 8 Professors are in the 9th year of a 12 year encyclopedia writing project. The youngest is Bertram Potts who specializes in language and grammar. When Professor Potts discovers that his section on slang is outdated, he sets out to research the topic. Nightclub performer Sugarpuss O Shea is engaged to gangster Joe Lilac. When she discovers that the police are after her, she must find a place to lay low. Then Potts meets Sugarpuss. He is impressed with her slang and wants to study it further. Sugarpuss uses his study as an excuse to invite herself to stay with the 8 Professors at their residence--a perfect hideout. She wins over the older Professors teaching them how to do a Conga Line and earns a marriage proposal from  Pottsie  by showing him  yum-yum . However, Joe Lilac resurfaces with other plans for Sugarpuss.