Hepster Dictionary of Jive

Ofay (n): white person.

Off the cob (adj): corny, out of date.

Off-time jive (n): a sorry excuse, saying the wrong thing.

Orchestration (n): an overcoat.

Out of the world (adj): perfect rendition. Example, "That sax chorus was out of the world."

Ow! (exclamation): has varied meaning. When a beautiful chick passes by, it's "Ow!"; and when someone pulls an awful pun, it's also "Ow!"

Pad (n): bed.

Pecking (n): a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1937.

Peola (n): a light person, almost white.

Pigeon (n): a young girl.

Pops (n): salutation for all males (see gate; Jack).

Pounders (n): policemen.

Queen (n): a beautiful girl.

Rank (v): to lower.

Ready (adj): 100 per cent in every way. Example, "That fried chicken was ready."

Ride (v): to swing, to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing.

Riff (n): hot lick, musical phrase.

Righteous (adj): splendid, okay. Example, "That was a righteous queen I dug you with last black."

Rock me (v): send me, kill me, move me with rhythym.

Ruff (n): quarter, twenty-five cents.

Rug cutter (n): a very good dancer, an active jitterbug.

Sad (adj): very bad. Example, "That was the saddest meal I ever collared."

Sadder than a map (adj): terrible. Example, "That man is sadder than a map."

Salty (adj): angry, ill-tempered.

Sam got you (phrase): you've been drafted into the army.

Send (v): to arouse the emotions. (joyful). Example, "That sends me!"

Set of seven brights (n): one week.

Sharp (adj): neat, smart, tricky. Example, "That hat is sharp as a tack."

Signify (v): to declare yourself, to brag, to boast.

Skins (n): drums.

Skin-beater (n): drummer (see hide-beater).

Sky piece (n): hat.

Slave (v): to work, whether arduous labor or not.

Slide your jib (v): to talk freely.

Snatcher (n): detective.

So help me (phrase): it's the truth, that's a fact.

Solid (adj): great, swell, okay.

Sounded off (v): began a program or conversation.

Spoutin' (v): talking too much.

Square (n): an unhep person (see icky; Jeff).

Stache (v): to file, to hide away, to secrete.

Stand one up (v): to play one cheap, to assume one is a cut-rate.

To be stashed (v): to stand or remain.

Susie-Q (n): a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1936.

Take it slow (v): be careful.

Take off (v): play a solo.

The man (n): the law.

Threads (n): suit, dress or costuem (see drape; dry-goods).

Tick (n): minute, moment. Example, "I'll dig you in a few ticks." Also, ticks are doubled in accounting time, just as money is doubled in giving "line." Example, "I finaled to the pad this early bright at tick twenty" (I got to bed this morning at ten o'clock).

Timber (n): toothipick.

To dribble (v): to stutter. Example, "He talked in dribbles."

Togged to the bricks (phrase): dressed to kill, from head to toe.

Too much (adj): term of highest praise. Example, "You are too much!"

Trickeration (n): struttin' your stuff, muggin' lightly and politely.

Trilly (v): to leave, to depart. Example, "Well, I guess I'll trilly."

Truck (v): to go somewhere. Example, "I think I'll truck on down to the ginmill (bar)."

Trucking (n): a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1933.

Twister to the slammer (n): the key to the door.

Two cents (n): two dollars.

Unhep (adj): not wise to the jive, said of an icky, a Jeff, a square.

Vine (n): a suit of clothes.

V-8 (n): a chick who spurns company, is independent, is not amenable.

What's your story? (query): What do you want? What have you got to say for yourself? How are tricks? What excuse can you offer? Example, "I don't know what his story is."

Whipped up (adj): worn out, exhausted, beat for your everything.

Wren (n): a chick, a queen.

Wrong riff (phrase): the wrong thing said or done. Example, "You're coming up on the wrong riff."

Yarddog (n): uncouth, badly attired, unattractive male or female.

Yeah, man (phrase): an exclamation of assent.

Zoot (adj): exaggerated

Zoot suit (n): the ultimate in clothes. The only totally and truly American civilian suit.