Green’s Dictionary of Slang

stupid; thus blockishness n., stupidity.

c.1535		R. Copland Hye Way to Spyttel House Aiii: It were but lost, for blockysh braynes dull.
1578		Lyly Euphues and his England (1916) 132: For children [...] of obstinate and blockish behaviour are neither with words to be persuaded, neither with stripes to be corrected.
1583		P. Stubbes Anatomie of Abuses 95: In this kinde of practise they continue [...] yea, half a yeer together, swilling and gulling, night and day, till they be drunke as Apes, and as blockish as beasts.
1594		R. Carew (trans.) Huarte’s Examination of Men’s Wits 317: If he shew blockish and vntoward, we inferre, that he was formed of the seed of his mother.
1607		T. Walkington Optic Glasse of Humors 13: Whom do wee euer reade of more to quaffe and carouse, more to vse strong drinkes than the Scythians, and who are more blockish, and deuoid of witt and reason?
1610		Rowlands Martin Mark-all 23: Hauing little or no other water [...] dooth so worke within their bodies, such a distemperature, that thereof proceedeth a marueilous lumpishnesse and melancholy blockishnesse.
1622		Massinger Virgin-Martyr IV i: A blockish idiot!
1646		Parliament of Women B4: Mistris Tabitha Teare-sheete then stood up and began to puffe and sniffe, and said [...] if they be shrewish or shie, try it out with them at sharp, or if beetle-head and blockish, with blunter weapons.
1680		E. Hickeringill Reflections on Late Libel etc. 18: Such a plain blockish Englishman was I, that I could not spy where the Mischief, or the Popery lay.
1690		‘Teague’ Teagueland Jests II 176: [P]itying the invincible Blockishness of the Kern, [she] would not take any Revenge on him.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.
1865		H. Kingsley Hillyars and Burtons (1870) 334: The smiddy of a somewhat blockish blacksmith. [Ibid.] 354: A nature so low, so sensual, so selfish, so surrounded with a [...] shell of impenetrable blockishness.

see separate entry.

see separate entry.

1. to lose emotional control, to lose one’s temper.

1904		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 13 Jan. 6/3: Star was on the run in the eighth, and had done his block.
1908		Bulletin (Sydney) 1 Oct. 20/1: The bug wheels swift are buzzing in / Our shattered cocoa-box; / For we are ‘off our pannikin’; / We’ve fairly ‘done our blocks’; / We’re ratty, touched, our brains are gone.
1924		C.J. Dennis ‘’Ave a ’Eart!’ in Rose of Spadgers 76: Rat-face does ’is block. / ’E loosens up a string uv epi-tits.
1933		(con. WWI) A.E. Strong in Partridge Sl. Today and Yesterday 287: Fritz landed a daisy-cutter and the transport driver done his block.
1939		Argus (Melbourne) 23 Dec. 65/4: But where, oh where, did we get ‘Pratting in one’s frame’, ‘Doing one’s block,’ ‘Getting into a yike,‘ [and] ‘Snifter’.
1949		L. Glassop Lucky Palmer 17: All right, all right [...] You’ll all be paid. Don’t do the block.
1950		(con. 1936–46) K.S. Prichard Winged Seeds (1984) 117: He came to see me after he’d cracked Wally: was a bit upset and that he’d done his block.
1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 91: That was all Sir Garnet with me, except that I had the breeze up that Ziegler might do his block.
1959		D. Niland Big Smoke 145: And he got you so you lost your block and took to him and done for him.
1963		‘Nino Culotta’ Gone Fishin’ 82: Get to hell out of here before me big mate does his block.
1971		A. Buzo The Roy Murphy Show (1973) 118: I will do me block. This is supposed to be a football programme, not a fashion parade.
1985		R.G. Barrett You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 77: I’ll finish up doin’ me block and hitting her.
1988		B. Humphries Complete Barry McKenzie 11: Shit, I just done me block again. Something snapped.
1990		T. Winton Human Torpedo 31: I can honestly tell them I’m doin’ me block.
2003		Bug (Aus.) May 🌐 I did have the misfortune of coming in at the tailend of a Bunny interview [...] He was doing his block in that snivelling, mumbling way he does his nana.

2. to fall in love; to become obsessed with.

1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 16 Sept. 4/7: I’m doin’ me block over a tart round at a willin’ rubby.
1915		C.J. Dennis Songs of a Sentimental Bloke 47: I done me block complete on this Doreen, / An’ now me ’art is broke, me life’s a wreck.
1919		Aussie (France) 12 Mar. 6/1: I nearly did me block on a bonzer tabby I met over there.
1931		V. Palmer Separate Lives 220: There was a sheelah back in Salisbury who did her block on me [OED].
1938		N. Lindsay Age Of Consent 195: ‘What do you mean by dippy?’ ‘What I mean, do her block in suddenly and flop all over a man.’.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 320: Yer like a bloke with his first skirt—done yer block over her.

3. to go mad, to become irrational.

1916

C.J. Dennis ‘War’ in Moods of Ginger Mick 26: An’ when yeh ’ear I’ve took a soljer’s job, / I gave yeh leave to say I’ve done me block, / An’ got a flock uv weevils in me knob.

to remain calm, to keep one’s head.

1909		A. Wright A Rogue’s Luck (1931) 162: If yer c’n fight, keep yer block, an yer got er chance.
1915		C.J. Dennis Songs of a Sentimental Bloke gloss. 🌐 To keep the block – To remain calm; dispassionate.
1963		R. McGregor-Hastie Compleat Migrant 105: Block, to keep the: to keep calm.

to injure someone physically; usu. in the form of a threat, I’ll knock….

1896		S. Crane in N.Y. Journal 25 Oct. in Stallman (1966) 164: If youse gits gay, I’ll knock yer block off.
1902		Ade Forty Modern Fables 285: The Saloon Men were shrieking to the Participants to Beat his Block off and Jam him in the Kisser.
1906		S. Ford Shorty McCabe 154: Sorry to trouble you, but I’ve got to knock your block off.
1912		J. London Smoke Bellew Pt 9 🌐 ‘I don’t like to wallop a sick man,’ Shorty explained, his fist doubled menacingly. ‘But I’d wallop his block off if it’d make him well.’.
1913		J. London Valley of the Moon (1914) 237: I oughta knock your block off for you.
1914		M. Glass Abe And Mawruss 205: Come along quiet [...] or I’ll knock yer block awff.
1917		F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I viii: You sit down, or I’ll blow your block off!
1923		Wodehouse Leave it to Psmith (1993) 502: I’d like [...] to beat your block off.
1928		M.C. Sharpe Chicago May (1929) 32: He never squawked, though he talked a great deal to his intimates about knocking my block off.
1930		(con. 1900s–10s) Dos Passos 42nd Parallel in USA (1966) 286: As the fellow said when they blew his block off.
1931		R.E. Howard ‘TNT Punch’ Action Stories Jan. 🌐 I still intends to punch his block off some day.
1935		Essex Newsman 19 Jan. 1/7: Defendant threatened to ‘knock his block off’.
1936		‘George Orwell’ Keep The Aspidistra Flying (1962) 193: If that man wasn’t too drunk to stand, I’d knock his block off.
1939		‘Flann O’Brien’ At Swim-Two-Birds 166: I’ll knock your bloody block off if you say another word. Apologize!
1948		C. Day Lewis Otterbury Incident 83: The Officers of the Court then had to restrain Nick from knocking the Prune’s block off.
1949		(con. 1944) F.A. Johnson One More Hill 169: I’ll have his heinie square block knocked off.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 332: One more squeak out of you and I’ll knock yer bloody block off.
1962		S. Longstreet Flesh Peddlers (1964) 87: Next time I meet that Cockney hamola, Ronnie Galt, I’m going to knock his block off.
1971		Wodehouse Much Obliged, Jeeves 165: I shall be happy to knock his ugly block off.
1982		J. Davis Kullark 56: If you was a man I’d knock your block off for doing that.
1991		Desperate Dan Special No. 7 25: Gimme that sword afore I knock yer block off!
2000		T. Udo Vatican Bloodbath 15: Ah’m gonnae knock your fuckin’ block off, ya cheeky wee shite!
2012		(con. 1954) ‘Jack Tunney’ Tomato Can Comeback [ebook] You almost got your block knocked off tonight.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 245: ‘Why didn’t you take a stroll down to the sty and tell the Law you’d knocked some junkie’s block off’.

to lose emotional control, to lose one’s temper.

1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Sept. 13/1: ‘Orright,’ sizzi, ‘don’t loosyerblock, / You’ll meeter byunbye.’.
1914		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Aug. 32/4: [T]hey were nine all an’ the excitement intense, the judge and ref’ree losin’ their blocks an’ barrackin’ for all they was worth.
1920		B. Cronin Timber Wolves 218: Well, don’t lose your block, whatever you do.
1934		West Australian 5 Dec. 15/1: I am very, very sorry, I did not mean to do it. I lost my block.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 16/1: block phr. [...] lose your block [...] lose your temper; from C17 English word for ‘head’; eg ‘Docherty, if you used your block, boy, instead of losing it, you might yet make a boxer.’.
2009		P. Yeldham Bitter Harvest [ebook] ‘Look, shut up, will you. Just shut up.’ ‘Don’t lose your block.'’.

1. angry.

1925		(con. WWI) Fraser & Gibbons Soldier and Sailor Words 26: ‘Off his block’, angry.
2017		T. Spicer Good Girl Stripped Bare 105: Her boss is a moustachioed menace, who often goes off his block.

2. insane.

1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 19: BLOCK [...] – off his: to muddle, to make mistakes, to act foolishly, Also [...] any one mad or silly.
1925		(con. WWI) Fraser & Gibbons Soldier and Sailor Words 26: ‘Off his block’, [...] off his head.
1940		F. Sargeson ‘A Good Boy’ in A Man And His Wife (1944) 73: You’d almost believe they think I’m off my block.
1959		I. & P. Opie Lore and Lang. of Schoolchildren (1977) 199: He is – scatty, screwy [...] off his chump (head, nut, block).
1968		R.D. Magoffin We Bushies 54: You’re off y’block begorrah!

(N.Z.) to act sensibly.

1940		F. Sargeson ‘The Making of a New Zealander’ in A Man And His Wife (1944) 9: Use your block.
1956		T. Sutherland Green Kiwi 36: You want to use your block a bit sometimes.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 16/1: block phr. use your block advice to use your common sense.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].

see separate entries.

an eccentric-looking person.

1881		Sheffield Dly Teleg. 19 Feb. 2/6: Mtr Waddy has been the ‘block ornament’ of strange constituencies, and been poked and turned, sniffed at and thrown down again by vulgar market people.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1914		Laverton Mercury (WA) 31 Oct. 3/7: Odd little bets [i.e. bits] that are raked together, for instance, are ‘block-ornaments’.

1. (US) of a man, to have sexual intercourse with.

1918		W.J. Schira diary 15 Dec. 🌐 I guess Carter the guard put the blocks to Brownie [i.e. a nurse] about 2 o’clock this morning.
1922		R. McAlmon ‘Abrupt Decision’ in A Hasty Bunch 148: I’ll bet you let Bill O’Brien put the blocks to you.
1932		(con. 1910s) J.T. Farrell Young Lonigan in Studs Lonigan (1936) 64: The fat guy [...] who bragged that he had put the blocks to nearly every K.M. in the neighbourhood.
1949		H. Miller Sexus (1969) 113: If she could let me put the blocks to her.
1959		A. Zugsmith Beat Generation 43: Never before had he put the blocks to a fuzz’s hotsy.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 814: put the blocks to – To have intercourse.
1967		in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 66: I slipped her on the blocks. / She said, ‘Young man, I’ve got the pox.’.
1974		C. Loken Come Monday Morning 67: When he first started puttin’ the blocks to ’er she was already out workin’.

2. see also under block n.⁶

menstruating.

1999		Roger’s Profanisaurus in Viz 98 Oct. 29: up on blocks adj. Of a woman. A monthly mott failure due to a recurring leak under the beetle bonnet.
2000		personal correspondence: up on blocks – having a period (menstruating). i.e. Out of action, a bit like a car in a garage. e.g. ‘I don’t think I’ll be in luck tonight lads, the missus is up on blocks.’.
2000		P. Howard Miseducation of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly (2004) 78: She’s up on the blocks at the moment.
2001		P. Meditzy ‘A Day In The Life Of...’ 29 Apr. 🌐 Because she was ‘up on blocks’ (a leak from under the beetle bonnet) and my cock already looked like a ‘barbers pole’, I realised it was going to get messy.