Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary)

Valluco

"Valluco" means someone (usually of Mexican heritage) from the Rio Grande Valley. "Valluco" is a blend of the words "valley" and "pachuco" (a form of…

Vampire REO

"Monsters of the Housing Market: Vampire REOs and Zombie Foreclosures" by Daren Blomquist appeared on RealtyTrac on October 2, 2013. An REO ("real estate owned") is a property…

Vanilla (plain or ordinary)

Vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream, so lots of people must like it. "Plain vanilla," however, is something that is basic, standard, and perhaps also drab and dull. As late as…

Vanity Address

A "vanity address" is an address that the building owner requests from the borough president's office. In Manhattan, for example, a Fifth Avenue address might sound better than a…

Variety

The show business newspaper Variety began in New York City in 1905. However, the word "variety" (show business meaning) also comes from New York City. I've been trying to verify the…

Variety Meats

"Variety meats" (almost always in the plural, but sometimes written as "variety meat") are also known as 'offal" -- parts of slaughtered animals that are often thrown…

Vaudeville

"Variety" had been the name for what became known as "vaudeville" in the United States. (See the entry for "variety" here.) A citation below claims that George Lederer…