runyonslang - a tot en met g
a | |
all in one piece | still alive |
apple | baseball |
artichoke | purse; pocketbook |
as ever steps in shoe leather | without equal |
b | |
ball | dollar |
winds up back of the fifteen ball | works again foor fifteen dollars a week |
bang | event |
to battle | to frequent |
bay-hay-bee | baby |
bean | human head |
to bean | to hurt |
bear fight | fight at close quarters |
beat | district |
on the beat | on duty |
to beat the chair | to prevent an electrocution at Sing Sing |
to beef | to complain |
beezer | nose |
to belt | to hit |
to bend in an ear | to listen |
Betsy | revolver |
black ink | good money |
bladder | newspaper |
blast | complaint |
to blow one’s bet | to lose the game as the result of a mistake |
to blow one’s topper | to lose one’s head, to go insane |
blow-out | celebration, party |
to blow out | to leave |
boat race | automobile race |
to boff | to beat; hit |
to boost | to praise |
booster | confederate, supporter |
booting | kicking |
to bootleg | to sell illegally |
bowl | arena |
to bowl someone over | to knock someone down |
broad | light woman |
buck | dollar |
bum steer | information that proves erroneous |
burg | village, town, city |
to bust | to strike with the fist |
busted up | raided |
button | the point of the jar |
c | |
by the carat | at a high price |
to carry the torch | to keep on singing |
castor-oil smile | cheerful nod |
catcher’s mitt | heavily padded glove |
cheaters | eyeglasses |
to chew the fat | to make conversation |
to chew the rag | to talk |
to chip in | to contribute; to collect |
to chuck | to throw |
to chuck quite a swell | to act high and mighty |
chump | simpleton |
chump enough | stupid enough |
cinch | certain outcome, easy task |
to clip | to shoot and kill |
close guy | miser, stingy fellow |
cock-eyed | unconscious; crazy |
codger | peculiar person |
collared | arrested |
to come up for air | to take a short rest |
to con | to lure |
convincer | revolver |
to cool off | to kill |
coon’s age | long time |
to cop | to steal |
copper | policeman |
corned | intoxicated |
crack | shot |
crap-shooter | dice-player |
to croak | to die |
croaker | doctor (generally prison doctor) |
to cuss a blue streak | to swear like a trooper |
to jabber a blue streak | to talk volubly |
to cut in | to include |
to cut up didoes | to act in a disorderly manner |
to cut up some | to make nonsense of something |
d | |
daffy | crazy, mad |
to dast | to dare |
deadfall | disreputable wine and beer den |
to deal off the arm | to serve |
dicker | dispute |
to dicker | to bargain, to haggle |
dirty noses | race-horses that lose |
dizzy | crazy |
to do somebody a very signal service | to give somebody satisfaction |
dodge | business |
doll | college slang for girl |
to dope | to tip the winner |
do-re-mi | money |
double saw | a twenty dollar note |
dough | money |
drag | street |
dram | drink |
to drill | to shoot |
drum | low resort |
ducket | ticket |
duck soup | sensation |
duke | hand |
dump | low resort, gathering-place for criminals |
dynamiter at heart | person with radical ideas |
f | |
fadeaway | force |
faded around the edges | worn-out beauty |
to fan | to search |
fast man with a dollar | spendthrift |
fast stick-up job | crime which depends for its success on taking the victim by surprise |
to figure | to be ahead; to be the favourite in a race |
to find the plant | to plan a crime; to discover a “job” |
finger guy | spy, informer |
finnif | five dollar note |
flabbergasted | overwhelmed |
to flag | to stop |
to flatten | to knock out |
flea-bag | cheap hotel |
flivver | automobile |
knee-high to a flivver | very small, insignificant |
flogger | fur coats |
florodora revival | burlesque show |
floor show | where girls do acrobatic dances |
fussy | ill-natured |
g | |
gab | conversation |
gabble | empty talk |
gadget | term used for any appliance, contrivance or device |
gander | look |
gas station | public house |
gas | intoxicating liquor |
gassed | intoxicated |
gee | fellow |
getaway | flight |
to get first search at one | to rob one |
gills | mouth |
ginger extract | liquor, especially whisky |
git-em-up guys | highwaymen |
to give the leather | to kick with the feet |
to give plenty of wind | to dismiss |
to give someone a tumble | to let someone go |
to give the wind | to break off relations |
to go ker-bap | to strike violently |
to go right off one’s kazip | to lose one’s selfcontrol |
going-over | beating |
golden wedding | whiskey |
gone gosling | lost little boy |
good old difference | battle-axe, blassknuckle, or similar weapons |
gorill | hold-up man; gangster |
guff | misleading talk; insincere speach |
guineas | italians |
to gum up | to make a mess |
gunner | bankholder |
guy | fellow; man |
to guzzle | to surprise; to kill |
verder naar h tot en met m |
Slang is Amerikaans bargoens, oftewel taal van de straat of uit de onderwereld. De Amerikaanse schrijver Damoon Runyon doorspekte zijn verhalen met dit soort uitdrukkingen en de Europese uitgeverij Albatross vond het dan ook nodig om voor de Europese lezers een verklarende woordenlijst op te nemen in bovenstaand boek. Voor de Runyon-fan die nu verlekkerd naar de voor hem onbekende titel zit te kijken: het is gewoon Runyon a la carte, met een nieuwe titel…
We hebben uit die verklarende woordenlijst wat opmerkelijke woorden voor je geplukt. Wat onder meer opvalt is dat een aantal van die woorden nu gewoon taalgebruik zijn geworden, en dus eigenlijk helemaal geen ondertiteling meer nodig hebben.
Het boekje is overigens uit 1947.