Phrases

Remember the ‘slang’ or ‘phrases’ from when you were young and hip?

Most of these are from the 1980’s. So if you were a child of the ‘1980s, or watched ’80s tv shows and movies, you’ll remember most of these.

Take a look at the list below. I’ve done my best to collect and research an extensive list and to alphabetize it for you. If you have any you would like to add, feel free to comment or post.

• Awesome (still cool)
  – An extreme reaction to something, causing awe. It gained great popularity in the in the 1980’s if something was cool it was “awesome”.
• Bad
  – Something or someone is real cool or important that should be acknowledged.
• Bad To The Bone
  -That “Bad” person from above.  The rock group George Thorogood & the Destroyers had a hit song in the early 1980’s that had this quote.
• Bag Your Face
  – A rude way to tell someone to shut up.  When someone is angry at someone you yell at them this. “Whatever! Shut up!”
• Barf Me Out
  – Being displeased with a person or situation. “I’m not going to the prom with that creep. He totally barfs me out!” Gained popularity from the 1980’s movie Valley Girl.
• Bitchin’
  – Something or someone is real cool. “Dude, that new song is bitchin!”
• Bogus
  – Fake or untrue in a statement. “Hey man, she isn’t the cutest girl in school, that’s bogus.”
  
• Bomb
  – You really like something or someone. It’s the best. “Wow this cake is delicous. It’s the bomb!”
• Bunk
  – Something is unfair or not cool. “Dude, that’s so not fair, that’s bunk!”
• Cheesy/Cheezy
  – Something in poor taste; corny or lame. “The gift I received was really cheesy.”
• Chill
  – To relax, to hang out. “Dude let’s go chill at your place.” This was made popular by black American rap culture of the 1980’s.
• Deep Shit
  – You would say this to someone if they were in trouble. “Hey, it’s past midnight your mom is going be pissed. We are in deep shit!””
• Dick/Dickbrain/Dickhead
  – When there’s someone you don’t like and is usually an unlikeable person.
  
• Dipstick
  – Also used instead of using the word dick. An unintelligent person; moron, dim-wit or an idiot. This was popularized by the character “Boss Hogg” on the early 1980’s TV show The Dukes of Hazzard.
  
• Ditz
  – A less harsh way of describing a person who is not very smart. An airhead.
• Do The Nasty
  – A term teenagers used for having sex made popular in late 1980’s.
• Doing The Wild Thing
  – Having sex. This slogan was popularized by Ton Loc’s 1989 hit “Wild Thing”.
• Dweeb
  – A 1980’s term for a really unattractive person; a Geek or a nerd.
• Eat Shit And Die
  – A 1980’s harsh and extreme phrase that implies death and sufferring to the person on the receiving end, just not literally.
• Eurofag
  – Used by Americans to describe British singers or bands of the early 80’s.
  
• Eurotrash
  – A derogatory term for Europeans who were rich that frequented the club scene in the early to mid 80’s.
• For Sure/Fer Shur
  – Popular in the Valley Girl 80’s. To stress what you are saying.
• Flamer
  – Being an actual or openly gay guy.
  
• Fresh
  – Something new, cool. Hey, that new song is so fresh!
  
• Gag Me With A Spoon
  – A typical Valley Girl response to something you dislike. Not meant to be taken literally.
• Gnarly
  – Really good and cool. Wow, that’s the hair i want, it’s gnarly.
• Grody/Grody To The Max
  – Really, really gross. Max being the ultimate degree of grossness.
• Hoser
  – A Loser, a jerk. You call someone this as an insult.
• I’m So Sure
  – Unbelievable. You told me you were under 21, and i see on your’e license your not? I’m so sure.
• Lame
  – Describes something or someone who is not cool or acceptable.
  Hey man, your voice sucks and you can’t sing, your lame!
• No, Duh
  – A sarcastic expression that points out the obvious. No kidding. Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players, no duh!
• PC
  – Point of view is not to offend, and geared towards a political correctness.
  
• Preppie/Preppy
  – A collegiate type, that where’s Polo or Izod shirts, deck shoes and a cloth belt. Preppies usually grew up to be yuppies.
• Psych
  – Meaning “gotcha”! Psych was usually used after telling someone something not true and then yelling “psych!”.
  
• Rad/Radical
  – If something is really neat and cool, you would say, “Hey, that’s rad!”.
• Righteous
  – Awesome. Excellent person. “I like him, he’s a righteous dude”
• Schmooze
  – To kiss up to someone, mainly to get something back in return.
  
• Scumbag
  – A despicable person.
• Shitting Bricks
  – Being extremely nervous, often awaiting a situation to unfold.
• Siked
  – Psyched, excited about. “Wow man, I’m so siked to go see that band.”
• Skank
  – A Physically dirty, filthy person. Immorally dirty.
• Spazzing
  – Someone that’s Overly excited.
• Stoked
  – One that’s excited to do something, and eagerly waiting.
• Stud
  – A macho guy, man or teen. A good looking guy is called a stud. One that is sexually attractive.
• Totally
  – A way to stress something. Completely agree with someone you would say, “totally man!”
• Tubular
  – Something that’s really cool and intriguing.
• Veg Out
  – Relax. Hey, let’s just veg out and hang by the pool today.
• Where’s the Beef?
  – Was taken from a series of Wendy’s commercials from the early 1980’s where an elderly granny complained about the size of her portion after lifting up her burger bun to investigate.
• Wicked (East Coast)
  – An East Coast term. Another word for something that’s really cool.
• Wigger
  – Is a racist slang term for a white person who emulates mannerisms, language, and fashions associated with African-American culture, particularly hip hop, and in Britain, the grime scene. The term is a portmanteau of white and nigger.
• You be illin’ – To be “uncool” & “unrelaxed”, “be acting crazy”, “be ‘tripping’ or ‘bugging’ “, or “be acting ‘wack’ “. Also was a record in the mid 1980’S  by the rap group Run–D.M.C.  
• Yuppie
  – Young Urban Professional. Usually an upper-class white person. A well educated, career minded person, driven by lots of money. They’re into the social scene, especially if it enhances their career.