deck n.4
1. (US drugs) a packet of heroin, cocaine or similar narcotic; cite 1927 (elsewhere unsupported) suggests that a deck contains six doses.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Marion Star (OH) 3 Apr. 17/3: They have gotten $10 from Tombs prisoners for a deck that sells on the street for fifty cents. | |
| New Republic VI 22 Apr. 314–6: One of the number produces a ‘deck’ or ‘package’ of heroin and tells the others that the taking of it is wonderfully enjoyable. | |
| Eve. Public Ledger (Phila., PA) 6 Sept. 2/1: A $1 deck of ‘stuff’ now brings $5. | |
| Crucibles of Crime 122: A ‘deck’ is a small package of opium. | |
| Distinguished Air (1963) 22: A German boy came to the table and took her aside, to sell her cocaine [...] we decided to invest in a deck each. | |
 | Minneapolis Star (MN) 12 Nov. 22/1: ‘They run from crocus (physician) to crocus and pan (beg) a deck of coke (six doses) [...] Usually the croaker takes mercy on them’. | |
| Jack-Roller 161: One day he found a ‘deck’ of ‘M’ tied in her handkerchief. | |
| ‘Snowbound’ in Gangster Stories Oct. n.p.: ‘Like to sniff a deck? Fix you up — steady your nerves’. | |
| (ref. to 1920s) Being Geniuses Together 64: A deck of ‘snow’, enough cocaine for quite too much excitement, cost the equal of ten cents. | |
| Halo For Satan 24: A deck of nose candy for sale. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | I, Mobster 99: They figured what the junk would bring cut down and adulterated, and split up into about a thousand decks an ounce. | |
| My Lovely Executioner (2006) 126: Just a few decks to start with [...] Just a few at a buck for a teaser. | |
| Drugs from A to Z (1970) 77: deck [...] A folded paper or glassine envelope containing heroin. | |
| After Hours 54: Walberto was steady nickel-and-dime decks. | |
| Close Pursuit (1988) 259: They turn up shot over a five-dollar deck of heroin. | |
| ONDCP Street Terms 7: Deck — 1 to 15 grams of heroin, also known as a bag; packet of drugs. | |
| Alphaville (2011) 71: He then helps himself to the dexck of dope he’s just seen the dealer take from his runner. |
2. (US prison) a pack of cigarettes.
| Main Stem 56: We spent our last sou on a deck of butts. | |
| Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 60: DECK. – [...] A pack of cigarettes or a packet of drugs. | |
| Amer. Thes. Sl. | |
| ‘Buy Me that Blade’ in Deadly Streets (1983) 97: Wanna get a deck of butts. | |
| ‘Catheads [...] and Cho-Cho Sticks’ in Abernethy Bounty of Texas (1990) 202: deck, n. – a pack of cigarettes. | |
| Stand (1990) 159: The cowboy went down still clutching [...] his deck of Luckies. | |
| Close Pursuit (1988) 231: You can bum a deck of smokes and generally do the dog around the crime scene, maybe piss off another mole? | |
![[Can]](/static/img/flags/can.png "Canada") | At Home on the Stroll 187: I gave a half-deck of smokes to the woman. | |
| You Got Nothing Coming 219: Another piece of pipe bristles with razor blades. ‘Dat one’s five full decks, dawg.’. |
In phrases
(drugs) to portion out large measures of heroin into small portions.
| Addict in the Street (1966) 181: We could deck up two-three hundred in an evening’s timer. | |
| Underground Dict. (1972). |
SE in slang uses
In phrases
to be aware, intelligent, ‘all there’.
| Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 72: Fifty Cards In The Deck. – Two short of the pack; hence not quite ‘all there’ in the head; simple. | |
| (con. 1920s) Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 224: Say, that punk has only got fifty cards in his deck. | |
| Man with the Golden Arm 36: There’s only fifty cards in your deck tonight, honey. | |
| Blood Brothers 116: I swear she asn’t playin’ with a full deck, you know? | |
| Stand (1990) 1224: A big blond guy, a few cards short the deck for sure. | |
| Hooligans (2003) 406: You’re a full-on loony, you know. You need about fifty more cards to fill out your deck. | |
| ‘Watching the Girls go by’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] She’ll go out with you Rodney. ‘Cos she ain’t got a full deck! | |
| Dict. of Invective (1991) 342: fifty cards in the deck. | |
| Dreamcatcher 345: Not playing with a full deck, people sometimes said of unstable individuals. | |
| Slate 17 Dec. 🌐 These kids who do this are not playing with a full deck, but I'm wondering [...] how many of them were drug addicts. |
to be aware, intelligent, ‘all there’.
| (con. 1951) Unit Pride (1981) 5: You really like to play with a stacked deck, don’t you? | |
| Current Sl. IV:1 12: Playing with a full deck of cards, v. To evidence high intelligence. | |
| Blackstone Rangers 172: ‘I wonder sometimes if you’re dealing with a full deck.’ [...] ‘Oh shut up,’ I said. ‘You’re a screwball, too.’. | |
| Talk Radio (1989) 85: Hey, Ralph, you playing with a full deck or what? | |
| Homeboy 174: You may be playin with a full deck, only with an extra joker. | |
| ‘’ in Knockemstiff 29: He never has played with a full deck. |