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October 7, 2005
HepKat's Dictionary
By KAT CAVERLY
A
AB-SO-LUTE-LY – yes.
AIN’T COMING (ON THAT) (V) – won’t accept the proposition.
APPLE (N) – the big town.
ARE YOU WRITING A BOOK? – why are you asking me so many questions?
B
BABY (N) – a term of address, used for male or female.
BAG (N) – personal interests.
BEAT – (1) (ADJ) tired, exhausted.
Ex. – “You look beat.” or “I feel beat.”
(2) lacking anything, broke.
Ex. – “I am beat for my cash.”
“I am beat to my socks.” (lacking everything).
BEATIFIC (ADJ) – the Beat.
BEATITUDES (N) – good feelings.
BEAT IT OUT (V) – play it hot, emphasize the rhythm.
BEAT UP THE CHOPS (V) –
to talk, converse, be loquacious. ( see bump the gums)
BEAUTIOUS (ADJ) – beautiful.
BEEF (V) – to say, to state.
Ex. – “What’s your beef?” (you got something to say?)
BIBLE (N) – the gospel truth.
Ex. – It’s the bible!”
BLACK (N) – night.
BLOW (V) – to perform.
BLOW THE TOP (V) – to be overcome with emotion (delight).
Ex. – “You’ll blow your top when you hear this one.”
BLOW THIS POP STAND – leave.
BLOW YOUR WIG (V) – get very excited.
BLUE BROADWAY (N) – the sky.
BOOGIE (V) – to go somewhere.
(2) a new dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1938.
BOTTLE BABIES (N) – drunks and bleached blondes.
BREAK IT UP (V) – to win applause, to stop the show, bring the house down.
BREEZE (V) – to go.
BRIGHT (N) – day.
BRING DOWN – (1) (N) something depressing.
Ex. “That’s a bring down.”
(2) (V) Ex. – “That brings me down.”
BUG (V) – to annoy.
BUMP THE GUMS – talk a lot.
BUMMER (ADJ) – a bad experience.
BUMMED OUT – bored.
BUSTER (N) – something extremely good.
BUZZ (V) – what people are talking about, a thrill.
Ex. – “What’s the Buzz.”
BUZZ CRUSHER (N) – killjoy.
BUZZ ME (V) – call me on the telephone, also kiss me.
Ex. – “Buzz me, baby.”
BYTE ME! – shut up.
C
C-NOTE (N) – hundred dollar bill.
CAFE SUNBURN (N) – pallor.
CANARY (N) – girl vocalist.
CASE (V) – to study carefully.
CAT (N) – a hip person.
CHICK (N) – a girl or woman.
CHOPS (N) – lips.
CLAWS (N) – fingers.
CLUE (V) – to apprise or advise.
CLUELESS (ADJ) – hopelessly incompetent.
COLD (ADJ) – unpleasant.
COME AGAIN – try it over, do better than you are doing,
I don’t understand you.
COMES ON LIKE GANG BUSTERS (or like a test pilot) (V) –
playing, singing, or dancing in a terrific manner, par-excellence in any department. Sometimes abbr, to “That singer really comes on!”
COOKING (WITH GLASS ) (V) – to do what you do very well.
COOL (ADJ) – good.
COP (V) – to get, to obtain (see collar and knock).
COPASETIC (ADJ) – absolutely Ok, the tops.
CRANK THE BEAT (V) – turn up the volume.
CRASH AND BURN – to do very poorly.
CRAZY (ADJ) – very good.
CREPT OUT LIKE THE SHADOW (V) – “comes on”, but in a smooth suave, sophisticated manner.
CRIB (N) – room, home, bed. ( see pad and cubby)
CRUISE (V) – to entice.
CUBBY (HOLE) (N) – room, flat, home, also pad, crib.
CUT (V) – to outclass, be superior to.
Ex. – That trumpet player cuts them all!”
CUT OUT (V) – to leave, to depart.
Ex. – “It’s time to cut out.”, “I cut out from the joint in the early bright.”
D
DADDY or DADDY-O – a term of address.
DEAD (ADJ) – empty. Ex. – “The place is dead.”
DEAD PRESIDENTS (N) – money.
DEUCE (N) – a couple.
DIG (V) – (1) meet. Ex.– “I’ll plant you now and dig you later.”
(2) look, see. Ex. – “Dig that chick on your left duke.”
(3) comprehend, understand. Ex. – “Do you dig this jive?”
DIGITS (N) – telephone number.
DIM (N) – twilight..
DIME NOTE (N) – ten dollar bill.
DO (N) – hairstyle.
DOG (V) – follow.
DON’T LOSE IT – a sarcastic expression which really means it’s no good, get rid of it.
DOUBLE-O (N) – a studious look.
DRAG (ADJ) – a bore, someone or something that is undesireable.
DREAMBOX (N) – head.
DROP TOP (N) – convertible.
DUES (N) – the hardships which must be endured to obtain success.
DULLSVILLE – boring beyond endurance.
DUKE (N) – hand, mitt.
DUMP (V) – to break off a realtionship.
E
EARLY BLACK (N) – evening.
EARLY BRIGHT (N) – morning.
EVIL (ADJ) – in ill humour, in nasty temper.
EYEBALL (V) – stare, look.
F
FACE (N) – a clock.
FADE (V) – leave.
FALL IN (V) – arrive.
Ex. – “I fell into the joint.”
FALL OUT (V) – to be overcome with emotion.
Ex. – “The cats fell out when he took the solo.”
FAVE RAVE (N) – favorite.
FINAL (V) – to leave, to go home.
Ex. – “I finaled to my pad.” (went to bed) “We copped a final.” (went home)
FISH (N) – fresh caught fans. Ex. – “The fish are jumping!”
FLIP (V) – to experience an extreme mood.
FLY (ADJ) – smart, in the know, sophisticated, alert, cool.
FLY RIGHT (V) – behave. Ex. – “straighten up and fly right.”
FOCUS (V) – to look, to see.
FOR KICKS – for pleasure’s sake.
FOUR BARS PAST – very.
FRACTURE YOUR TOUPEE (V) – go crazy.
FRACTURE YOUR WIG (V) – go crazy with joy.
FRAUGHTY ISSUE (N) – a very sad message, a deplorable state of affairs.
FRAME (N) – the body. (also chassis)
FREEBIE (N) – no charge, gratis. Ex. – “The meal was a freebie.”
FRISKING THE WHISKERS (V) – what the cats do when they are
warming up for the swing session. (see licking the chops)
FROM IN FRONT – from the beginning.
FROMPY (ADJ) – unattractive.
FRUITING (V) – fickle, fooling around with no particular object.
FUSEBOX (N) – head.
G
GAS (N) – something that is highly entertaining or amusing.
GASSER (N) – something that is sensational.
GET A GRIP – come to your senses.
GET A ROOM – way past public displays of affection.
GET IN THERE – (an exclamation) go to work, get busy,
make it hot, give all you’ve got.
GET WITH IT – to understand.
GIG (N) – a club date, work.
GIVE ME FIVE – Let’s shake hands.
GIVE IT UP (V) – applaud.
GLIMS (N) – the eyes.
GO DOWN (V) – to happen.
GOD SURE DON’T LIKE UGLY – you get what’s coming to you.
GONE – out of this world, superlative.
GOOD ANSWER – cool.
GOOFNIK (N) – someone who takes delight in something.
GOT YOUR BOOTS ON – you know what it is all about,
you are a hep cat, you are wise.
GRAVY (N) – profits.
GREASE YOUR CHOPS (V) – eat.
GROOVE (N) – a good scene, to enjoy a situation.
Ex. – something that is good - groovy, gone, murder, the most,copasetic.
GROWL (N) – voice.
GUMBEATERS (N) – talkers. (also chopbeaters)
H
HAPPIFY (V) – to make happy.
HANDLE (N) – name.
HANG (V) – to loaf.
HANG LOOSE (V) – to relax.
HANG TOUGH (V) – to persevere.
HAVE A BALL (V) – to enjoy yourself, stage a celebration.
Ex. – “I had myself a ball last night.”
HANG UP (N) – fixed pattern of behavior, an inhibition.
HAWK (N) – winter.
HEAVY (ADJ) – serious, worthy of serious consideration.
HEEBIES (N) – jitters. (heebie jeebies)
HEP CAT (N) – a guy who knows all the answers, understands jive, a jazz musician.
HIGH (ADJ) – intoxicated (by liquor or marijuana).
Ex. – “He was as high as a Georgia pine.”
HIGHJIVE (N) – intellectual patter.
HIGHJIVER (N) – smooth character with a very fancy and intellectual line of talk.
HIP (ADJ) – wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on.
Ex. – “She is a hip chick.”
HIPSTER (N) – one in the know.
HISTORY (ADJ) – out of the picture.
HIT THE BOTTLE – to bleach one’s hair.
HIT ME – explain it to me.
HOME-COOKING (N) – something very nice.
HORN (N) – the telephone.
HOT (ADJ) – musically torrid; before swing, tunes were hot or bands were hot.
HOT FOR (ADJ) – enthusiatic about, in favor of.
HOT MINUTE (N) – brief moment, implying a great hurry.
I
ICE (N) – diamonds.
ICKY DRIP (N) – one who is not hip, a stupid person, can’t collar the jive.
IGG (V) – to ignore someone. Ex. – “ Don’t igg me.”
ILLUMINATIONS (N) – good ideas.
I’M DOWN – I agree with you.
I MEAN REALLY – well, I never.
IN THE GROOVE – in tune with what’s going on.
IN ORBIT (ADJ) – in the know.
IN THE AFFIRMATIVE – yes.
IN THE GROOVE (ADJ) – perfect, no deviation, down the alley.
J
JACK (N) – name for all male friends (see gate and pops).
JAM – (1) (N) – improvised swing music.
Ex. – That’s swell jam.”
(2) (V) – to play such music.
Ex. – “That cat surely can jam.”
JIM-JAM-JUMPING (ADJ) – extremely lively, vivacious.
JIVE (N) – talk that makes no sense.
JOINT IS JUMPING – the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun.
JUNGLES (N) – Hell’s Kitchen, the wild westside.
K
(A) KEEPER (ADJ) – a boyfriend, girlfirend that’s a good one.
KICK (N) – fun, thrills.
KILL ME (V) – show me a good time, send me, to fascinate.
Ex. – “You kill me.”
KILLER (N) – a great thrill, anything very powerful..
KILL THE NOISE – get quiet.
(IN THE) KITCHEN (N) - at home in Hell's Kitchen.
KNOCK (V) – to give.
Ex. – “Baby, knock me a kiss!”
“Knock me some skin!” (shake my hands)
L
L-7 (ADJ) – see square.
LAME (ADJ) – out of style.
LAND O’DARKNESS (N) – comedy clubs.
LATCH ON (V) – grab, take hold, get wise to.
LATE WATCH (N) – the early hours of the morning.
LATER – Good-bye.
LAY ON – to give.
LAY YOUR RACKET (V) – to jive, to sell an idea, to promote a proposition.
LET ME CLUE YA – I’ll tell you all about it.
LICKING THE CHOPS (V) – see frisking the whiskers.
LICKS (N) – hot musical phrases.
LIKE – That is… a filler, an intensifier, an adjective unless used otherwise.
Ex. – “Like we was up in this freak‘s pad, and she came off real lame, because we didn’t dig the TV, you know? She got hacked because we told her, like, that it interfered with our introspectuion,man - a real gas like.”
LIP (N) – attorney, Ex. – “ Talk to my lip.”
LINE MY WIG – give me something to think about.
LIVING LARGE (ADJ) – doing well.
LOCKED UP – to acquire something exclusively.
Ex. – “He’s got that chick locked up.” “I’m going to lock up that deal.”
M
MAIN KICK (N) – the stage.
MAKE THE SCENE (V) – to participate in the Beat life.
MAKE TIME WITH THE RHYME – read poetry.
MAKING A DEPOSIT (IN THE BANK) – going to the bathroom. ( the bank=the toilet)
MAN (N) – an honorific term of address.
MANIC PANIC (ADJ) – a thrill that moves you.
MELLOW (ADJ) – all right, fine.
Ex. – “That’s mellow, Jack.”
MESS ‘EM UP – good luck.
MUGGIN’ (V) – makin’ ‘em laugh, putting on the jive.
muggin’ lightly (light staccato swing)
muggin’ heavy (heavy staccato swing)
MURDER (N) – something excellent or terrific.
Ex. ¬ “Is it murder? Yes, it’s murder!”
N
NAYO (ADJ) – wrong.
NICKEL NOTE (N) – five dollar bill.
NIX OUT (V) – to eliminate, get rid of.
Ex. – “I nixed my garments.” (undressed)
NOD (N) – sleep. Ex. – “I think I’ll cop a nod.”
NOT! – what I just said is obviously not true.
NOWHERE (ADJ) – insignificant, broke.
O
OFF TIME JIVE (N) – a sorry excuse, saying the wrong thing.
OFF THE COB (ADJ) – corny, out of date.
ON A MISSION – looking for something.
ON THE REAL – truly.
ONLIEST (ADJ) – the one and the only.
OUT OF THIS WORLD (ADJ) – a perfect rendition.
OUT OF IT – oblivious.
OW – an exclamation with varied meaning. When a beautiful chick passes by, it’s “Ow!” and when someone pulls an awful pun, it also is “Ow!”
P
PAD (N) – bed, apartment, home.
PINKIE (N) – a white person who acts black.
PLASTIC (ADJ) – less than genuine.
PLAY (N) – thing to do, program of action, the order of the day, situation.
Ex. – “Don’t play me that way.”
PUT ME WISE – set me straight, tellme the facts.
PUT DOWN (V) – to disparage.
Q
QUEEN (N) – a beautiful girl.
R
RAG (V) – to complain.
RADIOACTIVE (ADJ) – very popular, all over the place.
RAZZ (V) – to make fun of.
READY (ADJ) – 100 per cent in every way.
Ex. – “That fried chicken was ready.”
THE REAL – the truth.
REAL GONE (ADJ) – madly in love.
REALLY! – an exclamation of agreement.
RIDE (V) – to swing, to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing.
Ex. – “ give it a ride.”
RIFF (N) – hot lick, a musical phrase.
RIGHTEOUS (ADJ) – splendid, okay, very good.
Ex. – “That was a righteous queen I dug you with last black.”
RINKY DINK (ADJ) – broken down.
ROACH (N) – the butt of a partially smoked reefer cigaret.
ROCK ME (V) – send me, kill me, move me with rhythm.
RUN WITH (ADJ) – associate with.
RUSH (N) – a sudden sense of euphoria or excitement.
S
SCENE (N) – a place where something is happening.
SCORE (V) – to buy.
SCUMPTEEN (ADJ) – a lot of.
SEE YA – what you just said makes me want to leave.
SEND (V) – give you a good feeling, to excite or thrill.
SHADES (N) – sunglasses.
SHIM-SHAM-SHIMMY (N) – a rhythm to the way a girl walks.
SHY (V) – to avoid on purpose.
SKIN IT – slap my hand.
SKIN-TICKLER (N) – drummer.
SKY PILOT (N) – preacher.
SLAVE (V) – to work, whether arduous labor or not.
SLEEP ON (V) – to ignore.
SO HELP ME – it’s the truth, that’s fact.
SOLID (N) – a favor.
SLIP ME (V) – give me.
SPLIT (SPLITSVILLE) – to leave.
SQUARE (N) – an unhip person. (see icky and jeff)
Ex. – “ a square from Delaware.” ( see L-7)
SQUARESVILLE – the mythical place squars come from.
STATIC (N) – criticism.
STICK ME WITH A FORK…I THINK I’M DONE. - good-bye.
SUCK (V) – to be utterly inadequate, objectionable, or indesireable.
T
TAKE A PICTURE – stop staring at me.
TAKE IT SLOW (V) – be careful.
TAKE OFF (V) – playing a solo.
TAKE THE L-TRAIN (V) – to lose at something.
THING (N) – a way of life.
THREADS (N) – clothes.
TICK (N) – minutes, moments, a clock. Ex. – “I’ll dig you in a few ticks.” Also ticks are doubled in accounting time just as money is doubled in giving “line.” Ex. – “I finaled to the pad this early bright at tick twenty.” (I got to bed this morning at ten o’clock.)
TIGHT (ADJ) – close, intimate.
TIGHTEN YOUR WIG – get high.
TOO MUCH (ADJ) – term of highest praise.
Ex. “You are too much.”
TRUCK (V) – to go somewhere. Ex. – “T think I’ll truck on down to the ginmill (bar).”
TRUCKING (N) – moving along, persevering.
TWENTY-FOUR AND SEVEN – to be attentive 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
TWISTER TO THE SLAMMER (N) – the key to the door.
TWO CENTS (N) – two dollars.
TURN ON (V) – to introduce someone to something that one likes.
U
UNGLUED (ADJ) – out of control, angry.
UNHIP (ADJ) – not wise to the jive, an icky, a jeff, a square.
UNREAL (ADJ) – dreamlike.
V
VIBES (N) – instinctive sensations, cosmic realities, street smarts.
VIRTUAL (ADJ) – not quite real.
W
WHATEVER – while I may not agree with what youjust said, I do not choose to waste my time arguing with you about it just now.
WHAT’S HAPPENING? – Hello.
WHAT’S YOUR DAMAGE? – what’s your problem?
WIG (N) – the mind.
WIG-TRIG (N) – idea.
WHAT’S YOUR STORY? – what do you want, what do you have to say for yourself, how are tricks, or what excuse can you offer. Ex. – “I don’t know what his story is.”
WRONG RIFF – saying or doing the wrong thing.
Ex. – “You’re coming up on the wrong riff.”
Y
YEAH, MAN – an exclamation of assent.
YOUR WATERS ON AND IT’S BEGINNING TO BOIL – your in trouble.
Z
ZOO (N) – any crowded or confused situation
Posted by photocartoonist at October 7, 2005 10:17 PM