Are You Hep to Gotán?:
The Secret Languages of Social Dance
In this exhibit, you’ll find a selection of social dance slang,
from Swing Era Jive to Argentine Lunfardo and beyond.
Out of hundreds of possible words and phrases, these examples were chosen because:
(a) they’re dance-related,
(b) they’re still in use today, or
(c) they’re particularly useful or interesting.
afters
afters
Meaning: “an informal gathering that follows the main event”
Usage: “Are you coming to afters?”
Source: British / Irish English
ain't comin' (on that tab)
ain't comin' (on that tab)
Meaning: “won’t accept the proposition” / “don’t count on me”
Usage: “Dancing ‘til dawn? I ain’t comin’ on that tab.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
alligator
alligator
Meaning: “jitterbug” [i.e., a fan of swing]
Usage: “See you later, alligator!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945) /
A Jazz Lexicon (1964)
Notes: A Jazz Lexicon (1964) proposes that alligator is an expanded form of “gate,” a salutary name for a young fellow, which in turn is an abbreviation of Gatemouth, which was an early nickname for Louis Armstrong. How language evolves!
battery acid
battery acid
Meaning: “coffee”
Usage: “There’s no way I’m staying awake without some battery acid.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
bible
bible
Meaning: “the gospel truth” / “the true facts”
Usage: “Armstrong’s the best trumpet player of all time. It’s the bible!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
blip
blip
Meaning: “superlative” / “something very good”
Usage: “This tune’s a blip.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
blinkers
blinkers
Meaning: “your eyes”
Usage: “Keep your blinkers open so you don’t run into anyone.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
blow one's top
blow one's top
Meaning: “to be overcome with emotion (delight)”
Usage: “You’ll blow your top when you hear this one.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
bobo
bobo
Meaning: “heart”
(literally, “idiot,” because it works all day for no pay)
Usage: “Mi bobo se desmaya.”
(“My heart is swooning.”)
Origin: Lunfardo
bring down
bring down
Meaning: “something depressing”
Usage: “Man, that’s a bring down.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
candy
candy
Meaning: “flashy moves”
Usage: “Candy is fun, but don’t forget your fundamentals.”
Origin: A variety of dance contexts
cat
cat
Meaning: “jive musician” / “musician in a swing band”
Usage: “Louis Armstrong was one cool cat.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
cerebrar
cerebrar
Meaning: “to think something up”
(literally, to “brain” something up)
Usage: “Veré qué puedo cerebrar.”
(“I’ll see what I can think up.”)
Origin: Lunfardo
chick
chick
Meaning: “girl” / “young girl”
Usage: “She seems like a pretty cool chick.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
chime
chime
Meaning: “hour”
Usage: “I’ll meet you at five chimes.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
collar
collar
Meaning: “to get, to obtain, to comprehend”
Usage: “Do you collar the jive?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
come again
come again
Meaning: “try it over, do better than you are doing, I don’t understand you” / “repeat”
Usage: “Tu gotán tiene duende.” “Come again?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
copacetic / kopasetic
copacetic / kopasetic
Meaning: “absolutely okay, the tops” / “everything’s fine”
Usage: “How are things?” “Copasetic.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
cop a squat
cop a squat
Meaning: “to sit down”
Usage: “Cop a squat and let’s talk about it.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
cooking with gas
cooking with gas
Meaning: “doing very well”
Usage: “How are things looking?” “We’re cooking with gas!”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
crash
crash
Meaning: “to attend without an invitation”
Usage: “Come on! Let’s crash the party.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
crumb stash
crumb stash
Meaning: “kitchen”
Usage: “I’ll see what I can scrounge from the crumb stash.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
dig
dig
Meaning: “meet” / “ look, see” / “comprehend, understand”
Usage: “Dig you later.” / “Dig that new guy over there.” / “Can you dig it?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
diggin' the discs
diggin' the discs
Meaning: “dancing to hot records”
Usage: “Last night we were diggin’ the discs.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
dreambox
dreambox
Meaning: “your head”
Usage: “What’s going on in your dreambox?”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
droolin' with schoolin'
droolin' with schoolin'
Meaning: “overeducated”
Usage: “That new fellow is droolin’ with schoolin’.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
duende
duende
Meaning: “a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity”
Usage: “El baile de Pedro y Maria tiene duende.”
(“The dancing of Pedro and Maria has duende.”)
Origin: Originally applied to Flamenco, but now also used in Tango.
feca
feca
Meaning: “coffee”
Usage: “Quieres feca?”
(“Do you want coffee?”)
Origin: Lunfardo
Notes: Feca is an example of vesre, a type of wordplay in Lunfardo that involves flipping the syllables of a word. (Vesre itself is an example of this, being the reverse of revés, which means “reverse”). Flipping the first and last syllables of café yields feca.
feelers
feelers
Meaning: “fingers”
Usage: “Put your feelers on the [piano] keys.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
fire extinguisher
fire extinguisher
Meaning: “chaperone”
Usage: “Let’s ditch the fire extinguishers.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
firulete
firulete
Meaning: “fancy footwork”
Usage: “¡Qué firulete!”
(“What fancy footwork!”)
Origin: Lunfardo
freeby / freebie
freeby / freebie
Meaning: “no charge, gratis”
Usage: “The snacks were a freebie.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
gams
gams
Meaning: “legs”
Usage: “Keep those gams movin’.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
gammin'
gammin'
Meaning: “showing off, flirtatious”
Usage: “That chick was gammin’.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
G. B.
G. B.
Meaning: “goodbye”
Usage: “I’m headed home. G. B.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
get in there
get in there
Meaning: “go to work, get busy, make it hot, give all you’ve got” / “to start”
Usage: “Get in there and give it a whirl.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
give it a whirl
give it a whirl
Meaning: “to start”
Usage: “Get in there and give it a whirl.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
gomía
gomía
Meaning: “friend”
Usage: “Todos los gomías de tango son gomías míos.”
(“Every friend of tango is a friend of mine.”)
Origin: Lunfardo
Notes: Gomía is an example of vesre, a type of wordplay in Lunfardo that involves flipping the syllables of a word. (Vesre itself is an example of this, being the reverse of revés, which means “reverse”). Flipping the first and last syllables of amigo yields gomía.
gotán
gotán
Meaning: “tango”
Usage: “¿Quieres acompañarme a la noche de gotán?”
(“Do you want to join me for the tango night?”)
Origin: Lunfardo
Notes: Gotán is one of the most famous examples of vesre, a type of wordplay in Lunfardo that involves flipping the syllables of a word. (Vesre itself is an example of this, being the reverse of revés, which means “reverse”). Thus, gotán means Tango, but with a Lunfardo twist. The name of the famous French electro-tango group, The Gotan Project, is derived from gotán.
got your boots on
got your boots on
Meaning: “you know what it is all about, you are a hep cat, you are wise” / “hep to the jive”
Usage: “Cab Calloway has got his boots on.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
got your glasses on
got your glasses on
Meaning: “you are ritzy or snooty, you fail to recognize your friends, you are up-stage”
Usage: “Where’ve you been man? You got your glasses on?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
gravy
gravy
Meaning: “profits" / “excess”
Usage: “I would've done it for free, so getting paid was pure gravy.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
groovy
groovy
Meaning: “fine”
Usage: “I’m feelin’ groovy.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
happify
happify
Meaning: “to make happy”
Usage: “Dancing never fails to happify me.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
hardware
hardware
Meaning: “flashy jewelry”
Usage: “Man, that chick’s got some hardware.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
hepcat
hepcat
Meaning: “a guy who knows all the answers, understands jive” /
“one who knows what it’s all about”
Usage: “Cab Calloway was a hepcat.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
hep to
hep to
Meaning: “well-informed”
Usage: “Are you hep to the jive?”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
hi de ho
hi de ho
Meaning: “exclamation of joy”
Usage: “Live band tonight? Well, hi de ho!”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
hip
hip
Meaning: “wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on”
Usage: “He’s one hip young fellow.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
hinges
hinges
Meaning: “your elbows”
Usage: “Keep your hinges bent when you dance.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
home cooked
home cooked
Meaning: “the best”
Usage: “That band tonight was home cooked!”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
house without chairs
house without chairs
Meaning: “dance hall”
Usage: “We’re headin’ on down to the house without chairs.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
hummer
hummer
Meaning: “exceptionally good”
Usage: “That tune’s a hummer.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
icky
icky
Meaning: “one who is not hip, a stupid person, can’t collar the jive” / “a conservative person”
Usage: “Man, Jeff’s such an icky.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
in the groove
in the groove
Meaning: “perfect, no deviation, down the alley”
Usage: “That drum solo was in the groove.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
Jack
Jack
Meaning: “name for all male friends”
Usage: “Hey Jack, what’s cookin’?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
Jeff
Jeff
Meaning: “a pest, a bore, an icky” / “a boring individual”
Usage: “Man, Jeff’s such a Jeff.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
jillion
jillion
Meaning: “a lot (of people or money)”
Usage: “There were a jillion people there last night.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
jitterbug
jitterbug
Meaning: “a swing fan”
Usage: “Once a jitterbug, always a jitterbug!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
jive
jive
Meaning: “Harlemese speech”
Usage: “Are you hep to the jive?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
joint is jumping
joint is jumping
Meaning: “the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun” / “everybody’s having fun”
Usage: “The joint is jumping tonight!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
jumpin' jack / jumpin' jill
jumpin' jack / jumpin' jill
Meaning: “boy dancer” / “girl dancer”
Usage: “She was a jumpin’ jill straight out of the womb.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
killer diller
killer diller
Meaning: “a great thrill” / “thrilling”
Usage: “That dance was killer diller.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
latch on
latch on
Meaning: “grab, take hold, get wise to” / “understand”
Usage: “I latch on to what you’re saying.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
let's mop
let's mop
Meaning: “let’s dance”
Usage: “Oh, I love this song. Let’s mop!”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
lock up / locked up
lock up / locked up
Meaning: “to acquire something exclusively” / “under control”
Usage: “Don’t worry, I’ve got it all locked up.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
mellow
mellow
Meaning: “all right, fine”
Usage: “That’s mellow, Jack.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
mellow fellow
mellow fellow
Meaning: “a satisfactory person”
Usage: “He’s a mellow fellow.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
mess
mess
Meaning: “something good”
Usage: “That dance was a mess!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
milonguear
milonguear
Meaning: “to dance at a milonga,
with an understanding of not just the steps,
but also the music and culture”
Usage: “Para aprender a milonguear hay que milonguear.”
(“To learn to how to dance at milongas, one needs to dance at milongas.”)
Origin: Lunfardo
moo juice
moo juice
Meaning: “milk”
Usage: “How much moo juice do you take with your battery acid?”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
out of this world
out of this world
Meaning: “perfect rendition” / “superlative”
Usage: “That sax solo was out of this world.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
percha
percha
Meaning: “a well-dressed person”
(literally, “a coathanger”)
Usage: “Mira esa percha ahí.”
(“Look at that well-dressed fellow there.”)
Origin: Lunfardo
pescar
pescar
Meaning: “to understand”
(literally, “to fish”)
Usage: “¿Pescas?”
(“Do you understand?”)
Origin: Lunfardo
Notes: Pescar is an irregular example of vesre, a type of wordplay in Lunfardo that involves flipping the syllables of a word. (Vesre itself is an example of this, being the reverse of revés, which means “reverse”). Pescar is an irregular vesre modification of the Italian “capisce?”
pidgwigeon
pidgwigeon
Meaning: “the correct information”
Usage: “Cab Calloway gives you the pidgwigeon.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
pisador
pisador
Meaning: “a dancer who steps on your feet”
(literally, “a stomper”)
Usage: “¡Cuidado! Paolo es un pisador.”
(“Beware! Paolo is a stomper.”)
Origin: Lunfardo
pops
pops
Meaning: “salutation for all males”
Usage: “Hey pops!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
riff
riff
Meaning: “hot lick, musical phrase” / “hot musical expression”
Usage: “That last riff was righteous, man.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
righteous
righteous
Meaning: “splendid, okay” / “perfect”
Usage: “That last riff was righteous, man.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
sad
sad
Meaning: “very bad”
Usage: “That was the saddest meal I ever had.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
salty
salty
Meaning: “angry, ill-tempered”
Usage: “That sad meal still has me salty.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
sharp
sharp
Meaning: “neat, smart, tricky”
Usage: “Lookin’ sharp, pops.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
shutters
shutters
Meaning: “your eye-lids”
Usage: “Open your shutters and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
send
send
Meaning: “to arouse the emotions (joyful)” / “bring me ecstasy”
Usage: “That drum solo sends me.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
sizzling platter
sizzling platter
Meaning: “hot music record”
Usage: “That new Duke Ellington is a sizzling platter.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
snacketeer
snacketeer
Meaning: “one who eats between meals”
Usage: “More chips? You’re such a snacketeer!”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
so help me
so help me
Meaning: “it’s the truth, that’s a fact”
Usage: “Swing is king, so help me!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
solid
solid
Meaning: “great, swell, okay” / “peak of perfection”
Usage: “That new track is solid.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
square
square
Meaning: “an unhep person”
Usage: “Jeff’s such a square.””
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
stompers
stompers
Meaning: “pair of shoes”
Usage: “Nice stompers you got there.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
super duper
super duper
Meaning: “something extra special”
Usage: “Hellzapoppin’ was super duper.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
swellegant / swellelegant
swellegant / swellelegant
Meaning: “wonderful”
Usage: “Last night’s soirée was swellelegant.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
take it slow
take it slow
Meaning: “be careful”
Usage: “Take it slow with that one.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
the man
the man
Meaning: “the law”
Usage: “If it weren’t for the man, we’d have this place jumpin’ all night long.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
they're a thing
they're a thing
Meaning: “sweethearts”
Usage: “Pedro and Maria? Yup, they’re a thing.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
threads
threads
Meaning: “suit, dress, or costume” /“your wardrobe”
Usage: “Nice threads, Jack.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
tick
tick
Meaning: “minute, moment” / “a moment”
Usage: “Catch you in a few ticks.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944) /
Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
ticker
ticker
Meaning: “your heart”
Usage: “You make my ticker skip a beat.”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
too much
too much
Meaning: “term of highest praise”
Usage: “You are too much!”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
truck
truck
Meaning: “to go somewhere”
Usage: “I think I’ll truck on down to the corner store.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
what's your story?
what's your story?
Meaning: “What do you want? What have you got to say for yourself?
How are tricks? What excuse can you offer?”
Usage: “I don’t know what his story is.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
what's cookin'?
what's cookin'?
Meaning: “what’s doing?”
Usage: “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?”
Source: Hepcats Jive Talk Dictionary (1945)
yeah, man
yeah, man
Meaning: “an exclamation of assent”
Usage: “Yeah, man.”
Source: The New Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary (1944)
yellow rock
yellow rock
Meaning: “hug”
Usage: “Give your corner a yellow rock.”
Origin: Square dancing
zapi
zapi
Meaning: “pizza”
Usage: “Quieres zapi?”
(“Do you want pizza?”)
Origin: Lunfardo
Notes: Zapi is an example of vesre, a type of wordplay in Lunfardo that involves flipping the syllables of a word. (Vesre itself is an example of this, being the reverse of revés, which means “reverse”). Flipping the first and last syllables of pizza yields zapi.
Updated: March 2025
First Displayed: March 2025