The Outsiders Study Guide

Glossary of Terms

A'woofin'

Kidding or teasing

Bopper

Rumbler, or fighter, to the Brumly gang

Bum

Used as an adjective to mean wretched, worthless

Corn-poney

Unsophisticated, corny

Crocked

Drunk

Dig

Understand, appreciate

Heater

Gun

Holler uncle

Give up

Madras

A light, cotton fabric of various weaves, used for shirts.

One-horse

Small and insignificant

Pickled

Drunk

Rank

Used as an adjective to mean inferior

Reformatory

A correctional institution for minors

Savvy?

"Understand?"

Snooker

A game that is a variant of pool, played with 15 red balls (with a point value of 1) and 6 balls of other colors (with point values from 2 to 7).

Soft

Delicate, not a good fighter

Switch

Short for switchblade, a type of pocketknife.

Tagalong

A person who follows another's lead.

Tuff

Different from "tough," which means rough; "tuff" means "cool, sharp."

Weed

Cigarette