Shade Tree Mechanic
A "shade tree mechanic" is a mechanic who works part time, at his home, tinkering his vehicle beneath a shady tree in his yard. The "shade tree" term is very popular in Texas…
1930s: Jazzing the Big Apple
Shadow Government
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Shadow government (conspiracy)The shadow government (cryptocracy, secret government, or invisible government) is a family of conspiracy theories based on the…
Shadow Inventory
"Shadow inventory" is a real estate term that describes properties in foreclosure or properties that owners have delayed putting on the market (hoping that market conditions improve). The…
Shadow Kitchen
Online and mobile prepared food ordering and delivery platforms such as DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates and Uber Eats have resulted in several new terms for restaurants: cloud kitchen, cloud…
Shady Park (Andrews Grove, Long Island City)
Andrews Grove (49 Avenue between 5 Street and Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City, Queens) acquired the nickname "Shady Park" from its large trees. Hurricane Sandy knocked down many of…
Shadyville (Queens Village, Queens)
"Shadyville" is a rap nickname for Mid-Eastern Queens, usually Queens Village but sometimes Hollis. "Shadyville" has been cited in print since at least 1995. Wikipedia: Queens…
Shaggy Dog (Frito chili pie + hot dog)
A "Shaggy Dog," as served at the Texas Chili Parlor at the State Fair of Texas, is a hot dog topped with a Frito pie (Fritos corn chips, chile con carne and cheese). The "Shaggy…
Shakedown (Shake Down)
"Shakedown" (or "shake down" or "shake-down") had several meanings in the 1800s, including "a riotous, boisterous dance" (1889) and "an improvised bed…
Shakespeare in the Park (New York Shakespeare Festival)
Joseph Papp (1921-1991) founded the New York Shakespeare Festival and "Shakespeare in the Park" in the 1950s. Free Shakespeare in the summer in Central Park is now a ritual, but Papp…
Shamdemic (sham + pandemic)
"Shamdemic" (sham + pandemic) has been used to describe a fake pandemic. "Shamdemic" was posted on the newsgroup misc.health.aids on September 9, 2004. The 2009 swine flu…
Shame Muzzle (face mask)
The 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in face mask requirements. Some people who objected to the face masks called them "shame muzzles" and "ritualistic shame…
Shammgod or El Latigo or The Whip (one-handed crossover basketball dribble)
God Shammgod (born Shammgod Wells in New York City in 1976) became a New York City high school basketball legend who played at Providence College. He had a very brief professional basketball career…
Shamnesty (sham + amnesty)
"Shamnesty" (sham = amnesty) was first used in 1975, when protesters felt that U.S. president Gerald Ford's Vietnam War policy towards draft evaders did not offer amnesty, but a…
Shampaign (sham + campaign)
A "shampaign" (sham + campaign) is a fake campaign where a political candidate is running for office, but doesn't seriously have a chance of winning. There are many reasons to run a…
Shamparency (sham + transparency)
"Shamparency" (sham + transparency) is a fake transparency -- someone is pretending that all is there to see, but that person is actually hiding something. "Transparency,…
Shamrock Cookie
A "shamrock cookie" is one specialty that is made for St. Patrick's Day. Shamrock cookies are usually sugar cookies, shaped into a shamrock (clover) and sprinkled with green sanding…
Shamrock Sandwich
A "shamrock sandwich" is one specialty that is made for St. Patrick's Day. There appears to be no one recipe for the shamrock sandwich; in every decade, the recipes are different.…
Shamrock Shake
The green "Shamrock Shake" is a specialty of McDonald's restaurants, usually available only around St. Patrick's Day. McDonald's states that the shake was introduced in…
Shamsung (Samsung nickname)
Samsung is a South Korean multinational conglomerate company, known for its consumer electronics products. The Samsung nickname of "Shamsung" (sham + Samsung) has been cited in print…
Shao-Lin (Staten Island)
"Shaolin" or "Shao-Lin" is "Staten Island" in hip-hop slang. It's no "boogie down Bronx" in my opinion--not that rappers ask for my opinion. A Google…