Bear Claw (pastry)
A "bear claw" pastry is usually filled with almond paste and sometimes raisins, and looks somewhat like a bear's claw. The exact origin of the pastry is unknown, but it appears to…
Big Mango (Bangkok, Thailand nickname)
Bear Hug
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wiktionary: bear hugNounbear hug (plural bear hugs)1.any especially large, tight or enthusiastic hug, usually friendly Granddad scooped up the child in a big bear hug.2.in…
Bear Market
The terms "bull" (for rising prices) and "bear" (for falling prices) originated in the early 1700s, but the terms "bull market" and "bear market" came much…
Bear Mountain Compact (Tappan Zee Bridge Rule)
Albany (the state capital) has its own version of the "sin city" slogan: "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." Legislators from downstate (New York City and its suburbs) would…
Bear O’Clock (bear + beer o’clock)
"Bear o'clock" (bear + beer o'clock) means that it's time to be a financial bear (a pessimist on the financial markets). The term "bear o'clock" was coined…
Bear Sign (doughnuts)
"Bear sign" is a cowboy term for doughnuts. In the Pacific Northwest, "bear sign" means berry jam. "Bear sign" is first recorded from the 1830s to mean "bear…
Bearmageddon (stock market bear + Armageddon)
Mike O'Rourke, a strategist for Jones Trading, came up with the term "bearmageddon" (stock market bear + Armageddon) in 2013. The term was popularized in two articles -- "MIKE…
Bears (New York Institute of Technology teams)
The New York Institute of Technology has three locations: Manhattan (near Lincoln Center), and Old Westbury and Central Islip on Long Island. The NY Tech teams are named the "Bears"…
Beartard (bear + retard)
A “beartard” (bear + retard) is a “bear” (one who believes in falling markets), but is also one who remains bearish despite bullish numbers. The term “beartard” has been cited in print…
Beau Belmont
The New York (NY) Morning Telegraph newspaper had a long-running Broadway gossip column (1908-1972) called "The Town in Review" that was written by many people under the name of…
Beau Broadway (Bo Broadway)
The New York (NY) Morning Telegraph column written by "Beau Broadway" was Broadway's first and longest-running gossip column, from 1908 until the newspaper ended publication in 1972.…
Beaumonter (inhabitant of Beaumont)
"Beaumonter” is the name of an inhabitant of Beaumont, Texas. The name “Beaumonter” has been cited in print since at least 1895. Wikipedia: Beaumont, TexasBeaumont ( /ˈboʊmɒnt/) is a…
Beautiful People
"Beautiful People" was a popular term in the 1960s. It's said to have started in Vogue magazine. (Oxford English Dictionary)beautiful people orig. U.S. (occas. written with capital…
Beauty Contest (non-binding primary)
A political contest that has no binding vote and is mostly for show -- such as a straw poll -- is called a "beauty contest." The most attractive candidate wins, but it's all for…
Beaver State (Oregon nickname)
Oregon is known as the "Beaver State" because fur companies operated in Astoria from 1811. "DEMOCRACY OF OREGON. -- The gallant Democracy of the Beaver State are actively in…
Beavers (CCNY teams)
"Go Beavers!" No, that's not porn coming back to Times Square. "Beaver" is the nickname of the City College of New York's sports teams. New York, historically, was a…
BEC (bacon, egg and cheese)
Breakfast plates and sandwiches containing some combination of bacon, eggs and cheese have existed for a long time, but were never given a formal name. The one-food restaurant bec…
Bed and Breakfast Capital of Texas (Jefferson nickname)
The city of Jefferson in Marion County was designated by the Texas Legislature in 1997 as the "Bed and Breakfast Capital of (East) Texas." The small town of under 3,000 people has about…
Bed Bath & Beyoncé or Bloodbath & Beyond (Bed Bath & Beyond nickname)
Bed Bath & Beyond is a home products retailer, formed in 1971 and headquartered in Union, New Jersey. The nickname "Bloodbath & Beyond" comes from an episode of television…
Bed-Stuy (Do or Die); Bed-Stuy and Proud of It
The Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy) is sometimes called "De(a)d-Stuy." It's a tough place. A documentary Bed Stuy (Do or Die), about the ambulance corps, was released…