Three G’s of Politics (God, guns and gays)
The "three G's of politics" are "God, guns, and gays." The term dates in print to at least 1994, when Jim Inhofe (R-OK) successfully won a seat in the U.S. Senate…
Big Apple of the Midwest (Columbus, Ohio nickname)
Three Kings Day Parade
Three Kings Day is celebrated on January 6th in Spanish communities. The annual Three Kings Day Parade is run by El Museo del Barrio. http://www.elmuseo.org/Three Kings' Day ParadeOn Friday,…
Three Laws of Plumbing (joke)
"Three Rules of Plumbing" or "Three Laws of Plumbing" -- sometimes four -- is a jocular list that has been printed on many images. Authorship is unknown, but the rules/laws have…
Three Musketeers (Chinese dish of scallops/chicken, shrimp and beef)
The Three Musketeers (1844) is a historical adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870). On Chinese menus in American restaurants, "Three Musketeers" means a dish with…
Three R’s (Riding, Roping, Rodeo; also with ‘Rangling, ‘Rastling, Roundups, Ranching)
The traditional "three r's" are "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic." In Texas, the "three r's" might be "riding, roping, and rodeo." There…
Three Rules of Plumbing (joke)
"Three Rules of Plumbing" or "Three Laws of Plumbing" -- sometimes four -- is a jocular list that has been printed on many images. Authorship is unknown, but the rules/laws have…
Three Sisters or Twisted Sisters or 100-Mile Loop (RR335, RR336, RR337)
Texas Hill Country Ranch Roads 335, 336, and 337 have long been called the "100-mile loop" by motorcycle drivers. That wasn't exciting enough for T-shirts and newspaper articles,…
Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, Squash (Three Sisters Soup; Three Sisters Stew)
The Native American "three sisters" are the spirits of corn (maize), beans, and squash. The "three sisters" term dates to the 19th century and was probably first applied by the…
Three Yellow Chicken (San Huang Ji)
"Three Yellow Chicken" (San Huang Ji or Sanhuangji) is a popular variety of chicken in Shanghai, China, and in Shanghai-style restaurants around the world. The three yellows are yellow…
Three-Cup Chicken or Three-Glass Chicken (San Bei Ji)
"Three-Cup Chicken" or "Three-Glass Chicken" (Sanbeiji or San Bei Ji) is a dish from the Jiangxi province of southern China that has been popular in Taiwan. Although the dish is…
Three-Day Town (Three-Day City)
British journalist James Cameron (1911-1985) was asked if he could come to New York City for an interview. He wrote in 1966: "Naturally I jumped at it: I love short trips to New York; to me it…
Thrilledy (thriller + comedy)
A "thrilledy" (thriller + comedy) is a play or film that's part thriller, part comedy. "Retiring to my couch to watch a thrilledy (thriller/comedy) called 'Shallow…
Throw Red Meat at the Political Base (reward hard-core supporters)
A zoo or a circus often feeds red meat to its large animals, such as lions and tigers. In politics, a "red meat" issue is one that a particular constituency strongly supports. A…
THRU Streets
'THRU Streets" is a Department of Transportation program to improve the traffic flow in Manhattan. The program has been declared a success and might be expanded to other streets. The…
Thucydides Trap
The "Thucydides Trap" refers to the Athenian historian Thucydides (460-400 B.C.), who wrote, “It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this inspired in Sparta that made war…
Thugocracy
Entry in progress -- B.P. Word Spythugocracy(thug.AWK.ruh.see; th as in thin) n. Rule of a country or state by a group of thugs.(...)Earliest Citation:The cruise ship is another Pequod, or ship of…
Thugs and Sexual Assailants (Transportation Security Administration or TSA nickname)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began in 2001 under the U.S. Department of Transportation; in 2003, TSA was moved to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. New airport scanners…
Thumbprint Cookies
"Thumbprint cookies" have sometimes been called "Swedish cookies" ("hallongrotta" or plural "hallongrottor"). The butter cookies are indented with a…
Thumbs Up Thursday
"Thumbs Up Thursday" means a day of approval. The term has been printed on posters and is often used in business promotions. "Thumbs Up Thursday" has been cited in print since…
Thumbsucker (a news analysis or think piece)
A "thumbsucker" is not a reported news story, but rather is a "news analysis" or a "think piece." According to the 1980 citation (below): "When a reporter…