Inner Circle
The "Inner Circle" is the long-running satirical show where political writers and politicians make fun of themselves. The 1997 drag appearance of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani will long be…
Isle of Tears or Island of Hope (Ellis Island Immigration Station)
The Ellis Island Immigration Station (1892-1954) is now a widely visited tourist destination. To those who were rejected at Ellis Island and were sent home, it was an "Isle of Tears" (or…
It’s A Nice Place to Visit, But I Wouldn’t Want to Live There
Actually, people DO want to live here. Have you seen New York real estate prices lately?I've done the only work on this phrase, most often applied to New York City but sometimes to other…
Johnny Pump
A "Johnny Pump" is a fire hydrant. It's a name that I don't hear much anymore. I found it first in the following novel, which is full of "classic" New York speech.…
Jumbotron
The "Jumbotron" television screen (from the word "jumbo" and the brand name of Sony's "Trinitron" screens) caused a sensation when it debuted in Times Square in…
Keep New York Wet. Save Water (Dept. of Environmental Protection)
"Keep New York wet. Save water." This was the slogan promoted by the city's Department of Environmental Protection in response to the drought-like conditions of the 1980s. The signs…
Key to the City
New York City honors distinguished guests with parades and a "key to the city." It actually doesn't open anything. The most frequent recipients have been New York Yankees baseball…
Ladies’ Day
"Ladies' Day" was the day after New Year's (January 2nd). It was somewhat popular in the 19th century. It appear to have been the only day when women were invited to men's…
Lamping (Lampin’)
Entry in progress -- B.P, Urban DictionaryLampin verb: To just chill back and relax while being totally unproductive"Said she's just lampin, chillin on campus" - Kanye West -by Mark…
Liberty Pole (and Battle of Golden Hill, 1770)
New York City had several "Liberty Poles" between 1766 and 1776. The first blood shed in the American Revolution was on January 18, 1770, in defense of a Liberty Pole that stood in what…
Lotto: “Dollar and a Dream” & “Hey, You Never Know” & “You’ve Gotta Be In It To Win It”
"All you need is a dollar and a dream" and "Hey, you never know" are two successful slogans of Lotto, the New York State lottery. The money from Lotto is supposed to go to New…
Lulu (or Looloo)
"Lulu" (or "looloo") means a payment "made in lieu of" something or nothing. It's widely used in New York State, but it's not certain if it comes from New…
Madhattan (mad + Manhattan)
"Madhattan" (fmad + Manhattan) illustrates the craziness of New York City. James Aswell (1906-1955) used "Madhattan" often in his "New York" newspaper columns in 1932…
Manhattan Chili Dog (sex act)
"Manhattan Chili Dog" is a sexual act that was defined in the Urban Dictionary on October 24, 2005. The description adds, "Please note: you do not need to be in or from Manhattan to…
Manhattan Distance
"Manhattan distance" is a mathematical term based on the grid system for Manhattan's street. (Oxford English Dictionary)Manhattanattrib. Math. Designating geometries, graphics, etc.,…
Manhattan Project
Why was it called the "Manhattan Project"? Didn't it take place outside of Manhattan - such as Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Los Alamos, New Mexico? There are several good web sites on…
Manhattan Schist
"Manhattan schist" is the rock base that helps Manhattan's buildings stay up and reach toward the sky. Surprisingly, "Manhattan schist" is not listed in the recently…
Manhattan Silver/White (drugs)
Jonathon Green's Cassell Dictionary of Slang (1998) has these entries: Manhattan silver/white n. [1970s+][drugs] an imaginary brand of marijuana, silver/white because its seeds have grown in…
Manhattan Skyline (Tombstoning)
"Tombstoning" is also sometimes called "Manhattan skyline." It is when pieces stand up vertically (like a "tombstone" or the "Manhattan skyline") and they…
Manhattan Wiring (electronics)
"Manhattan wiring" is an electronics term. The wiring supposedly looks like Manhattan's grid system of streets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_wiringManhattan wiring (also…