1927 G. Rector Girl from Rector’s 68: In passing their tables I often heard such sinister words as ‘the mouthpiece,’ ‘the big store,’ ‘the mob,’ ‘the iron theatre,’ and ‘the rap.’.at iron theatre (n.) under iron, adj.
1927 G. Rector Girl from Rector’s 68: In passing their tables I often heard such sinister words as ‘the mouthpiece,’ ‘the big store,’ ‘the mob,’ ‘the iron theatre,’ and ‘the rap.’ [...] the rap was either an accusation or a term in jail.at rap, n.1
1927 G. Rector Girl from Rector’s 68: In this case, ‘tub worker’ did not mean bending over the week’s wash in the back of a Chinese laundry. This group of tourists worked the tubs. The tubs were ocean liners.at work the tubs (v.) under work, v.