Dessertery (dessert + bakery/eatery)
A "dessertery" (dessert + bakery/eatery) is a bakery/restaurant that specializes in desserts. The name appears to have been coined by Sneaky Sweets, advertising as the "The…
Archive for 09/2009
Waste, Fraud and Abuse (“big three”)
Meg Greenfield (1930-1999), a columnist for Newsweek and the Washington (DC) Post, called waste, fraud and abuse "the dread big three" in a July 1993 column. A March 1982 story by the…
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world”
Margaret Mead (1901-1978) was a well-known anthropologist who received degrees from Barnard College and Columbia University. She's known today for a quotation she might not have said:…
“It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal”
Henry Kissinger said in November 1968, after Richard Nixon was elected U.S. president but before he took office: "Nixon should be told that it is probably an objective of Clifford to depose…
Jewish Fruitcake or Jewish Gingerbread (lekach - honey cake)
Honey cake (lekach) has been called both "Jewish gingerbread" and "Jewish fruitcake." The cake is traditionally served on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. "Lekach"…
Mofongo
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: MofongoMofongo is a popular dish generally made with fried plantains or, less commonly, yuca and breadfruit. The dish is part of various Caribbean cuisines…
“When you throw dirt, you lose ground”
"When you throw dirt, you lose ground" is often credited as a "Texas proverb." The saying is anonymously given in a 1923 Pennsylvania newspaper: "It is encouraging to know…
“Only as the power of persuasion replaces the persuasion of power can collective bargaining…”
Walter Reuther (1907-1970), president of the United Auto Workers, wrote in January 1958 about auto contract talks: "In practice this means that collective bargaining decisions must be based…
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…