Mark in Scranton, Pennsylvania, calls about a phrase he heard on an old detective show: drop a dime. It means “to inform on someone” or “tip off the police,” and comes from the practice of literally dropping a dime into a...
In addition to being the name of a plastic toy from the 60’s, the term rat fink was once used specifically to mean a narc or stool pigeon. Today, it’s used generally to mean a despicable person. This is part of a complete episode...
To dime someone out, just like to drop a dime (on someone), is to nark or tattle, common in the days when it cost ten cents to use a pay phone and snitch. Of course, that’s when pay phones were used at all. This is part of a complete episode...
hold the check v. phr.— «At yesterday’s hearing, Rep. Delmar Burridge said he hopes a law change will give incentive for low-level members who don’t “hold the check” or “hold the cap”—street lingo he heard in his...
hold the cap v. phr.— «At yesterday’s hearing, Rep. Delmar Burridge said he hopes a law change will give incentive for low-level members who don’t “hold the check” or “hold the cap”—street lingo he heard in his 35...
poop butt n.— «The most severe threat to any adolescent drug user is the “snitch,” or the “loud mouth poop butt.” Anyone perceived as a potential informer will be isolated from the mainstream of adolescent drug use...