Green’s Dictionary of Slang

five n.2

[bunch of fives n.]

1. (US) a blow with the fist.

[US]M. Bodenheim Naked on Roller Skates 112: You want five hard?
[US]F. Harvey Air War – Vietnam 163: Nobody, but nobody!, badmouths the Jolly Greens – unless he wants to get five propelled [...] in his teeth.
[US] Zap Comix 6 n.p.: Taste five in the fangs, Pappy!
[Aus]Bug (Aus.) 25 Aug. 🌐 If you’re wondering why I’m swearing so much at the good referee, I’m hoping he’ll get his knickers in a knot and give me the big ten. I’ll be more than happy to give him five straight back!

2. (US black) the five fingers, thus the hand.

[US]I. Wolfert Tucker’s People (1944) 26: He held up his fist and pointed to it with one finger. ‘What are you going to do about this five after you get your fi’ bucks?’.
[US]D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 60: He lamped her [...] and then mugged behind five to his Jasper boy.

In phrases

give five (v.) (also give someone five) [the five fingers]

(orig. US) to slap hands in order to seal a bargain or to greet a friend; occas. ext. as give ten, to slap both hands; give five on the sly, to slap hands behind one’s back so as not to alert onlookers; give five on the black-hand side/the soul side, to slap hands on the back (darker) side or the palm side of the hand; thus excl. give me five!

[US]D.G. Phillips Susan Lenox I 395: I’ll give you five, said the drunken man. ‘Come along.’ He grabbed her arm, waved his other hand at Etta.
[US]‘Digg Mee’ ‘Observation Post’ in N.Y. Age 11 Oct. 9/5: Stick out your paw and give me five. Give me a little skin.
[US]Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 527: Standin’ on the corner / All full of jive, / When you meet old schoolboy / Ask him to give you five / Hit that jive, Jack!
[US]O. Hawkins Ghetto Sketches 90: The Afro-Lords snicker, give each other fives all around, half drunk on cheap wine.
[US]R.C. Cruz Straight Outta Compton 17: Not giving us five. Not giving the drummer some.
[US]‘Master Pimp’ Pimp’s Rap 76: I felt his cold icy hands as we gave each other five.
N. Korpon ‘Three-Large’ in ThugLit Oct. [ebook] ‘Sal the Beak [...] Gimme five’.
have five on (v.) [the lit./fig. use of one’s five fingers]

(US campus) to help.

[US]Da Bomb 🌐 15: I got five on it: I’ll help you. I’ll meet you half way.
slap five (v.) (also five-slap, slap palms)

(US) to indulge in a mutual hand-slapping ritual used by blacks (and some whites) for greeting, emphasis, congratulation etc; occas. as slap someone five; occas. as imper.

[US]L. Bangs in Psychotic Reactions (1988) 145: I looked over at the band [...] and J. Geils cued me right back – brother! slap me five!
[US]A. Brooke Last Toke 96: They slapped palms, one up, one down, then repeated the jive with the opposite hand.
[US](con. 1969–70) D. Bodey F.N.G. (1988) 122: Eltee Williams and Prophet slap a few fives.
[US]N. McCall Makes Me Wanna Holler (1995) 49: We burst into cheers and slapped five with each other.
[US](con. 1986) G. Pelecanos Sweet Forever 40: He five-slapped Mary’s palm as he passed her in the aisle.
[US]N. McCall Them (2008) 33: Tyrone tilted slightly to one side and slapped him five.
[US]G. Hayward Corruption Officer [ebk] cap. 19: I slap them five and keep it moving.
slip someone five (v.) (also hand someone five, lay...)

(US) to slap hands in greeting or for emphasis or congratulation; usu. in imper. excl.

[US]H. Simon ‘Prison Dict.’ in AS VIII:3 (1933) 31/2: SLIP ME FIVE! Shake hands! as in Ware yuh, buddy? Slip me five!
[US]Maines & Grant Wise-crack Dict. 13/2: Slip us five – Request for a handshake.
[US]Hepster’s Dict. 5: Hand me five – Shake hands.
[Ire]Ragni & Rado Hair 43: He put out his hand and said: ‘Lay me five, man, I’m free like a cockroach.’.

In exclamations

give me five! (also gimme five!)

(orig. US black) imper., let’s slap hands to seal the deal or bargain!

[US] in H.T. Paxton Sport USA (1961) 202: ‘Put it there, doc,’ said the infant. ‘Give me five. I congratulate you, doggone it.’.
[US](con. 1920s–30s) J.O. Killens Youngblood (1956) 104: ‘Gimme five then,’ Gus said, holding out his fat hand.
[US]L. Hughes Simply Heavenly I iii: Gimme five, Miss Mamie, gimme five!
[UK]R.A. Norton Through Beatnik Eyeballs 37: This leader stud come forward. ‘Give me five,’ he say and extend his hand.
[US]Look 14 Nov. 114: With ‘Gimme five’ and ‘Way to go!’ he incessantly congratulates and cheers teammates and friends [HDAS].
[US]H. Selby Jr Requiem for a Dream (1987) 16: Gahd damn, give me five. Harry slapped the palms of Tyrone’s hands and Tyrone slapped Harrys.
[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 27: Gimme five on d’ soul side. Lay some skin on me, baby! [Slaps palms with another black.]. [Ibid.] 240: give me five (on the sly) [...] signal for the slapping of palms-usually between two black men-as a way of greeting or congratulating each other.
[UK]F. Taylor Auf Wiedersehen Pet Two 13: Wayne danced a little, offered Barry his upturned palms. ‘Give me five, then. C’mon, trade me some skin.’.
[US]‘Touré’ Portable Promised Land (ms.) 157: We Words (My Favorite Things) [...] Gimme five. Shook ones.