General
largactil shuffle
What does largactil shuffle mean?
The unmistakable gait of someone on chlorpromazine (brand name Largactil) or similar major tranquillisers — feet barely lifting, arms slack, the whole body moving at half speed. Common in British prisons and psychiatric units where Largactil was the workhorse sedative for decades. Also called the 'Largactil shuffle' on locked wards.
"You can spot the boys off the seg from a mile off — all doing the Largactil shuffle down the landing."
Origin
British. From Largactil, the UK brand name for chlorpromazine (launched 1953), the first antipsychotic and a staple of mid-20th-century prison and asylum medication.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Largactil shuffle?
It's the slow, stiff, dead-eyed walk of an inmate heavily sedated on antipsychotic medication.
How do you use Largactil shuffle in a sentence?
For example: "You could spot the meds wing by the Largactil shuffle."
Where does the name Largactil shuffle come from?
Largactil is a brand name for chlorpromazine, a heavy antipsychotic whose side effects cause the stiff, shuffling gait.
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