Boobus Americanus
The newspaper columnist and American language scholar H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) wrote in 1927 about the words he created: "Of my inventions I am vainest of Bible Belt, booboisie, smut hound…
New York City
Boodle Board (Board of Aldermen)
The Board of Aldermen was notoriously corrupt in the 19th century, sometimes earning itself the nickname "Forty Thieves." The 1884 Board of Aldermen became nicknamed the "boodle…
Booger King (Burger King nickname)
Burger King is a fast food restaurant chain that began in 1953. The Burger King nickname of "Booger King" has been cited in print since at least 1990. The name "booger" is often…
Boogie Down Bronx
The New York City borough of the Bronx is sometimes called the 'Boogie Down Bronx" or simply the "Boogie Down." The term reflects the role that the Bronx played in the birth of…
Book Row (or, Booksellers’ Row)
"Book Row" (or "Booksellers' Row") was lower Fourth Avenue, between 9th and 14th Streets. Another "Booksellers Row" opened on Fifth Avenue, near the Barnes and…
Boomer Doomer or Boomer Remover (COVID-19 nickname)
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic affected mostly older people, such as baby boomers (people born from 1946 to 1964). COVID-19 was nicknamed the "Boomer Remover" and "Boomer…
Boomer Remover or Boomer Doomer (COVID-19 nickname)
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic affected mostly older people, such as baby boomers (people born from 1946 to 1964). COVID-19 was nicknamed the "Boomer Remover" and "Boomer…
Boomerang Buyer
The Wall Street Journal's October 15, 2012 article, "'Boomerang' Home Seekers Become Eligible for Mortgages and Hit Market Again" by Conor Dougherty and Dawn Wotapka,…
Booporium (boo + emporium)
Target stores, beginning September 2017, called its Halloween display a "booporium" (boo + emporium), similar to "bootique" (boo + boutique). Many people, however, pronounced…
Boot Hill (cemetery for those who “died with their boots on”)
The Wild West had several cemeteries called "Boot Hill" (or "Boots Hill" or "Boothill"), for those who "died with their boots on" (from violence). Hays,…
Bootlegger
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)boot-legger, n.Etymology: -- boot-leg n. + -er suffix1. Compare boot-leg n. 2.One who carries liquor in his boot-legs; (hence) an illicit trader…
Boots on the Ground
"Boots on the ground" means "ground troops." Modern warfare often involves missiles and air support first, followed by "boots on the ground." "Boots on the…
Booyah (stew)
A "booyah" is a thick soup or stew and is probably derived from the French word "bouillon" (broth). "'Boo-Yah' is a very popular soup among the boys on Humboldt…
Boozeday Tuesday
"Boozeday Tuesday" is a drinking slang name for a day of the week. The term is usually simply "Boozeday" and it could occur on any day of the week, but it's usually held on…
Border Burger (South of the Border Burger; Tex-Mex Burger)
"Border Burger" has a nice ring to it, but it's also called a "South of the Border Burger" ("SOB" Burger) or a "Tex-Mex Burger." The hamburger sandwich…
Border Buttermilk (tequila sour)
"Border buttermilk" is not what it sounds like -- it's basically a tequila sour, containing tequila, lime or lemonade, and crushed ice. The drink is sometimes made with rum and was…
Borderplex
"Borderplex" is a term for the Texas and Mexican cities on that border. It is similar to the term "metroplex" (for Dallas-Fort Worth) from the early 1970s.…
Boregonian (The Oregonian newspaper nickname)
The Oregonian is a daily newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, since 1850. The newspaper has been nicknamed The Boregonian (bore + Oregonian) by some critics since at least 1994. Another…
Boremont (Beaumont nickname)
The city of Beaumont is so unexciting to some that it acquired the nickname "Boremont" by the 1990s. The city has promoted itself with new, official nicknames and has added entertainment…
Borough Hall (side-arm pitch in Brooklyn)
A baseball definition was published in the 1943 Baseball Guide and Record Book: "Borough Hall -- Side-arm pitch in Brooklyn." The term refers to Brooklyn Borough Hall and was used by the…