Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US black) a state of anger, the subject is ‘on the warpath’.

1941

Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 8 Feb. 7/1: The pounders up here are doing the Indian act because a gate of color had a heated beef with a pale pan and the sepia [...] nixed the gray out.

(US) coffee made from reheated grounds .

1884		W. Shepherd Prairie Experiences 61: You let your visitor have whatever scraps were left over, and if the grouts have not been thrown out of the pot, water is poured on, and the liquid set to boil; this second decoction of the berry, much resented by the tardy cow-boy, goes by the name of Indian coffee.
1979		Maledicta III:2 161: Indian coffee n Coffee made from old grounds; from the belief that such coffee was all an Indian deserved.

1. one who when giving, expects a gift in return; thus Indian gift and Indian giving.

1764		T. Hutchinson Hist. of the Colony of Mass. Bay 469: An Indian gift is a proverbial expression, signifying a present for which an equivalent return is expected.
1837		W. Irving Adventures of Capt. Bonneville II 71: Captain Bonneville was suitably affected by this mark of friendship; but his experience in what is proverbially called ‘Indian giving,’ made him aware that a parting pledge was necessary on his own part, to prove that this friendship was reciprocated.
1848		Bartlett Dict. Americanisms.
1927		W.R. Morse ‘Stanford Expressions’ in AS II:6 277: Indian giver — one expecting return of gift (Texas).
1949		Chicago Trib. 9 Jan. 6/1: Those who use the term ‘Indian giver’ slightingly have never heard of Pokagon, wise and beloved chieftain of the Pottawatomies [DA].
1960		Mad mag. June 18: Arthur and I are not Indian-Givers!!

2. (also ingaver) one who first gives, then takes back a gift; thus Indian gift.

1861		R.F. Burton City of the Saints 126: He [i.e. a Sioux] never makes a present, except for the purpose of receiving more than its equivalent; and an ‘Indian gift’ [means] anything reclaimed after being given away.
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 27: Indian Giver, meaning a child, or a man, who desires the return of his gift.
1909		M. Wood-Allen Making the Best of Our Children 208: We boys call any one an ‘Indian giver’ when he takes back something that he has given.
1913		Yale Lit. Mag. 79 68: You gave them to me, and now you want them back. You are an Indian giver.
1926		Wood & Goddard Dict. Amer. Sl.
1978		Maledicta II:1+2 (Summer/Winter) 161: Indian giver One who makes a gift, then reclaims it.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 145: Quickly stashing the frame beneath his bunk, lest the dextrous drifter turn Indian giver.
2001		OnLine Dict. of Playground Sl. 🌐 Indian giver adj. giving a person something with the intention of reclaiming it at some future date, or gives you something and claims they loaned it to you instead and want it back.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 92/2: indian giver (also ingaver) n. an inmate who borrows money or goods from his fellow inmates without reparation or return.

(US) scalping.

1979

Maledicta III:2 161: Indian haircut n Scalping; from the Indian habit of taking scalps as war trophies.

(drugs) marijuana .

1936		State Dept. of Education Nature of Alcoholic Drinks and Narcotics 82: Smoked in pipes it is generally referred to as ‘Kiff’ and ‘Indian Hay.’ Marihuana cigarettes are usually sold for 15 to 25 cents each.
1937		H.J. Anslinger testimony House of the Representatives 6385 27 Apr. 🌐 We seem to have adopted the Mexican terminology, and we call it marihuana, which means good feeling. In the underworld it is referred to by such colorful, colloquial names as reefer, muggles, Indian hay, hot hay, and weed.
1940		‘Jargon of Marihuana Addicts’ in AS XV:3 Oct. 336/2: The drug, itself, is known as [...] Indian hay, Indian hemp [...].
1959		J.E. Schmidt Narcotics Lingo and Lore.
1969		Scientific American Dec. 17: In the U.S. it is variously called the weed, stuff, Indian hay, grass, pot, tea, maryjane and other names.
1979		Maledicta III:2 161: Indian hay; Indian hemp n [DAS 1934] Marijuana.
2001		ONDCP Street Terms 12: Indian hay — Marijuana from India.

(US) a fight between two men.

1818		E.P. Fordham Narrative of Travels (1906) 179: He has killed more men than Boon has, and most of them in single fights, or Indian hunting, as it is called [DAE].
1869		W. Murray Adventures 225: Jack Murdock [...] learned his horsemanship from buffalo and Indian hunting on the Plains [DA].
1979		Maledicta III:2 161: Indian hunting ger phr [DA 1818] Fight between two men.

(US) the lowest quality spirits.

1793		in Five Fur Traders of Northwest (1933) 101: Mixed nine Gallons of Indian Rum it being customary for Bourgeois to wet the whistle of every Indian they met on the way [DA].
1839		J.K. Townsend Narrative (1839) 178: Indian rum, i.e. rum and water in the proportion of one part of the former to two of the latter [DA].
1859		National Intelligencer 10 Jul. n.p.: A barrel of the ‘pure Cincinnatti’ [...] is a sufficient basis upon which to manufacture one hundred barrels of ‘good Indian liquor!’ [DA].
1861		R.F. Burton City of the Saints 101: A barrel of ‘pure Cincinnatti,’ [...] has afforded a hundred barrels of ‘good Indian liquor.’.
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 27: It is a sad index to the nature of the vast majority of such transactions between white and red men, that the term Indian Liquor is universally known to mean adulterated whiskey.
1979		Maledicta III:2 161: Indian liquor; Indian rum; Indian whiskey n Whiskey of the vilest description.

(US) a noisy discussion or gathering.

1826		T. Flint Recollections 366: If I could describe its Indian powwows, its Spanish fandangos, its French balls, and its American frolics [DA].
1841		Comic Almanack Oct. 284: A indyan Bow Wow is the same thing ass a inglish Row de Dow.
1947		N.Y. Times Mag. 12 Oct. 18/4: In this matter, as in all other questions that arose, we held an Indian pow-wow and found the best way out [DA].
1979		Maledicta III:2 161: Indian powwow n Noisy frolic or discussion.

(gay) a cheap wig done in braids.

1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 174: Indian rug cheap dime-store wig done in braids.
1986–7		Maledicta IX 56: Indian rug n [R] Cheap wig done in braids; homosexual slang.

(US, mainly Western) the right-hand side, esp. of a horse; in fig. use as correct.

1979		(con. late 19C) J.T. Edson Gentle Giant 23: ‘You’re right’s the Injun side of a hoss,’ the Texan conceded.
1979		Maledicta III:2 162: Injun side n Right side.

(US, mainly Western) unpunctuality, a relaxed attitude to time-keeping.

1961		M.V. Zintz Indian Research Study 58: The unhurried inexactness of the Indian with appointments has led to the expression, ‘He operates on Indian time’.
1966		Navajo Times 31 Mar. 9/5: Immediately upon completion of the contests, an award ceremony will be held. . . ‘Indian time’ will not be permitted! [HDAS].
1989		C. Lesley River Song 289: ‘He’s probably running on Indian time.’ They all chuckled.
1998		Lakoff & Johnson Philosophy in the Flesh 165: The view in which time is not considered a resource, in which there is no rush to get things done with maximum efficiency, is sometimes viewed mockingly by those who are not part of Native American culture as ‘Indian time’.

to smoke marijuana.

1959

J.E. Schmidt Narcotics Lingo and Lore.

(US) to put a curse on someone, based on the belief that Native Americans have the power of cursing.

1907		Metropolitan Mag. 26:4 436/2: I’ve got the Indian sign on you. It’s all over but the shoutin’.
1908		B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 46: To have one’s goat is to have one buffaloed, or the Indian sign on one’s contemporary.
1909		Van Loan ‘The Bush League Demon’ Big League (2004) 42: A hard outfit [...] they’ll try to hang the Indian sign on you.
1914		Truth (Melbourne) 10 Jan. 11/1: [headline] McGoorty Had ‘Indian Sign’ on Smith. Australian Champion Never Got Going.
1916		A. Stringer Door of Dread 114: D’you suppose I’m going to let that man Kendall hang the Indian sign on me and expect to get away with it?
1921		Eve. World (NY) 14 Jan. 26/1: [headline] Championship Bout at Garden will Strengthen or Shake belief in the Old indian Sign.
1934		R.L. Hobart ‘Written in Blood’ in Secret Agent ‘X’ Nov. 🌐 You’d oughta know that Greasy Nordile has got the Indian sign out on you. He said only yesterday that it was curtains for you when he got you.
1938		D. Runyon ‘Baseball Hattie’ Runyon on Broadway (1954) 651: There is no doubt but what he has the old Indian sign on Brooklyn.
1941		B. Schulberg What Makes Sammy Run? (1992) 42: Once you get the Indian sign on these producers out here the dough comes rolling in.
1979		Maledicta III:2 161: Indian sign n Hex, spell, jinx; from the alleged dabbling in the occult by Indians.
1987		R. Campbell Alice in La-La Land (1999) 108: You’d think she’d want to put the Indian sign on Twelvetrees, Whistler thought.