Glossary of Slang and Peculiar Terms in Use in the A.I.F.

Original Manuscript

1921-1924

This is a transcribed version of the second typescript of the Glossary, dated 1924. It retains all typographical errors and grammatical and other idiosyncrasies. It is occasionally misalphabetised. We hope to make available in the near future some scanned pages of both the first and second typescript versions of the Glossary.

This section contains a selection of AIF slangs Original Manuscript, their meanings, and their etymologies.

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All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

H

HAIRY-BELLY.

A sycophant.

HAIRY MOB.

A Platoon.

HANGING TO.

Resulting from "Anything hanging to it." Any result likely to arise from it.

HARD CASE.

An inveterate humorist, one who defies convention and etiquette.

HARD WORD.

An outrageous demand. A request for a favor vigorously expressed.

HASHMAGANDY.

An insipid and monstrous [sic?] army dish.

HATE.

The daily artillery bombardment by the Germans.

HATE STUFF.

Ammunition fired by the enemy.

HEAD.

A person of high rank or standing.

HEAD-EM.

To toss the pennies used in the game of "two up" in such a way that both heads are uppermost when the coins reach the ground.

HEADS ARE RIGHT.

A "two up" term indicating that the heads of both pennies are uppermost.

HEAVIES.

Heavy guns.

HEAVY-STUFF.

Heavy Projectiles.

HORSE VALET.

A groom.

HOT-STUFF.

An energetic, clever, unscrupulous or otherwise formidable person.

HOUSE OR HOUSEY.

A legalised game of chance.

HUGHESILIER.

Name applied to men compulsorily placed in camp for so-called home defence purposes after the failure of the 1916 conscription referendum for service overseas in Australia. The idea being that once in camp [a] number of the men would volunteer for the A.I.F. The scheme was only partially successful.

HUMM.

To cadge.

HUN.

A German, applied to the Germans in allusion to the Ex Kaiser's exhortation to his troops sent to China during the Boxer rising to emulate the merciless conduct of the Huns.

HUNG ON THE WIRE.