“Relievers are relievers for a reason” (baseball adage)
"Relievers are relievers for a reason" is a baseball adage. A pitcher with great command of several pitches is a starting pitcher. A reliever has some flaws, but can be strong in one or…
Wow Factor
A product such as a movie or a computer or a car often has a "wow factor" -- an aspect that impresses the customer and looks amazing, making the customer say "Wow!" The…
“Lost the dressing room” (manager loses confidence of players)
To "lose the dressing room" is for a coach or manager to lose the confidence and support of the players. The dressing room is the changing room, where the manager might address a team…
“He’s got more guts than you can hang on a fence”
Someone who "has more guts than you could hang on a fence (post)" is someone who has a lot of guts (bravery). The expression has been included in many western novels, especially those set…
Florida Glare (fiction genre)
The New Yorker's Critic-at-Large Adam Gopnik wrote "In the Back Cabana: The rise and rise of Florida crime fiction" for the June 10, 2013 issue. Gopnik declared that the L.A. noir…
Pet Cat (underrated football player)
NFL football coach Bill Parcells was fond of cats. Parcells would pick out an under-appreciated football player and call him his "pet cat." Parcells was coach of the Dallas Cowboys from…
“Shut the front door”
"Shut the front door!" is an expression that has been printed on many gift items. The term is usually regarded as a euphemism for "shut the fuck up" (popularly written as…
East Village
What is now called the "East Village" used to be called either Greenwich Village or the Lower East Side. The boundaries vary, but can be between 14th Street on the north and Houston…
“A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money”
"A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money" means that people are the same; having more or less money doesn't make one a better person. The saying has been frequently…
Craptopia (crap + utopia)
"Craptopia" (crap + utopia) is similar to the word "dystopia" (a dysfunctional utopia). An Urban Dictionary entry, from February 9, 2009, defined it: "n. an imperfect place…
“Horse sense is what keeps horses from betting on people”
"Horse sense is something a horse has that keeps him from betting on people. (MBS broadcast)" was cited in Reader's Digest in 1942. “Horse sense is something a horse has that keeps…
“I don’t drink water because fish fuck in it”
The comic actor W. C. Fields (1880-1946) was known for drinking alcohol. He allegedly said that he didn't drink water because "fish fuck in it." "I don't drink water…
“There goes the neighborhood”
"There goes the neighborhood!" refers to someone (or some business) entering the neighborhood and changing its character. The saying dates to at least 1964 and was a response to racially…
Shiti Bike (Citi Bike nickname)
New York City's "Citi Bike" program was launched on May 27, 2013. The program was named and funded (in large part) by Citigroup, which paid $41 million for a six-year sponsorship.…
Northwest East Village
The East Village, in Manhattan, is east of Greenwich Village. The boundaries are usually between 14th Street on the north, the FDR Drive or East River on the east, Houston Street on the south, and…
Gastrobar
The term "gastropub" was popularized in London in the early 1990s. A "gastrobar (or "gastro bar") is, essentially, the same thing as a "gastropub" -- a drinking…
Stalingrad & Poorski (Standard & Poor’s nickname)
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) is one of the “big three” credit-rating agencies, along with Moody’s and Fitch. The financial blog Zero Hedge gave the company a Soviet-style nickname in a…
“It’s never too early to change the oil” (automotive adage)
"As the old saying goes, it’s never too early to change oil.....and in general it’s pretty cheap" was cited on a forum message board in July 2013. It's not known where this…
“What follows two days of rain in Oregon? Monday!” (joke)
"What follows two days of rain in Oregon? Monday!" is a joke that has been told about many geographical locations. ""What comes after two days of rain in Vermont?" was…
“Execute justice, not people”
"Execute justice, not people" is a popular slogan used by people who are against the death penalty. The slogan is often printed on a sign for a protest made at a courthouse or a prison.…