travel, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

travel v.

1. (UK Und.) to be transported, thus (sent) on one’s travels, to be transported.

1812		Spirit of Irish Wit 31: Pheley [...] was sent on his travels at the expense of his country.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 179: To Travel — to go, or be sent, beyond sea, he is on his travels. The high-go bontonian says, ‘declare I must travvil, onnor.’.

2. to move quickly, to leave, to depart.

1850		‘Ned Buntline’ G’hals of N.Y. 67: Put your trotters in motion, and travel. D’ye hear?
1871		E. Eggleston Hoosier School-Master (1892) 153: So now, if you won’t travel, why, take off your coat and git ready fer a thrashing.
1884		Reports Provinc. n.p.: ‘How he travels’, said of a dog, running very fast [EDD].
1908		Magnet 7 Mar. 13: We’ve got our prep. to do. Travel, will you?
1910		Magnet 3 Sept. 12: There’s the doorway! [...] Travel!
1913		H.G. Van Campen ‘Life on Broadway’ in McClure’s Mag. June 80/1: Front! Front! Listen here —when I yell, you leap offa that bench an’ travel.
1935		(con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Judgement Day in Studs Lonigan (1936) 616: He got up. ‘I got to be travelling.’.
1940		E. O’Neill Iceman Cometh Act III: Jees, just look at de old bastard travel!
1959		I. & P. Opie Lore and Lang. of Schoolchildren (1977) 213: Take off, travel, turf or turf out of it.
1961		‘Frank Richards’ Billy Bunter at Butlins 164: There’s a ditch across the lane. A dip in it might put him wise that his best guess is to travel.

3. (US) of a street prostitute, to frequent a specific street or area of a city.

1861

N.E. Police Gaz. (Boston, MA) 12 Oct. 6/2: Ellen Hopkins has left Madison square and is traveling Canal street. teh square is the gainer and the street the loser.

4. (US) exclusive of physical movement, to conduct oneself.

1974

D. Jenkins Dead Solid Perfect 16: Then he said we'd play Zark and Ruffin a $50 Nassau. [...] I said that was pretty strong for me. He said he'd take my half. I said, naw, I didn't travel that way.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

how ya travellin’?

(Aus.) var. on more usual ‘how are you?’.

2022

in D. Andrew Aussie Sl.

it’s a fine day for travelling [ironic use of SE]

(Aus.) a phr. used in the outback to signify that one has received notice to quit.

1951		E. Hill Territory 306: ‘It’s a fine day for travellin’,’ they told him — the time-honoured phrase that all over the outback is notice to quit.
1962		‘David Forrest’ Hollow Woodheap 214: He was going on a long, long journey, alone and torn in half, and [...] looking out at the morning, decided it was as good a day as any for travelling.
1990		L.R. Malcolm ‘Fifty Years of Farm Management in Australia’ in Rev. of Marketing and Agricultural Economics 13: It would be difficult, and progress would be slow. By this time, and maybe because farming is indeed as Dillon explained, most academic workers in farm management economics had decided this was a rough shed and it was a fine day for travelling.

travel at Her Majesty’s expense (v.)

to go in some form of conveyance from court to prison.

1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 88: Travelling at Her Majesty’s Expence, having a trip by steamer or coach to the court-house or gaol.
1901		J. Caminada Twenty-Five Years of Detective Life II v: At the conclusion of the day’s proceedings, for a ride at Her Majesty’s expense to the City Gaol at Belle-Vue, much shouting took place [...] all ending with the words ‘Roll on.’.

travel by Mr Foot’s horse (v.)

see under Mr Foot’s horse n.

travel by rail (v.)

(Aus.) to be so drunk that one can only proceed by hanging onto things.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 1260/1: from ca. 1930.

travel on one’s thumb (v.) [the raising of one’s thumb in hope of a lift]

to hitchhike.

1972		Dave Dudley ‘Orig. Traveling Man’ 🎵 I knew the state of ol’ Wisconsin back when I was eight / I sang all over Minneapolis lookin’ for a break / I rode the rapid rivers with the Chiquoia Indian tribe / I traveled on my thumb though it injured my pride / I’m the world’s worst world’s first go-while-you-can original traveling man.
1981		L. Vance ‘The Face of an Angel’ Act Two on Judson Scott: A Tribute 🌐 hal: Traveling on your thumb? bennu (puzzled): My thumb . . . ? hal: Hitching rides. bennu: Oh. Yes.

travel per Harry Pannell (v.) [H(arry) Pannell & Co; makers of stout walking boots]

(N.Z.) to go by foot, to walk.

1947		P. Newton Wayleggo 35: It was all walking country [...] the musterers travelling either per ‘Harry Pannell’ (walking) or riding on the pack dray. [Ibid.] 112: He had to wade into the creek [...] and get to work on Brandy with his Harry Pannells (boots).
1973		P. Newton Big Country of South Island 112: In my mustering days we had to travel per ‘Harry Pannell’ (boots) and it was a two-day walk from the homestead to the Ada.

travel with (v.)

(Aus.) to conduct a relationship with.

1932

N. Lindsay Mr. Gresham and Olympus 251: ‘Take the case and no names mentioned. A girl is travellin’ with a bloke. Whether that girl is a twicer or not, that girl is on view for that bloke’s opinion. Therefor a bloke that puts a finger on that girl gets his face pushed in’ .