Old West Slang Archives

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 PUREThe 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.

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