Agita (Agida; Acida)
"Agita" achieved its greatest fame as a song title in the Woody Allen film Broadway Danny Rose (1984). The movie featured the Carnegie Deli and the "Agita" song mentioned…
Alphebetical for "a"
AIDS Walk
New York City did not hold the first AIDS Walk, but the event in 1986 was one of the first. New York's annual AIDS Walk remains one of the biggest in terms of walkers and the amount of money…
Aimez-vous Glamis (name used to avoid the “Macbeth” curse)
William Shakespeare's play Macbeth includes witches, and theater tradition has it that the play is cursed. Saying the play's name or its lines (outside of an actual performance) is said…
Ain’t I Greedy or Aren’t I Greedy (American International Group or AIG nickname)
The American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is an insurance company with headquarters in New York City. In September 2008, the U.S. federal government provided the company with billions in credit…
Ain’t Really Men Yet (“army” backronym)
"Ain't/Aren't Really Men Yet” is a backronym (back acronym) for the word “army.” “Ain't Really Men Yet” was cited in print in December 2004. Other backronyms for…
AINO (American In Name Only)
“RINO" (Republican In Name Only) is a popular political term that has inspired other “in name only” terms. "AINO" (American In Name Only) means someone who is an American (by…
Air Chance (Air France nickname)
Air France was founded in 1933 and is the flag carrier of France. The Air France nickname of "Air Chance" has been cited in print in 1952, 1957 and 1958 and is still used by some today,…
Air Conditioning in a Glass (Rickey cocktail nickname)
A drink that is "air conditioning in a glass" is a refreshing summer drink. A grapefruit and basil martini was called "air conditioning in a glass" in 2007. American mixologist…
Air Fungus or Aer Fungus (Aer Lingus nickname)
Aer Lingus is the flag carrier of Ireland. Some people have nicknamed the airline "Aer Fungus" or "Air Fungus." "Air Lingus (EI) - Air Fungus" was posted on the…
Airforce Rejected Me Yesterday (“army” backronym)
"Airforce Rejected Me Yesterday" is a backronym (back acronym) for the word "army." "A.R.M.Y. : Air Force Rejected (me) Yesterday" was cited in print in July 2005.…
Airline Food (Airplane Food)
Airline food (also called "airplane food" or "airline meal" or "in-flight meal") was essentially started by United Airlines in late 1936-early 1937, when food…
Airmageddon (air + Armageddon)
"Airmageddon" (air + Armageddon) can mean several things, such as very bad air pollution. An "airmageddon" at an airport occurs when flights are cancelled (or delayed) and many…
Airmelon (air + melon; jocular formation after “watermelon”)
Watermelon exists, so many people think there should be firemelon, earthmelon and airmelon (water-fire-earth-air + melon), all called the "elemelons" (elements + melons). "The…
Airpocalypse (air + apocalypse)
"Airpocalypse" (air + apocalypse) is a term that was coined in January 2013 to describe China's air pollution problem. The "airpocalypse" term has been used in India and in…
Airport Test (employee selection test)
The "airport test" (also called the "Pittsburgh airport test") is one tool of employee selection. The interviewer asks himself or herself how it would feel being snowed in at…
Airport Test (Pittsburgh Airport Test)
The "airport test" (also called the "Pittsburgh airport test") is one tool of employee selection. The interviewer asks himself or herself how it would feel being snowed in at…
Aisle Hog
Steve Kornacki of Salon.com wrote before the January 2011 State of the Union (SOTU) address, "Meet Congress's 5 biggest aisle hogs: You see them every time a president enters the House to…
Akaushi Beef (Akaushi Cattle)
"Akaushi" is Japanese meaning "red cow" or "brown cattle," cited in English print since at least 1926. Akaushi cattle are a Wagyū breed, producing richly marbled and…
Al Dante (al dente + Dante Alighieri)
"Al dente" cooking should not be written as "al Dante" (as in Dante's Inferno), but there are jokes. "How to cook al-dante pasta?" was posted on the newsgroup…
Al Pastor (Cabrito Al Pastor; Carne Al Pastor; Tacos Al Pastor)
"Al pastor" means "shepherd style," a term originating in northern Mexico. "Al pastor" is meat carved from a vertical spit, often seaoned with pineapple, onions,…