Alamo (black cube at Astor Place)
"Alamo" is the name of the big black cube at Astor Place, opposite Cooper Union, in the middle of a traffic island. During a brief repair and cleaning in 2005, and everyone said,…
Albatross (golf score)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Par (score)AlbatrossAlbatross means scoring three under par (−3) (the albatross being one of the largest birds); also called a double eagle in the U.S. This…
Alexander/Gin Alexander/Brandy Alexander/Coffee Alexander (cocktail)
New York columnist Walter Winchell explained the origin of the Alexander cocktail in his column on March 21, 1929. Rector's (a famous New York eatery before Prohibition) was having a dinner…
Algebro (algebra + bro)
An "algebro" (algebra + bro) is a friend (usually male) who likes math (usually algebra). The term was popularized by the 2008 videogame Math Kickers: Featuring the Algebros. An Urban…
Algonquin Cocktail
The Algonquin Hotel, at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan, opened in 1902 and has a storied history, although the hotel is not particularly known for its food and drink. The Algonquin cocktail…
Alibi Ike
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wiktionary: Alibi IkeEtymologyFrom the principal character in "Alibi Ike" (1915), a short story by Ring Lardner Sr., and a subsequent film (1935) of the same…
ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)
"ALICE" is a acronym for "Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed." Members of the ALICE class work to earn just enough to get by; anything unexpected -- such as an illness…
All Bullshit Channel (ABC nickname)
The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) began in 1943 and is headquartered on Manhattan's Upper West Side (near Lincoln Center). A few critics have said that "ABC" stands for…
All But Dissertation (ABD)
A graduate student who is in a Ph.D. program often completes all the requirements, except for a dissertation. Such a student has been nicknamed an ABD -- "All But Dissertation." The term…
All Day I Dream About Sports (Adidas backronym)
Adidas manufactures sports shoes and sports clothing. The company name is from its founder, Adolf Dassler. ("Adi" is a nickname for Adolf and "Das" is from "Dassler.")…
All Dressed Bagel
Montreal (Canada) is known for its "all dressed" bagel, "all dressed" hot dog and "all dressed" pizza. Montreal's "all dressed" bagel is similar to New…
All Dressed Hot Dog
Entry in progress -- B.P. Montreal (Canada) is known for its "all dressed" bagel, "all dressed" hot dog and "all dressed" pizza. "All dressed" has been cited…
All Dressed Pizza
Entry in progress -- B.P. Montreal (Canada) is known for its "all dressed" bagel, "all dressed" hot dog and "all dressed" pizza. "All dressed" pizza has been…
All Investments Gone (American International Group or AIG nickname)
The American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is an insurance company with headquarters in New York City. In September 2008, the U.S. federal government provided the company with billions in credit…
Allicin Wonderland (allicin + Alice in Wonderland)
Allicin is an organosulfur compound obtained from garlic. "Allicin Wonderland" is an obvious pun on Alice in Wonderland. "The body is, in fact, a veritable allicin wonderland"…
Alligator Spread
An "alligator spread" is a transaction is where the investor is unlikely to make much of a profit even if the markets move in the direction anticipated, primarily because the investor is…
Alluminati (aluminum + Illuminati)
"Tin foil hat" can describe someone who believes in conspiracy theories; the hat itself is usually aluminum foil. "Alluminati" is a portmanteau of "aluminum" and…
Almond Boneless Chicken (ABC)
Almond Boneless Chicken (often called "ABC") is a Chinese dish that is popular in Detroit, Michigan. In other cities, it's called, in its various spellings, "war/wor…
Almost Broadcasting Company (ABC nickname)
The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) began in 1943 and is headquartered on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (near Lincoln Center). The network's news division was so bad in the 1960s (trailing…
Alphabet City (East Village, Manhattan)
"Alphabet City" is the nickname of a neighborhood in the East Village of Manhattan, where Avenues A, B, C, and D can be found. The "Alphabet City," "Alphabetland" and…