Of Mice and Men Study Guide

Glossary of Terms

"An' I bet he's eatin' raw eggs and writin' to the patent medicine houses" (36)

A reference to common aphrodisiacs of the time; George sarcastically expresses his disgust at Curley's ostentatious sex life.

"S'pose he took a powder" (78)

"Suppose he got fed up and left"

"two shots of corn" (87)

two glasses of corn whiskey

"You're yella as a frog belly" (68)

"You're a coward."

alfalfa

a wheat-like plant used for animal feed

bindle

a load carried on one's back, a bundle

candy wagon

a bus or truck

cuckoo

insane person

dugs

teats or udders, used in reference to animals

euchre

a card game

flop

sexual intercourse

gingham

a durable cotton material used for aprons

Golden Gloves

boxing tournament

goo-goo

a derogatory term for a reformer, short for "good government" clubbers

graybacks

lice

hame

a sidepiece of a horse's harness

handy

good with the hands, specifically with reference to fighting

hoosegow

prison

jack-pin

a metal pin used to tie down ropes on ships

jackson fork

a mechanical hay fork

jail baits

underage women

jungle-up

to camp outside

kewpie doll lamp

a lamp with a base made from a children's toy

liniment

a soothing or pain-killing liquid used on sore body parts

looloo

an attractive woman

Luger

A pistol popularly associated with use by German forces in the first and second World Wars.

pitchers

"pictures," or movies

rassel

"wrestle," or haul

ringer

in horseshoes, a throw that "rings" (or encircles) the target

San Quentin

a state prison located north of San Francisco

skinner, or muleskinner

a worker who drives mules with a whip

slang

gave birth to

slough

to skin

snooker

a type of billiards

swamper

a helper, so named because he mops the floors

twict

a jab

welter

welterweight, a boxing category