Queer Dictionary

Source.

"A dictionary of words, acronyms and expressions you may come across in the blogs of people in (or close to) the QUILTBAG community . . . .  Posts describing identities (e.g. gender, sexual orientation, etc.) are not definitive. This dictionary should not be used to tell someone how they should identify."

Cab Calloway's Hepster's Dictionary: Language of Jive (1939)

Source

Instruments: Guitar: Git Box or Belly-Fiddle Bass: Doghouse Drums: Suitcase, Hides, or Skins Piano: Storehouse or Ivories Saxophone: Plumbing or Reeds Trombone: Tram or Slush-Pump Clarinet: Licorice Stick or Gob Stick Xylophone: Woodpile Vibraphone: Ironworks Violin: Squeak-Box Accordion: Squeeze-Box or Groan-Box Tuba: Foghorn Electric Organ: Spark Jiver Jive Terminology: A A hummer (n.)—exceptionally good. Ex., “Man, that boy is a hummer.” Ain’t coming on that tab (v.)—won’t accept the proposition. Usually abbr. to “I ain’t coming.” Alligator (n.)—jitterbug. Apple (n.)—the big town, the main stem, Harlem. Armstrongs (n.)—musical notes in the upper register, high trumpet notes. B Barbecue (n.)—the girl friend, a beauty Barrelhouse (adj.)—free and easy. Battle (n.)—a very homely girl, a crone. Beat (adj.)—(1) tired, exhausted. Ex., “You look beat” or “I feel beat.” (2) lacking anything. Ex, “I am beat for my cash”, “I am beat to my socks” (lacking everything). Beat it out (v.)—play it hot, emphasize the rhythm. Beat up (adj.)—sad, uncomplimentary, tired. Beat up the chops (or the gums) (v.)—to talk, converse, be loquacious. Beef (v.)—to say, to state. Ex., “He beefed to me that, etc.” Bible (n.)—the gospel truth. Ex., “It’s the bible!” Black (n.)—night. Black and tan (n.)—dark and light colored folks. Not colored and white folks as erroneously assumed. Blew their wigs (adj.)—excited with enthusiasm, gone crazy. Blip (n.)—something very good. Ex., “That’s a blip”; “She’s a blip.” Blow the top (v.)—to be overcome with emotion (delight). Ex., “You’ll blow your top when you hear this one.” Boogie-woogie (n.)—harmony with accented bass. Boot (v.)—to give. Ex., “Boot me that glove.” Break it up (v.)—to win applause, to stop the show. Bree (n.)—girl. Bright (n.)—day. Brightnin’ (n.)—daybreak. Bring down ((1) n. (2) v.)—(1) something depressing. Ex., “That’s a bring down.” (2) Ex., “That brings me down.” Buddy ghee (n.)—fellow. Bust your conk (v.)—apply yourself diligently, break your neck. C Canary (n.)—girl vocalist. Capped (v.)—outdone, surpassed. Cat (n.)—musician in swing band. Chick (n.)—girl. Chime (n.)—hour. Ex., “I got in at six chimes.” Clambake (n.)—ad lib session, every man for himself, a jam session not in the groove. Chirp (n.)—female singer. Cogs (n.)—sun glasses. Collar (v.)—to get, to obtain, to comprehend. Ex., “I gotta collar me some food”; “Do you collar this jive?” Come again (v.)—try it over, do better than you are doing, I don’t understand you. Comes on like gangbusters (or like test pilot) (v.)—plays, sings, or dances in a terrific manner, par excellence in any department. Sometimes abbr. to “That singer really comes on!” Cop (v.)—to get, to obtain (see collar; knock). Corny (adj.)—old-fashioned, stale. Creeps out like the shadow (v.)—“comes on,” but in smooth, suave, sophisticated manner. Crumb crushers (n.)—teeth. Cubby (n.)—room, flat, home. Cups (n.)—sleep. Ex., “I gotta catch some cups.” Cut out (v.)—to leave, to depart. Ex., “It’s time to cut out”; “I cut out from the joint in early bright.” Cut rate (n.)—a low, cheap person. Ex., “Don’t play me cut rate, Jack!” D Dicty (adj.)—high-class, nifty, smart. Dig (v.)—(1) meet. Ex., “I’ll plant you now and dig you later.” (2) look, see. Ex., “Dig the chick on your left duke.” (3) comprehend, understand. Ex., “Do you dig this jive?” Dim (n.)—evening. Dime note (n.)—ten-dollar bill. Doghouse (n.)—bass fiddle. Domi (n.)—ordinary place to live in. Ex., “I live in a righteous dome.” Doss (n.)—sleep. Ex., “I’m a little beat for my doss.” Down with it (adj.)—through with it. Drape (n.)—suit of clothes, dress, costume. Dreamers (n.)—bed covers, blankets. Dry-goods (n.)—same as drape. Duke (n.)—hand, mitt. Dutchess (n.)—girl. E Early black (n.)—evening Early bright (n.)—morning. Evil (adj.)—in ill humor, in a nasty temper. F Fall out (v.)—to be overcome with emotion. Ex., “The cats fell out when he took that solo.” Fews and two (n.)—money or cash in small quantity. Final (v.)—to leave, to go home. Ex., “I finaled to my pad” (went to bed); “We copped a final” (went home). Fine dinner (n.)—a good-looking girl. Focus (v.)—to look, to see. Foxy (v.)—shrewd. Frame (n.)—the body. Fraughty issue (n.)—a very sad message, a deplorable state of affairs. Freeby (n.)—no charge, gratis. Ex., “The meal was a freeby.” Frisking the whiskers (v.)—what the cats do when they are warming up for a swing session. Frolic pad (n.)—place of entertainment, theater, nightclub. Frompy (adj.)—a frompy queen is a battle or faust. Front (n.)—a suit of clothes. Fruiting (v.)—fickle, fooling around with no particular object. Fry (v.)—to go to get hair straightened. G Gabriels (n.)—trumpet players. Gammin’ (adj.)—showing off, flirtatious. Gasser (n, adj.)—sensational. Ex., “When it comes to dancing, she’s a gasser.” Gate (n.)—a male person (a salutation), abbr. for “gate-mouth.” Get in there (exclamation.)—go to work, get busy, make it hot, give all you’ve got. Gimme some skin (v.)—shake hands. Glims (n.)—the eyes. Got your boots on—you know what it is all about, you are a hep cat, you are wise. Got your glasses on—you are ritzy or snooty, you fail to recognize your friends, you are up-stage. Gravy (n.)—profits. Grease (v.)—to eat. Groovy (adj.)—fine. Ex., “I feel groovy.” Ground grippers (n.)—new shoes. Growl (n.)—vibrant notes from a trumpet. Gut-bucket (adj.)—low-down music. Guzzlin’ foam (v.)—drinking beer H Hard (adj.)—fine, good. Ex., “That’s a hard tie you’re wearing.” Hard spiel (n.)—interesting line of talk. Have a ball (v.)—to enjoy yourself, stage a celebration. Ex., “I had myself a ball last night.” Hep cat (n.)—a guy who knows all the answers, understands jive. Hide-beater (n.)—a drummer (see skin-beater). Hincty (adj.)—conceited, snooty. Hip (adj.)—wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on. Ex., “She’s a hip chick.” Home-cooking (n.)—something very dinner (see fine dinner). Hot (adj.)—musically torrid; before swing, tunes were hot or bands were hot. Hype (n, v.)—build up for a loan, wooing a girl, persuasive talk. I Icky (n.)—one who is not hip, a stupid person, can’t collar the jive. Igg (v.)—to ignore someone. Ex., “Don’t igg me!) In the groove (adj.)—perfect, no deviation, down the alley. J Jack (n.)—name for all male friends (see gate; pops). Jam ((1)n, (2)v.)—(1) improvised swing music. Ex., “That’s swell jam.” (2) to play such music. Ex., “That cat surely can jam.” Jeff (n.)—a pest, a bore, an icky. Jelly (n.)—anything free, on the house. Jitterbug (n.)—a swing fan. Jive (n.)—Harlemese speech. Joint is jumping—the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun. Jumped in port (v.)—arrived in town..

K Kick (n.)—a pocket. Ex., “I’ve got five bucks in my kick.” Kill me (v.)—show me a good time, send me. Killer-diller (n.)—a great thrill. Knock (v.)—give. Ex., “Knock me a kiss.” Kopasetic (adj.)—absolutely okay, the tops. L Lamp (v.)—to see, to look at. Land o’darkness (n.)—Harlem. Lane (n.)—a male, usually a nonprofessional. Latch on (v.)—grab, take hold, get wise to. Lay some iron (v.)—to tap dance. Ex., “Jack, you really laid some iron that last show!” Lay your racket (v.)—to jive, to sell an idea, to promote a proposition. Lead sheet (n.)—a topcoat. Left raise (n.)—left side. Ex., “Dig the chick on your left raise.” Licking the chops (v.)—see frisking the whiskers. Licks (n.)—hot musical phrases. Lily whites (n.)—bed sheets. Line (n.)—cost, price, money. Ex., “What is the line on this drape” (how much does this suit cost)? “Have you got the line in the mouse” (do you have the cash in your pocket)? Also, in replying, all figures are doubled. Ex., “This drape is line forty” (this suit costs twenty dollars). Lock up—to acquire something exclusively. Ex., “He’s got that chick locked up”; “I’m gonna lock up that deal.” M Main kick (n.)—the stage. Main on the hitch (n.)—husband. Main queen (n.)—favorite girl friend, sweetheart. Man in gray (n.)—the postman. Mash me a fin (command.)—Give me $5. Mellow (adj.)—all right, fine. Ex., “That’s mellow, Jack.” Melted out (adj.)—broke. Mess (n.)—something good. Ex., “That last drink was a mess.” Meter (n.)—quarter, twenty-five cents. Mezz (n.)—anything supreme, genuine. Ex., “this is really the mezz.” Mitt pounding (n.)—applause. Moo juice (n.)—milk. Mouse (n.)—pocket. Ex., “I’ve got a meter in the mouse.” Muggin’ (v.)—making ‘em laugh, putting on the jive. “Muggin’ lightly,” light staccato swing; “muggin’ heavy,” heavy staccato swing. Murder (n.)—something excellent or terrific. Ex., “That’s solid murder, gate!” N Neigho, pops—Nothing doing, pal. Nicklette (n.)—automatic phonograph, music box. Nickel note (n.)—five-dollar bill. Nix out (v.)—to eliminate, get rid of. Ex., “I nixed that chick out last week”; “I nixed my garments” (undressed). Nod (n.)—sleep. Ex., “I think I’l cop a nod.” O Ofay (n.)—white person. Off the cob (adj.)—corny, out of date. Off-time jive (n.)—a sorry excuse, saying the wrong thing. Orchestration (n.)—an overcoat. Out of the world (adj.)—perfect rendition. Ex., “That sax chorus was out of the world.” Ow!—an exclamation with varied meaning. When a beautiful chick passes by, it’s “Ow!”; and when someone pulls an awful pun, it’s also “Ow!” P Pad (n.)—bed. Pecking (n.)—a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1937. Peola (n.)—a light person, almost white. Pigeon (n.)—a young girl. Pops (n.)—salutation for all males (see gate; Jack). Pounders (n.)—policemen. Q Queen (n.)—a beautiful girl. R Rank (v.)—to lower. Ready (adj.)—100 per cent in every way. Ex., “That fried chicken was ready.” Ride (v.)—to swing, to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing. Riff (n.)—hot lick, musical phrase. Righteous (adj.)—splendid, okay. Ex., “That was a righteous queen I dug you with last black.” Rock me (v.)—send me, kill me, move me with rhythym. Ruff (n.)—quarter, twenty-five cents. Rug cutter (n.)—a very good dancer, an active jitterbug. S Sad (adj.)—very bad. Ex., “That was the saddest meal I ever collared.” Sadder than a map (adj.)—terrible. Ex., “That man is sadder than a map.” Salty (adj.)—angry, ill-tempered. Sam got you—you’ve been drafted into the army. Send (v.)—to arouse the emotions. (joyful). Ex., “That sends me!” Set of seven brights (n.)—one week. Sharp (adj.)—neat, smart, tricky. Ex., “That hat is sharp as a tack.” Signify (v.)—to declare yourself, to brag, to boast. Skins (n.)—drums. Skin-beater (n.)—drummer (see hide-beater). Sky piece (n.)—hat. Slave (v.)—to work, whether arduous labor or not. Slide your jib (v.)—to talk freely. Snatcher (n.)—detective. So help me—it’s the truth, that’s a fact. Solid (adj.)—great, swell, okay. Sounded off (v.)—began a program or conversation. Spoutin’ (v.)—talking too much. Square (n.)—an unhep person (see icky; Jeff). Stache (v.)—to file, to hide away, to secrete. Stand one up (v.)—to play one cheap, to assume one is a cut-rate. To be stashed (v.)—to stand or remain. Susie-Q (n.)—a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1936. T Take it slow (v.)—be careful. Take off (v.)—play a solo. The man (n.)—the law. Threads (n.)—suit, dress or costuem (see drape; dry-goods). Tick (n.)—minute, moment. Ex., “I’ll dig you in a few ticks.” Also, ticks are doubled in accounting time, just as money isdoubled in giving “line.” Ex., “I finaled to the pad this early bright at tick twenty” (I got to bed this morning at ten o’clock). Timber (n.)—toothipick. To dribble (v.)—to stutter. Ex., “He talked in dribbles.” Togged to the bricks—dressed to kill, from head to toe. Too much (adj.)—term of highest praise. Ex., “You are too much!” Trickeration (n.)—struttin’ your stuff, muggin’ lightly and politely. Trilly (v.)—to leave, to depart. Ex., “Well, I guess I’ll trilly.” Truck (v.)—to go somewhere. Ex., “I think I’ll truck on down to the ginmill (bar).” Trucking (n.)—a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1933. Twister to the slammer (n.)—the key to the door. Two cents (n.)—two dollars. U Unhep (adj.)—not wise to the jive, said of an icky, a Jeff, a square. VVine (n.)—a suit of clothes.V-8 (n.)—a chick who spurns company, is independent, is not amenable. W What’s your story?—What do you want? What have you got to say for yourself? How are tricks? What excuse can you offer? Ex., “I don’t know what his story is.” Whipped up (adj.)—worn out, exhausted, beat for your everything. Wren (n.)—a chick, a queen. Wrong riff—the wrong thing said or done. Ex., “You’re coming up on the wrong riff.” Y Yarddog (n.)—uncouth, badly attired, unattractive male or female. Yeah, man—an exclamation of assent. Z Zoot (adj.)—exaggerated Zoot suit (n.)—the ultimate in clothes. The only totally and truly American civilian suit.

Sex in the Romance

Source. A helpful compilation of cliches and jargon.

Kissing

Locations for Sex
Skin - Smooth and Naked
Breasts
Nipples
Male Physique
Vulva
Penis, the Staff of Life
Penetration
Motion
Breathing
Male Orgasm
Female Orgasm - You Came, Therefore I Am

Word Spy

Link.

"The word lover's guide to new words."

Example: annotated reality

n. Extra information—such as images or sounds—supplied to a person from a wearable computer.

Example Citation:
"The devices include everything from Schwartz's fishnet vest adorned with connected components, to laptops-in-fanny-packs, to thick glasses that reflect a video display in one lens. The glasses provide a dominant vision of the real world that is overlaid by information from an electronic world. Such information overlays are called annotated reality, a subcategory of wearable computing distantly related to virtual reality."

—Chris Oakes, "Waiting for Wearable Wearables," Wired News, October 19, 1999

Related Words:
affective computing
augmented reality
e-textile
innernet
memory glasses
mixed reality
real reality
reality distortion field
wearable

Categories:
Hardware
Gadgets and Appliances

Glossary of Bridge Terminology

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

Biker Slang

Source

B BAB — A Born Again Biker. Betty — Female biker. Big End — At Top Speed. Big Slab — The Interstate Highway. Bubble Gum Machine — Police Bike.  Burnout — When you spin the rear wheel while holding the front brake. C Cage — A Car. Cager — A Car Driver. Crack It — Turning up the throttle. D Death Grip — How a first time biker tends to grab the handle bars. Dialed In — When your bike is set up just right. F Fluid Exchange — Stop for gas and to take a leak. G Ginmill — bar. Granny Gear — Lowest gear available on a bike.

H Hammer Down — Openening the throttle fully. High Siding — Wrecking a bike by flipping it over. I "I" — the "Interstate". L Lid — Helmet. P Potato Chip — Wheel that has been badly bent. R Roadie — Rider who prefers riding on paved surfaces. RUB — Rich Urban Biker. T Table Top — Jump in which the rider throws the bike sideways. W Wash Out — When the front tire loses traction. Weekend Warrior — Instant Biker types.

Vogue-Cabulary

Source: The House of Naphtali - Ball Slang, Categories, and Everything About Vogue.

A Angel — A Vogue Femme performer with softer and daintier execution. Arms Control — A category solely dedicated to the dexterity and coordination of ones "slight-of-hand" arm and wrist movements; hand tricks and illusions. B Battle — When one voguer challenges another, in or out of a ball. Box Dip — A floor pose that consists of positioning the forearms flat on the floor, legs over the head, with feet planted to the floor in front. C Cat-walk — Upright Vogue Femme sashaying. Clicking — A contortion involving the arms manipulated up over the head and down behind ones back, keeping the hands locked together. D Devil — A Vogue Femme performer with dramatic and stunt-filled execution. Dip — In vogueing, a ground-level stunt. Duck-walk — Crouching, foot-sliding and scooting movement requiring balance on the balls of the feet. Sashaying in a squatted position. H Hairpin — An extreme backbend dip where your butt touches your head. Hand Performance — Illusions, precision, or flamboyant interpretation executed through that part of the body; see also Arms Control. K Kansai — An "Old Way" dip, inspired by a mannequin in a Kansai Yamamoto boutique window (NYC, circa '70s). L Locking — Jerky, tense movement of the body, also Popping; also, in a vogue battle, pinning or restraining an oponent with part of your body while performing. Lofting — A dance performed by banjie or straight boys that combined vogueing arm movements with break dance floor work, named after the now defunct New York dance club where it was practiced (The Loft). M Makeveli — A "suicide" dip, requiring a fall to the floor, landing on the back, using one leg as a lever; a prat fall. N New Way — The vogueing styles starting in the 90's. Includes Arms Control, with body contortions. O Old Way — The vogueing styles previous to the 80's. See also Pop, Dip and Spin. P Popping — Freeze frame, staccato-like movement. Pop, Dip and Spin — An earlier name for the dance now called vogueing, with a style leaning toward graceful acrobats, and transitions that alternate between standing and floor positions; also "Performance." Pyramid — Several voguers performing together, tiered one in front of the other. S Scorpion — Martial art inspired Old Way dip, requiring a prone position, with one leg dangling over the head. Shwam! — Exclaimed by an emcee when a contestant executes a suicide dip. See also Makeveli. V Verbal Vogue — A category created to test your sharp wit in the art of insults. Contestants are often made to sit in separate chairs and exchange turns at the mic to "roast" each other. Thin-skinned patrons need not apply! Also "Reading", or "Deadly Daggers." Vogueing — A more recent name given to a dance that has been evolving since the late 60's. Not to be confused with drag, lip syncing, or posing (all separate categories). Vogueing Femme — A dance style that takes the femme queen technique and exaggerates it even further: pronounced hip movement, cha-cha-based footwork (often in stocking-feet for maximum slide), peppered with classic striptease gestures. Execution ranges from soft and dainty to dramatic and severe. For the sake of fair competition, the contestants themselves are categorized as such: Butch Queens (BQs)  — Gay males, regardless to which end of the masculine/ feminine scale they choose to identify with (the category specifics determine which way to lean). Femme Queens (FQs)  — Males at varying stages of gender reassignment; from the time they starts taking female hormones, they are no longer BQs. When you have a biologically androgynous male, there exists the flexibility to compete in categories designated for either BQs or FQs, provided there aren't any additional prerequisites. BQs in Drag  — Gay males that do drag, but have not started taking female hormones. They may have their own categories, or compete with the FQs in some instances. Women (or Female)   — Biological. This division does not demand a particular sexual orientation, but does lean toward a feminine demeanor. Butches  — Sometimes referred to as "male illusionists", are generally classified as masculine lesbians, but any female possessing manly appearance and mannerisms can qualify, regardless to sexual preference. Men  — Denotes contestants from the "straight" pool of patrons that still attend these functions. "Male" is used in other cases where sexual preference has no bearing on a particular category's fairness, such as with "Best Dressed Male" or "Male Muscular Body". Open to All (OTA)  — Does not designate gender or persuasion, but you may have to meet other requirements, such as a specific prop or costume. Amazon — For runway contestants, the tall division, regardless to gender. Banjy (adjective) — The street  —savvy look; also, looking like "rough trade."

Battle —A tie breaker; a chance for the contestant to show up his opponent. (See also Vogue  —cabulary) Big Boy/Girl — A class of ball competitors, usually 250 lbs. and over; "Luscious" for the ladies Bring (It) — A challenge; call of defiance; "Come on down, you're the next contestant..." Sometimes contestants are allowed to "call out" a rival Butch — A masculine female, usually lesbian. Butch Queen — A gay male, ranging from "straight acting" to flamboyant. BQ in Drag — A gay male in women's clothes that is not taking hormones. Some can actually pass for women, but this is not required unless specified by the category. . Chants — Clever rhymes and raps used by the emcee to liven up an competition. Chop —To disqualify (as in contestant); process of elimination..."Thank you, have a nice day." Also "pack." Come (for) —To challenge; "Don't come for me, 'cause you don't want it..." Craft(ed) — Obtained by illegal means  — credit card or check writing scams usually; "Miss Thing, that Galliano gown was crafted..."; also Stunkus. Cunt(y) — Ultra feminine; also, interchangeable with "ovah." Designers' Delite — A category for aspiring designers and home sewers. "The garment must be made by YOU!" Father/Mother —A house leader (without regard to gender). Feel (it) —To be totally absorbed in the moment. Grand March —The opening ceremonies. The hosting house's members are introduced, along with the categories they represent. Mother and Father are introduced last, for maximum effect. God(dess) — A title paired with a particular category winner, either currently or consistently. Examples include: label god (always "serves" this category  — head to toe, and often layers), and face goddess (dare anyone defy her?). House — A social group, clique, club, posse, family, fraternity (usually gay). Icon — A ballroom history maker; beyond the status of a Legend. Judy — Noun: a close pal; adjective: characterized by favoritism, as in a judge that gives high scores based on friendship. Legend(ary) —A multi  — trophy winner, with a ballroom history; A veteran. Live (verb) — (Rhymes with "give") to enjoy oneself immensely; "I lived at that last ball!" Midget — For runway contestants, the petite or short division; anyone shorter than male/female model industry standards. Shoplifting Model's vs. Luscious (Body) — Two separate female or FQ categories, the later leans toward full-figured. Model's vs. Muscular (Body) — Two separate male categories, the later leans toward bodybuilding. Ovah —Variation of "over", meaning "very impressive", also "cunty" or "sickening"; "legendary" on occasion. Pay (it) — To ignore and move on, as in an unfavorable judges' decision; "Pay it. We'll get her after the ball." Peeling — A runway stunt in which you remove garment layers gracefully, down to your best ensemble. Prince(ss) — That son or daughter most likely to take the lead as mother or father, should the current parents not continue their role; "Heir to the Throne." Punish —To greatly surpass in performance. Also "destroy." Reading — The art of insults; finding a flaw in your opponent and verbally showcasing and exaggerating it (also "Deadly Daggers"); giving someone a "piece of your mind" Ruler — Someone currently known for winning a particular category. Rulers come and go, but Legends are forever! Seed(y) — An undesirable person, or described as such; low rated. Shade (Throwing) — Underhanded dealings, where usually the "jokes on you"; "Judge number two threw me shade..." Snatch —To win. Star — An up-and-coming Legend; a frequent winner that is making a name for themselves. Statement — An up-and-coming Star; not always winning, but frequently "getting your tens". Stunkus — See Craft(ed). Turn (it) — To make a grand show; bring the ballroom to its feet; also "work", "sell" and "serve"(all usually accompanied by "goddammit" or "bitch"). Uglina — Fictional character created to represent unfavorable elements of the ball scene: excessive shade, petty bickering, etc. Virgin — First  —timer, never walked (a particular category) ever. Walk — To enter a category; "Miss Thing, you should not walk for "Face"... nt Biker types.

Variety Magazine Slanguage

From Variety.

Above the Line — Industry term for movies and TV budgets. The line refers to money budgeted for creative talent, such as actors, writers, directors, and producers. Ad-Pub — relating to the advertising and publicity department of a motion picture studio; "Alan Smithee has been elevated to ad-pub VP at Paramount." Ankle — A classic (and enduring) Variety term meaning to quit or be dismissed from a job, without necessarily specifying which; instead, it suggests walking; "Alan Smithee has ankled his post as production prexy at U." Anni — Anniversary; "American Movie Classics scheduled a night of Elvis Presley pics in observance of the 20th anni of his death." Arthouse — Motion picture theater that shows foreign or non-mainstream independent films, often considered high-brow or "art" films; " 'La Cage Aux Folles' was one of the biggest hits ever on the arthouse circuit." Aud — Audience; "Liza Minnelli has always had a special rapport with her aud." Aussie — Australian; "The Aussie government will vote next week on budget allocations for indigenous film production." (See also: Oz) Ayem — A Variety coinage meaning morning (a.m.); "Barbara Walters is producing a new ayem skein for ABC." B B.F. — an abbreviation for boyfriend, usually used in reviews (also g.f.— girlfriend); "The story concerns a woman whose b.f. is on the lam." Backdoor Pilot — Not a Variety creation, pilot episode filmed as a standalone movie, so it can be broadcast if it is not picked up as a series; Cabler has begun casting its telepic/backdoor pilot "Ichabod and I." Beantown — Variety slanguage for Boston, Mass.; "The Cars were one of the biggest rock bands from Beantown." (See also: (the) Hub) Beertown — Variety slanguage for Milwaukee, Wisconsin; "Beertown is the final stop on the current 'Show Boat' tour." Biopic — A Variety coinage meaning biographical film; " 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' about Loretta Lynn, is one of the most successful biopics ever produced." Bird — A Variety term for satellite; "The proposed channel would be carried by an Asian bird to be launched next spring." Biz — Shorthand for business or "the business" — show business; "Alan Smithee started out in the biz as a grip" or "Alan Smithee was promoted to VP of biz affairs at Par." Blighty — Britain; " 'Bean' is one of the biggest hits to come out of Blighty." Blurb — TV commercial; "Ridley Scott started his career directing blurbs." Boff (also boffo, boffola) — Outstanding (usually refers to box office performance); " 'My Best Friend's Wedding' has been boffo at the B.O." (See also, socko, whammo) Boom — Industry term: Overhead microphone used to record actors' voices Bow — (n.) Opening or premiere; (v.) to debut a production; "The pic's bow was in January"; "The Nederlander Organization will bow its revival of 'Wonderful Town' next year." Busted Pilot — Each year, the nets order about 20 pilots a piece (about evenly split, half comedy, half drama), which are then cast and filmed for consideration for the fall skeds. But only about half a dozen pilots are picked up to become the premiere episodes. The other pilots are never heard from again — and are rarely ever seen beyond network boardrooms. "Idea for pic originated from last year's busted 'MTM' reunion pilot." C (the) Coast — Hollywood, Los Angeles; "NBC's New York-based Robert Wright will fly to the Coast for meetings next week." Cabler — Cable network or cable system operator; "Cablers were up in arms over Rupert Murdoch's plans to launch a satellite channel." Certs — Recorded music album and single sales certifications issued by the Recording Industry Assn. of America; gold albums signify sales upwards of 500,000 copies, platinum is at least 1,000,000 copies. "In the latest round of certs, LeAnn Rimes' 'Blue' went platinum." Chantoosie — Female singer (chanteuse); "Chantoosie Barbra Streisand has a warm and sharp set of pipes." (See also, thrush) Chi (also Chitown) — Chicago; "The Goodman Theatre in Chi has spawned a number of today's more accomplished actors." Chirp — To sing; "Cybill Shepherd chirped a few showtunes during her new nightclub act." Cincy — Cincinnati; "The touring 'Phantom of the Opera' company did strong biz in Cincy before moving to Chi." Cleffer — A songwriter; "Jay Livingston was the cleffer on many Bob Hope films." (See also, tunesmith) Click — A hit; " Disney click 'The Lion King' is slated to air on ABC this season." Cliffhanger — A melodramatic adventure or suspense film or TV show; usually a serial with a to-be-continued ending; "The 'Who Shot J.R.?' episode of 'Dallas' is one of the most famous cliffhangers of all time." Coin — Money, financing; "Coin for the production was raised through pre-sales to foreign territories." Commish — Commissioner, commission; "The director lauded the local film commish for helping find locations." Competish — Competition; " 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' outdistanced the competish at the weekend B.O." Confab — Convention or professional gathering; "TV programming execs gather annually at the NATPE confab." Conglom — Conglomerate; "Miramax was a privately owned company until it was acquired by the Disney conglom." Corny Crix — Critics; "While the director's last film was a flop with auds, the crix were in his corner." D Deejay (also d.j.) — Commonly used term originally coined by Variety meaning disc jockey; "The station is changing its drivetime deejay." Diskery — Record company; "The artist signed a five-album deal with the diskery last year." Distrib — Distributor; "Paramount is the distrib on the project, which will begin lensing in May." Distribbery — Distribution company; "Two former studio execs are forming a new distribbery based in New York." Doc, Docu — Documentary; "The new Neil Young doc has scored well with the critics." Dramedy — A TV show that could be labeled both a comedy and a drama, usually an hour long. Also, a film or theater show that could be labeled as either — or perhaps fails at both; "Fox Family Channel series 'State of Grace,' a single-camera dramedy about two 12-year-old girls growing up in '60s North Carolina, targets the underserved female tweens demographic with hope of generating a tag-along parental audience."     Ducats — Tickets; "Scalpers were selling Rolling Stones ducats for as much as $500 apiece." E Emcee — Master of ceremonies; "Billy Crystal is being courted to emcee the Oscars again." Exec, Exex — Executive, executives; "Fox execs declined to comment about the recent shakeup." Exhib — Exhibitor (movie theater owner); "Warner Bros. execs trimmed a half-hour from the picture after exhibs complained about the long running time." F Feature — Motion picture over an hour in length; "The director helmed TV commercials before getting into features." Feevee — Pay TV; "The film will play feevee before going to the broadcast webs." Fest — Film or TV festival; "Alan Smithee's new film will bow at the fest." First-look — A deal wherein a particular studio has the first option on a filmmaker's projects; "Alan Smithee has a first-look deal with Par." Flop (also floppola) — Failure at the box office; " 'Heaven's Gate' and 'Ishtar' were two of the biggest flops of the 1980s." Four-wall — A theater rental contract where the producer assumes responsibility for all of the expenses of a show and gets all of the revenue, especially used in Las Vegas; "Many hotels are no longer willing to financially back their production shows, so four-wall deals are becoming commonplace." (See also, two-wall) Frog Web — The WB television network, named for its mascot, a dancing frog from a Looney Tunes cartoon. "The Frog features all the hottest new shows, like 'Gilmore Girls.'" G Gotham — New York City; "Film production in Gotham has been on the rise for the past several years." Green Lit — Industry term: Process that follows after a script has been developed and moves into production Greenlight — The go-ahead for a film to be made; "The Bruce Willis project was given the greenlight last week." H (the) Hub — Boston, Massachusetts; "The production tired out in the Hub before moving to Broadway." (See also: Beantown) H'w'd — Hollywood; "France B.O. goes H'w'd" Hardtop — Indoor movie theater; "The film is playing in Tampa at seven hardtops and two ozoners." (See also: ozoner, passion pit) Headliner — The top act or performer on a vaudeville or revue bill; "Judy Garland was the headliner at the Palace on three occasions." Helm — (v.) To direct a film or TV program; helmer(n.) a director; "Alan Smithee is the DGA-approved pseudonym for a helmer who wants to remove his or her name from the project." Hike — To increase, raise or promote; "CBS enjoyed a ratings hike Saturday night" or "Alan Smithee has be hiked to marketing VP at Par." History Play — Industry term: Play dealing with a historical subject Hold over — Industry term: When a director decides to use an actor for an extra day not originally scheduled Hoofer — Dancer; "Mary Tyler Moore was a hoofer before she got into acting." Horse Opera — Western film; "John Carradine appeared in a numerous horse operas throughout his career." Hotsy — Strong performance at the box office; "The Devil's Advocate" made a hotsy bow last weekend." HQ — Headquarters; "The meeting was held at the network's HQ in New York." Huddle — (v.) To have a meeting; (n.) a meeting; "CBS execs plan to huddle with their affiliates in May" or "The exec was in a huddle and was not available for comment." Hype — Manufactured promotional buzz; hyperbole; "The picture did not live up to the hype surrounding its bow." Hypo — To increase or boost; "Producers are offering discounted tickets to hypo the show's word of mouth." I Icer — Ice show; "The arena has presented a variety of icers over the years." Impresario — Industry term: Entertainment entrepreneur In the Can — Industry term: Phrase meaning the director has the take he wants In-the-round — Industry term: A theater in which the audience is seated on all four sides of a central stage. Indie — Independent film, filmmaker, producer or TV station; "The new film festival will showcase indies." Infopike — Information superhighway (Internet); "The studio has formed a new division to develop projects for the infopike." Ink — To sign a contract; "Alan Smithee inked a deal to produce and star in three pics for U." Insert — Industry term: Pick-up where a short segment of script is reread from one point to another Italo — Italian; " 'Fireworks' is a big click at the Italo B.O." J Jingle — Industry term: Short phrase of music usually with lyrics used in commercials K Kidvid — children's television; "New legislation in being considered that would increase the number of hours broadcasters devote to kidvid." Kiwi — New Zealander; "Kiwi director Jane Campion is in talks to helm the project." Kudocast — Variety term for an awards show; "The Academy Awards is typically the highest-rated kudocast of the year." L Laugh Track — Industry term: Audience laughter that is recorded to be played back when a TV show is aired Legit — Legitimate (live) theater. The term seeks to differentiate serious theater (think Shakespeare, think O'Neill) from vaudeville or burlesque; "Choreographer Michael Kidd distinguished himself in legit before working in pictures." Legs — Stamina at the box office; "The film opened big but rival distribs are dubious about its legs." Lense — To film a motion picture; "The project will lense in Rome and New York." Longform, Long-form — TV programming that is longer than an hour in duration; a TV movie or miniseries; "The company specializes in longform production." M Made-for — A TV movie (made-for-television movie); "The producer has three feature films and two made-fors on his slate." (See also, telepic) Major — One of the eight major film studios (Disney, MGM, Paramount, Sony, 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks, Universal, Warner Brothers). Megaplex — A movie theater with more than 16 screens; "Cineplex Odeon's Universal City megaplex has 18 screens." (See also: multiplex) Meller — Melodrama; "The company is in pre-production on a meller about a blind woman held hostage on a New York City subway." Mini — A television miniseries; "John Adams mini is planned to span between 10 and 13 episodes." Mini-major — Big film production companies that are supposedly smaller than the majors although such companies as Miramax, Polygram and New Line compete directly with the big studios; "The producers are in talks with several studios, including the mini-major New Line." Mitting — Applause; "Bob Dylan's surprise appearance at the benefit provoked heavy mitting from the crowd." Mogul — The head of a major studio or communications company; from the title of the all-powerful emperors of India; "Media moguls Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner have engaged in some heated verbal sparring of late." Moppet — Child, especially child actor; "Elizabeth Taylor is one of the few moppets who made the transition to adult star." Mouse (also Mouse House) — The Walt Disney Co. or any division thereof, a reference to the company's most famous animated character, Mickey Mouse; "The Mouse's music division is reuniting with talent manager Alan Smithee on a joint-venture label."

Multiplex — A movie theater comprising more than two screens but less than 16; "AMC is planning to build four new multiplexes — an eight-screener and three 12-plexes ï in the Dallas area next year." (See also: megaplex) N Nabe — A neighborhood theater; "The film has had a long midnight run at the Vista, a Los Angeles nabe." Narrowcast — Network or programming aimed at a specialized audience; the opposite of a broadcast; "Speedvision, which narrowcasts automobile programming, is carried by most Media One systems." Net — Network; "Many ABC stations were concerned about the viability of the net's fall schedule." (See also: Web) Netlet — Fledgling networks UPN and the WB; any network with less than a full weekly schedule of programming; "With the advent of cable and the netlets, the Big Three networks have seen their audience share erode." (See also, weblet) Niche Programming — TV programming or channels targeting particular demographics or interests; "The History Channel offers niche programming aimed at history buffs." Nitery — A nightclub; "Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick recently reunited for a nitery gig in New York." Nix — Reject, say no to; as in the famous Variety headline "Sticks Nix Hick Pix," meaning that audiences in rural areas were not interested in attending films about rural life. Nut — Operating expenses to be recovered; "On Broadway, most shows need to operate at 60% of audience capacity to cover their nuts." O O.T.T. — Over the top; "An o.t.t. performance by newcomer Alan Smithee marred the otherwise riveting film." Oater — Western film, referring to the preferred meal of horses; "The Golden Boot Awards are presented annually in recognition of the work of oater stars." Off-net — Network TV series repeats sold into syndication; " 'Seinfeld' is currently enjoying big success in its off-net run." One-hander — A play or movie with one character; "One-hander 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' is one of the defining films for children of the '70s." (See also, two-hander) Oz — Australia; "The film has performed well in Oz and New Zealand." (See also: Aussie) Ozoner — Drive-in movie theater; "The few ozoners that remain operational in the U.S. are in most cases doing double-duty as flea markets." (See also: hardtop, passion pit) P P.A. — Personal appearance; "Harrison Ford will make a p.a. at the premiere to promote the pic." Pact — (n.) A contract; (v.) to sign a contract; "The new pact calls for 6% pay raises across the board" or "The actress is expected to pact with the studio by the end of the week." Passion Pit — Drive-in theater, so called owing to their privacy factor and romantic allure for teenagers; "The pic is playing at two passion pits in Miami." (See also: ozoner) Payola — Bribery or under-the-table payments; "The proliferation of payola rocked the music industry in the 1950s." Pen — (v.) To write; "Alan Smithee has been inked to pen the biopic about Abraham Lincoln." Percenter (also tenpercenter) — Sgent; "Mike Ovitz was a percenter before becoming a talent manager." Percentery (also tenpercentery) — Talent agency; "The director's previous percentery was the William Morris Agency." Perf — Performance; "Martin Landau was much lauded for his perf in 'Ed Wood.'" Pic(s) (also pix) — Motion picture(s); "The studio plans to release four pics this summer." Pinkslip — To lay off or fire from a job; "The company pinkslipped 60 staffers in its New York office Monday." Pitch — Not a Variety creation, anything from a one-line description to a two- to three-page treatment of an idea, and as such, is not yet a script, nor is it a "spec;" "Felines of Death — "It's 'JAWS' with paws!" Plex — Multiplex theater or cable channel; "The company plans to build three plexes comprising 30 screens in the Dallas area" or "HBO has plexed its programming for the convenience of subscribers." Post-production — Stage at which editing, scoring and effects are executed on a motion picture or TV production; "Post-production on 'Titanic' was escalated to meet the release date." Pour — Cocktail party; "Universal held a pour for the press in New York to promote its upcoming release." Powwow — A meeting or gathering; "NBC held a powwow with its affiliates last month." Praiser — Publicist; "A praiser for the star had no comment on the deal." Praisery — Public relations firm; "The studio is retaining an outside praisery to augment its p.r. chores on the film." Pre-production — Stage at which a motion picture or TV project is prepared to go into production; "The pic has been greenlighted and goes into pre-production Monday." Pre-sales — Territorial sales of planned motion pictures to distributors worldwide; usually conducted to raise funding for lower budget, independent pictures; "The producers conducted pre-sales to Australia, the U.K. and the Far East at the recent film market." Preem — (n.) an opening-night or premiere performance; (v.) to show a completed film for the first time; "Several of the pic's stars were on hand for the preem" or "The pic will preem Dec. 18." Prep — To prepare; "The studio is prepping for the premiere of its new pic." Prexy (also prez) — President; "The studio has no plans to fill the prexy post in the wake of the exec's resignation." Product — Completed film or TV productions; "TV series usually are not sold into syndication until the producers have at least three years' worth of product." Production — Industry term: This involves building sets, designing costumes, measuring and fitting actors for costumes, and rehearsals. Promo — Sales promotion; "The pic has promo tie-ins with Burger King and Nike." Pubcaster — Government-owned broadcaster; "The PBS exec declined to comment on the pubcaster's plans for fall." Put Pilot — A deal to produce a pilot that includes substantial penalties if the pilot is not aired; a virtual guarantee that a pilot will be picked up; "CBS is getting back into business with Jerry Bruckheimer, inking a blind put pilot deal with the mega-producer." Q Q Rating — Ad research rating that gauges how easily a celebrity is recognized — and how well the celebrity is liked R Reissue (also re-release) — a film released again by a studio after its initial release; "The reissue of 'Star Wars' catapulted the pic back to the top of Variety's All-Time Rental Champs chart." Rentals — Portion of film grosses that goes to film distributors; also refers to videocassette rentals; "The film has returned over $60 million in rentals to the studio" or "Video retailers report rentals on the title have been strong." Rep — (n.) A representative; (v.) to represent; "A rep for the actress had no comment on the deal" or "The actress is repped by the William Morris Agency." Retro — Retrospective; "The film festival is unspooling a retro of Julie Andrews films." Reup — To renew an employment contract; "The exec is not expected to reup when his contract expires in June." S Scatter — The TV network commercial time left over after upfront (before season) sales are made; "The network source said scatter sales have been so-so to this point." Scribbler — Writer; "Neil Simon was a TV scribbler before becoming a playwright." Also "scribe." Scripter — Screenwriter; "Joe Eszterhaus was the scripter on the project." Also "scribe." Seg — Segment or episode of a TV series; " 'ER' made its season debut with a live seg." Sell-through — Prerecorded videocassettes priced lower to be sold rather than rented; "The next batch of Disney releases will be priced for sell-through." Sellout — Sold-out performance; "The U2 tour was a sellout the day tickets went on sale." Sesh — session or meeting; also a time frame, such as a weekend; "The convention will hold a sesh on film financing Tuesday afternoon" or "The film was down 36% at the B.O. this sesh." Sex Appeal — a term coined by Variety now in common usage meaning to be attractive to audiences owing to sexual aura; "Jean Harlow's sex appeal put the picture over." Shingle — A small business, often set up by an actor or established player at a larger company; "Tom Green has launched production shingle Bob Green Films." Showbiz — Show business; "The annual Oscar ceremony is one of the biggest events on the showbiz calendar." Showrunner — Executive producer of a television series. Shutter — To close a legitimate play or musical; "Moose Murders" shuttered on Broadway the night it opened." Sideman — A member of a band or a session musician; "Virtually every member of the 'Tonight Show' bands —- from Conte Candoli to Kevin Eubanks —- has had his fair share of local gigs as a leader and sideman." Sitcom — A term now in common usage originally coined by Variety, shorthand for situation comedy TV series; "A new Tom Selleck sitcom is in the works." Sked — Schedule; "Alan Smithee's new sitcom is expected to be added to NBC's fall sked." Skein — A TV series; "It is not known whether ABC will renew the skein for next season." Sleeper — A film or TV show that lacks pre-release buzz or critical praise, but turns into a success after it is released, usually due to good word-of-mouth, "Sixth Sense was the surprise sleeper of the summer of 1999." Soap Opera — Radio (now TV) serial originally sponsored by soap companies; "The networks still rely heavily on soap operas to anchor their daytime schedules." (See also sudser) Sock (also socko) — Very good (usually refers to box office performance); " 'My Best Friend's Wedding' has done socko B.O." (See also, boff, whammo) Solon — An authority; someone in the know; from the ancient Greek wise man, Solon; "Solons say the deal is likely to go down by the end of the week." Spec Script — A script shopped or sold on the open market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio or production company; "Alan Smithee sold a spec script to Fox for a mid-six against high-six-figure sum." Spesh — A television special; "HBO has pacted with Britney Spears to do a live concert spesh." Sprocket Opera — Film festival; "The actor plans to attend the annual Sundance sprocket opera next year." Strip — A five- or six-day-per-week TV series, usually in syndication; "Roseanne will return to TV in a talkshow strip next fall." Sudser — Soap opera; "Sudser star Susan Lucci was nominated for an Emmy again this year." Suspenser — Suspense film; "The studio is planning a remake of the Audrey Hepburn suspenser 'Wait Until Dark.' " Syndie — Syndicated television programming, those sold to stations, rather than provided by one of the networks or netlets; " 'Xena: Warrior Princess' was at the top of the syndie ratings last week." T 30-mile Zone — Within a union-defined 30-mile radius (often measured from the Beverly Center in West Hollywood), a production company can shoot without paying travel expenses or a per-diem. Not coined by Variety. Tabmag — Tabloid-style TV magazine show, e.g., "Hard Copy"; "George Clooney has come down hard on the tabmags over the past year." Tap — To select or name; "Alan Smithee has been tapped senior VP of production for Warner Bros." Telefilm (also telepic, telepix) — Feature-length motion picture made for TV; "CBS' Cicely Tyson telefilm did well in the overnight ratings." (See also, made-for) Tentpole — Movie expected by a studio to be its biggest grossing blockbuster of the season, usually summer. Often the pic is the start of, or an installment in, a franchise; ""Armageddon" was a successful tentpole in 1998." Terp — To dance (as in Terpsichore); "Suzanne Sommers' nitery act consists of some singing and a little terping." Terper — Dancer; "John Travolta was a terper on Broadway early in his career." Theatrical — Feature-length motion picture; "The actress has plans to make a theatrical while her TV series is on hiatus." Thrush — Female singer; "The cabaret scene in New York is dominated by thrushes Barbara Cook and Julie Wilson." (See also, chantoosie) Title Role — Not a Variety creation, the lead part in a movie or other production for an actor that is named after the title of the film; Angelina Jolie was played the title role in "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider." Tix — tickets; "Tix for the new musical are priced at a $75 top." Toon — Cartoon; "CBS has ordered a toon version of 'Men in Black' for its Saturday-morning schedule." Topline — To star; to be billed above the title of a show or film; "Julia Roberts will topline the director's next pic." Topliner — A star of a particular show or film; "Harrison Ford is the topliner of 'Air Force One.'" Topper — The head of a company or organization; "The company topper was unavailable for comment." Tubthump — To promote or draw attention to; from the ancient show business custom of actors wandering the streets banging on tubs to drum up business; "Disney is planning a big parade to tubthump the opening of its new release." Tuner — A legitimate musical; "David Merrick produced numerous Broadway tuners." Tunesmith — Songwriter; "Tunesmith Burt Bacharach will be given a special award at the ceremony." (See also, cleffer) Turnaround — No longer active; a project put into "turnaround" has been abandoned by one studio and may be shopped to another. Two-hander — A play or movie with two characters; " 'Love Letters' has been one of the most popular two-handers of the '90s." (See also: one-hander) Two-wall — A theater rental contract where the host property and artist share expenses and share revenue, expecting to recoup from the success of the show; (See also, four-wall) Twofers — Coupons that discount admission price to "two for" the price of one; "The play has been on twofers for the past three months." Tyro — In general, someone new to a field or activity; in Variety, a first-time director, writer, etc.; "Written by tyro scribes Dan Wilson and David Gilbreth, pic is the story of two genius brothers." U Unspool — To screen a film; "More than 30 films are set to unspool at the upcoming festival." Upfront — Commercial time sold in advance of the TV season; "A CBS source said the upfront market has been unusually strong this year." (See also, scatter) Veep (also veepee, VP) — Vice president; "Alan Smithee has been named marketing veep at TriStar." Vid — Video; "The film will not go to vid until it completes its overseas theatrical runs." VOD — Video on demand; "Home Shopping Network has been developing a VOD division that will allow customers to order specific programming." Voiceover — Offscreen narration; "Tom Bosley provided voiceover for the animated production." W Warble — To sing; "Margaret Whiting warbled a pair of tunes at Tuesday night's fundraiser." Warbler — Singer; "Under its new policy, the nitery has booked a string of warblers." Web — Network; "The webs have instituted a policy of rating their own programming." (See also, net) Weblet — Fledgling networks UPN and the WB; any network with less than a full weekly schedule of programming; "The weblets are making inroads in the weekly ratings race." (See also, netlet) Whammo — a sensation (bigger than boffo); " 'Men in Black' has done whammo biz internationally." (See also, boffo, socko) Whodunit — A mystery film (or show); "The director's next project will be a whodunit for Warner Bros." Wicket — Box office (usually foreign); "Queues are forming at the wickets for the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical." Wrap — To finish production; "The picture will wrap in the next two weeks." Y Yawner — A boring show; "Despite a stellar cast, the play is a yawner and doesn't look to have a long run." Z Zitcom — A television comedy aimed at teenagers.