| blow their stake | lose and/or spend all their money |
| blowin’ in our jack | losing, spending, or gambling away all our money |
| bustin’ a gut | engage in hard physical labor so you ache everywhere, even in your gut |
| in hot water | to be in trouble |
| jungle-up | during the Great Depression, many wanderers settled at night in groups called hobo jungles. it means to camp out for the evening in the company of similar companions. |
| live off the fatta the lan’ | refers to having the best of everything. for George and Lennie it is prospering off the “fat” they grow and raise and needing nothing else |
| bum steer | false info or directions |
| canned | fired |
| clear out | leave for good |
| done quite a bit in the ring | boxing ring, Candy references how Curley has done some boxing |
| drink hearty | “Drink up, drink well, have a good time” |
| flapper | mouth |
| game | courageous |
| gang up | attack as a group |
| get the can | get fired |
| got the eye | Candy refers to the fact that Curley’s wife looks around at other men instead of being faithful to her husband |
| in heat | for a female animal (dog) to be in a state of sexual excitement when she will accept mating from a male |
| jail bait | girl below legal age of consent for sex; an underage girl who tempts a man to sexual intimacy which is punishable by imprisonment |
| licked | beat; loses the fight |
| old lady | mother, or Lennie’s Aunt Clara |
| old man | father |
| pants is full of ants | be nervous and restless |
| pants rabbits | parasites, such as lice, those that affect the genital area |
| picking scraps | provoke fights or quarrels |
| plug himself up for a fighter | advertise or display oneself; to boast. George is saying that Curley may want to go after Lennie to prove he is a good fighter. |
| poison | women who only means trouble, especially to a man |
| poke | wallet or purse, money; especially all the money one has |
| pokin’ your big ears into our business | eavesdropping; listening in, uninvited, on a private convo |
| poop | energy; desire |
| rassel | lift, carry, and handle; especially something heavy and awkward |
| rattrap | hopeless situation where nothing good can happen. George warns Lennie to stay away from Curley’s wife. |
| scrappy | aggressive; fond of fighting and arguing |
| shove off | leave |
| shove out of here | get out of here |
| slang her pups | gave birth to her pups |
| sore as hell | extremely angry |
| take the rap | take the blame; be the one who gets into trouble |
| tangles | fights; argues |
| two bits | a quarter; 25 cents |
| what stake you got in this guy | interest in a person. boss asks George what interest he has in Lennie. |
| what the hell’s he got on his shoulder | “to have a chip on one’s shoulder”, describes a person who is bad tempered, easily angered, or always ready to fights (Curley) |
| bucks | dollars |
| crack | attempt or try, one session of sexual intercourse with a prostitute |
| cut off his wind | hit in the stomach, making it hard to breathe |
| flat bust | completely broke; without any money |
| flop | sexual intercourse with a prostitute |
| goo-goos | silly young men; idiots; perhaps those who are a little lovestruck |
| hoosegow | jail |
| looloo | a sexy woman |
| make it stick | to be successful, Curley is not successful in scaring Slim |
| old lady | wife |
| on the county | on welfare; on public relief |
| people | family |
| punk | insignificant person; someone of no importance |
| rabbits in | jumps in |
| roll up a stake | save up some money |
| scram | leave in a hurry |
| set on the trigger | on the verge of causing trouble |
| set you back | cost |
| shot | one ounce of liquor |
| start a party out to lynch | a mob that wants to kill/hang someone. men in Weed wanted to kill Lennie. |
| throw a litter | give birth, young animals born at one time |
| throw a scare | scare, intimidate |
| welter | welterweight, boxer from 136 to 147 pounds |
| wing-ding | terrific person, someone to be admired |
| yella-jackets in his drawers | restless and nervous, wasps in his underwear (Whit describing Curley) |
| yella | yellow; a coward |
| balony | nonsense |
| booby hatch | insane asylum; place to house mentally unstable people |
| corn | whiskey made from corn |
| cover ‘im up | protect him; make excuses for him; cover for him |
| doped out | figured out |
| old lady | mother dog |
| put me in pitchers | put me in pictures; gotten me a job as a movie actress |
| right cross | punch delivered by boxer’s right fist |
| screwy | crazy |
| sellin’ me | trying to make me believe |
| set | sit; sit down |
| strung up on a tree | hanged, lynched |
| take you out in a box | box is a coffin, Crooks tells Candy that the old man will remain where he is until he dies |
| took a powder | left |
| went with shows | been an entertainer on the stage |
| we’d never do her | “her” refers to their plan to own a farm. George is saying that he thinks they all knew they would never really accomplish their dream. |
Of Mice and Men Idioms – Russ
April 26, 2020