Badvertising (bad + advertising)
"Badvertising" (bad + advertising) is a word that has been cited in print since at least 1911. The magazine Adweek began annual "badvertising awards" in 1982. The…
Nicknames/Slogans
Bag Lady
Lily Tomlin got the character of the "bag lady" exactly right. Her performance should be available on video somewhere. The Historical Dictionary of American Slang has: "Orig. N.Y.C.…
Bag of Mystery (sausage)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary_bag of mystery n. (usually in pl. bags of mystery) slang a sausage or saveloy.1864 J. C. Hotten Slang Dict. (new ed.) 69. 1879 W. J. Barry Up…
Bagdad-on-the-Subway
"Bagdad-on-the-Subway" was O. Henry's nickname for New York City. Other writers soon called it "Bagdad on the Hudson." The nickname is about 100 years old and does not…
Bagel Ball (Bantam Bagel)
Entry in progress -- B.P Bantam BagelsBantam Bagels are mini, filled bagel balls!Bantam Bagels is different than any other New York bagel shop. Why? Because at Bantam Bagels we produce fresh,…
Bagel Beach (Seventh Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets)
The Stage Delicatessen, on 834 Seventh Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets in Manhattan, was opened by Russian immigrant Max Asnas (1898-1968) in 1937. The deli became a favorite with the Broadway…
Bagel Beach (sidewalk in front of the Stage Delicatessen)
The Stage Delicatessen, on 834 Seventh Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets in Manhattan, was opened by Russian immigrant Max Asnas (1898-1968) in 1937. The deli became a favorite with the Broadway…
Bagel Land
A bagel is a bread product with a hole in the center. The bagel -- like the donut, with its hole in the center -- has long symbolized the number "zero" or "0." The tennis…
Bagel; Bagel & Lox; Bagel “All the Way”; Everything Bagel
Bagels did not originate in New York City, but were brought to the city by Eastern European immigrants. Cited below is a forgotten "old world" citation referring to the 1870s in…
Baghdad-by-the-Bay (summary)
Herb Caen (1916-1997) coined the nickname "Baghdad-by-Bay" in his San Francisco newspaper columns. He was "Mr. San Francisco." Neither the San Francisco Chronicle nor the San…
Baghdad-on-the-Bayou (Houston nickname)
Houston is often called "the Bayou City" because of its historic location on the Buffalo Bayou. Short-story writer O. Henry (1852-1910) -- who lived in Texas as well as New York City --…
Baghdad-on-the-Bayou (New Orleans nickname)
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans in 2005, several commentators nicknamed that city "Baghdad-on-the-Bayou." The comparison was with Baghdad, Iraq, where a war was…
Bagnut or Dogel (bagel + donut)
Bagels and donuts both have holes in them -- what if they could be combined? "Bagnut" and "doughngel" were cited in print in 2003. "Dogel" was cited in print in 2008.…
Bail-In
An opposite term to the "bailout" (giving a loan to a company or country which faces serious financial difficulty) is the "bail-in" In May 1998, The Independent (UK) declared:…
Bailout
A "bail out" (now the one-word "bailout") is a financial rescue to a failing entity, such as a government loan to support a failing bank. The term began in 1932 with the…
Baja Oklahoma
"Baja Oklahoma" (lower Oklahoma) is an Oklahoma nickname for the state of Texas. The term is similar to Baja California. "Baja Oklahoma" is a gentle insult and is not normally…
Bake Sale
A "bake sale" is usually held by a non-profit organization (such as a school or a church) to raise money. Various (usually) home-made baked goods are offered for sale, such as doughnuts,…
Bake-Off
The first Pillsbury "Bake-Off" (then officially titled the "Grand National Recipe and Baking Contest") took place in 1949 at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The name…
Baked Alaska
"Baked Alaska" is claimed by the New York City restaurant Delmonico's. Just about every 19th century dish is claimed by Delmonico's. It's very clear that forms of the dish…