Someones got a touch of the Irish flu [n. Jocular. usually considered offensive].
  • Someone's got a touch of the Irish flu [n. Jocular. usually considered offensive].

Continuing my Blogtown series, where I peruse my favorite book in the world, the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume II, H-O by J.E. Lighter.

This week's slang is brought to you by the letter "I."

ice-cream pants n. pl. a man's trousers, very light in color, for summer wear.
1940 Faulkner: "White flannel trousers... A frightened and battered man in a pair of ruined ice cream pants."

illing adj. Black English. 1. acting or thinking wildly, irrationally, or crazily; crazy.
1991 Village Voice: "Some extremely illin' bouncers wore surgical gloves, no doubt to protect themselves from any tragic traces of fabulousness."

indoor golf n. Jocular. the game of craps.
1927: "Crap-shooting, or 'indoor golf,' which has been called the African national game, is learned by gang boys, both white and colored, as soon as they are old enough to handle the dice."

ipsydinxy n. Jocular. whiskey.
1849: "Thar's a few drinks of the ipsydinxy left."

Irish toothache n. Jocular (see quotes). now usually considered offensive.
1882: "That girl has given me an Irish toothache [an erection]."