Quisqueya Heights (Washington Heights)
Washington Heights (in upper Manhattan) has so many residents from the Dominican Republic that it is often called "Quisqueya Heights." "Quisqueya" is an informal nickname of the…
Buildings/Housing/Parks
Quooklyn (Queens + Brooklyn)
Ligaya Mishan wrote in the New York (NY) Times on June 12, 2014: "You are 10 stops out of Manhattan on the L line, in the borderland where Bushwick, Brooklyn, blurs into Ridgewood, Queens.…
Raaaaacism or Raaaaacist (“There are five A’s in ‘raaaaacism’”)
"Racism!" and "Racist! are politically charged terms, often used after other factual arguments fail. The political right has often charged that the political left uses the "race…
Rabbi Hole (rabbi + rabbit hole)
"Rabbi hole" (rabbi + rabbit hole) is a term that went viral after secret tunnels were discovered at the World Headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, a synagogue located at 770…
Rabbit Town (Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village)
The first building of Manhattan's Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village residential complex opened in 1947. The buildings became so attractive to new families that the development was nicknamed…
Rabbits (dollars, or any fiat currency that can be printed in large amounts)
The first Belarusian ruble had a European hare on the currency, giving it the nickname of "rabbits." In July 2012, Simon Black of the Sovereign Man blog wrote a post from Ukraine titled…
Racer (race + -er)
The term "racer" (race + -er) follows such terms as "truther," "tenther" and "birther." Radio host Tony Katz coined "racer" in April 2011 to…
Racquet Club (cocktail)
Entry in progress -- B.P. 21 May 1893, Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer, pg. 17, col. 2:THE MANHATTAN.The Greatest of American Democratic Clubs.The Manhattan club at Fifth avenue and Thirty-fourth…
Radio (tuna fish sandwich)
A tuna fish sandwich (or a tuna salad sandwich) on toast is called a "radio" (or "radio down") in diner slang. "Tuna" was taken for "tune it," and "tuna…
Radio Row (radio area at major sporting event)
"Radio Row" is the area at a major sporting event where all of the sportsradio shows set up to broadcast interviews. "Radio row" is often located at a major hotel or conference…
Radio Row (radio area at major sporting event)
"Radio Row" is the area at a major sporting event where all of the sportsradio shows set up to broadcast interviews. "Radio row" is often located at a major hotel or conference…
Radio Row or Electronics District (Cortlandt Street)
New York City's "Radio Row" was a collection of electronics retail and repair stores that was located on Manhattan's Cortlandt Street. City Radio opened the first store on…
Radio Row or Electronics District (Lower Manhattan)
New York City's "Radio Row" was a collection of electronics retail and repair stores that was located on Manhattan's Cortlandt Street. City Radio opened the first store on…
RadioShaft or Radio Shaft (RadioShack or Radio Shack nickname)
RadioShack consumer electronics retail stores began in 1921 as "Radio Shack" and adopted "RadioShack" in 1995. The RadioShack nickname of "Radio Shaft" has been cited…
RadioSlack or Radio Slack (RadioShack or Radio Shack nickname)
RadioShack consumer electronics retail store began in 1921 as "Radio Shack" and adopted "RadioShack" in 1995. The RadioShack nickname of "Radio Slack" has been cited…
Radish Communist (red on the outside, white on the inside)
Russian politician Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) was heckled by workmen in Kiev in 1919, He said the town was like a radish -- red (communist) outside, but white inside. "Radish" was cited in…
Ragamuffin Day
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Ragamuffin paradeA Ragamuffin parade is an annual occurrence in communities in the New York metropolitan area. The parades feature children in their Halloween…
Raging Moderate
"Raging moderate" is a political term that appears to be an oxymoron. Tennessee Senator Al Gore, Jr. was running for the Democratic presidential nomination in April 1987 when he described…
Ragpickers’ Row (59 Baxter Street)
"Ragpickers' Row" (also called "Ragpicker's Row") was located at 59 Baxter Street, Manhattan, in the mid-19th century. Residents of the neighborhood were so poor that…
Rags to Riches
"Rags to riches" is an expression to describe someone who was poor (wearing "rags") and who has become rich. "Rags to riches" has been cited in print in 1875 amd 1878,…