Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 5

It’s time for another deep dive into the meaning and origin of words that made their way into modern lingo by way of the Wild West. Many of these phrases hail from even earlier times, which goes to show how intimately we’re connected with people from past eras. This is part of an ongoing blog series. You can read the articles in any order, but if you’d like to approach them sequentially, start with Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 1. 

By the Skin of Your Teeth

This expression describes escape from peril in the nick of time or by a narrow margin.

Historical Reference: The term was copied into the King James Bible in 1611. In the Book of Job, Chapter 19, verses 18-20, we find the following lament: “Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth” Job, Chapter 19, verses 18–20 KJV.

Job was a man whose devotion to God was severely tested. Although tempted, even encouraged, to curse God in the midst of his trials, he held firm in his faith. God watched over Job and delivered him from his sufferings.

The Biblical phrase is directly translated from the original Hebrew, which explains the curious wording that has baffled Biblical scholars for centuries. Teeth don’t have skin, which leaves the meaning up to interpretation. Some wonder if the ‘skin of Job's teeth’ were his lips, while others believe the gums are meant. Modern thinking is that Job’s meaning parallels the way we use this saying today. He had a narrow escape and knew it.

Example: That jaywalker escaped being hit by a car by the skin of his teeth.

Whole Kit and Caboodle

This phrase, dating from the mid-19th-century, is a substitute for ‘everything. ‘Kit’ was a slang term for an outfit or collection in 18th-century England. The word probably came from the Middle Dutch ‘kitte’—a cask or tub comprised of wooden staves. We use this meaning for 'kit' today. We might put together a sewing kit, a first-aid kit, or a shoeshine kit, for example. ‘Caboodle’ derived from ‘boodle,’ an American slang term that originated in 1833. The meaning of ‘boodle’ shifted from ‘a crowd of people or pack of items to ‘money’ (especially purloined money) later in the century. This word may come to us courtesy of the Dutch ‘boedel,’ meaning ‘money or possessions.’ There may be a connection between ‘boodle’ in its original sense and ‘bundle.’

Historical Reference: A variety of similar phrases existed at the beginning of the nineteenth century. 'Whole kit and cargo,' 'whole bilin’' (boiling), and 'whole kit' are some of these. 'The whole kit,' probably the earliest form, is recorded in Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue in 1785.

Example: They lost everything they owned in the fire – the whole kit and caboodle.

In Cahoots

Being ‘in cahoots’ with means to enter into a partnership or band together with others to accomplish something that may or may not be nefarious.

Historical Reference: 'Cahoots' appeared in English literature of the early nineteenth century. It may have derived from the French 'cahute,' or ‘cabin’ and navigated to England via the Scots. Another theory is that it came from the French 'cohorte' or from an English slang form of ‘cohort’ which meant an accomplice.

The first appearance in America of this phrase occurs in Chronicles of Pineville, a collection of sketches of Georgia by William T. Thompson: It contained this sentence: “I wouldn’t swar he wasn’t in cahoot with the devil.”

Example: My mother and grandmother were in cahoots to find me a husband.

Note from Janalyn: I hope you find the glimpse into the Wild West and other eras that words provide. Join me again next month for a new adventure into the history of words.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. Known for her vivid writing, this multi-faceted author writes in the western historical romance, medieval epic fantasy, and romantic suspense genres.

Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, she loves to garden and explore the great outdoors with her family.

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and her books.

New Release!

Purchase at Amazon

Can a young widow with no faith in love, hope for a future with the man who broke her heart?

Maisey isn’t about to give Rob another chance to reject her love. Why should she believe that the man who left town without a backward glance three years ago cares about her? Life had taught her all about broken dreams, and she didn’t want to hope again. If only her young daughter would stop adopting Rob as a father, ignoring him—and her own emotions--would be a whole lot easier.

Thoughts of the woman he’d left behind haunted Rob for three long years. It wouldn’t have been fair to ask Maisey to wait while he mined a gold claim. After making his fortune, he has returned to his family in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Rob is ready to settle down, and he’d rather do so with Maisey. But after their first encounter, it is clear that he’s lost her forever.

Circumstances force Maisey and Rob into one another’s company. They learn, through hardship and loss, that the only way to one another is to surrender first to God’s love.

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, The Forever Sky explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 1

You wouldn’t be reading this blog if you didn’t love books and history. I suspect that, like me, you are also fascinated with the meaning and usage of words. I find the topic as heady as the aroma of a new book. Add in the element of history, and my imagination takes wings. The dishes in the sink can wait. I’m busy learning. 

I thought you would enjoy discovering common sayings from the Wild West era that remain in the vernacular today. There are so many of them that I have to divide this topic into several posts. Revisit this blog on the 20th of upcoming months, and you’ll find a new installment. It's going to take a while to make my way through my list. 

This article is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

Wild West Sayings We Use Today  

Part 1

Ace in the Hole: I’m familiar with this term, although I can’t recall ever using it. The phrase began with the poker practice of keeping an ace face-down until it can be played to win. The context has widened over time, with the poker connection lessening. Today, the phrase means holding an advantage in reserve until it is needed.

Historical Reference: “A writer for the June 1886 edition of Iowa’s The Humeston New Era described a poker game using the term,” according to WritingExplained.org.

Example: When it came to beating speeding tickets, Amelia’s charm was her ace in the hole.

A Lick and a Promise: My mother used this term whenever she spritzed the house but didn’t have time to clean deeply. This idiom describes rushing through a task without doing a thorough job. The phrase originally referred to cleaning. An outdated definition of ‘lick’ was to clean rapidly. The ‘promise’ most likely spoke of the cleaner’s intent to do a better job at a later date. The idiom evolved to include other duties besides cleaning.

Historical Reference: The Phrase Finder identifies the term as colloquial (British) English and states that it first appeared in a March 1848 edition of the English newspaper, The Era.

Example: Cecilia gave her computer screen a lick and a promise by swiping it with a tissue.

Apple Pie Order: Is it just me, or does this expression make you hungry too?

This intriguing phrase describes something in perfect order. We know that it originated in Britain, but we really don’t understand how it came about. Some believe it is a corruption of the French 'nappes pliees' (neatly folded napkins), but other theories abound.

Historical Reference: The first known occurrence of this term was a note in Sir Thomas Pasley's ‘Private Sea Journals,’ an admiral and British naval hero. The entry appeared in the weekly plan for his ships’ crews: “And their Persons Clean and in apple-Pie order on Sundays.” The date was 1780, according to The Phrase Finder.

Example: No matter how much of a mess it became, Grandma’s kitchen always ended the day in apple-pie order.

At Sea: Since I’m writing the Montana Gold series, set far from the ocean, I

have trouble wrapping my mind around this as a Wild West term. However, it appears in several lists of idioms from the era. Collins English Dictionary shows an interesting graph indicating use of the term peaked in 1812 and remained high until after 1977, when it began to decline. Inception of the saying is British and dates to the 1700’s or possibly earlier. You may have already guessed its connection to the early days of nautical navigation, when ships could become hopelessly lost when they sailed beyond sight of land. As might be imagined, it defines a bewildered state of confusion.

Historical Reference: The earliest reference in literature occurred in 1893 by British adventurer Frederick C. Selous, according to The Idioms dictionary.

Example: I must confess to being at sea over what to do.

Save your bacon: Now, bacon isn’t hard to attach to the American West. It was, after all, a staple in pioneer cook pots. That is probably not what the phrase describes, however. In medieval times, ‘bacon’ meant ‘meat’ or flesh. When someone saves your bacon, they save your body. If you are not familiar with this term, you will no doubt have guessed that it describes rescue from a dire situation with life-threatening consequences. There are many suggestions for how this expression was birthed. One idea is that it derived from ‘Baec,’ a Old Dutch and Anglo Saxon word for ‘back.’
Historical Reference: Use of the term harkens to the 17th century. The Phrase Finder places it in Ireland's Momus Elenticus from 1654: "Some fellowes there were... To save their bacon penn'd many a smooth song."

Example: My father saved my bacon when he shot that cougar before it could jump on me.

Note from Janalyn: I hope you’ve enjoyed this window into the Wild West and other eras through the words that unite us with those who lived in an earlier time. Come back next month for another word adventure.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. Known for her vivid writing, this multi-faceted author writes in the western historical romance, medieval epic fantasy, and romantic suspense genres.

Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, she loves to garden and explore the great outdoors with her family.

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and her books.

Tidbits from 19th Century Words

Generally I share tidbits based on locations today I'd like to do something a little different. Recently I reposted a list from chapters of a book of Americanisms or what might be referred to as slang. Today I'd like to share some of these words and their meanings from the 1848 Americanisms by John Bartlett

AHEAD. Originally a sea-term. Farther onward than another. —Johnson.
This word has now become very common, and signifies forward, in advance.
Our banks, being anxious to make money for their stockholders, are probably right to drive ahead, regardless of consequences, &c.—JV. Y. Com. Adv. Nov. 29,1845.

Bellowstop. "When egg was beaten in it [flip], it was called bellowstop; partly, perhaps, from its superior quality and partly from the greater quantity of white froth that swelled to the top of it."—Joel Parker, Centennial Address, 1873.

This next one is kinda fun since it's the same word with two different meanings. However when I was researching my book 19th Century Carriages & Wagons I discovered that the wagon was labeled that way because of the lady's hat.
CALASH. (Fr. cale‘che.) A two-wheeled carriage, resembling a chaise, used in Canada.
CALASH. A covering for the head, usually worn by ladies to protect their head-dresses when going to evening parties, the theatre, etc.

DAB, or DABSTER. One who is expert in anything; a proficient. A vulgar colloquialism in England and America.
One writer excels at a plan, or title-page ; another works away at the
body of the book; and the third is a dab at an index—Goldsmith.
He’s sich a dabster at a plough,
Few match’d him high or fan—Essex Dialect Poems.

Most people would tend to think this one is more modern but it's not.
ELBOW-GREASE. Persevering exercise of the arms, exciting perspiration ; hard rubbing—Glossaries of Brockett and Carr.
These were the manners, these the ways,
In good Queen Bess’s golden days ;
Each damsel owed her bloom and glee
To wholesale elbow-grease and me.—Smart, Fable 5.

Here's one that when I was growing up had a very different meaning.
FAGGED OUT. Fatigued; worn out.

This makes sense but something I haven't seen before.
GAL-BOY. In New England, a romping girl; called also a tom-boy.

HANGER-ON. A dependant; one who eats and drinks without payment.—Johnson.
They all excused themselves save two, which two he reckoned bis friends, and all the rest hangers-on.—L'Estrange.

Here's a fun one for us writers to read:
ILLY. A word occasionally used by writers of an inferior class, who do not seem to perceive that ill is itself an adverb, without the termination ly.

Obviously I could go on and on however, I'll simply post a link to the index from my blog. Americanisms or American Slang


Lynn A. Coleman is an award winning & best-selling author who makes her home in Keystone Heights, Florida, with her husband of 40 years. Lynn's newest novel "The Shepherd's Betrothal" is the third book in her Historical St. Augustine, FL. series.
Check out her 19th Century Historical Tidbits Blog if you like exploring different tidbits of history.

American Slang

by Linda Farmer Harris

Slang and clichés fascinate me. My dad's advice was, "Say what you mean and mean what you say." Slang drove him crazy.

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, clichés are words and phrases that are used so often that they are no longer original or interesting. For example, over the hill, the calm before the storm, or back against the wall. As writers, we avoid them like the plague.

What's your favorite cliché? What phrase(s) do you find yourself relying on to communicate with friends and family?

Slang "are words that are not considered part of the standard vocabulary of a language and that are used very informally in speech especially by a particular group of people." Not to be confused with idioms, jargon, and euphemisms.

Slang words show the attitudes of folks who use them. They can appear as a new word, new meaning for an existing word, word that are said a particular way, but are not dialect based, and/or compounded words. The words are not dialect, graffiti, secret codes, or catch phrases.

It has been reported that by the 18th century that the differences between English speaking countries and America prompted the evolution of slang. Writers began using slang in the 1900s. Slang was originally thought to be the language of the uneducated, criminals, and foreigners.

Sit in a large bookstore, or stand in a long grocery line for very long and you'll probably hear a lot contemporary slang or regional clichés in quite a few conversations.

The first time I was asked if I wanted a "pop" I said I had one, but would really like a Coke. My aunt still kids me about that one.

What slang word threw you for a loop the first time you heard it? Was it old slang or new?

Writing historical fiction adds its own need for making sure word and phrase usage is authentic, true to the period. A few years back, I read a novel set in 1850. The premise was intriguing, the characters likable from the first page. However, the promise of a great read was shattered when the villain used 1940 gangster movie lingo.


I recently completed content editing for a local writer. Her novel is set in 1977, Archuleta County, Colorado. One of her characters, Star, is a gum-smacking rebellious teenager. Star's vocabulary is spiked with contemporary lingo. Since I remember that decade, I marked, but didn't immediately check the slang Star used.

Before the editing was finished, I double-checked the slang. Several were in the online 1970's lists, but closer investigation revealed that they were not in use before 1977. Star couldn't use them. So the writer opted for "older than dirt; diddly-squat; head honcho; get so hyper; get on your pony and ride; all show and no go; lock, stock, and barrel.

One online website I visited was the Historical Dictionary of American Slang at http://www.alphadictionary.com/slang/

When I have some free time, I'm going back to explore A Glossary of Quaint Southernisms at http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/southernese.html.

Well, I was staying on task, focused on 1977 slang, foregoing electronic forays into Southernisms, Yankees vs. Rebels, Cowboys vs. Dudes, when I came upon -
http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/generation_test.html - Slinging Slang from the Flappers to the Rappers: The alphaDictionary Slang Generation Checkup. 

The twenty multiple-choice questions didn't take but a few minutes, but the results were enlightening. I'm definitely a slang product of my high school era, four-plus decades later!

As we know, never hitch your research on one source - online or in print. It was time to pull out the big guns.
• Partridge's Concise Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English edited by Paul Beale; 
• Bring Home the Bacon & Cutting the Mustard by Castle Books; 
• Heavens to Betsy & Other Curious Savings by Charles Earle Funk;
• Dunces, Gourmand & Petticoats by Adrian Room;
• The Cat's Pajamas: A Fabulous Fictionary of Familiar Phrases

I came across a few interesting nuggets — 
• since 1897 "bad" has been used to mean "good"
• "dude" to mean "guy" first appeared in the 1870's.

Texting is changing our current slang, too. We've abbreviated words and phrases, and even speak the letters. For example: YSVW—You're So Very Welcome; DBA—Don't Bother Asking; VBD—Very Big Deal; CUL—See You Later; PAW—Parents are Watching.

It won't be long before our computer keyboards will have text shortcuts built in.

In the novel you're currently reading, what slang or clichés has the author used?

Blessings,

I was introduced to CB slang by my brother, Jonathan. He became interested in the CB radio culture in high school. He had his "handle" and we'd listen for hours to the trucker transmissions. It was an easy slip over into being fascinated with slang and use cowboy slang in my Western novels.

Lin and her husband, Jerry, live on a hay and cattle ranch in Chimney Rock, Colorado.