Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to prepare some form of trick.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 73: Three parts of every nights dream is spent [...] with how to fix a Dye for any purpose.
1837		‘Plunder Creek’ in Bentley’s Misc. Feb. 128: If the devil had been the fisherman then, he would have fixed the Dutcher.
1879		A. Pinkerton Reminiscences 151: All right, my fine old snoozer! We’ll fix you!
1889		H. Lawson ‘Story of Malachi’ in Roderick (1972) 10: We were not content with common jokes, such as [...] ‘fixing’ his bunk, or putting explosives in his pipe.
1892		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘The Rhyme of the Rusher’ in Sporting Times 29 Oct. n.p.: I fixed him at nap until / I had turned his skyrockets inside out, / And had managed my own to fill.
1900		O. Wister Jimmyjohn Boss and Other Stories 67: He once got my cash with his private poker deck that onced, and I’m fixing for to get his’n.
1919		C. Williams A Master of Crime 170: My idea is to ‘fix’ her during the journey. Alice can travel with the detective and with a little dose of chloroform can keep him quiet. [...] The chloroform drug can then be blown into the compartment and the rest will be easy.
1921		P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 75: I’ve fixed his shooting-iron.
1953		T. Runyon In For Life 245: These days shoes were rarely ‘fixed’ with acid around the welt.
1960		J. Brosnan Long Season 246: But then it is an accepted practice for ball clubs to ‘fix’ their own ball parks. [...] Each manager tries to fix his home field to his best advantage.
2000		Indep. 10 Jan. 18: He would stifle the bell with a length of muslin cloth and say, ‘that’ll fix it’.

2. (also fix up) to bribe, to suborn, esp. in the context of the police, sports or politics.

1790		in Journal William Macklay (1927) 248: We expected something political would be proposed by Fitzsimons, and out it came: ‘Gentlemen, it is expected of us that we should fix the Governor’ [DA].
1838		T. Haliburton Clockmaker (1843) II 92: I had to bribe some Master Workmen to go out to America, and if I didn’t fix ’em it’s a pity.
1854		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 13 May n.p.: By [...] large doses of plated jewelry, he at least succeeded in ‘fixing’ her.
1871		Galaxy (N.Y.) Mar. 193: This aid, he averred, would be most effective, as he had ‘fixed’ the clerk at the lace shawl counter, and that person would be conveniently blind at the moment chosen by the thieves to slip the costly articles from the counter into the immense pockets they all have suspended to the waist, under the dress.
1883		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 1 Dec. 6/2: ‘See here!’ I cried desperately, ‘can’t this thing [i.e. a criminal charge] be fixed some way?’ [...] The very phrase I used conveyed [...] a hint of corruption and iniquity.
1887		Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Oct. 12/4: Even the unvarying old bottle of ‘three-star’ fusel-oil was the same and seemed to have followed The Bulletin’s scribe round to ‘fix’ him.
1895		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden Explains 35: De first ting de sporty boy says was t’ tell me to fix de cops, and he shoved a wad in my fist.
1900		Ade More Fables in Sl. (1960) 116: She knew Something was Doing. Else why should he try to Fix her?
1901		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 22 May 1/6: How they fix and rig the jockeys.
1902		Minn. Jrnl 10 June 1/6: Suspicions have been aroused that an attempt has been made to ‘fix’ the jury.
1911		G. Bronson-Howard Enemy to Society 41: If they can’t fix th’ mayor with dough, and they need him in the business, they promise to make him governor or senator or ambassador.
1914		Truth (Melbourne) 3 Jan. 5/2: It is well known that ‘fixing-up’ a race is one of common practices of the turf.
1922		S. Lewis Babbitt (1974) 42: ‘Fixing’ health inspectors and fire inspectors and a member of the State Transportation Commission.
1933		C. Drew ‘Gorilla Grogan’ in Bulletin (Sydney) 26 July 40/3: ‘Not if we fixed it so they [i.e. boxing fans] wouldn’t go early,’ he whispered.
1937		(con. 1905–25) E.H. Sutherland Professional Thief (1956) 38: It is recognized as a responsibility of every member of the mob to do everything possible to fix a case for any member of the mob. [Ibid.] 86: A time when it was almost impossible to fix a case in New York City.
1944		L. Glassop We Were the Rats 3: [He] had been sent out for life by Nerridale Jockey Club for ‘fixing’ a field on Cup day.
1957		H. Simmons Corner Boy 92: And the elections. Hadn’t he fixed the elections?
1960		C. MacInnes Mr Love and Justice (1964) 79: But if you fix a case, Edward, then don’t you commit a crime yourself?
1965		H. Williamson Hustler 80: He had got caught for sellin’ some guy some dope, but he fixed it up [f.n.] and was fined five dollars [f.n. Paid off the police].
1977		(con. 1949) J.G. Dunne True Confessions (1979) 285: My God, Desmond Spellacy thought, I’m tired of fixing things.
1985		N. Pileggi Wiseguy (2001) 235: The stiffest sentence ever received by a college player convicted of fixing baseball scores.
1991		M.B. ‘Chopper’ Read Chopper From The Inside 93: As for fixing a trial. If I could fix a horse race as quick and easily as a Crown witness then I’d be a millionaire.
2004		P.E. Harmon Calico Starr 240: I have witnesses that can prove his deputies were trying to fix the race.

3. to take revenge upon, to get even with, to foil an antagonist’s plans.

1789		G. Parker Life’s Painter 142: If any of us was to come in by ourselves and should happen to take a rum snooze, you’d snitch upon us, and soon have the traps and fix us, in putting a lap-feeder in our sack, that you or your blowen had prig’d yourselves, though we should stand the frisk for it.
1800		Aurora (Phila.) 8 Apr. n.p.: Having fix’d Randolphi,—wish the other house would fix Mason [DA].
1834		York Herald 3 May 4/3: Damn my eyes (said Taylor) if I leave this blasted crib [...] You are governor, but I’ll fix you.
1853		W.G. Simms Sword and the Distaff 286: I reckon we’d ha’ fixed ’em all at last.
1861		T.F. Upson diary Apr. in Winther With Sherman to the Sea (1958) 9: The President will soon fix them. He has called for 75,000 men and is going to blockade thier [sic] ports.
1864		A.F. Hill Our Boys 347: The barefaced scoundrel! [...] O, I’ll fix him!
1870		C. White Magic Penny in Darkey Drama 5 Act I: Now, if he’s de only one dat seed me I’ll fix him berry quick.
1883		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 1 Dec. 6/3: ‘Do’t you be so fresh as to go to the captain with any such fairy stories as you did the other day. You thought you was a fixin’ me, sure, didn’t yer?’.
1888		‘Jack the Ripper’ letter Sept. to ed. of Central News Agency in Evans & Skinner Jack the Ripper (2001) 16-17: Dear Boss, I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they won’t fix me just yet. [...] I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled.
1891		J.A. Riis How the Other Half Lives 53: The community hears [...] of another Italian affray, a man stabbed in a quarrel, dead or dying, and the police know that ‘he’ has been fixed, and the account squared.
1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 75: I’ll whip him. That’ll fix him!
1910		O. Johnson Varmint 107: You laughed at me, you miserable Rinky Dink. I’ll fix you for that.
1920		F. Packard White Moll 52: I’ll fix you for this!
1934		O. Strange Sudden 35: I reckon that’ll fix yu, my friend, fix yu good an’ plenty.
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 162: I’ll fix ’er. [...] I’ll teach her to call in her flamin’ relatives.
1949		K. Williams Diaries 9 July 43: She’s a bitch but I’ll fix her tomorrow.
1959		W. Hall Long and the Short and the Tall Act I: There’s half of you been shooting off your mouths for days on end on how you’d fix the Japs.
1963		B. Hecht Gaily, Gaily 20: The first thing I do is fix that prosecutor bastard.
1965		(con. 1940s) B. Behan Confessions 31: We’ll fix this bloody shower.
1977		(con. 1941) R. Beilby Gunner 53: Give ’em a good boot up the ring. That fixes ’em. They’ve all got kidney trouble, see.
1984		C. White Life and Times of Little Richard 164: A lot of people thought to themselves, well, we’ll fix him.
1998		(con. 1960s) G. Washington Blood Brothers 181: Right, I’m gonna fix that bastard Baby Louie once and for all.
2009		Observer Mag. 4 Jan. 18: He undertook to fix the great film-maker who made that movie.

4. (orig. US) to arrange, to prepare, to get ready.

1837		‘Plunder Creek’ in Bentley’s Misc. Feb. 128: The suitorers were awful earnest with ould Dykeman to fix for one of them.
1842		Dickens Amer. Notes x 86: You call upon a gentleman in a country town, and his help informs you that he is fixing himself just now, but will be down directly: by which you are to understand that he is dressing. You inquire, on board a steamboat, of a fellow-passenger, whether breakfast will be ready soon, and he tells you he should think, for when he was last below, they were fixing the tables; in other words, laying the cloth. You beg a porter to collect your luggage, and he entreats you not to be uneasy, for he’ll fix it presently, and if you complain of indisposition, you are advised to have recourse to Doctor so and so who will fix you in no time.
1850		W.C. Hall ‘Mike Hooter’s Bar Story’ Spirit of the Times 26 Jan. (N.Y.) 581: When he found they wouldn’t hunt no how he could fix it, he began acussin’.
1859		‘Timothy Titcomb’ Letters to Young People 141: You might just as well ‘cave in,’ first as last, and ‘absquatulate,’ for you can’t ‘put it through,’ ‘any way you can fix it.’.
1866		C.H. Smith Bill Arp 43: Ding it all, I found him in a store buying a haversack, fixing to go.
1872		G.P. Burnham Memoirs of the US Secret Service 73: I wanted only time to fix up things again.
1884		Easley Messenger (SC) 11 Apr. 4/2: ‘You gals must be a fixin’ to get married.’ ‘Law, no [...] I’m gwine to be an old maid’.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Mar. 18/1: One evening we were more than usually pertinacious beside the boiler. We wanted her to fix it definitely, and let us ascend to the heaven of connubial bliss.
1896		‘Mark Twain’ Tom Sawyer, Detective Ch. II: Tom says that’s all right, he reckoned he could fix it with the head steward.
1911		Gem 23 Sept. iv: I fixed it with Woodford just before he left.
1915		Bulletin (Sydney) 5 Aug. 47/1: Out at quod [...] there’s heaps of chanst for one bloke to chat another; an’ before you come out you’ve fixed it up to work some job with fellers who are in with you.
1926		Boys’ Realm 16 Jan. 265: You get busy. I’ll fix the landlady.
1937		P. Cheyney Dames Don’t Care (1960) 24: He has fixed to go out to a party.
a.1940		in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 139: Frankie ran back to her crib-joint, / Fixin’ to do him some harm.
1956		J. Osborne Look Back in Anger Act I: So I said she could come here until she fixes something else.
1960		J.R. Ackerley We Think The World Of You (1971) 41: This is wonderful news! How did you fix it?
1982		P. Theroux London Embassy 99: Tell them I’ll have this book fixed pretty soon.
1996		P. Beatty White Boy Shuffle 50: That’s my sister [...] and her bestest friend [...] They fixin’ to kick y’all’s ass.
2002		Teen Lingo: The Source for Youth Ministry 🌐 fi’n v. (derived from ‘fixin’) Getting ready to do something. ‘I’m fi’n to tell you waz down with sheila and snoopy.’.
2003		Simon & Burns ‘Collateral Damage’ Wire ser. 2 ep. 1 [TV script] He fixin’ to stay in my shit.
2008		G. Pelecanos Way Home (2009) 257: You know what you’re fixin to do? [...] are you up for it?

5. to prepare food or drink, to prepare a meal.

c.1858		J.H. Green Reformed Gambler 124: I say, Mister! how shall I fix them [i.e. medicines] so that they will do the most execution in the shortest time.
1907		N.Y. Tribune 13 Jan. 15/3: She was fixin’ red hot baked potatoes, white bread, bees’ honey.
1920		Ade Hand-made Fables 154: He said he could fix me a Collins except for the one Ingredient which made it a Collins.
1935		L. Hughes Mulatto in Three Negro Plays (1969) Act I: Can I fix you a cool drink, Colonel Tom?
1948		H. McCoy Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye in Four Novels (1983) 234: Will you please fix some toast or soup or something? I’m hungry.
1953		J. Thompson Savage Night (1991) 124: I’m going to fix you a cup of coffee.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Mama Black Widow 81: Next morning Carol didn’t fix breakfast.
1976		‘Hergé’ Tintin and the Picaros 53: Time for you to fix breakfast.
1990		J. Wambaugh Golden Orange (1991) 140: I’ll fix dinner.
1999		Guardian Media 16 Aug. 44: Fixing breakfast.

6. (also finna, fix off) to kill, to murder.

1836		D. Crockett Exploits and Adventures (1934) 254: A third came up to the cannon, my companion handed me another gun, and I fixed him off in like manner.
1845		W.T. Thompson Chronicles of Pineville 57: You’s fixed me off and made a widder of my wife and children. I’s a dead man!
1867		‘The Jolly Tall Oysterman’ in Champagne Charley Songster 40: Get me my big harpoon, / I’ll get into the fishing boat and fix the fellow soon.
1869		C.G. Leland ‘Der Freischuetz’ in Hans Breitmann’s Party 43: ‘Potzblitz!’ says he, ‘dat dove I’ll fix!’.
1873		Wkly Kansas Chief (Troy, KS) 30 Jan. 1/1: ‘There was but one and I fixed him,’ said Sneak when they asked him how many of the enemy were in view when he fired.
1899		St Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) 27 Mar. 4/5: ‘I got in after fixin’ the dog with wienerwurst ’n strychnine’.
1917		F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I viii: Wot was ter stop him writin’ out another paper if we didn’t fix him fer keeps?
1929		D. Hammett ‘Fly Paper’ Story Omnibus (1966) 51: Babe got next and fixed the pair of them.
1934		O. Strange Sudden 129: Reckon I fixed yu, Mister Green.
1940		R. Chandler Farewell, My Lovely (1949) 23: Who done it? [...] Who fixed Sam?
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 9: It’d take more gas than you’ve got money to fix you.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 190: Give ’im a lovely great bubble of air in one of ’is fat old arteries. I’ll bet you that would fix ’im.
1958		R. Prather Scrambled Yeggs 32: They fix the guy – bang him over the head, beat him, tie him up, anything – then smack into him with a car.
1977		(con. 1949) J.G. Dunne True Confessions (1979) 79: Jerry says, ‘I’ll fix that Polack fuck,’ and he takes out his Special.

7. (US) to look after.

1872

‘Mark Twain’ Innocents at Home 334: We’ll fix you all right. There’ll be a kerridge for you; and whatever you want.

8. to intend.

1899		Boy’s Own Paper 7 Jan. 226: I’ve been fixin’ to climb that air hill many a time, and this is jist ’bout the last chance I’ll git to do it.
1914		R. Lardner You Know Me Al (1984) 74: I have got it all figured that Hazel is fixing to surprise me by dropping in on me.
1928		Thurman & Rapp Harlem in Coll. Writings (2003) 330: Marry! I ain’t fixing to marry nobody, nevah!
1935		C.G. Finney Circus of Dr Lao 87: Well, the Chinks they haul out the last guy, a great big bozo, an’ fixes to bump him off an’ call it a day.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 17: [We] hopped a freight to St Louis [...] fixing to pay our way by selling the pictures as we bummed around.
1957		H. Simmons Corner Boy 25: We ain’t fixing to rumba with the T’s.
1965		B. Jackson Get Your Ass in the Water (1974) 168: If you got any young whores in the house you better start ’em walking, / ’cause you all done made me mad and I’m fixin’ to do some bad goddam talkin’!
1974		V.E. Smith Jones Men 17: Y’all fixing to make a big connect?
1988		D. Woodrell Muscle for the Wing 91: I was fixin’ to intrude an idea of my own on you.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 42: He was fixing to shatter spontaneously from heroin withdrawal.
2000		P. Beatty Tuff 55: I’m feeling scandalous, like Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death, fixing to push the old lady in the wheelchair down the stairs.
2014		T.I. ‘About the Money’ 🎵 Nah I can't even hear what you say, I ain’t finna do shit / If it ain’t about the money.
2014		M. McBride Swollen Red Sun 231: ‘Fixin’ to go ’n’ see my dad right now’.

9. to attack, to beat up; also in fig. use.

1843		W. Oliver Eight Months in Illinois 126: The way in which the mosquitos fix one is a caution.
1886		A.F. Pinkerton Dyke Darrel 85: Dyke Darrel sank a bleeding and insensible mass to the floor. [...] ‘I’ve fixed him, Professor,’ growled Nick Browser.
1898		Boy’s Own Paper 15 Oct. 34: Phil was eager to ‘fix’ the ruffian who had all but killed him.
1908		‘Old Sleuth’ Dock Rats of N.Y. (2006) 17: ‘How about this Government officer who has been prowling around here?’ was the next question which fell from Garcia’s lips. ‘Well, that’s more than I can tell you, but he’ll be fixed to-night, whoever he is.’.
1913–14		E. O’Neill The Web in Ten ‘Lost’ Plays (1995) 58: If yuh bother this goil again I’ll fix yuh and fix yuh right. D’yuh get me?
1921		P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 81: Come — on in. I — fixed — those two guys.
1934		H. Roth Call It Sleep (1977) 241: Sonnomo bitzah you! I fix! [...] I’ll zebreak you het.
1952		(con. 1948) G. Mandel Flee the Angry Strangers 450: He better watch out Dincher doesn’t fix him.
1957		Kerouac On The Road (1972) 66: You tell that Texas sonofabitch if my brother isn’t out of jail tomorrow night he’s going to get his ass fixed.
1969		P. Theroux Murder in Mount Holly (1999) 30: ‘They fixed him up real good. Then he learned.’ ‘Fixed him up?’ [...] ‘Beat the living stuffings out of him.’.
1972		‘Hergé’ Tintin and the Land of Black Gold 9: I’ll fix you right now, my friend.
1981		A. Weller Day of the Dog 83: Jenny has vowed to her mates that she will fix Doug’s slut properly, just wait and see.

10. to sort out.

1828		Edinbury Gleaner 144: As soon as I get fixed in life, I’ll cease to think of war and strife; And take unto myself a wife.
1876		Besant & Rice Golden Butterfly III 41: ‘I can’t fix it,’ he groaned. ‘I can’t fix it anyhow.’.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Jan. 11/1: If any prince over there wants something handy with a broom and with a 500 h.p. voice we think we can fix things.
1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 118: Leave it to me. I’m the fixin’ kid.
1915		G. Bronson-Howard God’s Man 153: It’s all fixed now, isn’t it?
1920		O.O. McIntyre ‘New York Day by Day’ 26 Oct. [synd. col.] But the son has fixed the waiter and the cashier and the bills are sent to him.
1933		J. Spenser Limey 10: It ought to have been just about enough to hire a lawyer to fix the case.
1956		B. Behan Quare Fellow (1960) III:ii: That’s that bloody Mickser. I’ll fix him this time.
1960		in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 329: We’ll take him down to Menlo and amputate his balls. / And then if that won’t fix him, I’ll tell you what we’ll do: / We’ll stuff his ass with broken glass, and seal it up with glue.
1977		A. Brooke Last Toke 5: ‘You jive-ass nigga! You sure is in need of some fixin’.’ Scowling, Redwood stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
1997		G.V. Higgins Change of Gravity [ebook] ‘Says he doesn’t want any redneck cop getting it into his head that his wife, the federal judge, fixes tickets for him’.

11. to pay.

1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 68: I’ll fix you Satiddy night, don’t you be scared o’ that.
1994		G. Pelecanos Shoedog 115: ‘All right, man,’ Randolph said. ‘You all straight?’ ‘Weiner fixed me,’ Rego said.