Poughkeepsie: Po-Town (nickname)
The city of Poughkeepsie, in Dutchess County, New York, often has its name written as "Po-town" or "Po'town." "Po-town" was cited in the Poughkeepsie (NY) Journal…
Time/Weather
Poughkeepsie: Queen City of the Hudson (nickname)
The city of Poughkeepsie, in Dutchess County, New York, has been called the "Queen City of the Hudson (River)." Several cities were called the "Queen City of the Hudson" in the…
Pour le Bois (sandwich) & Pourbois (unsupported “po’ boy” French etymologies)
It's sometimes stated that the "po' boy or "poor boy" sandwich of New Orleans, Louisiana, originated from the French "pour le bois" or "pourbois." There…
Poverty Hollow
"Poverty Hollow" is an old name for the "Lower East Side." The name is not used today. 24 October 1899, New York Times, pg. 3:If Signor Nicola Galante is not the next…
Poverty Pimp (Povitician)
"Poverty pimp" is a term dating from at least 1970 to describe a person who claims to help people in poverty, but who actually helps himself or herself in the process. Often, a government…
Power Breakfast; Power Lunch
It's difficult to say the precise date and place when the "power breakfast" or the "power lunch" came into being. It appears that such "breakfast" and…
Power Elite
The term "power elite" was popularized by C. Wright Mills (1916-1962), a professor of sociology at Columbia University from 1946 until his death in 1962. Wright authored the book The…
Power of the Purse
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse -- that is, Congress must authorize how money is raised and spent. The term "power of the purse" dates to at least the 1600s,…
Power Steak
The website Business Insider published "What's the best new 'power steak' in New York City?" by Melissa Stanger and Linette Lopez on March 25, 2015 and "Wall Street…
Prairie Fire (hot hors d’oeuvre)
"Prairie Fire" is the name of the hot hors d'oeuvre that was served by Helen Corbitt, of Neiman-Marcus fame, in the 1950s. Helen Corbitt's Cookbookby Helen CorbittBoston:…
Prairie Fire (Tabasco and tequila cocktail)
"Prairie Fire" is a hot cocktail of tequila and Tabasco sauce. It is not known where the drink originated. WikipediaCanadian Prairie Fire½ to 1 part Tabasco sauce 1 part Yukon Jack…
Prattsville: New York’s Mount Rushmore (nickname)
American businessman Zadock Pratt (1790-1871) helped found Prattsville, New York. Pratt's Rock, in Prattsville, was made in the 19th century and features stone carvings. Pratt's Rock has…
Pravda on the Hudson (New York Times nickname)
"Pravda on the Hudson" (or, hyohenated, "Pravda-on-the-Hudson") is an unflattering nickname of The New York Times newspaper. Pravda (Russian for "truth") was the…
Prawns and Scallops in a Love Nest
"Prawns and Scallops in a Love Nest" -- the "love nest" is an edible taro basket -- is a dish served at some Chinese-American restaurants. "Prawns and Scallops in a Love…
Prayerpalooza
Texas Governor Rick Perry scheduled a day of prayer, officially titled "The Response," at Houston's Reliant Stadium on August 6, 2011. About 30,000 people attended what many viewed…
Pre-Monday (Sunday nickname)
Sunday (especially after sundown) often feels like a "pre-Monday" workday. According to many ecards, these are the days of the week: MondayMonday #2Monday #3Monday…
Pre-rich (euphemism for someone who is not rich)
"I'm not broke/poor. I'm pre-rich" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The term "pre-rich" was entered in the Urban Dictionary on September 19, 2015.…
Premium Support (health insurance)
The "premium support" plan to reform Medicare was outlined by Henry Aaron, an economist at the Brookings institution, and Robert Reischauer, president of the Urban Institute, in their…
Premox or POx (premature oxidation)
"Premox" or "POx"/"pox" (premature oxidation) is a problem that began to be noticed in the 2000s in white wines with 1990s vintages. The wines would be darker and…
Prepper (disaster preparation expert)
A "prepper" is someone who prepares to survive a disaster, such as food shortages or a terrorist attack. The term became popular in 2012 with the National Geographic Channel television…