Definitions by pbbt

t.b. 

acronym for tuberculosis. a common and deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria.

"I practically got t.b. and came out here for all these goddam checkups and stuff" (salinger 5).

t.b. by pbbt October 10, 2007

sharp as a tack 

something very good, interesting

"Then all of a sudden old spencer looked like he had something very good, something sharp as a tack, to say to me" (salinger 10)

sharp as a tack by pbbt October 10, 2007

crap 

a load of bullshit, also a swear word

"I had to sit and LISTEN to that crap" (salinger 11)

crap by pbbt October 10, 2007

lousy 

extremely bad or poor

"well, you could see he really felt pretty lousy about flunking me" (salinger 12)

lousy by pbbt October 10, 2007

shot the bull 

to improvise a load of bs (gee, wonder where that term came from?) to keep somebody distracted for any reason.

"so I shot the bull for a while. i told him i was a real moron, and all that stuff" (salinger 12)

shot the bull by pbbt October 10, 2007

pot of dough 

a load of dough>
a load of money>
a lot of money

"he made a pot of dough in the undertaking business after he got out of pencey" (salinger 16).

pot of dough by pbbt October 10, 2007

stiffs 

50's slang, no longer commonly used..

"i can just see the phony bastard shifting into first gear and asking Jesus to send him a few more stiffs" (salinger 17)

stiffs by pbbt October 10, 2007