Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. playful kissing and cuddling; esp. as phr. bit of slap and tickle; also attrib.

1916		Canadian Mag. 49 161: His own flirtations were of the slap and tickle order. A pretty girl was something to be kissed on sight—if she were willing.
1928		Strand Mag. 75 60: There was none of that tomboy joking such as goes on at home, if you follow me. None of what is vulgarly known as the slap and tickle.
1936		N. Coward To-Night at 8.30 (1943) 186: Beryl: What happens if Mrs. Bagot comes back? Stanley: She won’t – she’s out having a bit of slap and tickle with our Albert .
1944		‘Nevil Shute’ Pastoral 85: He hung about the canteen bored and idle, and finally commenced a slap-and-tickle intrigue with one of the station cooks.
1951		(con. 1940s) S. Longstreet Pedlocks (1971) 381: Care for a bit of slap and tickle?
1965		W.C. Anderson Adam M-1 108: What kind of slap-and-tickle goes on behind those closed doors in the name of research?
1979		J. Morrow Confessions of Proinsias O’Toole 43: Give me a bout of karate with Kate or a bit of slap and tickle with spotty Tess any day.
1981		W. Russell Educating Rita I iii: You mean, it’s all right to go out an’ have a bit of slap an’ tickle with the lads as long as you don’t go home an’ tell your mum?
1995		J. Stahl Permanent Midnight 84: I pushed my hotel slap-and-tickle as far as it would go.
2000		S. Maloney Big Ask 12: A relationship [...] I’d settle for a bit of slap and tickle.
2001		OnLine Dict. of Playground Sl. 🌐 slap and tickle n. gentle cuddling where girl pretends to be outraged by the groping attentions of her suitor and retaliates in a mock aggressive fashion.
2004		J. McCourt ‘Vilja de Tanquay Exults’ in Queer Street 395: A nice bit / O’ slap and tickle thrown in complement’ry.

2. empty verbosity.

1984

‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 24: Less of the casual cut and thrust, slap and tickle — more dedication to fact.

3. physical violence.

1984

‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 108: Of course you might get a bit of slap and tickle if you didn’t cooperate.