13 Slang Terms From the ‘40s and ‘50s That Should Totally Come Back
If sipping on root beer float while a jukebox plays Elvis sounds like a perfect afternoon, then we’ve got something in common. There’s something fun about calling someone a cool cat or asking for some clams, daddy-o!
These slang terms are so slick that we should bring them back. Let’s revisit the days of poodle skirts and muscle cars and bring back these slang terms.
Clams – Money
If you needed to get some cash, you’d tell your friend you need some clams. Today, it’s mostly cash or money, but some call it moola. Clams is so much more colorful. It brings to mind that time when clam shells were used as currency.
Clobbered – Have A Crush On
Crushing on someone has different slang terms. In the movie Bambi, it was twitterpated. In the 90s, teens said they were “into” that person.
Today, teens say a person has rizz. Nothing describes the infatuation stage as the word clobbered.
Ace – Person That Knows Their Stuff
The word ace brings to mind someone at the top of the pack. It’s also the top of the deck of cards (and the card worth the most points in gin rummy).
This is the equivalent of calling someone the alpha or top dog today. Ace just feels slick, with the single-syllable giving a profound punch.
Cooking With Gas – Succeeding
You might still hear people use this phrase today. When someone starts succeeding at something, they might exclaim, “Yes! Now we’re cooking with gas!”
In the 1940s, stoves transitioned from woodburning to gas-powered. Gas stoves were the latest technology, so to do something amazing, they finally started “cooking with gas.”
Cut A Rug – Dance
Dancing is another term that has had a bazillion terms to describe it. Boogie, jive, and groove – it’s all fun if you don’t have two left feet!
Today’s kids call it “get down” or “bust a move,” but let’s bring back cut a rug. Just hearing that phrase brings up images of feet tapping to the beat, jumping, and twirling!
Crumb – Someone Who Is No Fun
Teens today call people that aren’t fun or cool a sigma. Many mean slang terms are out there, and I had a tough time deciding between square and crumb. But out of all of them, crumb seemed gentler.
Would you feel bad being called a crumb? Aren’t the crumbs on the plate from the cheesecake the best part?
Circled – Married
Let’s get circled! This is a word that definitely needs to come back. The word hitched is amusing, but that makes me think of cattle. And “ball and chain” isn’t any better. Being circled is so much more romantic.
Humdinger – Something Extraordinary
The word humdinger is just so much fun to say! Gee, that storm was a real humdinger. That book really got me thinking, what a humdinger of a novel.
There isn’t a modern equivalent that’s as good. Spectacular comes close, and sensational is pretty vivid. But they don’t measure up to this old word.
Dream Boat – Handsome Person
It was mostly used to describe a handsome man, but people used it to describe cute girls, too. The term makes a lot of sense. It would be a dream to take a ride in that boat. You get the picture.
Today’s slang is still fun – hottie, beauty queen, and cutie (pie). But dream boat? It wins.
Eager Beaver – Enthusiastic or Hardworking Person
The way these two words rhyme makes it the next slang we must bring back! An eager beaver is a person who is excited about their tasks and works hard to get them done.
If someone is being annoying with their enthusiasm, today’s teens will call them a “pick me.” But an eager beaver has a much more positive spin.
Gobbledygook – Nonsense
We must bring this one back for sure! It sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book! Gobbledygook is something that doesn’t make sense. Someone might read a user manual and say, “Oh that’s all gobbledygook.”
Today, we say the word gibberish. But that word just doesn’t have enough flair.
Drip – Boring Person
What’s the most annoying sound a sink can make? Drip, drip, drip. This one makes complete sense. If someone is called a drip, you already know what they mean.
Even though modern words like snoozefest are a bit more fun, we should still bring back drip.
Nifty – Cool
Let’s bring back nifty to describe something cool or enjoyable. It’s hard to say this word without a little smile, too. While we’re at it, let’s just bring back the word “gee” with it, too! Then we can say, “Gee, that post about slang words from the 40s and 50s sure was nifty!”