Geeking/ geeking out

[Jewls2u]

When I was in high school in the early 80's we used the terms geek and freak
pretty much interchangably. In terms of drug culture slang, freaking out
would have been something someone who'd dropped acid would do. Geeking out
would be something someone who'd gone on a coke binge would do. Twitching,
being all amped, stealing, talking too fast. You didn't have to be a druggie
to geek out though. If someone who didn't fit in got into a rage or acted
out in some way, they were geeking out. Also if someone who did fit in acted
out in some way that was considered geek-like, they would be teased for
geekin' out.

Julienne

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of Thom Harrison
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 10:06 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Geeking/ geeking out


A few years ago, I heard the term "geeking" used to mean selling items on
the streetcorners, possibly stolen items, possibly for money to buy drugs.

More recently I heard the term "geeking out" used to describe the state of
going around sniffing, tasting and feeling everything in sight that people
go through after a binge on methamphetamine or similar drugs.

Both uses would seem to be derived from the old carnival geek.

Has anyone else encountered these terms?

Thom Harrison
Macon State College