Beatnik Slang
The coffee-house cool of the 1950s Beat Generation, where jazz, poetry and rebellion built their own vocabulary.
15 words
A young woman — the beatnik counterpart to calling a guy a 'cat.'
Hopelessly square, dull, or worthless — going nowhere, leading nowhere.
A state of total boredom — a dreary, lifeless place or situation.
To show up where the action is — to attend, participate, and be part of the happening.
The ultimate — the absolute end of the line in the best possible way.
To lose your composure — get wildly excited, blown away, or come unglued.
To leave or take off — to clear out of a place, fast or casual.
The absolute best — the height of cool, with nothing better above it.
To an intense or wild degree — the beat-era way of saying 'a whole lot.'
The guys, especially musicians and people who are hip to the scene.
A composed, stylish, in-the-know man — the very picture of beatnik cool.
Thrills and good times pursued for their own sake — fun, excitement, a buzz.
A hip, affectionate way to address a man — the beatnik equivalent of 'man' or 'dude.'
So deeply into the music or moment that you've left ordinary reality behind — totally absorbed and excellent.
To panic, freak out, or flee — to come apart or bolt under pressure.