coal n.1
1. a derog. term for a black person, esp. dark-skinned and/or a woman; also attrib.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | ‘Story in Harlem Sl.’ in Novels and Stories (1995) 1004: Who, me? Man, I don’t deal in no coal. Know what I tell ’em? If they’s white, they’s right! If they’s yellow, they’s mellow! If they’s brown they can stick around. But if they come black they better git way back! | |
| (con. 1952) Boys of Summer 106: ‘Say, you guys goin’ out to see the coal? [...] The coal is taking over. [...] We got to stop these cannibals ‘fore they eat us. Gonna be a lotta cannibals out today, see that nigger [Jackie] Robinson’ . | |
| Lang. of Ethnic Conflict 46: Color Allusions, Other than ‘Black’ and ‘Negro’: [...] coal [fem.]. | |
| ‘Jungletown Jihad’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 327: Cops call it the ‘Coal Chute.’ It’s a jungle-bunny juggernaut. |
2. (US) the lit end or glowing ash of a cigarette.
| New Girls (1982) 191: Oh, God, the coal’s gone from the end of your cigarette. Where is it? I think your pants are on fire. |
In compounds
(US) Humboldt Avenue in the African-American area of Roxbury, a suburb of Boston, MA.
 | Afro-American (Baltimore, MD) 18 May 15/1: Did you high-brows know that Humboldt Avenue haas been tagged ‘Coal Bag Avenue’? |
(US black) a derog. term describing a dark-complexioned black person.
| Runnin’ Down Some Lines 30: Expressions like coal bin, black bird, midnight [...] are used both playfully and pointedly to characterize extreme blackness. |
a white man or woman who enjoys sexual relations with a black man or woman.
| ‘Catheads [...] and Cho-Cho Sticks’ in Abernethy Bounty of Texas (1990) 201: coalburner, n. – a homosexual who prefers Blacks. | |
| Maledicta VI:1+2 (Summer/Winter) 147: From them she might pick up and more to startle than identify with her sisters use words and expressions such as [...] coal burner (a white who has relations with a dinge, or black). |
(US black) a derog. term for a dark-complexioned black person.
| Tucker’s People (1944) 209: He leaned forward and chucked Delilah under the chin. ‘Wasn’t it, my little coal mine?’ he asked. | |
| Runnin’ Down Some Lines 30: In Chicago, they be callin’ me ‘coal mine’ [...] when I’z comin’ up, ’cause I was dark. |
(US) a black woman with a blonde wig.
| [ | | Rich Hill Trib. (MO) 24 Nov. 7/3: A Hartville paper calls women with hair ‘coal scuttle blondes’]. |
| ‘Some Negro Terms’ in AS XIII:2 151/1: coal-scuttle blonde: a dark Negro girl. | |
| ‘Story in Harlem Sl.’ in Novels and Stories (1995) 1003: She was one of them coal-scuttle blondes with hair just as close to her head as ninety-nine is to a hundred. |
(US) a derog. term for a black person.
| Mr Dooley’s Opinions 102: First they was Hobson. He kissed a girl an’ ivrybody says: ‘Hang him. Kill th’ coal-scuttler.’. |
(US) a very dark-complexioned black person.
| Criminal Sl. (rev. edn). | |
| Lang. of Ethnic Conflict 46: Color Allusions, Other than ‘Black’ and ‘Negro’: [...] coal-shutes-blackie. |
In phrases
of a white person, to have sex with a black person.
| ‘The Something in a Colored Man’ in Coll. Stories (1990) 406: When I left you I was through burning coal. | |
| Blind Man with a Pistol (1971) 121: Ain’t gonna get none either. She don’t burn no coal. | |
| ‘Catheads [...] and Cho-Cho Sticks’ in Abernethy Bounty of Texas (1990) 199: burn coal, v. – to have sexual relations with a Black. | |
| Central Sl. | |
| Homeboy 155: Antoine, my contract says no nigras. I dont . . . burn . . . coal. | |
| Prison Sl. 58: Burning Coal A sexual relationship between a white and black man. |
1. (US black) to prefer dark-skinned women.
| ‘Some Negro Terms’ in AS XIII:2 151/1: deal in coal: associate with one of a darker hue. |
2. (US) of a white man, to have sex with a black woman.
| , | | DAS 143/2: deal in coal To mix with Negroes; said of whites. |
a gathering of black people.
| Lang. of Ethnic Conflict 46: Color Allusions, Other than ‘Black’ and ‘Negro’: load-of-coal [used for any gathering of blacks]. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
(US black) the vagina.
| ‘The Hottest Stuff in Town’ 🎵 I’ll take your order / and fill your bin, / Go get it cleaned out / And I’ll put it right in, / Cause I’m a coal man / Sellin’ the hottest stuff in town! |
see black joke n.
1. the chorus (of a song); cit. 1774 may refer to the carried violin.
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Tony Lumpkin in Town (1780) 20: Enter Tim with a violin Here’s the coal-box. | |
| Up and Down London Streets n.p.: The slang word for coal box, if we might mention anything so ungenteel [F&H]. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Real Life in London I 408: He should not be at a loss for a good coal-box. | |
| Navy at Home II 279: After which, he gave them a song or two, calling out at every verse for ‘coal box,’ or chorus. | |
| Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bell’s Life in Sydney 8 May 3/3: There is an old song, very popular at Bacchanalian parties, with a ‘coal-box’ at the end of each verse, thrice repealed, viz:-‘Oh! the joys of wedlock’,- ditto-ditto. | |
| ‘The Musical Party’ in My Young Wife and I Songster 67: He said ‘he would give us a comical ditty, / If we’d join in the coal-box,’ that was his slang. | |
| Scarlet City 280: A cruel shame, for nobody joined in the coalbox afterwards. | |
| Essex Newsman 27 Aug. 1/7: Garn [...] That ’ere be joining in the coal-box. | |
| Pete’s Aussie Sl. Home Page 🌐 coalbox: the chorus (of a song). |
2. a music-hall.
| Ulysses 715: I hate those ruck of Mary Ann coalboxes out for the day. |
(US Und.) a cell in which drunks are imprisoned.
| N.-Y. National Advocate 22 Aug. 2/2: A strapping negro [is noisy in court]. The magistrate ordered him to be locked in the coal hole until he was quiet. | |
| Morning Courier and N.-Y. Enquirer 18 Nov. 2/5: The midnight brawlers, [...] well acquainted with all the disgusting recesses of the ‘Coal Hole’. |
(US black) a pipe.
| ‘Story in Harlem Sl.’ in Novels and Stories (1995) 1001: Wait till I light up my coal-pot and I’ll tell you about this Zigaboo called Jelly. |
1. (UK Und.) the punishment cell.
| Low-Life Deeps 254: You come to see me that evenin’ when I was in the coal-scuttle. |
2. (also coal-scuttle bonnet) a poke bonnet, which it supposedly resembled.
| Modern Flash Dict. 10: Coal-scuttle – a large bonnet. | |
| Nicholas Nickleby (1982) 309: That young lady herself, attired in the coal-scuttle bonnet and walking-dress complete, tripped into the room. | |
| Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open. | |
| Plain or Ringlets? (1926) 20: [T]he saucy little hat, so different to the coal-scuttle bonnets of former days. | |
| Polynesian (HI) 16 May 5/3: Her mother’s coal-scuttle bonnet. | |
| Mohun 17: Beside him sat an old woman, as fat as himself, wearing a faded calico gown, a ‘coal-scuttle’ bonnet, and a huge ruffled cap beneath. | |
| Judy XXII 271: The coal-scuttle bonnet is of all others the most provoking and prettiest. | |
| Trip Around Cape Cod 171: A ‘coal-scuttle bonnet’, of yellow straw, adorned only with black, velvet strings, and noticeable for its great size. | |
| Sporting Times 23 May 1/2: The ‘coal-scuttle’ bonnet is the latest feminine fashion for motoring; but surely the ‘petrol can’ would be more suitable. | |
| Eve. World (NY) 1 Sept. 12/5: Her prim little gold curls bobbed from under a huge, coal scuttle bonnet of satin, baby blue. |
a clergyman.
| Proceedings at Sessions (City of London) Feb. 90/2: beck.: Boys, says he, Here’s a Smallcoal-man; let us stop him, for they wear the best of hats. court: A Smallcoal-man, what did he mean by that? beck.: A Parson. We always call a Parson a Smallcoal-man because their Dresses are pretty much alike. |