downsies en · NOUN
Etymology
From down + -sies.
Meanings
-
(plural, plural-only, rare, slang) Synonym of tranquilizers (“drugs used to reduce anxiety or tension”).
Sylvia may not take drugs, but Kim was very into pills—upsies and downsies and in-betweensies.
1971, David Freeman, “Sylvia the Hooker”, in U. S. Grant in the City and Other True Stories of Jugglers and Pluggers, Swatters and Whores, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press, →ISBN, page 46:“[…] We’re locked in.” / That woke me up. “Why? What’s happened?” / He pointed contemptuously at the two girls. “It’s their fault. They were selling upsies and downsies to the kids at Denver Springs.” / […] “But if the warden took away the drugs they were selling, why won’t he let them out?” / […] “Because the guard’s no dummy. […] And he puts them in with them because he thinks their downsies will put me out. You can’t run away when you’re asleep.[…]” / This morning? I must still not be awake. […] If the girls had been doing downsies in this tiny little compartment, they should have put us all to sleep.
1989 May, Cynthia Felice, Connie Willis, chapter 14, in Light Raid, New York, N.Y.: Ace Books, →ISBN, pages 150–151:Girls seek release through drinking and pills and dexies and upsies and downsies. Whatever. I haven’t had to.
1973, Susan Hall, “Individual Entrepreneurs”, in Ladies of the Night (A Prairie House Book), New York, N.Y.: Trident Press, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 201:The Rolling Stones cut a record called “Mother’s Little Helpers.’[’] An innocuous title? You bet it was, but the lyrics revealed that “Mother’s Little Helpers” are the “upsies and downsies” that mom takes to get her through the day. The “upsies” are the pep pills she takes when she wakes up and the “downsies” are the tranquilizers she takes before going to bed.
1969 March 11, Ed Zuckerman, quotee, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 91ˢᵗ Congress, First Session, volume 115, part 5, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 6040, column 3: