Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(a) (US) a glass of beer.

1887		Lantern (N.O.) 9 July 3: [He] sneaks off to get a scoop.
1895		Anaconda Standard (MT) 15 Dec. 10/1: Under the infleunce of [...] a ‘scoop’ [he] had given his companion a glimpse of the inside life of a moocher .
1920		E. O’Neill Anna Christie Act I: Gimme a scoop this time – lager and porter.
1933		(con. 1904) F. Riesenberg Log of the Sea 182: Scoops of steam beer, ready drawn for the first men to toss their nickels over the bar. [Ibid.] 185: Here, give us another scoop. Here’s how!
1953		B. Behan Scarperer (1966) 61: ‘I suppose I can finish me scoop, anyway.’ [...] The man drank up his pint and went away with them.
1979		K. Bonfiglioli After You with the Pistol (1991) 358: There are some pubs where I just naturally order a scoop of Guiness.
2005		P. Howard Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightdress 131: Me and the goys are having a few scoops in Finnegan’s.

(b) (Irish/Scot.) a drink.

1979		J. Morrow Confessions of Proinsias O’Toole 45: Just in time for a pre-luncheon scoop.
1988		R. Doyle Commitments 74: The workin’ class have always had their few scoops.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 65: Gus Bain comes in and we have a scoop.
2000		N. Griffiths Grits 144: Ah go inte wan uv the prom pubs ferrah few scoops; good drop o’ stout an a mornun papurr.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 497: Sick Boy goes ower tae one ay his bags [...] pillin oot a boatil ay rid vino [...] We kick back wi a couple ay scoops.
2015		I. Welsh Decent Ride 16: See yis back at the boozer for a scoop.
2021		P Howard Braywatch 369: ‘[T]hey’d rather be enjoying their Paddy’s Day with a few scoops’.

(c) (drugs) a folded matchbox cover used to sniff narcotics.

1965		C. Brown Manchild in the Promised Land (1969) n.p.: [...] before I could get the matchbox scoop up to my nostril again.
1967		P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 110: I felt something thrust into my hand and saw a cap and a piece of match-book cover folded into a V-shaped scoop. ‘Snort, man.’.
1969		R.R. Lingeman Drugs from A to Z (1970) 223: scoop (1) a folded matchbox cover.

(d) (drugs) gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB).

2001

ONDCP Street Terms 19: Scoop — Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB).

(a) an advantage, a lucky result in one’s business or similar dealings.

1893		Kipling ‘A Matter of Fact’ in Many Inventions 166: You’ll see how I work a big scoop when I get it.
1909		Daily Chronicle 27 July 1/6: Her engagement ... at the Palace is a big ‘scoop’.
1912		E. Pugh City Of The World 259: ’Alf o’ them there gilt-edged barneys as you read about in the newspapers – the big bank scoops that talk in five or six figures o’ speech.
1917		Day Book (Chicago) 1 Mar. 1/2: The Examiner had a clean scoop on the story.
1954		Oh Boy! No. 21 6: What a scoop Steve!!
1984		A. Sayle Train to Hell 147: It would have been a big scoop for her, made her a top T.V. person.

(b) information, knowledge, intimate details.

1952		K.C. Lamott Stockade 21: What’s the scoop on this military government team of yours?
1960		G. Swarthout Where the Boys Are 18: In between laughing they gave us the scoop.
1970		D. Ponicsan Last Detail 56: I’m not even going to give you a coffee ’till I get the whole scoop and nothing but the scoop.
1981		J. Ellroy Brown’s Requiem 112: She told me she could put me onto a ‘big scoop’.
1993		A. Rodriguez Spidertown (1994) 56: You said a girl called. I was too far gone to get the scoop. What happened? When did she call?
2004		C. Hiaasen Skinny Dip 265: Inez [...] proceeds to give me the scoop on fabulous Neil.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 182: ‘I utilizize [sic] the inside scoop’.