Checkpal (chess word alternative to “checkmate”)
"Checkmate" is a chess term meaning that a king is threatened and cannot move away, so the game is over. Some people have suggested changing "mate" (a term popular in Australia)…
Cheese (“Cheese it—the cops!”)
"Cheese it!" was a popular expression in the 19th century, usually a warning from one person to another to stop their current activity because a policeman was approaching ('Cheese it…
Cheese Dip
Entry in progress -- B.P. Arkansas -- Trips & TrailsCheese Dip TrailDid you know Arkansas is believed to be the birthplace of cheese dip? Little Rock lawyer and filmmaker Nick Rogers has done…
Cheese Tea
Entry in progress -- B.P. EaterCheese Tea Could Be the New Bubble Tea — If Americans Get Over the NameTea topped with cheese foam has been stuck on the cusp of trending statesideby Esther Tseng…
Cheesebox (Castle Williams)
Castle Williams, on Governors Island, was designed and erected between 1807 and 1811. It was called a "cheese box" (or "cheesebox") in the 19th century. "It (Castle…
Cheesecrap Factory (Cheesecake Factory nickname)
The Cheesecake Factory is a restaurant chain that began in California in the 1970s. The unflattering nickname of "Cheesecrap Factory" has been cited in print since at least 2005.…
Chef Salad (Chef’s Salad)
Chef salad (or "chef's salad") is a tossed salad that contains lettuce, several vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and often cheese and meat (such as ham). Early recipes (from the 1930s)…
Chefdom
"Chefdom" means the state or condition of being a chef. The term "chefdom" has been cited in print since at least 1886, when it referred to the French cooks who would display…
Cheftestant (chef contestant)
"Cheftestant" was coined in 2006 by recapper Keckler of the blog 'Television Without Pity," referring to the chef contestants of the Bravo television channel cooking show Top…
Cheftestapant (chef + contestant + participant)
"Chetestapant" (chef + contestant + participant) has been used on the popular website Eater.com (cited in print since at least June 17, 2010), always in reference to the Bravo network…
Chelsea Apple Orchard (1820s)
Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) -- perhaps best known as the credited author of the yuletide poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" -- lived in what he called Chelsea, in Manhattan. He had an…
Chelseaite (inhabitant of Chelsea, Manhattan)
"Chelseaite” is the name of an inhabitant of Chelsea, in the borough of Manhattan. The name “Chelseaite” has been cited in print since at least 1935. An inhabitant of Chelsea has also…
Chelsean (inhabitant of Chelsea, Manhattan)
"Chelsean” is the name of an inhabitant of Chelsea, in the borough of Manhattan. The name “Chelsean” has been cited in print since at least 1939, when a neighborhood newspaper titled The…
Chernobyl Death Obligation (Collateralized Debt Obligation or CDO nickname)
Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) became so toxic that by August 2007 Ian Kerr dubbed them "Chernobyl death obligations" (after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster). The CDO…
Cherpumple (cherry + pumpkin + apple)
"Cherpumple" is a cherry pie, a pumpkin pie and an apple pie baked all in one. The dessert was created by Charles Phoenix and was popularized in 2010, when it was featured in the Wall…
Chewing Gum
"Chewing gum" is often said to have been invented by Thomas Adams (1818-1905) at Staten Island in the 1860s, but that's part of a larger story. By at least 1828, Americans chewed on…
Chewsday (chew + Tuesday)
Entry in progress -- B.P. OCLC WorldCat recordChewsday; a sex novel.Author: Dan GreenburgPublisher: New York, Stein and Day [1968]Edition/Format: Book : Fiction : English…
Chez Marshalls (Marshalls nickname)
Marshalls is a department store chain specializing in low-priced clothing. Marshalls began in Boston, massachusetts, in 1956. The nickname "Chez Marshalls" has been cited in print since…
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…
Chicken a la King
"Chicken a la king" was widely served in New York hotels in the early 1900s. Several theories have it that the dish is named after a New York "King." Some say that the dish is…