About This Quiz
It's far out that you're here, man! Whether you're here because you were alive in the '70s or you simply dig the era, you'll be able to boogie down. Step into the past with us and see how you do at figuring out which word correctly completes the '70s phrase that you see. Of course, we hope the force will be with you.
They say that all old trends come back again, and it doesn't stop at fashion. Even the phrases we use fall out of style and then come back into our vocabularies again. Don't let your fear of not knowing a lot about the time period stop you from playing along! You'll know a lot more of these phrases than you think you will. We're still using many of them now.
After you see the fill-in-the-blank phrase, give your screen some skin by choosing the word you think makes sense. We've given you 35 chances to prove your '70s knowledge, but you'll have to choose carefully to get them all right. Do you think you can do it, or will you feel like you should have blown this taco stand when you had a chance? There's only one way to find out!
They didn't have mp3s or CDs during the '70s, but they did have vinyl records. "Catch you on the flipside" originated from when radio DJs would flip a record and play the B-side.
Since we're talking about things they said in the '70s, we are going to "step into the past." All old trends come back again, and you'll want to drag some of these phrases into your everyday speech.
"May the Force be with you" has been a thing since it was first uttered in "Star Wars." Although it started in the '70s, it's not an uncommon thing to hear any of your friends say now.
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No one's really sure where the phrase "brick house" got its start describing attractive women. The Commodores made the phrase into a monster hit and a household way of putting things in 1977.
Acts of teenage rebellion and getting something by the high school principal were usually described as "sticking it to the man." Back in the day, that was the way to say you got one over on someone in a position of authority.
Sure, you could do someone a favor in the '70s, but they were more likely to ask you to do them a solid. A solid is more than a favor — a solid means that your word will be followed through until the end.
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It's "cool beans" that you know enough about the '70s to complete these phrases. Hot beans and green beans were both readily available in the '70s, but "cool beans" was the way to say you were happy with something.
With CB radio and trucker movies at an all-time high in the '70s, it was only natural for the lingo to bleed into everyday speech. "10-4, good buddy" was the way you would acknowledge that you understood what someone was saying.
Telling Sam to "stopping dipping in your Kool-aid" is a '70s way of telling him to stop being so nosy. These days, we might tell Sam to mind his own business, but the '70s slang way of saying it is much more interesting.
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Taking a break or a nap would certainly soothe your nerves, but calming down in the '70s was a rhyming affair. "Take a chill pill" was the way you would tell your friend to chill out.
It happens to the best of us — even cousin Fred. When he "laid a gasser" during dinner, he was a victim of Aunt Mabel's baked beans. We're certain that he didn't mean to pass gas at the table.
You didn't just like things during the '70s, you dug them. If your friend was showing you something and asking for your approval, they might look at you and ask "can you dig it?"
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Whether '70s phrases were taken from popular TV shows or everyday life, they certainly were colorful. "What's your 20?" is taken from CB radio language — a popular pastime back then.
Throughout the ages, catchphrases have been filled with rhyming words. It's "awesome possum" that some many of them have stood the test of time. Will you add any of these '70s phrases to your vocabulary?
We're not going to try to explain this one too much. Just know that back in the '70s, a sarcastic way to point out someone's clumsiness would have been to say "smooth move, Ex-lax!"
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You wouldn't find an RSVP on an informal '70s invitation. Instead, you would be reminded that declining the invitation would make you a total nerd with the phrase, "Be there or be square."
There's nothing worse than being somewhere you don't want to be! Back in the day, you would have pointed toward the Vista Cruiser and said, "Let's blow this taco stand!" Your friends would have been right behind you.
"Up your nose with a rubber hose" was a '70s slang way of saying that you're offended and not interested in hearing what someone has to say. It's a far more polite way of telling someone to "get bent."
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If you wanted to dip in someone's Kool-aid and learn about their business, you would need to "get the skinny." Getting the skinny means the same thing as another '70s phrase — "get the lowdown."
Sometimes, your friends can be a real drag. The next time one of them is getting on your nerves, look at them and say, "Don't harsh my mellow, man." If they don't know what it means, it will make them stop talking long enough for you to get a break.
Let's say that you're at a party and you're having a good time, but your friend is bringing down the vibe. Back in the '70s, you would have looked at other partygoers and said, "What a fry!"
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You didn't go to a party to have a good time in the '70s. You went to a party to "boogie down." Even if you were not planning to hit the dance floor, it's a way of saying that you were going to let it all hang out.
If Eric told Jackie to, "Sit on it," he really wouldn't want her to sit on anything. He would simply want her to be quiet. Back then, it was an alternative way to tell someone to stop talking.
Back during the '70s, you might have heard Bob from accounting say that the boss is "out to lunch." Bob wouldn't have been talking about going for food. He would have been insulting the boss's lack of knowledge.
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You wouldn't want to do something halfway! You would want to take it "to the max." Whether you're going out to boogie down or trying to get the best grade, you would strive to make it the best you can.
Starting in 1971, "The Waltons" ruled the '70s television waves. Every episode ended with the Walton family saying goodnight to one another. It spawned the popular catchphrase, "Good night, John Boy."
Have you ever heard someone say something so ridiculous that it leaves you feeling a little stunned? In the '70s, they used the feeling to avoid telling someone that they were stupid. Instead, they would have said, "You're so stunned!"
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You just "keep on truckin'" through this quiz, don't you? With the popularity of trucker films in the '70s, using trucker slang and film references were quite common.
It's only polite to see if someone is dressed before entering their bedroom. Before you go storming in, it's polite to ask, "Are you decent?" Depending on the answer, you'll know how to proceed.
You would see a crocodile after while, but you would, "See you later, alligator." No one's really sure where the phrase started, but it's lasted since they made it popular during the '70s.
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Although Bart Simpson frequently said, "Don't have a cow, man," the phrase originated in the '70s. It's another sly way of saying that you should remain calm and that you shouldn't freak out.
If you met up with a friend or an acquaintance back in the '70s, you would have said, "Give me some skin." Whether you get a high five or handshake would depend on who you were asking.
If you didn't get this one right, you would have every reason to exclaim, "What a drag!" Once again, the '70s love for all things automotive — in this case, drag racing — spills over into the phrases of the time.
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Even back in the '70s, it was commonplace to be dumbfounded by something one of your less than brainy friends has to say. Now, you have a new phrase for the situation! Bring back, "Don't be a tool, man," and bask in all the giggles you receive.
We're back to that '70s love for all things motor vehicle again. If you were annoyed enough to look out the window to find the noise, you might see your neighbor "popping a wheelie" on his dirtbike.