Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a prostitute who works in hotels.

1953

S. Bellow Augie March (1996) 191: He knew about B-girls and how the hip-chicks operated in the big hotels.

(gay) a male homosexual .

1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 18: the man who fucks in anal intercourse, as opposed to the one who is fucked [...] hip-hitter (late ’60s).
1979		Maledicta III:2 232: He also may or may not know the following words and expressions: [...] hip-hitter.

(UK Und.) inside and outside coat pockets.

1839		H. Brandon Dict. of the Flash or Cant Lang. 163/2: Hip inside – inside coat pocket. Hip outside – outside ditto.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.

(Aus.) the hip pocket (most likely to contain a wallet).

1996

J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 275: So Casey weaves his way out among the bookies and checks his hip-kick wippy.

(US drugs) an opium smoker.

1939		D. Barr Chidsey ‘The Black Stuff’ in Flynn’s mag. 18 Mar. cited in Partridge DU.
1953		Anslinger & Tompkins Traffic In Narcotics 310: hip layer. An opium smoker.

(US) liquor (carried in a hip flask).

1928

Briggs That Guiltiest Feeling 31 Oct. [synd. cartoon] When your convivial friend [...] takes a shot of hip oil and lets loose, just as the leading dry of the club is all set for his drive.

(US) a prostitute.

1908		W.G. Davenport Butte and Montana 269: The [...] herd of speckled spinsters, hip peddlers [...] roughnecks [etc.] [HDAS].
1942		Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Sl.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1972		R.A. Wilson Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words.

(Aus.) in pl., girls’ bikini panties.

1979

Lette & Carey Puberty Blues 12: We were [...] flashing our brief, black hip-nippers at the whole bus.

(US) a striptease artist.

1938

H.M. Anderson Strip Tease 37: The strippers are ‘hip-throwers’.

1. (US black) a dancer.

1936

Archie Seale Man About Harlem 2 May [synd. col.] Clare Campbell, the hip tosser, is back in town.

2. a male homosexual.

1952

Lait & Mortimer USA Confidential 94: [It] has been invaded by hip-tossers.

(US black) to get upset, annoyed or hurt.

1928		M. West Pleasure Man (1997) II ii: I’m taking no chances on getting my hips in a sling by asking questions.
1942		Z.N. Hurston ‘Story in Harlem Sl.’ in Novels and Stories (1995) 1003: Who playing de dozens? You trying to get your hips up on your shoulders ’cause I said you was with a beat broad.

(Aus.) to carry a hip-flask.

1941		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 234/1: have hip disease – to be always carrying a flask.

to place at a disadvantage.

1840		Perth Gaz. 2 May 2/1: We deny that either the chapels or the schools were ‘passed over,’ and the matter can be soon settled by a reference to our last publication. We thank thee, Jew, we have you on the hip.
1889		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 28 Dec. 10/4: The ‘boys’ say that they have the magnates on the hip, while the latter insist that the former are N.G.
1899		H.E. Hamblen Yarn of Bucko Mate 110: I’ve got ’em just where I want ’em now; they think I’m their meat, but I’ll soon have ’em on the hip.
1910		Sun. Times (Perth) 15 May 2nd sect. 12/8: For when this fighting world has got / Me fairly on the hip, / I order in a pipe and pot, / All piping hot, and pay the shot.

carrying alcohol in a hip-flask; usu. in interrog. got anything on your hip?; thus as adj., drunk.

1907		Carr & Chase ‘Word-List From Eastern Maine’ in DN III:iii 248: on the hip, prep. phr. [...] ‘He’s under the influence of liquor.’.
1914		G.A. England ‘Rural Locutions of Maine and Northern New Hampshire’ in DN IV:ii 74: hip, to have suthin’ on yer, v. phr. To have a bottle of liquor. ‘Hain’t got nawthin’ on yer hip, hev ye?’.
1917		R. Lardner ‘Carmen’ in Gullible’s Travels 22: ‘Got anything on the hip?’ says Don. ‘You took the words out o’ my mouth,’ says Bill. ‘I’m drier than St. Petersgrad.’.
1920		R. Lardner Big Town 41: Francis had something on the hip that kind of dazed me.
1924		‘Digit’ Confessions of a Twentieth Century Hobo 52: ‘Got anything on your hip?’ ‘Sure [...] take a pull at this.’ He produced a flask of moonshine.
1928		D. Lawley Hustling Hobo 114: ‘Got anything on the hip, Dan,’ says he.
1931		D. Runyon ‘Lillian’ in Guys and Dolls (1956) 243: I wonder if anyone has anything on their hip?
1965		(con. 1930s) R. Wright Lawd Today 73: Got anything on your hip.

(US black) you’re in great trouble.

1960

C. Himes Big Gold Dream 58: If they missed three nights straight running, it was their little hip pockets, as they say in Harlem, which meant they were in trouble.

(US black) to call someone on their pager.

2000

Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 lay it on someone’s hip Definition: to page someone Example: Yo G., I’ll lay one on yo hip in a short short.

(drugs) using narcotics, whether opium, heroin or, latterly, crack cocaine [opium smokers rested on one hip as they smoked].

1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 198: One night I’m a layin’ on the hip, smokin’ up a few.
1914		Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 44: hip [...] current among opium smokers, designating the act of lying on the side to smoke the ‘pipe.’.
1936		D. Maurer ‘Argot of the Und. Narcotic Addict’ Pt 1 in AS XI:2 123/2: To lie on the hip. To be smoking opium. Opium is usually taken in a reclining position with the addict lying on his side.
1952		(con. 1910s) G. Fowler Schnozzola 25: I watched him one night as he got on his hip. He was tryin’ to coax me to take a smoke.
1953		W. Brown Monkey On My Back (1954) 89: ‘Do you see any holes in me?’ I shrugged. ‘Maybe you take it on the hip.’ ‘Not me. I leave horse alone.’.
1968		J. Colebrook Cross of Lassitude 174: Clara was sure hittin’ it on the hip.
1989		(con. 1930s) Courtwright & Des Jarlais Addicts Who Survived 87: I learned how to chef for myself. I learned how to cook, to use the yen-hok [...] That’s what they call ‘laying on your ear.’ Or ‘taking it on the hip’ – same thing.
1990		(con. 1930s–60s) H. Huncke Guilty of Everything (1998) 33: It [i.e. a book] dealt with smugglers and Chinese junks and opium dens in Shanghai, posh layouts with cushions on the floor and naked or half-naked women and men lying about. It was called lying on the hip.

in a position of control, near absolute superiority .

c.1460		Towneley Mysteries ‘First Shepherds’ Play’ line 364: Behold how he kyppys! I shrew you so smart, And me on my hyppys, Bot if a gart Abate.
1591		J. Harington Orlando Furioso Bk xlvi 117: In fine he doth applie one speciall drift, / Which was to get the Pagan on the hippe.
c.1614		Beaumont & Fletcher Bonduca V ii: He had got me o’th’ hip once; it shall go hard, friends, / But he shall find his own coin.
1635		D. Dike Michael and the Dragon in Works 328: The Divell hath them on the hip, he may easily bring them to anything [F&H].
1646		Parliament of Women B3: Mistris Eleanor Ever-crosse: I hit him home, which was more than ever he did to me and then I had him on the hip; and you should have kept him so when you had him there (replyed Mary Malepart).
1680		T. Betterton Match in Newgate III i: The Coward trembles at my very presence; but I have him on the hip.
1697		Vanbrugh Relapse IV i: My lord, she has had him upon the hip these seven years .
1764		K. O’Hara Midas III i: I long, for his kindness / To have him on the hip.
1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 253: We soon shall have him on the hip.
1822		(con. early 17C) W. Scott Fortunes of Nigel II 282: Marry, thou hast me on the hip there, thou old miserly coney-catcher!
1822		R. Nares Gloss. (1888) I 420: hip. To have on the hip. To have at an entire advantage. This phrase seems to have originated from hunting, because, when the animal was seized upon the hip, it is finally disabled from flight.
1836		M. Scott Cruise of the Midge I 226: Ha! ha! I have you on the hip now, my master.
1848		J.R. Lowell Biglow Papers (1880) 118: You’d best draw kindly, seein’ ’z how I’ve gut ye on the hip.
1864		G.A. Sala Quite Alone I 253: Jagg only refrained from going to law [...] because Rhododendron House had him on the hip.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 1July 3/1: Sir George Dibbs caught the Foreign Raiders ‘on the hip’ at Tamworth.
1928		J. Callahan Man’s Grim Justice 23: The dungeon didn’t mean a thing to me. In the vernacular of the institution I had the dungeon on the hip.
1940		E. O’Neill Iceman Cometh Act II: That bastard, Hickey, has got Harry on the hip.

see peddle one’s ass under peddle v.

(US black) to cost an appreciable amount of cash.

[1926		J. Black You Can’t Win (2000) 178: Summer came and the memorable World’s Fair. I saw it all, but it put an awful dent in my bankroll].
1983		R. Klein Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.].