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December 21, 2009
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Grassroots

The political use of the term "grassroots" (or "grass roots") means a political campaign from the bottom (the people) up to the top (the top candidate, such as a presidential…

November 4, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gravitas

'Gravitas" (Latin for "gravity," or "weight" or "heaviness") is something many people look for in political leaders. It implies a certain seriousness and…

October 3, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Great Divider

Entry in progress -- B.P. Urban DictionaryThe great dividerA term used to describe President Obama. Before coming to office he said he was going to unite the nation, yet all he has done since is…

July 26, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Great Orange Satan (Daily Kos nickname)

The Daily Kos is a progressive political blog, founded in 2002 by Markos Moulitsas. The blog gets its name from the second syllable of the name "Markos." The website uses the color…

September 7, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Great Replacement (Grand Replacement)

French writer Renaud Camus has spoken since 2010 about the "Great Replacement" -- Muslim immigration into France that destroys the French culture, replacing France with a Muslim nation.…

November 4, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Great Right Hope (Great White Hope)

Jack Johnson (1878-1946) became the first black world heavyweight boxing champion in 1908. On July 4, 1910, former champion Jim Jeffries (1875-1953) un-retired to fight Johnson. Jeffires was called…

July 23, 2009
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Greedy Geezer

The term "greedy geezer" (old people who demand government entitlements) was coined in The New Republic, March 28, 1988, to describe the front-cover story, "Talkin' Bout My…

August 7, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Greedy One Percent (Grand Old Party or GOP nickname)

"Greedy One Percent" is a slogan that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and buttons. The Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011 featured the slogan, "We are the…

August 23, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Green Lantern Theory of Geopolitics

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Green Lantern in other mediaThe many incarnations of the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern have appeared in numerous media over the years.(...)Liberal pundit…

March 20, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Greeniac (green + maniac)

A "greeniac" (green + maniac) is a nickname applied to an environmental activist, similar to the term "tree-hugger." The term "greeniac" has been cited in print in…

March 31, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Grievance Theater

"Grievance theater" is when someone files a grievance (and gets lots of media publicity, like a "theater" performance) of something that allegedly grieved a person's sex,…

June 3, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Grip-‘n’-grin (Grip-and-grin)

A "grip-and-grin" ("grip-'n'-grin") photo is when a politician shakes hands ("grip") with someone for a staged publicity photo. Politicians frequently…

February 20, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Grubberment (grubber + government)

"Grubberment" (grubber + government) is a portmanteau word that probably comes from "money-grubber." "While it may be true that today's grubberment accords no such…

January 4, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gubberment (Gubbermint)

"Gubberment" has been a black dialect word for "government" since at least 1813. "Gubbermint" has been cited in print since at least 1925.…

April 10, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gubmint or Gub’mint (Gubment or Gub’ment)

"Gubment" has been a black dialect word for "government" since at least 1861. "Gubmint" has been cited in print since at least the 1940s. Both terms are frequently…

January 9, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Guess the Religion

"Guess the religion," popularized by Debbie Schlussel on her website, occurs when the news media -- following the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 -- doesn't identify…

June 10, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gundamentalist (gun + fundamentalist); Gundamentalism

A "gundamentalist" (gun + fundamentalist) is someone who believes in the right to bear arms as a matter of personal faith (if not law). The term "gundamentalist" was cited in…

May 31, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gunpocalypse (gun + apocalypse)

"Gunpocalypse" (gun + apocalypse) has meant various things, such as an apocalypse with guns and an apocalypse without guns. "Got my gun and 100+ bullets and some targets....…

September 5, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gunverment or Gunvernment (gun + government)

"Gunverment" or "gunvernment" (gun + government) refers to a totalitarian government that rules by force (as if from the barrel of a gun). "GUNverment" has been cited…

September 3, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Gypsy Moth Republican

A "gypsy moth Republican" is a moderate Republican from the Midwest or the Northeast (where gypsy moths cause frequent infestations). The term "gypsy moth" has been cited in…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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