Breakfast Test (journalism axiom)
Newspapers often apply a "breakfast test" -- can a person eating breakfast also read the newspaper without throwing up? The "breakfast test" means that overly graphic photos,…
Alphebetical for "b"
Breakfastarian
A "breakfastarian" is someone who loves to eat breakfast, no matter what time of the day. The word "breakfastarian" was cited on Twitter in 2009, but the meaning is unclear. A…
Breakup Cake
A "breakup cake" is for couples breaking up, just as a wedding cake is for couples getting together in marriage. A breakup cake can contain a graphic display or just a simple message.…
Breastaurant (breast + restaurant)
A "breastaurant" (breast + restaurant) is a restaurant where the waitresses wear sexually appealing costumes, such as those that emphasize the bosom. The formula of food and…
Breather (stock market pause)
A stock market "breather" is a pause after a period of strong gains; stocks can remain unchanged or can experience a slight decline during the "breather." "Aircraft shares…
Breitbarf (Breitbart News + barf)
Breitbart News Network is an American conservative syndicated news, opinion and commentary website. Some people who don't like Breitbart have nicknamed it "Breitbarf" (Breitbart +…
Breitfart (Breitbart News + fart)
Breitbart News Network is an American conservative syndicated news, opinion and commentary website. Some people who don't like Breitbart have nicknamed it "Breitfart" (Breitbart +…
Bremain (Great Britain/British + remain)
Brexit and "Brixit" (Great Britain/British + exit) are words created to define a possible British exit from the eurozone. "Bremain" (Great Britain/British + remain) was created…
Brewers Row (North 11th Street, Williamsburg; Linden Street, Bushwick)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksThe Curious New Yorker: 329 Fascinating Questions and Surprising Answers about New York CityBy Andrea KannapellNew York, NY: Times Books1999Pg. ?:In fact,…
Brewski (beer)
"Brewski" or "brewsky" (brew + -ski) is mock Polish for "beer." "Brewski" has been cited in print since about 1978 and quickly became a popular slang at…
Brexit (Great Britain/British + exit)
"Brexit” (Great Britain/British + exit) is a word created to define a possible British exit from the eurozone. "Brexit" has been cited in print since at least May 2012. A similar…
Brexting (breakup + texting; breastfeeding + texting)
"Brexting" is two different types of texting. "Brexting" (breakup + texting) is from 2009. "New Word! -- Brexting: (verb) Breaking up via text message" was cited on…
BRIC (Brazil + Russia + India + China)
"BRIC" is an acronym for the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. The term was coined by Jim O'Neill, head of Goldman Sachs' Global Economic Research Group, in his 2001…
Bridal Building
The Bridal Building is in the Garment District (or, Fashion Center) at 1385 Broadway, by 38th Street. The name "Bridal Building" itself isn't that old, but bridal wear has been in…
Bridal Row; Wedding Row
A Lower East Side Street (I forget which) was said to have so many wedding shops that it was called "Bridal Row." That name doesn't seem to come up in the digitized New York Times…
Bridegrooms (Brooklyn baseball team)
"Bridegrooms" was a 19th-century nickname of the Brooklyn club that later became the Brooklyn Dodgers, now the Los Angeles Dodgers. Several of the team's players were recently…
Bridge (card game)
The card game of "bridge" or "bridge whist" was popularized by the whist players of New York City as early as 1893. The game's origins remain a mystery. (Oxford English…
Bridge and Tunnel People
The "bridge-and-tunnel people" or "bridge-and-tunnel crowd" is a holdover term from the Studio 54-era of the 1970s. It's usually a disparaging term, but why look down on…
Bridgegate (George Washington Bridge lane closures)
The George Washington Bridge had lane closures in September 2013 that caused major traffic problems. The lanes weren't closed because of a traffic accident or because of construction; it was…
Bridgetown (Portland nickname)
The city of Portland has been nicknamed "Bridgetown" because of the many bridges crossing the Williamette river (11 bridges) and Columbia river (3 bridges). Deborah Betron founded…