palooka
noun/pəˈluːkə/
Etymology Used in the US since the 1920s, originally primarily of boxers. Popularized by Jack Conway of Variety, who also popularized baloney and bimbo. Further popularized by Ham Fisher in his comic strip Joe Palooka about a boxer (published in newspapers since 1930, particularly popular in 1940s).
- What’s more, Friends offers someone for everyone: a tall, dorky, insecure guy (David Schwimmer); a ditzy, guitar-strumming blonde (Lisa Kudrow); a handsome, jean-clad palooka (Matt LeBlanc); a sarcastic, 9-to-5-ing funnyman ([Matthew] Perry); a dark-haired, blue-eyed Veronica (Courteney Cox); and a spoiled suburban princess just finding her legs ([Jennifer] Aniston).1996 March 7, Rich Cohen, “Jennifer Aniston: The Girl Friend”, in Rolling Stone:
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Boxing, Bridge, Games, Government, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Martial arts, Military, Politics, Sports, War US Someone incompetent or untalented.
- But [Jack] Dempsey against some palooka who had been press agented into greatness and into the form of a Dempsey menace — that would pack any outdoor arena.1923 March, Lincoln Star, Nebraska:
- Butch: Lookin' at somethin', friend? Vincent: I ain't your friend, palooka.1994, Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary, Pulp Fiction:
- Derived terms
- Palookaville
- Related terms
- tomato can