New York City

Meatloaf (Meat Loaf)

"Meat loaf" is cited in print since at least 1875-1876; "meatloaf" (one word) became a popular spelling since the 1950s. The meatloaf dish -- ground beef shaped into a loaf --…

Mecca of Telephone Men

Around 1900, when the telephone was new, New York City was the "mecca of telephone men." The nickname was rarely used then and quickly died, but it's sometimes given in lists of New…

Mecca on the Hudson

The proposed "Ground Zero Mosque" in 2009-2010 caused some fears of the Islamization of New York City. The nickname "Manhattanistan" for "Manhattan" began to be used.…

Medicaid Mill (or Medicare Mill)

A "Medicaid mill" is a health clinic that scams Medicare/Medicaid by running up health costs. The term was popular in the early 1970s. "Medicare mill" is used less often.…

Meet Me at/under…

New York City has had several famous "meet me" phrases. Judy Garland told everyone to Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and that title is from an authentic period song written for the 1904 St.…