Showstopper or Show-stopper (“stop the show”)
A Broadway "showstopper" (or "show-stopper") is a performance that generates so much applause that it literally "stops the show." The term was used in vaudeville in…
Double Dip
"Double dip" (or "double-dip") was popularized by a 1993 episode of the television comedy Seinfeld. A person dipped a chip into the chip dip, took a bite of the chip, and then…
Court of Public Opinion
The "court of public opinion" is not a court of law, but the opinion of the general public. Lawyers (and publicists) help their clients in court, but often also appear on television and…
Aunt Samantha (wife of Uncle Sam)
"Uncle Sam" has symbolized the "United States" (both have the initials "U.S.") since 1812. It wasn't until 100 years later that anyone thought to give him a wife.…
Apple-Pie Order
"Apple-pie order" means that things are in perfect order. The term "apple-pie order" dates to at least the 1776, but its origin is uncertain. Cap-à-pie (armed from head to…
Mayo (mayonnaise)
"Mayo" (short for "mayonnaise") is one term that has survived from lunch counter lingo to enter into standard American English. "Mayo" is cited in print from at least…
Gotcha Journalism
"Gotcha" ("Got you!") has been used since at least the early 1900s. William Safire's "On Language" column in the New York (NY) Times has had its "Gotcha!…
“If Hitler’s still alive, I hope he’s out of town with a musical” (Larry Gelbart)
Larry Gelbart (1928-2009) wrote the book for the successful Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and achieved great success writing for the television show M*A*S*H, but…
“Never bring a knife to a gunfight”
"Never bring a knife to a gunfight" (or "Don't take a knife to a gunfight") seems like a quotation from the old west. The film The Untouchables (1987) contained the line:…
“You should invest like a Catholic marries—for life” (Warren Buffett)
"You should invest like a Catholic marries -- for life" is one of the proverbs of investor Warren Buffett. The statement means that the investor should seek to invest in good companies,…
Useful Idiot
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Useful idiotIn political jargon, the term useful idiot was used to describe Soviet sympathizers in western countries and the attitude of the Soviet government…
Soup Jockey (waiter or waitress)
A "soup jockey" is restaurant slang for a waiter or waitress. "Soup jockey" appears to have first been used in railroad dining cars to refer to a cook -- not a waiter or…
Boycott; Girlcott; Procott; Buycott
Entry in progress -- B.P. WIkipedia: BoycottA boycott is a form of consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some other…
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win" has been attributed to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), but there is no evidence that he said it.…
Cheap Charlie (candy store)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksCassell's Dictionary of Slang By Jonathon GreenLondon: Cassell2006Pg. 266:cheap charlie n.[late 19C-1900s](US) a candy store. Google BooksThe Routledge…
Hash-House Greek
Entry in progress -- B.P. "hash house lingo" Google BooksCassell's Dictionary of Slang By Jonathon GreenLondon: Cassell2006Pg. 684:hash-house Greek n. [20C+](US) the jargon of US…
Mike and Ike (salt and pepper shakers; jelly candy)
"Mike and Ike (They Look Alike)" is the name of a comic strip by Rube Golberg that premiered in the San Francisco (CA) Bulletin on September 29, 1907. "Mike and Ike" (or…
Curate’s Assistant (muffin/cake stand)
"Curate's assistant" is the curious name for a muffin stand (also used for small cakes and sandwiches). The stand is usually two or three shelves and is made of wicker or wood.…
Lazy Susan
A "lazy Susan" is a rotating tray, placed upon a dining table for easy use in a diner's access to food (especially condiments). The name "lazy Susan" is cited from at least…
“Speak truth to power”
Entry in progress -- B.P. "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes" is a similar saying. The Yale Book of QuotationsEdited by Fred R. ShapiroNew Haven, CT: Yale University Press2006Pg.…