Bronx Salute
The term "Bronx salute" has been cited in print since at least 1927, when it meant the Bronx cheer. The gesture involves the tongue between the lips, and is also called a…
Brooklyn born, Brooklyn bred, and when I die I’ll be Brooklyn dead
"Brooklyn born, Brooklyn bred, and when I die I'll be Brooklyn dead" is a new statement of Brooklyn pride. http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/brooklyn/nyc-fred0728,0,5172852.story…
Brooklyn Boys (delirium tremens)
"Brooklyn boys" is 19th century slang for delirium tremens (DTs). The term has been cited in print since at least 1883 and the exact meaning is unknown, but it probably refers to…
Brooklyn Clothesline
"Brooklyn clothesline" was perhaps coined by astronaut Neil Armstrong in 1969. There's a video of the thing in one of the web citations below. "To the moon, Alice!" as…
Brooklyn Fade or Brooklyn Blowout (haircut)
The "Brooklyn Fade" or "Brooklyn Blowout" haircut (a regional name for the familiar "fade" haircut) appears to have been popularized in the early 1990s. It's also…
Brooklyn Grit
"Brooklyn grit" has been used to describe the tough, working class borough. The term "brooklyn grit" has been cited in print infrequently since a least 1875. The Brooklyn Nets…
Brooklyn National Anthem (“Spring is sprung…”)
The following anonymous poem ("Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the flowers is") is sometimes called the Brooklyn (or Bronx) National Anthem. The poem has been cited in…
Brooklyn Wooley
"Brooklyn Wooley" is a new breed of cat. http://www.newbreedcats.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=41Breed InformationType: Mutation New Breed -…
Brooklynesque
Something (or someone) with the qualities of Brooklyn is "Brooklynesque." The term "Brooklynesque" has been cited in print since at least 1891, but became popularized since the…
Brooklynification
"Brooklynification" is a term that means an area is being gentrified and is suddenly hip and multi-cultured, like the borough of Brooklyn since the 1990s. "Burlington is currently in…
Bus (slang term for ambulance)
"Bus" is a slang term for "ambulance" that dates to before World War I. (Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Vol. I A-G)bus n.(...)2. an automobile or other…
Buy/Sell the Brooklyn Bridge
"Don't buy the Brooklyn Bridge!" This classic piece of advise is given to visitors to New York City. In the early years of this century, people were swindled. I'd like to add…
By Hammer and Hand All Arts Do Stand (Mercantile Library)
"By Hammer and Hand All Arts Do Stand" symbolizes the Mercantile Library. Its logo features an arm and hammer. The "by hammer and hand" slogan has been used in New York City…
Carpet Gun
The "carpet gun" was a homemade toy gun, popular with children in East New York (Brooklyn) in the 1940s and 1950s. tp://www.lampos.com/brooklyn.htmCarpet Gun: A homemade toy gun. Again,…
Carry/hold a torch for someone
Does "carry/hold a torch for someone" come from the Statue of Liberty? All we know for certain is the the phrase was used in Vanity Fair (NY) in 1927. Singers of smoldering music were…
Chica Chica Card
"Chica" cards or "Chica Chica" cards ("chica" is Spanish for "girl") are cards -- similar to baseball cards -- with pictures of girls on them. The cards…
City for Sale
"City for Sale" refers to the purchase by Peter Minuit of Manhattan for an estimated $24 in 1626. In 1988, the Municipal Arts Society had an exhibit called "City for Sale." The…
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
"CERTs" are Community Emergency Response Teams. The teams are being expanded for each community board to protect New Yorkers from disaster situations. The Federal Emergency Management…
Comstockery
"Comstockery" is a word named after Anthony Comstock (1844-1915), who created the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1873. In 1873, an amendment to the Post Office Act made…
Con Dead (nickname for a Con Ed power failure)
After the July 2006 Queens power failures caused by Con Ed, some have called the company "Con Dead." http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/07/26/con_dead.phpJuly 26, 2006Con Ed Restores…