Old West Lifestyle & Stories

Old West Slang

Heard Around the Bunkhouse #9 – Old West Speak

Old West speakIn our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you Western and Old West Speak that they used back in the Wild West. Even we are amazed by the humor and originality they used. Hope you enjoy them, and send us your favorite terms from those past times.

COLD AS A WAGON WHEEL: A person who has been dead for several days.

DEAD MEAL: A corpse.

NOT ONE’S FUNERAL: None of one’s business.

SHOTGUN CHAPS: Leather leggings that encased the whole leg. The looks are similar to a double barreled shotgun.

SHOTGUN HOUSE: A house built with all the rooms in a row.


Heard Around The Bunkhouse #8 – Western Frontier Terms and Sayings

Western frontier terms In our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you Western frontier terms and sayings that they used back in the Old West. Hope you enjoy them, and send us your favorite terms from those past times.

WEARING THE BUSTLE WRONG: A pregnant woman.

BEST BID AND TUCKER: Wearing your best clothes.

GET THE MITTEN: Being rejected by a lover.

BEND AN ELBOW – Have a drink.

BANG UP JOB – First Rate.

PONY UP – Hurry Up.

ROOSTERED – Drunk.

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around The Bunkhouse #7 – Pioneer Terms and Sayings

Pioneer Terms

In our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you pioneer terms and sayings that they used back in the Old West. Hope you enjoy them, and send us your favorite terms from those past times.

PACK –  In the old west nothing was carried.  Whether it was transported on a person or animal, the item was packed.

PACKER- The man in charge of pack animals.

PACK IRON – To carry a pistol.

SURFACE COAL – Buffalo or cow dung fuel.

SWITCHES – Thorny thickets in which cattle can hide.

PULL LEATHER – To hold on to the saddle while riding a pitching horse.

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around the Bunkhouse #6 – Old West Lingo

Old West LingoIn our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you Old West lingo and sayings that they used back in the Old West. Hope you enjoy them, and send us your favorite terms from those past times.

JIG IS UP: The scheme or game is over. We’ve been exposed.

KNOCKED INTO A COCKED HAT: Fouled up or rendered useless

WIND UP: Settle. “Let’s wind up this business and go home.”

WEARING THE BUSTLE WRONG: A pregnant woman.

BEST BID AND TUCKER: Wearing your best clothes.

GET THE MITTEN: Being rejected by a lover.

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around the Bunkhouse #5 – Cowboy Lingo

In our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you cowboy lingo and slang that they used back in the Wild West. Hope you enjoy them, and let us know your favorite terms from those past times.

BEND AN ELBOW – Have a drink.
BANG UP JOB – First Rate
PONY UP – Hurry Up
ROOSTERED – Drunk

Cowboy lingo

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around the Bunkhouse #4 – Cowboy Slang

cowboy slangIn our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you cowboy slang and sayings that they used back in the Wild West. Hope you enjoy them, and let us know your favorite terms from those past times.

OLD STATES – Back east.

PILGRIM – Cowboy term for an easterner or novice cowboy.

SHAVER – Slang for a young boy.

KNOCK GALLEY WEST – To beat someone senseless.

SIMON PURE – The real thing.  A genuine fact.  “This is the Simon pure.”

HOLD CANDLE TO – To measure up and compare to.

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around the Bunkhouse #3 – Old West Slang

Cowboys & Old West SlangIn our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you Old West slang and sayings that they used back in the Wild West. Hope you enjoy them, and let us know your favorite terms from those past times.

HEAP – A lot, many, a great deal.

MAKE A MASH – Make a hit, impress someone. It was usually a woman.

HEELED – To be armed with a gun.

DREADFUL – Very. “Oh, her dress is dreadfully pretty.”

HARD CASE – A worthless person or bad man.

DOWN ON – Opposed to. “His wife is really down on drinking and cigars.”

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around the Bunkhouse #2 – Old West Terms

Old West TermsIn our feature Heard Around the Bunkhouse we bring you Old West terms and sayings that they used back in the Old West. Hope you enjoy them, and send us your favorite terms from those past times.

FISH – A cowboy’s rain slicker.  Slicker was manufactured by a company whose trademark was a fish.

RICH – Amusing, funny, improbable.

BILK – Cheat.

THE WHOLE KIT AND CABOODLE – The entire thing.

BAZOO – Mouth as in “Shut your big bazoo.”

GONER – Lost, dead.

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.


Heard Around the Bunkhouse #1: Cowboy Phrases

Cowboy PhrasesHeard Around the Bunkhouse is a new feature on Cowboy to Cowboy where we will bring you cowboy phrases and sayings that they used back in the Old West. Hope you enjoy them, and send us your favorite terms from those past times.

OLD STATES – Back east.

PILGRIM – Cowboy term for an easterner or novice cowboy.

SHAVER – Slang for a young boy.

BLOW-UP: A fit of anger.

CALIFORNIA WIDOW: A woman separated from her husband, but not divorced.  From when pioneer men went West, leaving their wives back home.

DICKER: Barter, trade.

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.