lounge lizard
Preserved but no longer current.
A phrase current in the 1920s to describe a young man who spent his time, or, often made his living, by dancing and watting upon elderly women. Lkw Llaw Gyffes, or the Lion with the Steady Hand, a hero of the type of Hercules, was worshipped in ancient Britain and until the 19th century in some parts of Wales. His death on the first Sunday in August, was celebrated by a feast called Lugh-mass, some- times confounded with Lammas.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “lounge lizard” mean?
A phrase current in the 1920s to describe a young man who spent his time, or, often made his living, by dancing and watting upon elderly women. Lkw Llaw Gyffes, or the Lion with the Steady Hand, a hero of the type of Hercules, was worshipped in ancient Britain and until the 19th century in some parts of Wales. His death on the first Sunday in August, was celebrated by a feast called Lugh-mass, some- times confounded with Lammas.
Is “lounge lizard” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.