cowboy slang

Authentic cowboy slang differs quite significantly from what you'll pick up from Hollywood productions. The western terminology that the cowboy slang developed from includes sayings such as ‘above snakes’ - above ground; said of a man who's still alive. ‘Benzinery’ - a low-grade drinking place. ‘Berdache’ - an Indian male who dressed and lived entirely as a woman, fulfilling that cultural role within the tribe. ‘Fag’ - in cowboy slang meant to get out fast. ‘Hemp’ - was cowboy slang for rope. ‘Hounds’ - were the rowdies of the gold-rush days of San Fransisco. The term ‘man for breakfast’ indicated a murdered body in the streets at dawn, commonplace in the early days of Los Angeles and Denver. ‘Parade chaps’ - were a pair of chaps strictly for show, possibly for a grand entry parade at a rodeo. In cowboy slang if you were naked you were ‘unshucked‘; a gun could be unshucked if it was out of its holster. A ‘waddy’ was one of the words for a cowboy who drifted from ranch to ranch and helped out in busy times.