Nifty Fifty
"Nifty Fifty" was a term popular in early 1970s to represent fifty growth stocks, with high price-to-earnings ratios, that drove the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The "Nifty…
Origin of the word “Autism”
Nifty Nine
The name "Nifty Fifty" referred to 50 popular large-cap stocks on the New York Stock Exchange in the 1960s and 1970s that were regarded as the major movers of the Dow Jones Industrial…
Niggerati or Niggeratti (nigger + literati)
"Niggerati" or "niggeratti" (nigger + literati) is a term of the Harlem Renaissance to describe Harlem's writers, artists and musicians. The term was popularized by…
Niggeratti Manor (267 West 136th Street)
"Niggerati" or "niggeratti" (nigger + literati) is a term of the Harlem Renaissance to describe Harlem's writers, artists and musicians. The term was popularized by…
Night Mayor
A "night mayor" is a person who oversees nightlife concerns within a city. Unlike the position of mayor, a "night mayor" is usually appointed (by the mayor) and not elected. The…
Night-soil Man (Night-soil Collector; Night Soiler)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)night-soil collector n.1853 Hull Packet & E. Riding Times 10 June 8/2 The night-soil collectors..had taken a piece of ground on the opposite…
NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)
"NIMBY" (Not In My Back Yard) has been cited in print since at least 1978, and went viral in 1980. The "NIMBY" term has been said to have been coined by Walton Rodger of Nuclear…
Ninth Avenue International Food Festival
The Ninth Avenue International Food Festival has been held each May since 1974, from about 37th to 57th Streets. The festival reflects the international character of this avenue in Manhattan. In my…
Ninth Wonder of the World (Louisiana Superdome)
The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans was completed in 1975 and was dubbed the "Ninth Wonder of the World." There are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Astrodome in…
NIRP (Negative Interest Rate Policy)
"NIRP" (Negative Interest Rate Policy) has been cited in print since at least May 2008 and December 2008, but began appearing with frequency in the financial press in 2012. A central bank…
NIT (National Invitation Tournament)
Madison Square Garden plays host to college basketball's National Invitation Tournament (N.I.T.). It used to be the tops in college basketball, but that was before the NCAA college basketball…
Nitery
Entry in progress -- B.P. Historical Dictionary of American Slangnitery n. Journ. a nightclub. Now colloq. or S.E.1934 Weseen Dict. Amer. Slang 147: Nitery -- A night club.1936 Esquire (Sept.) 159:…
No Action Talk Only (North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO nickname)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 by member states in North America and Europe for collective defense (against what at that time was the Soviet Union). The…
No Actual Science Allowed (NASA nickname)
Entry in progress -- BP Other NASA nicknames include "National Academy of Space Actors," "Never A Straight Answer" and "Not A Space Agency." Wikipedia: NASAThe…
No Boys Allowed (National Basketball Association or NBA nickname)
The National Basketball Association (NBA) sometimes has players direct from high school (without playing college basketball), but it's a professional league and players must grow up fast to…
No Democratic or Republican way to clean the streets
Fiorello La Guardia (1882-1947) is famous for saying that "there is no Democratic or Republican way to clean the streets" in New York City. In other words, that there's "only…
No Fan Left or No Fans Left (National Football League or NFL nickname)
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league, headquartered in New York City. The NFL has been dubbed "No Fan Left" or "No Fans Left" by those…
No Fan Loyalty (National Football League or NFL nickname)
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league, headquartered in New York City. The NFL has been dubbed "No Fan Loyalty" since at least 1995, when several…
No Fun City (New York City; Vancouver)
New York City was called "Fun City" in 1966 by Mayor John Lindsay -- on one of his first days on the job. The nickname was used derisively and "the Big Apple" replaced "Fun…
No Fun League (National Football League or NFL nickname)
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league, headquartered in New York City. The NFL has been dubbed the "No Fun League" by those who believe that NFL…