shape, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

shape n.

[his figure]

1. a fop, a dandy.

1688

T. Shadwell Squire of Alsatia IV i: She was debauched by the most nauseous coxcomb, the most silly beau and shape about the town.

2. in pl., an ugly, ill-proportioned man.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.
1735		Dyche & Pardon A New General Eng. Dict. n.p.: Shapes [...] an ill-made, irregular Lump of Flesh, &c.

3. in pl., a well-proportioned woman (see cit. 1735).

1735		Dyche & Pardon A New General Eng. Dict. n.p.: Shapes, a Cant Name for a nice finikin Lass that goes extream tightly laced.
1859		‘George Eliot’ Adam Bede (1873) 161: Totty [...] toddled on in front of her father and mother. ‘There’s shapes! An’ she’s got such a long foot, she’ll be her father’s own child.’.

4. (US) a woman.

1910

H. Green ‘At the Actors’ Boarding House’ in Galena Eve. Times (KS) 10 June 4/3: ‘Who’s the noo shape I seen in the hall?’ [...] ‘Mista Johnson, that woman [is] livin’ incogniter’.

5. (US) in pl., crooked dice with bevelled faces on some sides of the cube, thus causing an irregular roll.

1921		Truth (Brisbane) 13 Nov. 9/3: [S]ometimes the dice are ‘shapes,’ which means that they are tapered slightly on five sides and are most likely to come to rest on this flat side.
1928		J. O’Connor Broadway Racketeers 254: Shapes—Crooked dice.
1933		Ersine Und. and Prison Sl.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 190/2: Shapes. Dice, not true cubes, shaped to decrease crapshooters’ chances to win against the establishment. Shapes are placed in and withdrawn from play by employes of the establishment at propitious moments.
1961		J. Scarne Complete Guide to Gambling.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

cut shapes (v.)

(UK black) to dance to drum and bass music.

2017

hubpages.com ‘Roadman Slang 4 Jun. 🌐 Skanking/cutting shapes - the act of dancing energetically to drum and bass music.

cut up shapes (v.)

to show off; to act irresponsibly.

1881

Newcastle Courant 9 Sept. 6/5: You understand, Sam, this job to-night is the last we’d ever have together if you cut up any more shapes.

in shape (adj.) [euph., based on colloq. in great shape]

in possession of drugs.

1968		N. Heard Howard Street 223: Wait for me outside, You know I’m in shape.
1973		M. Agar Ripping and Running 139: bi: You in shape, man? You in shape? bo: Yeah, I got somethin.

out of shape (adj.)

1. out of sorts, upset.

1879		G.R. Sims Dagonet Ballads 107: She was mad when we found her a-hidin’, her reason was clean out of shape.
1971		E.E. Landy Underground Dict. (1972).
1978		R. Price Ladies’ Man (1985) 119: Hang in there Kenny. You’re just out of shape.

2. (US) drunk or otherwise intoxicated.

1979

E. Torres After Hours 124: They [...] get out of shape, catch a beatin’.

peddle one’s shape (v.)

see peddle one’s ass under peddle v.

pushed out of shape (adj.)

(US) upset, angry.

1968		Current Sl. III:1 11: Pushed out of shape, adj. Disturbed, or angry.
1977		C. McFadden Serial 45: He slammed the door of his Rabbit [...] so Harvey knew he was pushed out of shape.

show one’s shapes (v.)

1. to turn around, to march off.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Show your Shapes, turn about, march off, be gone.
1713		J. Gay Wife of Bath I i: Show your shapes and walk gracefully.
1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: [...] said (often) to an ill-made Man. Show your Shapes; Turn about, march off, be gone.

2. to make an appearance, to come into view.

1700		T. Brown Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 34: Hither [i.e. the playhouse] come the country gentlemen to show their shapes, and trouble the pit with their impertinence.
1827		T. Morton A School For Grown Children V ii: A stranger! Now to show my shapes.

3. to take off one’s clothes, esp. preparatory to a judicial flogging.

1731		Prisoners Opera 7: I’d strip and show you my shapes in Buff, / But fear the Ladies would flout me.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

throw shapes (v.)

(Irish) to pose.

2000		P. Howard Miseducation of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly (2004) 120: Throwing serious shapes, like three male models on the focking catwalk.
2001		G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Throwing Shapes (v): what a shaper does.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 77: ‘Here, mind your own business,’ said the woman, throwing shapes from behind her fella.

travel on one’s shape (v.)

(US) of a woman, to use one’s physical allure and/or sexuality to gain advantages, material gifts, etc.

1860		N.E. Police Gaz. (Boston, MA) 18 Aug, n.p.: The S. girls still travel on their shape [...] look out girls, or I shall a tale unfold.
1894		Mirror of Life 10 Feb. 7/1: [T]he American Columbine, being simply the American stage heroine who does not talk, and who consequently is frankly spoken of as a lady who ‘travels on her shape,’ is dressed to show her figure to the fullest advantage.