Idioms: Of Mice and Men

Idiom

an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up

blow their stake

lose and/or spend all their money

live off the fat of the land

To grow own food,land is so "fat" or rich, that it is all that is needed

bust a gut

Work so hard that you feel like you busted a gut

jungle-up

camp out at night with

cat house

***** house; house of prostitution

watchin' the blackboard

looking for a job

a bum steer

A false information/direction

What stake you got in this guy

What financial interest do you have in him

leave your big flapper shut

A flapper is a mouth, thus "be quiet

scrappy

Fond of fighting, competing

take the rap

Take the blame

slang her pups

gave birth to puppies

tangles

Fights/argues

got the eye

looks/flirts

pants rabbits

Parasite (lice) from sharing bunks

rattrap

hopeless situation

flat bust

completely broke

hoosegow

jail

start a party out to lynch

get a group together to hang someone

throw a litter

give birth

welter

Boxer between light and middle weight

roll up a stake

save some money

set on the trigger

just about to cause trouble

looloo

a sexy woman

make it stick

Be successful/see it to the end

on the county

on welfare

yella jackets in his drawers

Restless,nervous

yella

Yellow, coward

goo-goos

Silly idiots

took a powder

left

booby hatch

pejorative terms for an insane asylum

baloney

nonsense

corn

Whiskey

put me in pitchers

To put in the movies

right cross

boxing term: a punch delivered by a right fist

cover 'im up

cover 'im up

went with shows

went with shows

Don't try to put nothin' over on me

don't lie to me

Somebody made a ringer

In horseshoes someone centered the pole and scored

I think I knowed we'd never do her

HER is the ranch. He always knew the dream wouldn't happen in his heart.