Fedcrat or Feducrat (federal government + bureaucrat)
"Fedcrat" or "feducrat" (federal + bureaucrat) is a nonessential term because most bureaucrats are from the government. The term "feducrat" has been cited in print…
PIIGS (Portugal + Italy + Ireland + Greece + Spain)
The acronym "PIGS" (Portugal + Italy + Greece + Spain) stands for the economies of these four European nations and has been cited in print since at least December 2007. The acronym…
“Text without context is pretext”
"A text without a context is a pretext" has been popularized by Rev. Jesse Jackson and theologian D.A. Carson, but the saying dates to at least 1912 and has long been popular with…
Greeniac (green + maniac)
A "greeniac" (green + maniac) is a nickname applied to an environmental activist, similar to the term "tree-hugger." The term "greeniac" has been cited in print in…
“Preach to the choir” (“Preach to the converted”)
To "preach to the converted" means to bring a message before people who already believe (or are predisposed to believe) that message. The preaching doesn't win over any new converts.…
Queen City of the Rio Grande (Del Rio nickname)
"Queen City of the Rio Grande" was the nickname of Brownsville in the 1890s and 1900s. Del Rio has called itself the "Queen City of the Rio Grande" since the 1920s and this…
“Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know”
"Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know" is an old saying that's often been applied to politics. A politician might not be seen as the best person for the job,…
“We eat with our eyes first”
The expression "we eat with our eyes (first)" means that we see food before we eat it, so food preparation should also include making the food appear attractive. The Chinese poet and…
Joos (spelling of “Jews”)
"Joo" is a spelling of the word "Jew," usually given in the plural as "Joos" or "Jooos" or "Joooos." The spelling "J-O-O" was popularized…
“Hack in black (robes)” (activist judge)
An activist judge has been called a "hack in black (robes)." The rhyme (perhaps) borrows from the AC/DC 1980 album Back in Black. The term "hack in black" has been used by both…
Brimaquonx
"Brimaquonx" (Brooklyn + Staten Island + Manhattan + Queens + Bronx) was once suggested as the name for New York City. The proposed name is known largely through a mention in Mario…
“Money goes where money is”
"Money goes where money is" is an adage of unknown authorship that has been cited in print since at least 1891. It explains how the rich (who have money to invest) often get richer and…
Bank Run (“run on the bank”)
A "bank run" is a "run on a/the bank," when panicked bank customers demand their money before a seeming bank collapse. Deposit insurance protections in the United States (put in…
Bank Holiday
A "bank holiday" is a day when the bank is normally open (such as a weekday), but when it's closed instead. Bank holidays in the United States usually occur on federal holidays, such…
“If a barbecue place has a drive-through, it probably isn’t good”
"If a barbecue place has a drive-through, it probably isn't good/authentic" is a barbecue saying that probably can't be dated. Barbecue celebrates "low and slow"…
Q-Head (barbecue enthusiast)
A "Q-head" is a barbecue (or "bbq" or simply "q") enthusiast. The term "Q-head" has been cited in print since at least 1998. Google Groups: alt.food.barbecue…
“Winner, winner, chicken dinner”
"Winner, winner, chicken dinner" was popularized by ESPN sports announcers and by the gambling movie 21 (2008). The term is said to have originated at Binion's Horseshoe casino in…
Weakly Standard (Weekly Standard nickname)
The Weekly Standard is a conservative opinion weekly magazine that debuted in September 1995. The obvious nickname of The Weakly Standard was applied to the magazine by at least 1998. Another…
Beeramisu (beer + tiramisu)
Tiramisu is the popular Italian dessert made of biscuits dipped in coffee, with layers of egg yolks and mascarpone. "Beeramisu" dips the biscuits in beer instead of coffee. The dessert…
“Truth has no agenda”
"Truth has no agenda" is a phrase often used by conservative radio and television host Glenn Beck; Beck's website began selling T-shirts with the phrase in February 2011. The saying…