Rapturian Dictionary

Looking for a way to make your post sound even more authentic? Try sprinkling some of these words throughout. Over the last couple days, Demosthenes and I compiled a list of "colorful" words and phrases from the audio diaries and radio messages found in Bioshock. We've given them common definitions. Some of them may be obvious in their meaning, and those that are will then merely serve as a reminder that such terms and phrases were in use.

If you're looking for something with a specific meaning, try using the 'Find' feature in your browser (typically Ctrl+F) and typing your desired definition.

A
Ace in the hole: An advantage or a resource kept back until the proper opportunity presents itself.

B
Bad china: Shady business.
Barmy: An informal way of saying something or someone is irrational or mentally deranged.
Beanpole: A term used to describe a person who is thinner than the speaker thinks they ought to be.
Betty: Woman.
Bingo: Being right about something.
Biz: Short for business.
Blighter: An annoying person.
Bloke: Man.
Blowhard: A boaster or braggart, or a very talkative person.
Boyo: Term of comradery used for a younger man.
Bump: Kill.
Bunco: A swindle.
Busto: No longer functional, possibly because of an explosive ending. Can refer to intangible things such as relationships or situations. May also mean that someone is out of luck.

C
Catch the gallows: Receive the sentence of death by hanging.
Crapper: Public restroom. Also called "shitter."
Choice goods: Luxuries; often used to describe smuggled goods.
Circus freak: Ugly person.
Cold blood: Ruthless; without remorse.
College yob: A rowdy boy or ruffian who knows more than the average citizen because of his higher education.
Con: A swindle. Short for "confidence," as in "confidence man."
Constable: Security official.
Copping it on the chin: Cutting your losses and accepting the consequences.
Crackpot: Idiot, moron, etc.
Crew: A group of people working toward the same goal, or for the same person.
Cut: Percentage earned from a collective pot of wealth.

D
Daft: Lacking some of the necessary mental functions.
(He's/She's) Damaged goods: Person is emotionally scarred or mentally unsound.
Dame: Woman.
Diamond in the rough: Something which has the potential to be perfect or incredibly valuable, but which lacks the polish which would make that potential obvious.
Dizzy twist: A confused, but harmless, person.
Do your dirty: Do your worst.
Dog's age: A very long time.
Don't cost half a damn: Something that is priced cheaply.
Don't give a toss: Don't care whatsoever.
Done over: To be betrayed.
Dressed to the nines: Wearing fancy apparel.
Dyed-in-the-wool: Thoroughly and completely. Usually used as an adjective.

E
Egg salad: Brains.
Eggs are in the scramble: An event is about to occur.

F
Fellow (or fella'): Man.
Flim-flam: An informal way of referring to a deception or swindle - something which is not what it seems.
Flip: Hand over goods, or a person, to the authorities.

G
Geezer: Elderly gentleman.
Get hungry for: Have an increased desire to attain something.
Get under someone's wig: To annoy.
Gizmo: A general term for a device, usually mechanical.
Goon: One who does the dirty work for someone mindlessly.
Gorilla: One who has a muscular build; may also denote a lack of intelligence. Also called an "ape."
Grift: A swindle or scam. Can also refer to money obtained falsely through swindles, frauds, etc.
Guv'nor: Person in charge.

H
Hack: An artist who uses his skill to create lots of unimaginative works so he/she can make more money.
Hairy eyeball: What you give someone you are suspicious of.
Hand it to (someone): Give someone credit for doing something right.
Hoodlum: Thug, punk, criminal.
Hoof it: Move quickly.
Hooked up: To be associated in connection with someone.

I
In the ballpark: Remotely close.

J
Jawing: Talking.
Johnny-come-lately: A newcomer.

K
Keep one's nose clean: The act or appearance of staying out of trouble.
Kick from a mule: A strong affect, usually which knocks one back (as would a literal kick from a mule).
Kicking around: Alive.
Knocking back pints: Drinking alcohol, specifically beer.

L
Lay all one's chips on something: Place complete reliance on one thing. From "going all in" in poker.
Leg it: Move quickly.
Lolling: To behave in a relaxed manner.

M
Manor: One's place/domain.
Mark: Target of a crime.
Mate: Friend.
Mook: A contemptible person, often incompetent.
(The) Mother's milk: The best.

N
Nose candy: Drugs snorted through nose.
Nutjob: Crazy person.

P
Palooka: Oaf, lummox.
Parasite: A person who feeds off others while giving no benefit in return.
Pissing in the wind: Doing something knowing it won't make a difference.
Play a bad hand: Take an unnecessary and unfounded risk.
Play hard to get: Be falsely evasive to make one's pursuer try harder.
Play it coy: Avoid giving someone what they want; Can refer to information or actions.
Play the mule: Be stubborn.
Pencil pusher: Someone with an office job.
Porkpie: Fat person.
Ponce: A male who acts or dresses in a slightly effeminate way, likely used in a derogatory sense
Posh: Elegant and classy, well-kept.
Putting the screws on: Threatening.

R
Right and proper: A phrase used to describe something which is a sure thing and happens as it should.
Roost: Residence.
Rube: An unsophisticated country person. See "Yokel."
Run the table: Win it all.

S
Sap: One who's been duped into believing a falsehood; a gullible person.
Scratch: Monetary profit.
Snag: Get one's hands on, as loot in a raid.
Snappies: Photographs.
Sod: Idiot, fool.
Sprout: Child.
Squeezing (out): Extorting through intimidation or coercion.
Straight as a dog's hind leg: Incredibly crooked, as in business dealings or trustworthiness. This generally means that a person is not to be trusted.
Stretched neck: The consequence of being sentenced to hang.
String up: Hang.
Suck an egg: A derogatory phrase used to denote the subject as a low person, and which suggests that said person should not concern themself in the present matter.
Suss it out: To figure something out.

T
Tapped out: When you have run out of a resource such as EVE, money, etc.
Tea leaf: Thief.
Toe-rag: Scoundrel, criminal, low-life.
Topside: The world above the ocean.
Turn one's fist: To direct animosity towards someone or something.
Turn tail: Run away.
Twisting in the wind: Left without support, often by someone who promised help.

V
Vouch: When used as a noun ("the vouch"), this phrase describes something one gives a person in whom one places complete trust.

W
Whack (someone): Kill someone.

Y
Yokel: A rustic. Generally an unrefined person with low intelligence.

Now those are some five dollar words!

Anyways I like this project a lot. The biggest reason being that rather than just have 50s slang (which was obviously relevant) this gives us a sense of Rapture's unique vernacular. We need to remember that Rapture is an isolated world and as such it is likely to be prone to as many seemingly pointless and confusing sayings as we have.

So yes. Good job. Stickied.

Might I suggest you add

(The) Pretty Betty: Something key, or important to something. Often something that is the keystone.