What Is a "Heater" Slang For? An In-Depth History and Safety Guide

For over a century, "heater" has persisted as popular American slang with origins in the criminal underworld. This comprehensive guide will explore the definition, history, and evolution of calling a gun a "heater," including its usage in literature like S.E. Hinton‘s The Outsiders. I‘ll also leverage my home improvement experience to offer safety tips for proper operation of various heating units.

The Prohibition-Era Origins of "Heater" Slang

During the Prohibition era of the 1920s and early 1930s, the term "heater" emerged as slang used by gangsters, bootleggers, and other criminals to refer to their concealed firearms.

America‘s experiment banning alcohol sales had unintentionally bolstered organized crime syndicates. Mobsters relied on guns for controlling rackets, settling scores, and shootouts with rival gangs or police.

With handguns like the snubnose .38 revolver becoming common accessories, referring to them as "heaters" grew ubiquitous in the underground world of speakeasies, illegal distilleries, and bootlegging operations.

Why "heater"? The hot barrel of a gun after firing multiple rounds was likened to a radiator or furnace heating up a room. Soon, any concealed firearm in a gangster‘s coat pocket or shoulder holster was dubbed their trusty "heater."

Fun Fact: During the Prohibition era from 1920 to 1933, American gun ownership rapidly increased, with handgun production more than doubling from 297,000 annually in 1914 to over 611,000 in 1929.

This proliferation of illegal liquor trade shootouts fueled the "heater" slang‘s rise. It provided mobsters a covert way to discuss weaponry without tipping off eavesdropping authorities or rivals.

How "Heater" Slang Crossed Over into Mainstream Culture

While originating in the mob-run streets of Prohibition, "heater" was popularized across society through 20th century movies, TV, music, and literature glamorizing the gangster lifestyle.

Films like Little Caesar, Scarface, and White Heat made "heater" lingo familiar to the average movie-goer. On the small screen, mafia-centered shows like The Untouchables brought heater jargon into households nationwide.

Musicians, like blues and jazz artists singing about hustlers and outlaws, worked it into lyrics. Soon, even respectable businessmen were talking about their new car being a "real heater", using the term broadly for anything powerful and impressive.

By the 1960s, amidst Cold War anxieties and rising youth rebellion, "heater" was firmly entrenched in the American vernacular. Let‘s analyze how S.E. Hinton leveraged this familiar slang in her seminal teen novel.

The Socioeconomic Symbolism of "Heater" in The Outsiders

In Hinton‘s coming-of-age tale, set in 1960s Oklahoma, the Greasers view their revolvers as equalizers against their rivals, the wealthy Socs. When Ponyboy first sees fellow greaser Dallas‘s gun, he describes it reverently as "the size of a small cannon."

For these disenfranchised teens born on the wrong side of the tracks, a "heater" represents power, security, and status otherwise denied them by society. As poor kids facing bleak futures, weaponized machismo fuels their own sense of self-worth.

Critically, Hinton links their gravitation towards violence with the socioeconomic inequalities constraining their lives. This underscores the perceived necessity of "heaters" among the Greasers within the novel‘s class tensions.

The Outsiders by the Numbers:

• 7.5 million+ copies sold since debut in 1967

• Ranked #38 on list of best-selling works of fiction from 1895-1975

• 750+ bans from schools and libraries for gritty content

• 25 weeks atop the New York Times best-seller list for young adult fiction

Evolution of Slang Terms for "Gun" in the 20th Century

While often used interchangeably, slang words for "gun" reflect the distinct cultural zeitgeists when they emerged:

This changing slang lexicon reflects evolving cultural sensibilities decade to decade. But whether called a "gat", "strap", or "glizzy", the underlying meaning remains consistent over generations.

Heater Safety – Preventing Home Fires, Injuries, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

While "heater" sounds fun as slang, actual heaters involve serious safety considerations. As a home improvement expert, I‘m passionate about preventing avoidable heater-related tragedies.

Key stats:

• 17,600+ home fires per year caused by malfunctioning furnaces and boilers

• 430 deaths annually from accidental CO poisoning from faulty heating systems

• 20,000+ injuries per year caused by improper use of portable heating units

Installation and Maintenance

• Hire professionals for installation – don‘t DIY major heaters

• Conduct annual maintenance checks before winter

• Replace filters/flues per manufacturer directions

• Check vents and exhaust pipes for blockages

• Install CO and smoke detectors

Safe Operation

• Never leave portable heaters unattended

• Keep combustible materials away from heat sources

• Use the right fuel specified by the manufacturer

• Ensure adequate room ventilation

• Check for signs of leaks/malfunctioning

Recognizing CO Poisoning

• Persistent headaches, dizziness, nausea

• Mental confusion, impaired cognition

• Shortness of breath, chest tightness

• Flu-like muscle weakness or lethargy

If you suspect CO poisoning, immediately ventilate, turn off the heater, and get outside into fresh air before calling emergency services! Don‘t take risks when it comes to protecting your household.

Modern "Heater" Slang: How the Term is Used Today

While still used to reference firearms, "heater" as contemporary slang has taken on additional meanings cementing its evolution over 100+ years:

Music

"I got a heater in my drawers, give you something to remember" – Gunna, "Banking on Me"

"That‘s a real heater, turn it up in my ‘rari" – Future, "Turn On Me"

Sports

"Steph Curry is on an absolute heater, drilling threes at will"

"The Astros‘ bats have gone ice cold after being on a heater through July"

General Slang

"This leftover pasta is a heater, I burned my tongue!"

"Did you see Chris Hemsworth in the new Thor? His arms are absolute heaters"

"I can‘t stand spicy food, but Kyle douses everything in hot sauce – dude loves his heaters"

So whether it‘s music about packing "heaters" or sports analysts discussing "heaters", this classic slang term continues evolving in fresh cultural contexts while still nodding to its origins.

The rich history and enduring linguistic impact of "heater" slang reveals much about America‘s uncompromising gun culture and fascination with antihero outlaws. Its lasting prevalence in vernacular English is a testament to the influence of mass media and pop culture in propagating certain terminology across society. Hopefully this guide has illuminated the nuanced development and usage of this iconic term over the past century. And remember – stay vigilant with your actual heaters this winter!