1939 B. Johnson letter to Frederic Ramsey Jr in Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 453: I have been real down for about five years.at down, adv.1
c.1940 advert for house rent party in Hughes & Bontemps Book Negro Folklore (1958) 598: If your Sweetie ain’t on the level, Come and get yourself another Cute Little Devil.at cute, adj.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 482: cop a squat: To take a seat. Cop a squat and stay awhile.at cop a squat (v.) under cop a..., v.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 484: half-past a colored man: 12:30 A.M.at half past a colored man, phr.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 559: He’s my ace-boy, / Gone away.at ace boy (n.) under ace, adj.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 365: What I was gonna tell you, said Monkey, / Is you square old so-and-so, If you fool with me I’ll get / Elephant to whip your head some more.at so-and-so, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 364: Lion said, Monkey, I don’t want / To hear your jive-end jive.at jive-ass, adj.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 395: You serves beans to your husband, / Cooks chicken for your backdoor man.at back-door man (n.) under back-door, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 481: back: Good, fine. She’s dressed back in righteous black.at back, adv.
1958 (sung in 1941) Book of Negro Folklore 387: I got something on my mind [...] It’s just my old-time used-to-be.at used-to-be, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 481: beat: Bad looking, depressed, tired. I’m beat to my sox.at beat to the socks (adj.) under beat, adj.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 481: beat up your chops: Talking a lot. Stop beating up your chops, gal.at beat one’s gums, v.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 484: gumbeat: To talk a lot, gossip. Women are always gumbeating.at gum beat, v.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 362: I just shot and killed Billy, your big-head son.at big-headed (adj.) under big head, n.1
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 483: early blue: Early evening.at early black (n.) under black, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 354: Late las’ night I was a-makin’ my rounds, / Met my woman an’ I blowed her down, / Went on home an’ I went to bed, / Put my hand cannon right under my head.at blow down, v.
1958 in Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 427: If you want to see me jabber / Set me down to uh bowl uh clabber.at bonny-clapper, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 486: pitch a boogie-woogie : Raise sand; fuss, quarrel violently. His wife pitched a boogie-woogie when he wasn’t home for dinner.at pitch a boogie-woogie (v.) under boogie-woogie, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 481: boon-coon : Bosom friend. Stacy’s my boon-coon.at boon coon, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 481: boot : To explain, to describe, inform authoratively. That chick booted me about love.at boot, v.4
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 383: A sealskin brown will make a preacher lay his bible down.at brown, n.
1958 (sung in 1936) Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 348: Taxi, taxi, taxi, / Drive me to Tennessee. / He said, Drive me, bubber, / ’Cause the dicks is after me.at bubba, n.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 402: I got a woman she’s pretty but she’s too bulldozing.at bulldose, v.
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 482: bust your vest : To swell with pride. That preacher’s busting his vest.at bust one’s vest (v.) under bust, v.1
1958 Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 390: I’m gonna buy me a pistol just as long as I am tall. [...] Kill my man and catch the Cannon Ball.at cannonball, n.