Groovy 1960s Slang: Words and Sayings From the Swinging Sixties

One of the things we all have in common across decades is that we're constantly on the move. Check out some of these popular words and phrases that perfectly described coming and going in the 1960s.

• pad - house or apartment; place of residence
• crash - to sleep or stay at someone's place
• jet - to leave quickly
• scene - a place or situation with a particular type of activity
• split - to leave, especially quickly or suddenly
• hip - a place that's very fashionable or in-the-know
• bean wagon - a cheap restaurant
• grungy - someone or some place looking shabby or dirty
• sponge - live off of someone else

Things were just cool in the 60s. So it's no surprise there were many slang terms during this decade that were used to describe something being "cool".

• groovy - something very pleasing or cool
• hip - something or someone that's very fashionable or in-the-know
• outta sight - something so cool that it's beyond description
• far out - used to express amazement or approval
• cool - a timeless term
• mod - short for "modernist," used to describe something very stylish or contemporary
• swinging - something that's lively and exciting
• boss - used to describe something that is excellent
• happenin' - something that's very active or popular

Speaking of things that were cool, the 1960s also had several words to describe different all sorts of things. "Things," in general, have existed for all of time, so it's no surprise the hip and happenin' folks of the 60s managed to get creative with their words for them—from different words for TVs to interesting ways to describe a beer, next up are some of the best 60s miscellany slang.

• boob tube - television
• boogie board - a short surfboard
• brew - beer
• bug - to bother or annoy someone
• cherry - something in mint condition
• chop - to cut someone down verbally
• deuce - putting two fingers up in a peace symbol
• five finger discount - a euphemism for stealing goods
• flip flops - sandals, specifically those with a flat sole and Y-shaped strap
• fuzz - police or law enforcement
• gig - a job, especially a musical performance
• grody - dirty, grimy, or disgusting
• lame -  uncool, disappointing, not exciting
• peggers - jeans with tight calves and ankles
• rap - to talk or have a conversation
• scratch - money, cash
• shades - sunglasses
• tennies - tennis shoes, sneakers
• threads - clothes, outfit
• zilch - zero, nothing
• zit - pimple

If there's one thing people across decades have in common, it's opinions about others. Here are some of the more unique ways "hunks" and "skirts" talked about and/or described other people during this time:

• all show and no go - looks good superficially
• badass - trouble maker
• blitzed - drunk
• chrome dome - a bald man (humorous)
• cool head - someone who is calm and easy-going
• decked out - dressed up, often in fancy clothes
• dig it - understand a concept or idea in a positive manner
• don't flip your wig - don't be upset
• dove - a peace lover
• dropout - refuse to conform with society
• fab four - The Beatles
• fink - tattletale
• flake - useless person, often implying unreliability
• fox - good looking woman
• freedom riders - civil rights protestors, particularly those involved in challenging racial segregation
• gone - under the influence of drugs
• gnarly - difficult or big
• hacked - made someone mad or irritated
• hawk - a supporter of war
• hippie/hippy - a member of the counterculture; a free-spirited, unconventional person
• hog - to take over so someone else cannot use
• hunk - good looking guy
• in the groove - a person who is part of the in-crowd
• kiss off - dismiss, often used to end a relationship or interaction abruptly 
• kiss up - someone who will do anything to gain favor by another person
• lay it on me - asking someone to give information or opinions
• mirror warmer - woman who spends a lot of time looking in the mirror
• mop-top - someone with a Beatle-style haircut
• old lady - girlfriend/wife
• old man - boyfriend/husband
• panty waist - a boy who does not have a "tough" personality
• pig - police officer (derogatory) 
• port holer - a sailor on a ship
• skag/skank - an ugly girl (derogatory)
• skuzz/skuzz bucket - disgusting person or thing
• square - someone who isn't cool, implying conventional or old-fashioned attitudes
• stuck up - conceited, describing someone overly proud or arrogant
• sweat hog - fat girl or boy (derogatory) 
• that's her bag - "that's what she's into," referring to someone's interests or hobbies
• the man - any establishment authority figure interested in maintaining the status quo or corporate and political power
• ticked off - angry, describing a state of irritation or annoyance
• tight - very friendly, often used to describe a close relationship or bond
• turn off - to repulse someone, often used in the context of dating or social interactions
• unglued - upset
• uptight - tense and unable to enjoy life; overly anxious or stressed

What kind of lingo wouldn't include special terms for fast cars? The '60s were an era of rebellion so, to no surprise, that means some exciting car lingo made its way into the decade's far out vocab. Let's take a look:

• bench racing - sitting around and talking about the speed of cars
• bone yard - a place to put junk or wrecked cars, typically a junkyard or scrapyard
• bookin' - going fast in a car; speeding
• brody - skid half a circle in a car with the brakes locked
• burn rubber - squeal tires and leave rubber on the road, usually when accelerating rapidly from a stop
• chicken/to play chicken - a reckless game where two cars drive towards each other, and the first to swerve is considered the "chicken"
• chinese fire drill - when four people get out of a car at a red light and exchange places in the car (playful)
• lay rubber - stop fast and leave wheel marks on the road
• midnight auto supply - a euphemism for stolen auto parts, implying clandestine or illegal acquisition 
• passion pit - drive-in movie, often associated with romantic encounters during the show
• peel out - accelerate quickly
• race for pinks - race cars when the winner keeps the loser's car, referring to the pink slip which is the vehicle title
• shotgun - passenger seat; often called by passengers wanting to claim the front seat next to the driver
• slug bug - Volkswagen Beetle, a popular car model at the time
• souped up - a car with lots of extra parts (usually to make it faster)
• tooling - driving around, often aimlessly or for leisure
• truckin' - moving quickly, can refer to both driving fast and walking briskly
• twice pipes - two-muffler tail pipes, often associated with high-performance or modified cars

Just like today, life in the '60s was full of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here are some of the most popular expressions used to provide commentary on various experiences:

• a gas - having a fun time, often used to describe lively situations
• bad - awesome, used paradoxically to mean something very good or impressive
• beat feet - leave quickly, often in a hurry to escape an unpleasant situation
• blast - a good time, a loud party, typically describing a lively and fun event
• boss - fantastic, used to describe something exceptionally good
• bug out - to leave, especially in a hurry or suddenly
• bummer - an unpleasant experience
• catch some rays - get out in the sun, typically for sunbathing or relaxing outdoors
• cut out - leave the area quickly 
• downer - an unpleasant experience (or person), often bringing down the mood
• drag - something (or someone) that's boring
• fab - fabulous
• far out - awesome, expressing amazement or approval 
• flake off - leave, especially casually or without a formal goodbye
• flower power - the peaceful protest movement of the 60s counterculture, emphasizing non-violence and love
• freak out - get excited and lose control, often in response to overwhelming emotions or situations
• gimme some skin - to ask someone to slap or shake your hand in agreement
• hairy - difficult or out of control, used to describe challenging situations
• hang loose - take it very easy, a laid-back approach to life
• hang tough - to stick with something difficult, showing resilience or determination
• heavy - a serious or intense subject, often requiring thoughtful consideration
• jam - play music together, especially in an impromptu or informal setting
• jazzed - excited, feeling enthusiastic or thrilled about something
• kicks - something done for pleasure, typically fun or recreational activities 
• laid back - relaxed, having a calm and easy-going attitude 
• neato - awesome, expressing enthusiasm or approval
• no sweat - no problem, indicating something is easy and not a cause for concern
• on the make - looking for a date, actively seeking romantic connections
• outta sight - awesome, expressing a high level of approval or amazement
• pig out - overeat; indulging in a large amount of food
• pound - to beat someone up, typically in a physical confrontation 
• right on - okay; a term of agreement, expressing affirmation or support
• scarf - eat fast, often in a hurried or voracious manner
• shot down - rejected, typically in a social or romantic context
• sock it to me - let me have it
• solid - indicating comprehension or agreement; "I understand"
• split - to leave, especially in a hurry or abruptly
• stoked - likes someone or something a lot
• tough/tuff - cool, awesome, used to describe something impressive or admirable
• tune out - ignore, choosing not to pay attention or engage
• twitchin' - great or awesome, often used to describe something exciting
• unreal - so outstanding it's difficult to believe, expressing disbelief or amazement
• way out - beyond explanation, used for something extraordinary or unconventional 
• wipe out - to fail in a big way or to fall off the surfboard, often used in the context of surfing or general failure

Many of these slang words and expressions are probably very familiar to you, no matter your age. Some of these expressions came back to life in later decades, and some of them really never faded from use at all. For example, many people today still use the word "zit" and the phrase "bugging out" and probably don't even know how long they've been around. You'll find a lot of these slang terms make an appearance in 1970s slang and even in 1980s slang, too! Isn't it fascinating how even when language evolves so quickly, humans like to keep some particular terms around for a while?

For more on the ins and outs of American lingo throughout the decades, enjoy this overview of American Slang Words.