That’s Groovy, Man: Your Guide to Sixties’ Slang

If you said something is “groovy” these days, you would be laughed out of town. But in the 1960s, it was a very fine word. The 60s/70s hippie era was full of  slang. I guess every generation is, but I don’t know much of the slang of today (except “rizz,”which apparently means some kind of flirtatious charm, taken from charisma). The hippie era was around mid 60s to mid 70s. 

Here is some common slang from the hippie era:

A gas – A fun time (That keg party was a gas!)

Bitchin’ – Cool, same as groovy (That’s a bitchin’ car.)

Blast –  Something spectacular or a lot of fun

Boob tube – Television

Bread – Money

Bummer – A disappointing or unpleasant experience (Summer vacation was a bummer.)

Bum trip – Waste of time

Cat/Cool cat –  A stylish or smooth guy

Crash – To sleep or stay over at a friend’s place

Chrome dome – Bald guy

Dig – A verb meaning to understand or appreciate something (Can you dig it?)

Ding-bat – A person one dislikes or insults as being of low intelligence (probably from the sitcom All in the Family)

Drag – Something boring

Drop out – Refuse to conform to current societal norms

Fab Four – The Beatles

Far out – Incredible

Fink – A snitch

Flower Power – A peaceful slogan representing the non-violent hippie movement

Four on the floor – Four-speed gear shift in a car

The fuzz – The police

Grody – Dirty or disgusting

Groovy – Cool

Hang ten – To put ten toes over the nose of the surfboard (also a clothing manufacturer at the time)

Haulin’ – Driving fast

Hip – Cool, as in a person

In the groove – Part of the crowd

Kicks – Pastime, activity done for pleasure (Hey, I just did it for kicks.)

Kook – A non-conformist

Lay it on me – Tell me, give me information (All right, just lay it on me.)

Mess -A bunch or gang of something (He sold me a mess of drugs.)

Neat – Good, better than average

Nowhere – Not good, not acceptable

Outa sight – Amazing ( Your new girlfriend is outa sight!)

Out of it – Old, not with the times (My dad is really out of it. )

Pad – Someone’s home or apartment

Right on – An expression of agreement or approval

Scene – Place with something going on

Shades – sunglasses

Smokes – Noun for cigarettes

Split –   To leave