| Idiom | an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up |
| blow their stake | lose and/or spend all their money |
| live off the fat of the land | To grow own food,land is so “fat” or rich, that it is all that is needed |
| bust a gut | Work so hard that you feel like you busted a gut |
| jungle-up | camp out at night with |
| cat house | ***** house; house of prostitution |
| watchin’ the blackboard | looking for a job |
| a bum steer | A false information/direction |
| What stake you got in this guy | What financial interest do you have in him |
| leave your big flapper shut | A flapper is a mouth, thus “be quiet” |
| scrappy | Fond of fighting, competing |
| take the rap | Take the blame |
| slang her pups | gave birth to puppies |
| tangles | Fights/argues |
| got the eye | looks/flirts |
| pants rabbits | Parasite (lice) from sharing bunks |
| rattrap | hopeless situation |
| flat bust | completely broke |
| hoosegow | jail |
| start a party out to lynch | get a group together to hang someone |
| throw a litter | give birth |
| welter | Boxer between light and middle weight |
| roll up a stake | save some money |
| set on the trigger | just about to cause trouble |
| looloo | a sexy woman |
| make it stick | Be successful/see it to the end |
| on the county | on welfare |
| yella jackets in his drawers | Restless,nervous |
| yella | Yellow, coward |
| goo-goos | Silly idiots |
| took a powder | left |
| booby hatch | pejorative terms for an insane asylum |
| baloney | nonsense |
| corn | Whiskey |
| put me in pitchers | To put in the movies |
| right cross | boxing term: a punch delivered by a right fist |
| cover ‘im up | cover ‘im up |
| went with shows | went with shows |
| Don’t try to put nothin’ over on me | don’t lie to me |
| Somebody made a ringer | In horseshoes someone centered the pole and scored |
| I think I knowed we’d never do her | HER is the ranch. He always knew the dream wouldn’t happen in his heart. |
Idioms: Of Mice and Men
April 26, 2020