Lebanese Iced Tea
Iced tea is a favorite drink in the South. Sweet tea is sometimes called "the champagne of the South." Lebanese iced tea is made with rosewater and pine nuts and is served at Middle…
New York City
Leche Quemada (Burnt Milk Candy)
Leche Quemada (Spanish for "burnt milk") is a popular Mexican caramel-like candy that has a long history in Texas. Pecan halves are usually added to evaporated milk and sugar (or corn…
Lechislator (lecher/lecherous + legislator); Lechislature
"Lechislator" (lecher/lecherous + legislator) and "lechislature" (lecher/lecherous + legislature) are portmanteau words that have been infrequently used. "LECHISLATOR:…
Led Robster or Lead Robster (Red Lobster nickname)
Red Lobster seafood restaurant was founded in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968. The spoonerism of the Red Lobster name -- "Led Robster" or "Lead Robster" -- has been cited in print…
Lee Harvey [lastname] (crime patsy nickname)
Lee Harvey Oswald (1939-1963) was the accused lone assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, although Oswald called himself a patsy and said that he never shot anyone.…
Leftard (left + retard)
"Leftard" (left + retard) is an epithet used by some on the political right against the political left. "Leftard" has been cited in print since August 2004. Similar terms…
Leftosphere (left blogosphere)
The "lefttosphere" is the "left blogosphere," containing blogs of the political left. The term "leftosphere" has been in print since at least March 2006. A similar…
Lefturd (left + turd)
"Lefturd” (left + turd) is an epithet used by some on the political right against the political left. “Lefturd” has been cited in print since July 2002. Similar terms include…
Leftwaffe (left + Luftwaffe)
"Leftwaffe" or "leftwaffe" (left + Luftwaffe) is an epithet used by some on the political right against the political lett. The Luftwaffe was the Nazi air force in World War II.…
Legacy Media
The term "legacy media" means the "old media" or the "print media" (newspapers and magazines), as opposed to the "new media" (websites and blogs). The term…
Legacy Robe (Gypsy Robe)
The "gypsy robe" is a Broadway musical tradition that has nothing to do with the famous musical Gypsy (1959). The robe (a negligee) originally began with the musical Gentlemen Prefer…
Lego Cookery
Felipe Fernández-Armesto, a British historian, wrote in Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food (2002): "Fusion food is Lego cookery. Only the revolution in availability makes it possible…
Lehman 2.0
The financial firm of Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy in September 2008 -- the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Any other large bankruptcy or great financial collapse (Greece, for example)…
Lehman Moment
Lehman Brothers was a financial firm that collapsed quickly in 2008; its September 2008 bankruptcy filing created a world financial panic. The term "Lehman moment" (or "Lehman…
Lemon (“Hand someone a lemon,” “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Lemon lawLemon laws are American state laws that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality and performance.…
Lemon Chicken
Chinese "lemon chicken" was the specialty of Manhattan's Pearl's Chinese Restaurant, originally at 148 West 48th Street and then, in 1973, moved to 38 West 48th Street. The 1969…
Lemonade (or, the New York Game)
"Here we come!""Where are you from?""New York.""What's your trade?""Lemonade." These are the opening lines to a game of charades that has…
Lene Town (Abilene nickname)
"Lene Town" is a hip-hop nickname for the city of Abilene. There is a "Lene Town" music label in Abilene, and some recordings mention "Lene Town" in either the title…
Leopard-spotting or Leoparding (charred “leopard spots” on pizza)
"Leopard spots" (also called "leopard-spotting" or "leoparding") are the black charred spots on the end crust (cornicione) of a pizza. The term is sometimes used for…
Leprechaun Cookie
A "leprechaun cookie" is one specialty that is made for St. Patrick's Day. It's a cookie made to look like a leprechaun -- somewhat similar to gingerbread men. The recipes…