Cross at the green, not in between
Remember "cross at the green, not in between"? The ads haven't appeared recently, but this silly rhyme stays with us! 8 October 1957, New York Times, pg. 37:JAYWALKING LAWPLANNED BY…
New York City
Cross-Roads of the World
Times Square became known as the "Cross-Roads of the World" by about 1923-1924. The nickname had been used before for European cities (London, Paris, Rome) or the Near East. It was soon…
Crossing Guard
The railroad "crossing guard" appears to date from the 1880s and 1890s. The school "crossing guard" appears to date from the 1920s and 1930s. The first school "crossing…
Crossword Puzzle
The New York World helped to invent the "cross word puzzle." The New York Times helped to popularize it. American Crossword Puzzle TournamentCrossword puzzles are said to be the most…
Croton cocktail, highball (Croton Aqueduct water)
"Croton cocktail" is a term for "water" that allegedly dates back to October 1842 and the opening of the Croton reservoir. Lemon was reportedly added to the water for the…
Croutoff (crouton + off)
There are salad croutons, but no croutoffs. There are several jokes, such as "crouton, croutoff" (like "clap on, clap off" of The Clapper, and "wax on, wax off" from…
Crowded Trade
A "crowded trade" occurs when the crowd (large masses of investors) all decide to buy or sell, creating large price swings in a short amount of time. The term was popularized by David…
Crowler (can + growler)
A "growler" is a term for a pail of beer, made popular in New York City bars in the 1880s. A young person would be sent to "rush the growler" (that is, bring home some beer).…
Crown Heightser (inhabitant of Crown Heights, Brooklyn)
"Crown Heightser” is the name of an inhabitant of Crown Heights, in the borough of Brooklyn. The name “Crown Heightser” has been cited in print since at least 1935. Wikipedia: Crown…
Crown Jewel of Park Slope (Montauk Club)
The Montauk Club (a private club at 25 Eighth Avenue on the corner of Lincoln Place) was founded in 1889 and is considered Brooklyn's "crown jewel of Park Slope." The Venetian Gothic…
Crown Jewel of Socialism (government-run healthcare)
The Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009 was criticized by many as "government-run healthcare" or "socialized medicine." Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (a Republican…
Crown Jewel of the Bronx (New York Botanical Garden)
The New York Botanical Garden (established in 1891) has been described as the "crown jewel of the Bronx." The NYBG's Enid Haupt Conservatory is sometimes called the "crown jewel…
Crown Jewel of Wall Street (40 Wall Street)
40 Wall Street (The Trump Building) is a 72-floor building that was the tallest building in the world when it opened in 1930; it is the tallest mid-block building in New York City. The building had…
Crozel (croissant + pretzel)
"Crozel" (croissant + pretzel) is a portmanteau food word that was introduced by Crumbs bakery in October 2014. The "crozel" came in a Nutella flavor. ThrillistCRUMBS IS REBORN,…
CRS Disease (Can’t Remember Shit)
"CRS Disease" is a jocular term for "Can't Remember Shit/Stuff." “CRS” often happens to politicians and people under oath, when they can’t seem to recall…
Cruffin (croissant + muffin)
Mr Holmes Bakehouse, of San Francisco, California, opened in November 2014 and popularized the "cruffin" (croissant + muffin). National news stories about the "cruffin" were…
Crumb-bum
A "crumb bun" is something you eat. A "crumb-bum" is a worthless fellow. Like the word "bum" itself (see the Brooklyn Dodgers' "bums"),…
Crumblin’ (Crumble-In)
Cornbread and milk is a popular dish in the South, especially so in the 19th century and early 20th century. There usually is no proper name for cornbread and milk, but when the cornbread is…
Crumbs Along the Mohawk (ice cream flavor)
Stewart's Shops (located primarily around Albany, NY) introduced a "Crumbs Along the Mohawk" flavor in 2000. The name "Crumbs Along the Mohawk" is a nod to the Mohawk River…
Crumbtard (crumb + retard)
A "crumbtard" (crumb + retard) is a term for one of the great masses of people who are left with "crumbs" while the super-rich take the whole economic pie. The term…