Buildings/Housing/Parks

Pink Slime

"Lean beef trimmings" is the official name of a product by Beef Products Inc. of ground-up connective tissue and beef scraps. The mixture is treated with ammonia hydroxide to kill…

Pink Slip

For an employee to be given a "pink slip" means that this employee is discharged from employment. "He had had a squabble with Ray, one of the outfielders, and this coupled with a…

Pinstripe Bowl

College football's first 'Pinstripe Bowl" was held at the new Yankee Stadium on December 20, 2010, between Syracuse (from the Big East Conference) and Kansas State (from the Big 12…

Pinto Bean

The pinto bean (usually from New Mexico) is included in many Tex-Mex recipes. I found the first citation now used in the Oxford English Dictionary. About.com: Southern U.S. CuisineTexas-Style…

Pipa Tofu (Pei Pa Tofu)

A "pipa" is a Chinese musical instrument, similar to a lute. "Pipa tofu" (also "pi pa tofu," "peipa tofu" and "pei pa tofu") is tofu that is shaped…

Pipe Dream

A "pipe dream" is an unrealistic desire or a fantasy, originally brought on by using an opium pipe. "Opium-pipe dream" was printed in The Morning Post, (London, UK) on October…

Pipe Layer

"Pipe layer" was a term popularly used in the election of 1840 (and probably before) for an illegal voter. The term possibly came from New York City in the 1830s. "Pipe layer"…

Piragua (Puerto Rican snow cone)

"Piraguas" are "snow cones" that are popular in Puerto Rican areas of New York City, such as East Harlem. Ices are flavored with coconut, lemon, strawberry, passion fruit,…

Pitmaster (Pit Master)

A "pitmaster" (or "pit master") is the chef of a barbecue pit. The term "barbecue pit master" has been cited in print since at least 1961, but "pitmaster"…