Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(gay) walking.

1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 212: When walking, a gay takes the Jewish [Italian, Polish, etc depending on personal bias] airlines (kwn SF, late ’60s).
1986–7		Maledicta IX 57: Italian airlines n [R] Walking; homosexual slang.

(US) the front passenger seat.

2019

D. Winslow Border [ebook] Cirello doesn’t like being in the front passenger seat, the ‘Italian electric chair.’ Two pops in the back of the head, they get out and into another rental car, and he becomes a cold case.

(US) pointed shoes, boots.

1981		New West Mag. 6 157: ‘Those boots,’ Ullman began, staring with frank distaste at my $100 Italian fence climbers, pointy enough to puncture kneecaps [...] ‘they just don’t make it in the California lifestyle’.
1995		J. Stahl Permanent Midnight 343: He gave a quick look at my own mega-scuffed Italian fence climbers.
2006		(con. 1960s) C. Buckley Sleepwalk 48: Shoes we called ‘Italian fence climbers’ — they were great for dancing, with thin soles, thin black leather, and half-inch-high bootlike heels and pointed toes.

(US Und.) a bomb.

1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.

(US) a large sandwich made of two slabs of bread cut lengthwise from the loaf and containing a variety of ingredients.

1979

Maledicta III:2 164: Italian hero n Large sandwich.

a chastity belt; various cits. use the image if not the exact n.

[1608		Middleton Mad World I ii: There’s a gem I would not lose, Kept by th’ Italian under lock and key: We Englishmen are careless creatures].
1610–20		‘The New Exchange’ in Farmer Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) II 5: [They] have all things that women ware, Except Italian locks.
1617		Davies of Hereford Wits Bedlam 144: [He] locks vp his wife, as is the guize Of the Italian; and, cloth put a Lock Vpon her Iewell; ... But his Mans Key still ... opes the Lock to gage his Masters Iewel.
1624		R. Davenport City-Night-Cap in Dodsley Old Plays XIII Act I: Confidence makes not so many cuckolds in England, but craft picks open more padlocks in Italy.
1634–6		T. Heywood Challenge for Beauty II i: There are so many Italian Locks, that I know it was impossible your own key should open them all. Moreover these that are naturally jealous of their women, it is probable their women naturally give them cause.
1656		J. Tradescant Musaeum Tradescantianum 53: An Italian lock, Custos pudicitia.
1660		Wandring Whore I 9: The Italian Padlock, are made of Iron, Steel and silver, gilt over, sometimes covered with Plush or Velvet, which goes quite round their hips, a thin plate going between their Legs like a Cullinder or Grate to piss through, over their Whib-bobs the Lock hangs fastened under their smocks neer the groin of the back, and never opened but when her husband hath a mind to play a game at Tick-tack.
1692		J. Dunton Athenian Mercury VIII 12 Nov. 22: A jealous Old Coxcomb [forces his wife] to wear an Italian padlock.

(US) garlic.

1949

Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

death, murder, poisoning, treachery.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

(US) an obscene gesture of contempt or derision; one arm is bent and the fist and forearm thrust upwards while the other hand grasps the forearm or bicep.

1945		J. Groth Studio: Europe 87: They ran behind the trucks and slapped the biceps of their outstretched, fisted arms, giving the Italian salute and crying vocal insults.
a.1967		K. Cook Other Capri 42: That’s an Italian salute....It means ‘screw you, Jack’ or worse [HDAS].
1975		(con. 1950s) Durocher & Linn Nice Guys Finish Last 311: Sal was so mad he waited until I got back into the dugout so that he could give me the Italian salute...with his hand on his crotch.
1989		(con. 1950s) C.S. Crawford Four Deuces 94: I was giving the gooks on Hill 1052 [...] the Italian ‘fuck you’ salute, hitting my right elbow with a cupped hand, bouncing up my right forearm.
1993		J. Miranda Italian Funerals act II: Little Johnny: Uncle Dom taught me an Italian salute! Mama: An Italian salute? Little Johnny: Yeah, watch! (Johnny does the arm gesture. Mama makes the sign of the cross).
2006		(ref. to WWII) G. Hughes Encyc. Swearing 259: World War II also generated the Italian salute, a provocative obscene gesture using the bent forearm to signify ‘up yours’.
2010		T.H. Christansen Mary Lou 101: Mary Lou gave the waitress an Italian salute, turned to me and said, ‘She used to be one of my friends until she told Tony she was pregnant and that he'd have to marry her’.

hetero- or homosexual anal intercourse.

1632		R. Brome Covent-Garden Weeded I i: I’le dismiss the Gallant, and send you, Sirrah, for another wench. I’le have Besse Bufflehead again. This kicksy wincy Giddibrain will spoil all. I’le no more Italian tricks.
1646		Parliament of Women 12: That damn’d fowl Italian sin of poking for Generation in the Bowels of their own Sex; to the great Scorn, Contempt, Neglect, and reproach of the whole Commonweal of Women.
1650		H. Nevile Newes from the New-Exchange 5: [of a woman] Full of Italian tricks.
a.1687		C. Cotton ‘Amoret in Masquerade’ Poems 159: I have e’er a loather been Of the foul Italian Sin.

(US) pasta, spaghetti.

1979

Maledicta III:2 164: Italian special; Italian straws n Spaghetti, macaroni, or noodles.

(US) the act of driving one’s car into the desert and speeding at 100 mph to check that everything works.

1995

J. Stahl Permanent Midnight 83: That’s what they call an Italian tune-up. Just head out to the desert and drive a hundred miles an hour to see if everything still works.