Slang Time: “Moo Juice” and More “Groovy” Boomer Words

Blog

26 July 2022

By Sarah Angela Almaden

Many of us love to use cute slang to zing up our chats, don’t we? A slang can make or break your reputation of coolness. Unless you think you’re too school for cool, which in that case, good 4 you.

There is always something quite fascinating about slang. Maybe because it is always changing, just like how language is always evolving. Or maybe because of its ability to connect communities and make convos sound more colorful. Whatever it is, we all know that slang is a major part of language and culture.

In this world where a freshly brewed cup of coffee is available in an instant… ooh, a cappuccino sounds very good right now. It is essential to remember that these slang terms weren’t created overnight. In fact, these terms come from the language of queer and black communities. And as these catchy sayings make their rounds throughout the years, they start to play a bigger role in our daily interactions – from social media platforms to our conversations with friends.

However, these fly expressions have the tendency to go out of style. No, they don’t have an expiration date. Instead, they simply just lose their pop and flair. If for some reason you end up using “outdated” terms, that’s okay as long as you’re using these terms responsibly and correctly. After all, words matter. And slang terms matter even more. It’s important to be aware of the words we are saying and how we are saying them.

So, with our social media feeds growing longer and our chitchats getting deeper, would you care to add some baby boomer slang to your vocabulary for extra dramatics?

1. Threads

Clothes are made of threads, right? Therefore, clothes = threads.

Sentence – The moms are doing a photoshoot so they can showcase their new threads.

Giphy / SNL

2. Hacked off

Angry.

Sentence – Darla was really hacked off when she saw Alfalfa with another girl.

Giphy

3. Flip a wig

Very very very very very angry.

Sentence – Teresa flipped her wig when she saw someone take the last slice of pizza.

Giphy

4. Cool Cat

Carole Baskin calling someone a cool cat is actually a compliment. It means she is calling you a cool person.

Sentence – Hey you cool cats, whatcha doing?

5. Groovy

Groovy sorta rhymes with gravy… maybe? Though, they are not the same thing. Groovy means something is cool, amazing, fabulous, not boring, and all those good things. The phrase first appeared in the jazz era of the 1920s and refers to both the groove of a vinyl record and the groove (feeling) of music.

Sentence – Need a groovy music recommendation? Listen to “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

6. Square

Sure a square is a shape with four equal sides, but it also means boring, dull, and uncool. The phrase was coined by the American jazz community in the 1940s to describe those who didn't follow the latest musical trends.

Sentence – Jane doesn’t care if people call her square.

Giphy

7. Moo juice

Cows moo. And cows make milk, otherwise known as moo juice. Oh and chocolate milk doesn’t come from brown cows, nope.

Sentence – Do you drink moo juice with a straw?

Giphy / Doja Cat

8. Scratch

Scratch is what you do when you feel itchy. But it is also another way to call money. The phrase's exact origin is unknown, however some believe it to be a reference to the idea of "starting from scratch."

Sentence – So you need some scratch, is that why you’re here?

Giphy / Pitchfork

9. The skinny

If someone is asking for “the skinny,” then you must know the person is asking for gossip. Similar to when someone is asking for the tea. Spill it sis.

Sentence – Okay, I’m ready. What’s the real skinny on his breakup?