Slang & Sayings

Below is an extensive list of words, phrases, and sayings used around the Commonwealth. Most of these come directly from the 1920s or are variations on those same terms. Regardless of their origin, the intent is to provide players and the Mastermind with a common vernacular to further help with immersion into the world of Zephyr - Tales from the Void.
While the list is not exhaustive and there are certainly other dialects and languages around the world, this will, hopefully give you an idea of how people communicate in the Age of Wonder.

A

Ankle: To walk. (e.g. "You better ankle away, brov.")
Ap: Apiom or elemental water

B

Babe: An attractive person
Baby: A person; term of endearment
Baloney: Nonsense; not to be believed
Batch of dough: A stash of notes or treasure
Beaker: Nose
Beef: Problem
Bee’s knees: An extraordinary or memorable person, place, or thing
Behind the eight ball: In a difficult position; tough to overcome
Bent shaws: Stolen vehicles
Beyond the Void: To be high
Big cheese, Big shot: The boss; an influential person
Big house: Jail
Big one: Death (e.g. "He bit the big one.")
Bim: A female or of the female persuasion
Bit: Prison sentence
Blip off: To kill
Blow: Leave (e.g. "Let's blow this popsicle stand!")
Blower: Someone who will not stop talking
Bluenose: A prude or too proper
Bo: Boyfriend or male friend; pal, buster, fellow
Boiler: An eengine or vehicle with an elemental engine
Bop off: To kill
Box: A safe or strongbox
Box job: A safecracking; theft
Brace (v.): Grab, shake up
Bracelets: Handcuffs
Breeze: To leave, breeze off; get lost
Broad: Woman
Brov: A close, personal friend
Bruno: A tough, enforcer
Bucket: A vehicle that is old and/or in need of repair
Bulge: The advantage
disparate Bulls: Plainclothes aeroship constables
Bum’s rush: To be kicked out (e.g. "she got the bum's rush")
Bump: Kill; usually a paid murder (also: bump off)
Bump gums: Chats that have no direction or meaning
Burn down: Kill someone
Burn powder: Using a firearm; refers to a time when most guns used gunpowder and ball
Bus: In slang, "a large vehicle"; also means a form of public transportation
Button: Someone's nose or chin (e.g. "He took that one right on the button!")
Buttons: Usually local constables; also could include Graycaps (or the Commonwealth police)
Butts: Cigarettes
Buzz: To visit, usually unexpectedly
Buzzer: A badge or proof of government service; a get-out-of-jail-free card

C

Cabbage: Money; Notes rolled into a ball
Caboose: Jail; referring to the end of a train where unruly passengers are held
Cake-eater: Someone who has a way with flirting
Call the copper: Be an informer; inform the constables
Can: Prison; more severe than jail
Can house: A house of ill-repute
Can-opener: A basic burglar; inexperienced or no street cred
Canary: A prolific or well-known singer
Carrying a torch: Dealing with unreturned love
Cat: Usually a suspicious person; also a common term of endearment
Cat’s meow: Something in style or wonderful in appearance
Cat’s pajamas: Term of endearment (e.g. "You're the cat's pajamas" meaning, "You are amazing!")
Chatter: A slate or communication device
Cheaters: Sunglasses
Cheddar: The financier or person with the bankroll; also could be an unwitting person who comes to town to blow a big wad in nightclubs (also: Butter and Cheddar; or just BC)
Cheese it: Put things away; hide. Also: Cheese this
Chick: Someone of gentle disposition
Chilled off: Killed; also: literally killed by an ice-based spell or weapon
Chin music: Punch on the jaw
Chinning: Idle talking or "chit chat"
Chippy: Someone who sleeps around; is of "easy virtue"
Chisel: To swindle or cheat
Chiv: Knife; also a handmade stabbing or cutting weapon
Choppers: A group with automatic weapons; usually a group that has used them in an ambush
Chump: Person marked for a con or a gullible person
Clammed: Close-mouthed (clammed up)
Clean break: An escape with no clues left behind
Clip joint: A location (usually a bar or speakeasy) where prices are marked up very high to swindle rich customers
Close your face: Shut up; stop talking
Clout: A clumsy thief
Clubhouse: Constable station; a place where constables gather
Con: Confidence game, swindle
Cool: Knock it off (e.g. "Cool it!")
Cooler: Local jail; usually referred to when someone is just expected to be in jail overnight
Cop: Short for "copper piece"; 1/100th of a Commonwealth note
Copacetic: Everything has calmed down after an argument or fight
Copper: A local constable (not a Commonwealth Graycap referring to the copper-colored badges of the Rynmark constable corps
Corn: "Corn liquor" or bourbon; while made elsewhere across Eryphir, bourbon is famously from the Kingdom of Aerengia
Crab: Figure it out (e.g. "You better crab that right now or we're done for!")
Croak: To die; generally of natural causes
Croaker: A physician or someone who is responsible for hospice services
Crush: Infatuated with someone or something
Cut down: Killed

D

Daisy: Often referring to fey; derogatory in most cases
Dame: A high-class person of the female persuasion
Dance: To be hanged; also "Do the dance"
Dangle: Let someone continue to struggle without helping them
Darb: An excellent person or thing; also Darby
Deck: A pack of smokes or cigarettes
Dib: Share of the money or profits; also "dibs"
Dick: Detective. Usually a privateer and not working directly for the constabulary; also "Private Dick"
Dingus: A random thing. A term for something when the name is unknown; also derogatory about a person when they are making no sense
Dip: A sleight of hands artist; usually someone who is not skilled
Dip the bill: Have a drink
Dish: A pretty person. (e.g. "They're quite the dish!")
Dive: A cheap or seedy establishment. A place only locals usually frequent
Dogs: A person's feet. (e.g. "My dogs are tired!")
Dope fiend: Someone addicted to illicit drugs
Dope peddler: Usually a criminal drug dealer; but can also refer to a physician who readily hands out drugs as treatment
Dough: Notes; money
Drift: To take a trip; usually in a ground-based vehicle
Drill: To shoot someone or something
Droppers: Assassins for hire
Drum: Speakeasy
Dry-gulch: A town or village; usually a backwater with no aethergy or tech
Duck soup: Easy, a piece of cake
Dumb Dora: A silly or stupid person
Dummerer: Someone who pretends to be slow so as to gain favors and help from other; to take advantage of others
Dump: Roadhouse, club; or more generally, any place
Dust out: Leave, depart

E

Egg: A smart person or even a scientist
Elephant ears: Constable informers

F

Fade: To get away; particularly from the constables
Fade Out: Get lost; go away!
Fairy Dust: Aether; usually elemental motes of aether
Fakeloo artist: Con man
Fella: A male
Fin: 5n. (notes)
Finder: Someone who finds jobs; is known to have work
Finger/put the finger on: Identify
Finner: Male counterpart to a flapper
Flapper: A stylish, brash young female
Flat Tire: A dull-witted or disappointing date
Flattie: Flatfoot, constable
Flimflam: Swindle
Flippers: Hands
Flogger: Overcoat
Flop: Go to bed or fallen through, not worked out
Flophouse: A cheap transient hotel where lots of people sleep in large rooms
Fog: A shoot out; poor vision
Frau: Wife
Fuzz: Constable

G

Gal: A female
Gams: A woman’s legs
Gasper: Cigarettes or other smokable narcotics
Gat: Gun
Get sore: Get mad
Getaway sticks: Legs
Giggle juice: Liquor
Giggle water: Liquor
Gin mill: Bar
Glad rags: Fancy clothes
Glaum: Steal
Goofy: Crazy
Goog: Black eye
Goon: Thug
Gooseberry lay: Stealing clothes from a clothesline
Grab air: Put your hands in the air; (e.g. "Grab a little air, fella.")
Graft: Con jobs or cut of the take
Grand: 1,000 notes
Grift: Confidence game, swindle
Grifter: Con man
Grilled: Questioned
Gumshoe: Detective
Gumshoeing: Detective work
Gun for: Look for; to be after (e.g. "She's really gunning for you, Patsy!")
Guns: Hired help; mercs
Guy: Referring to a person of any persuasion

H

Hack: Someone who claims to be a professional, but is clearly unskilled or incompetent
Half: 50 cops; half a note
Hard: Tough person; usually referring to the difficulty of their life
Hash house: A cheap restaurant
Hatchet men: Killers, gunmen
Have the bees: To be rich
Head doctors: Aetherists; specifically psychics who can peer into people's minds
Heap: A wag; usually one that is in bad shape
Heat: The law; often in the case of Commonwealth Graycaps
Heater: Gun
Heebie-jeebies: The jitters; unsettling feeling
Heeled: To be stripped of weapons
High-hat: To snub; particularly when the rich snub the poor
High pillow: Person at the top, in charge
Highbinders: Corrupt politician or lawyers
Hinky: Suspicious
Hitting Five by Five: In good shape, going well; also just "Five by five" or "loud and clear".
Hock shop: Pawnshop
Hogs: Velocitors; usually in reference to a velo-gang
Hooch: Liquor
Hood: Criminal
Hoofer: Dancer
Horn: Any communication device, such as a slate or lant
Hot: Stolen
Hotsy-totsy: Pleasing
House dick: House/hotel detective
House peeper: House/hotel detective

I

Ice: Diamonds
Ing-bing (as in to throw an): A fit
I/O: Ionia; usually elemental motes of ionia (e.g. "Did you score any i/o?")
Iron: Heavy weapons

J

Jack: Money
Jam: Trouble, a tight spot
Jane: A female
Java: Coffee
Jaw: Talk
Jingle-brained: Addled
Jobbie: An everyday person with a day job
Joe: Coffee, as in “a cup of joe.”
Johns: People who frequent brothels
Joint: Place, as in “my joint.”
Jude brother: Criminal
Juice: Interest; usually on a bad loan from organized crime
Jug: Jail
Jump (the): A hanging
Jyp: To cheat someone

K

Keen: Attractive or appealing
Kick off: Die
Kiss: To punch
Kisser: Mouth
Kitten: A female
Knock off: Kill

L

Lammed off: Ran away, escaped
Large: 1,000n; twenty large would be 20,000 Notes
Law (the): The police
Lead (“fill ya full of lead”): To be shot; referring to a time when bullets were widely used in firearms
Lettuce: Folding money; notes
Lid: Hat
Line: Insincere compliments
Lip: Legal counsel
Looker: A pretty person
Look-out: The person who stays outside and looks for trouble
Lounge lizard: A real charmer; someone who is good at picking up people at a bar
Lousy with: To have lots of

M

Mac: A male
Made: Recognized or spotted
Main drag: The primary or original street in a town or city
Map: Face
Marbles: Pearls
Mark: A victim of swindle or fixed game
Maroon: Person marked for a con or a gullible person
Meat wagon: Ambulance
Mickey Finn: A drink drugged with knock-out poison; also just "mickey"
Middleton: Someone who is works in low- to middle-management. It is particularly true of those who have likely peaked in their careers. 

Mill: Typewriter
Mitt: Hand
Mob: Gang; usually organized crime
Moll: A person who is in a steady relationship with another; (e.g. "He's my moll." pronounced like "doll"
Moniker: Name; usually a fake or alternate name
Mouthpiece: Legal representation; a lawyer
Mover: Someone who is of high class and high society. Someone who can get things done. 

Mugs: Males; usually derogatory

N

Nailed: Caught by the constabulary
Newshawk: Reporter
Newsie: News vendor
Nibble one: To have a drink
Nicked: Stole
Nippers: Handcuffs
Nofre gas: Deadly poison gas
Nofre sunset: Some sort of fatal injury caused by a knife
Noodle: Head
Nugget: Head
Number: A person; particularly those who are just working day to day for syndicates or merch

O

Off the track: Said about a person who becomes insanely violent
Op: A job or task
Orphan paper: A bad deal
Out on the roof: To drink a lot, to be drunk
Oyster fruit: Pearls

P

Packing heat: Carrying a gun
Pal: Usually a male; but can refer to anyone
Palooka: A person; probably not very smart
Pan: Face
Paste: Punch
Patsy: Person who is set up to take the fall for a crime
Paw: Hand
Peaching: Informing; usually to a syndicate or organized crime
Pea-shooter: Gun or firearm
Peeper: Detective
Peepers: Eyes
Peterman: Safecracker who uses explosives
Phil: Phlogiston; usually elemental motes of phlogiston
Piece: Gun
Pigeon: Someone who sits around outside all day doing nothing
Pinch: An arrest, capture
Pins: Legs
Pipe: See or notice
Pipes: Throat
Plant: Someone sent to infiltrate another organization
Plug: Shoot
Plugs: People
Poke: The reward or payment
Pooped: Killed
Pop: Kill
Pro belt: Prostitute; male or female
Puffing: Mugging
Pug: Pugilist, boxer; (pronounced "pug", like the dog)
Pump: Heart
Pump metal: Shoot bullets
Punk: Hood, jerk
Pushover: A person easily convinced of something
Puss: Face
Put down: Drink; usually fast or a lot
Put the screws on: Roughly question; interrogate

Q

Qiry: Someone who survived the cog tragedy at Qir; someone very lucky
Quitter: A person who has left their life as an agent or professional; usually on bad terms

R

Rags: Clothes
Ranked: Observed, watched, evaluated
Rap: Criminal charge
Rat: Inform
Rate: To be good or important
Rats and mice: The guards or security at a location
Rattler: A train
Red-light: To eject from a car or a train
Redhot: Some sort of criminal
Rhino: Money
Ringers: Fakes
Ritzy: Elegant; gaudy and expensive
Rod: Gun
Rube: Bumpkin, easy mark
Rumble (the): News; (e.g. "What's the rumble?")

S

Sap: A dumb person
Sap out: Getting hit with a sap
Savvy: “Get me? Understand?”
Sawbuck: A 10n bill (a double sawbuck is a 20n bill)
Schnozzle: Nose
Scram out: Leave
Scratch: Money
Scratcher: Forger
Seaside lightning: A fire fight
Seaside overcoat: Coffin; usually in reference to someone who was killed by gangsters (organized crime)
See daylight: Put a hole in someone or something; also just "daylight"
Sharper: A swindler or sneaky person
Sheba: A female with sex appeal
Sheik: A male with sex appeal
Shells: Large caliber rounds; usually artillery
Shiv: Knife
Shylock: Loanshark
Shyster: Someone good with their words; usually a legal person
Silf: Sulphuriom; usually elemental motes of sulphuriom
Sing: Make a confession
Sister: A female
Skate around: To be of easy virtue
Skid: An informant or source who can’t be trusted
Skirt: Female
Slant (get a): Take a look
Sleuth: Detective
Slug: To knock unconscious
Smoked: Drunk
Snap a cap: Shout
Snatch: Kidnap
Sneeze: Scoff at
Snitch: An informer, or to inform
Snooper: Detective
Speakeasy: A bar where illicit deals can be made
Spiffy: Looking elegant
Soak: To pawn
Sock: Punch
Soup: Explosives; usually liquid type
Soup job: To crack a safe using explosives
Spill: Talk, inform
Spitting: Talking
Square: Honest
Squeeze: A companion or steady partner
Step off: Back up; leave
Stiff: A corpse
Sting: Culmination of a con game
Stoolie: Informer; usually a known one
Streeter: Someone who does not have a job, but is smart enough to make ends meet. 
Stuck on: Having a crush on
Sucker: Someone ripe for a grifter’s scam
Sugar: Money
Swanky: Ritzy
Swell: Wonderful
Synner: Someone who slaves away for just enough wages to make a modest living. 

T

Tail: Someone following or shadowing
Take a powder: Excuse oneself
Take on: Eat
Take for a ride: Drive off with someone in order to quietly kill them in a remote location
Take the air: Leave
Take the fall for: Accept punishment for
That’s the crop: That’s all of it
Ticket: Investigator's license
Tiger milk: Some sort of liquor
Tighten the screws: Put pressure on somebody
Tip a few: To have a few drinks
Tomato: A pretty person
Tooting the wrong horn: Asking the wrong person
Torpedoes: Gunmen; particularly in port cities
Trap: Mouth
Trigger: A person whose job is to use a gun
Trouble: Gangers
Twist: A female
Two bits: 25 cops (or copper pieces)

U

Under glass: Held for interrogation

W

Washed: A clean job with no clues; particularly in the Void; Generally when an aetherist cleans the Void of any clues
Weaker: A push-over (e.g. "She's a real weaker.")
Wear iron: Carry a gun
Wise head: A smart person
Wooden robes: A coffin
Worker: A person who seduces another for their money (e.g. “She sizes up as a worker.”)
Wrappers: Fakes; usually something set up to lure thieves
Wrong gee: Not a good person
Wrong number: Not a good person

X

X: 100n (Commonwealth Notes), a pair of Xs = 200n

Y

Ya follow: “Do you understand?”
Yap: Mouth
Yard: 100n
Yegg: Safecracker who can only open cheap and easy safes

Z

Zotzed: Killed

Additional Information
History of Baennor
Species of Baennor
Geography & Maps of Zephyr