One thing you’ll see us say all the time is that New York has an amazingly diverse range of slang words. Spend any time with locals, and you’ll probably hear at least one term you’ve never experienced anywhere else.
If someone were mad at you, you might start hearing other terms that make no sense out of context but seem threatening. In this post, we’ll be going over some New York slang words for beat up, so you know what they mean if you ever run into them.
But First, a Quick Disclaimer…
All of the words on this list in some way reference hitting or fighting. Not all of them necessarily mean “to beat up,” per se, so pay attention to the definitions and examples of how to use them right.
It should go without saying that we mean “beat up” as in fighting, and not in the way that it’s sometimes used as an adjective to describe something that’s rundown.
If you’d like more information on New York slang, we have a comprehensive guide here. We add to it occasionally, too, so you can check back to find more words.
Now, let’s jump into it..
New York Slang Words for Beat Up (With Examples of How to Use Them)
Beef
Meaning:
- (noun): A grudge or fight you have with someone.
- Example: “I have beef with him because he ate my bacon egg and cheese.”
Buck Fifty
Meaning:
- (noun): A kind of gash you get on your face that cuts up from your mouth to your ear. Rumor has it that these cuts were usually given to people by gang members.
- Example: “Did you see that nasty buck fifty on his face?”
Catch These Hands
- (Expression): Use this to show when you are going to hit someone or pick a fight with them.
- Example: “He keeps grilling me. He’s going to catch these hands.”
Duff
Meaning:
- (verb): To punch someone.
- Example: “I duffed him in the nose when he called me a ratchet.”
Snuff
Meaning:
- (Verb): Another way to refer to punching someone.
- Example: “My cousin got snuffed in the throat after insulting that guy over there.”
Take It There
- (Verb): To start a fight.
- Example: “You keep grilling me, so I’m taking it there.”
Wrap Up
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to refer to starting a fight or hitting someone in New York slang. There are likely even more we haven’t heard of yet, so if you happen to know more, leave a comment below.
You can also learn about New York slang words to call your friends here, and slang words you can use when something is bad here.
