1. When someone is dubbed the "ginchiest," what are they?
The Correct Answer is A. “Baby, you’re the ginchiest!” Back in the 1950s, those who were considered to be the epitome of cool or trendy culture would get this a lot. When someone in the 50s had genuine admiration for either a person’s looks or personality, they would say this to them. Today, the word might conjure a certain green-haired, Christmas-stealing misfit, but only if you misheard the word.
2. What does “made in the shade” mean?
The Correct Answer is B. If someone had it “made in the shade," it means they were probably well on their way to achieving their goals and success and had nothing to worry about in the world since everything was going so smoothly.
3. What is a “beat foot”?
The correct answer is C. "The police are on their way; we have to beat feet before it's too late!" Someone might say if they were up to no good and needed to make a hasty exit from the scene of the crime. So if a person needs to beat feet, then that means they have to leave quickly.
4. What did it mean when someone was "cruisin' for a bruisin'?"
The Correct Answer is A. In the 1950s, if someone was "cruisin' for a bruisin'," it meant that they probably had a face that made other people want to hit them in the face. You most certainly did not want to be known as that obnoxious person who was constantly making life difficult for everyone else.
5. When someone was told to ‘’cut the gas”, what were they being told?
The Correct Answer is C. When someone told someone to "cut the gas," it implied that they wanted them to be quiet as soon as possible. If there’s someone around whose voice you can no longer bear to hear, try telling them this and see if it has any effect.
6. What did people mean when they said, "razz my berries"?
The Correct Answer is A. People would say "razz my berries" if something thrilled them, yet the phrase was never used in a provocative manner. "That new Elvis album definitely razzed my berries!" is an example of such a phrase. Has this quiz razzed your berries so far?
7. What was a “classy chassis”?
The Correct Answer is A. Having a "classy chassis." meant that someone had a fantastic body. If you wanted to compliment a woman on her appearance in a way that would not cause her insult, you would say something along the lines of "Wow, Tina, you've got a classy chassis." Well, women were expected to be more accepting of random male advancements back then, but it still didn’t guarantee you were safe from a slap.
8. What is the significance of the phrase "word from the bird"?
The Correct Answer is C. If a person wanted to persuade someone that what they were saying to them was true, you might use this statement as part of your argument. Take, for instance, the phrase "I saw Richie chatting to your gal at the soda fountain dude, word from the bird!" as an example.
9. What is a “wet rag”?
The Correct Answer is D. During the 1950s you might overhear someone saying something like, "Don't be such a wet rag! Come to the dance on Friday!" In the 1950s, it was common to refer to someone as a "wet rag" as a way of informing them they were a buzzkill or a party pooper. This evolved into the insult “wet blanket,” which still gets a little use today.
10. When someone said they had their "wig chopped," what did they imply by that?
The Correct Answer is A. This one is quite obvious. When someone said that they "had their wig chopped," it meant that they had just recently gotten a haircut. As an example, one may say, "I'm heading to the barber later to have my wig chopped."
11. What did they mean when they said: "ain't that a bite"?
The Correct Answer is C. You might use this term to convey your dissatisfaction with the current situation. As an example, you can say, "Geez, Martha left you for Greg because he had a nicer car? Ain’t that a bite…” This slang sounds kind of cool now that we think of it.
12. What was meant by the term "royal shaft"?
The Correct Answer is C. If someone was receiving the "royal shaft," it meant that they were being treated poorly or unjustly. Take, for instance, the question, "Have you heard of Donnie? Because he had fallen asleep during class, the instructor gave him the dreaded "royal shaft" today.
13. What precisely did someone mean when they referred to the "wazoo"?
The Correct Answer is C. We've all heard expressions such as "He's got money pouring out the wazoo," but how many of us understand what a "wazoo" is? Well, now you do. When people in the 1950s used this hyperbolic expression, they were referring to a person’s posterior, as if they were so full of something that it would make its way out in any way it could.
14. What was a "spaz"?
The Correct Answer is B. A person who was uncoordinated and had a reputation for being clumsy was referred to as a "spaz." When a younger sibling did anything embarrassing or simple, their brothers or sisters would reprimand them by saying, "Oh my god, you're such a spaz." Nowadays, this kind of language is offensive and totally unacceptable.
15. The "passion pit" was what exactly?
The Correct Answer is D. Back in the 1950s it was not uncommon to find a drive-in movie theater. Even though we refer to them as drive-in movies now, back in the day, people often referred to them as "the passion pit." This was probably because some teenagers could have been engaging in other activities than viewing the movie, shall we say.
16. What was meant by the term "paper shaker"?
The Correct Answer is A. Because of their pom-poms, the cheerleaders were often referred to as "paper shakers." This was a phrase used by the popular students in the school. Take, for instance, the statement that "Gary wants to invite Dawn to the prom this year. You know, the paper shaker."
17. What exactly did it mean when someone said they would "lay a patch"?
The Correct Answer is A. When someone "laid a patch," it indicated that they had suddenly accelerated their vehicle to the point that they left a mark on the pavement in the form of a patch of rubber. Back in those days, hot rods were all the rage, and everyone was burning rubber on the roads.
18. Where exactly was a "fat city"?
The Correct Answer is C. Back in the 1950s, a "fat city" was the place everyone wanted to go, despite its name. For example, you may say, "Ever since Darlene moved away from this town, she's been residing in the fat city! She just purchased an apartment downtown, and her salary is quite a good one.
19. What exactly did people mean when they referred to "binoculars" in their conversations?
The Correct Answer is B. "Binoculars" was another term for spectacles back in the day. Because binoculars and spectacles both enable people to see things that they were previously unable to, this slang term does make sense when you think about it. While reading this, you might need to wear “binoculars” to make everything out.
20. What exactly did it mean to say that someone was "bad news"?
The Correct Answer is A. When someone was "bad news," it often indicated that they never had anything positive to say or contribute to the conversation. Every time they entered a room, they carried with them a miserable atmosphere, and nobody ever wanted to be in their presence. Nobody wanted to hear bad news.
21. What was or were the "gringles"?
The Correct Answer is C. When someone back then was said to have the "gringles," it meant that they were likely really bothered or anxious about something. As an illustration, you may say something like, "Ann promised she'd give me a call after our date, but she still hasn't! I'm getting the gringles just thinking about it."
22. When someone asked, "Are you writing a book?" What exactly did they mean by that question?
The Correct Answer is A. It's easy to get irritated when other people start asking too many questions all at once. In the 1950s, an interrogation was brought to a close by saying, "Are you writing a book?" With all this information about the 1950s, you could write a book.
23. When someone "bust a gut," what happened to them?
The Correct Answer is C. When something is so funny, you have to keel over. Every time we listen to him, Milton Berle makes us bust a gut—to the point that we almost have to throw up! Someone from back in the day might have remarked on the hilarity of something or someone by using those same words.
24. Where did "Antsville" come from?
The Correct Answer is D. When wives urged their husbands to make a trip to the supermarket a few weeks before Thanksgiving, they might have said, "You don't want to go over there any later; it'll be Antsville!" to discourage them from putting it off too long. We think it came from the fact that ants always come in large numbers.
25. What exactly was meant by the phrase "to agitate the gravel"?
The Correct Answer is B. People would occasionally say, "let's agitate the gravel," just before leaving, followed by their driving away in hot rods or other kinds of cars. This would happen when it was time to make a hasty departure. We guess that you’d agitate the gravel by kicking it all up behind you as you accelerate.
26. What exactly does it mean if someone said you were "circled"?
The Correct Answer is B. Back in the day, a person's marital status was indicated by the term "circled," which denoted that they were already wed. This is most likely a reference to a person’s "wedding ring," the jewelry worn by most married people.
27. What did it mean to be a "bird dog"?
The Correct Answer is D. There were many young men and women who had to keep an eye out for the "bird dogs" of the world, just in case someone out there was attempting to take their lovers or girlfriends! This bird dog is not welcome even in this day and age, and we hope it stays in the 50s.
28. What were "cheaters," exactly?
The Correct Answer is C. Some people in the past referred to their sunglasses as "cheaters," most likely because wearing sunglasses allowed one to get away with cheating on examinations and games since no one could see what the wearer was looking at. Who would have thought that a simple word like that could have meant a totally different thing back in the 50s?
29. What does it mean to be "clutched"?
The Correct Answer is A. This meant that the person had been rejected in some manner. For instance, "I extended a date invitation to Mandy, but I got clutched." So it seems like getting clutched is not a good thing, especially if a crush does it to you.
30. If someone referred to the "cooler" back in the ’50s, what did they mean?
The Correct Answer is A. Someone may have remarked at the time, "Nelson was caught attempting to steal from a bank, and now he gets to spend six months in the cooler," meaning they were sent to jail for half a year. The phrase "cooler" might have been alluding to disciplinary action, such as confinement.
31. Who were these people called "curtain climbers"?
The Correct Answer is C. The phrase "One day you'll have numerous tiny curtain climbers of your own running around, I hope," is what many mothers might have told their adult children as a major suggestion to give them grandkids. Maybe kids were so bored back then that they only had curtains to play on.
32. What did it mean when adolescents informed their friends that they felt like they were "drowning"?
The Correct Answer is B. When people spoke about feeling like they were "drowning," they really meant that they had an extreme case of boredom or that nothing was going their way. As an example, one would say, "Ugh, I wish you were here, Stacy. I'm watching the kids, and I feel like I'm going to drown!
33. What exactly did it mean if someone was "earthbound"?
The Correct Answer is D. Someone who was considered "earthbound" in days gone by was almost certainly a reliable person. Take, for instance, the phrase "That Martha is so earthbound, you can always depend on her." So if anyone would like to be paired during a group project, they would be lucky to be paired with someone who is earthbound.
34. If someone asked someone to do something "flat out," what course of action would they recommend taking?
The Correct Answer is A. When someone said they were doing something "flat out," they indicated they were doing it as quickly as possible. People who worked in factories presumably received orders to perform their duties at full speed all the time. There is no time to waste if someone has to do it flat out.
35. What exactly were “gangbusters”?
The Correct Answer is B. Gangs are not relevant in any way to a gangbuster, strangely enough. It was a phrase used to describe an individual or outcome that was highly successful. Gangbusters were outstanding people, they could get things done, and they shook things up in the right way.
36. What exactly does the term "germ" refer to outside its broader meaning?
The Correct Answer is C. It's likely that if someone labeled another person a "germ," it meant that they were being particularly unpleasant or behaving like a pest. For instance, older sisters may often refer to their younger brothers as "such a tiny germ!" while speaking about them. So in the 50’s no one wanted to be called a germ.
37. A "heater" was what exactly?
The Correct Answer is A. A gun was sometimes referred to as a "warmer," which was another name that people occasionally used. It's true that this was a slang term before the 50s, but it reached its peak of popularity in the 1940s and then gradually fell out of usage in the years that followed, disappearing sometime at the end of the decade.
38. What did they mean by "ice it"?
The Correct Answer is A. When someone advised you to “ice it," they most likely meant that you should refrain from doing a certain action or put it out of your mind entirely. When someone asks a person to ice it, it means to stop it in its tracks, as if the action or thought were frozen solid.
39. Who or what exactly was a "Joe Doe"?
The Correct Answer is C. A man who went on a blind date was referred to as a "Joe Doe." Before meeting Joe Does, a good number of women most likely felt a great deal of dread. Blind dates are tricky because you never know what they get until you show up. Then it’s a matter of figuring out how quickly you can get away or how long you can stay.
40. What is a tank?
The Correct Answer is A. Back in the ’50s, a big car was called a tank. By the sheer size of the cars made then, it sure isn’t hard to imagine a car rolling over you like a tank—it’s easy to see the resemblance. But no one in the 50s would mistake an actual military tank for a large car.