phoney
n.— «Phoney. Only rear of truck loaded, but to the top. [pencil] Rear of truck loaded to the top although the front is empty.» —“Mail and Newspaper Delivery Workers’ Slang and Jargon” by Individual delivery workers at Park Row, New York City in New York City Lexicon of Trade Jargon , 1938-39. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Oofless is an antiquated bit of British slang that describes someone temporarily short on cash. It’s from ooftisch, a Yiddish-derived term for “cash placed on the table,” from German auf Tisch. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Carpe diem! A new book reveals the surprisingly unfamiliar stories behind familiar quotations. Also: Rock climbers have gumbies, and surfers have kooks. What do those words say about beginners who have more confidence than experience? Plus, if...