Back when the West was wild and the cattle drives ran from Texas all the way north, cowboys had a language all their own. Those ranch hands (herding cattle, tending horses, and fixing whatever broke) gave us some of the most colorful expressions the English language has ever seen.
Some of those words have held on. You can still hear them on ranches and across the South and West. But most have faded into the background, victims of changing times.
That seems like a shame. So here are eight Old West slang words by Mental Floss worth dusting off and riding back into everyday conversation.
Tarnation
What it means: An expression of surprise or frustration. Think of it as the frontier version of “what the heck?”
Try it: What in tarnation is going on here?
Ace-High
What it means: Something luxurious or respectable. It comes from poker: an ace-high hand was the one to beat.
Try it: This hotel is ace-high with its espresso machine, giant flat-screen TV, and balcony views.
Skedaddle
What it means: To leave in a hurry, or run away fast.
Try it: Let’s skedaddle before this storm gets worse!
Sidewinder
What it means: A sly, untrustworthy person. The name comes from the Sidewinder snake, known for its deceptive movement pattern.
Try it: He’s a sidewinder; I wouldn’t trust him.
Bellyaching
What it means: Nonstop complaining or whining about something.
Try it: Stop bellyaching; we’ve still got 20 miles to go!
Howdy
What it means: Cowboy shorthand for “How do you do?” It can stand in for “Good morning” depending on the time of day.
Try it: Howdy, partner!
Yee-Haw
What it means: A shout of pure excitement. According to the C Lazy U Ranch cowboy slang guide, it is the ultimate expression of Western enthusiasm.
Try it: She jumped on the horse, put her feet in the stirrups, and yelled “yee-haw” as she rode into the sunset.
Above Board
What it means: Someone or something honest and trustworthy. This one also comes from a card game. Keeping your cards on the table (above the board) meant you were not cheating.
Try it: The hiring process was entirely above board.
A few of these may already feel familiar. Skedaddle and howdy never fully disappeared. And above board is still used today, even by people who have no idea it started at a card table in some dusty frontier saloon.
But the others deserve a second ride. So the next time someone is bellyaching, or you spot a sidewinder across the room, you will know exactly what to call it.
