist

 

Sayings:

 

"Hey Buddy, can't you tell there's a war on?!!"

Army/Navy Awards (for factory production)

"Remember Pearl Harbor"

"Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition." (song)

"Take a powder" (go away, get lost)

"How many skins?" (how much did it cost?)

"What's the score?" (How is the plan going?)

"What's the dope" (the news)

"Whatya know-whatya say" (Hi)

"What in the Sam Hill? (what the hell?)

"Whatya know Joe?" what's goin on?

"I don't know nuttin'" appropriate response

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