Red Apple Supermarket (supermarket chain, 1971-present)
There have been both "Big Apple" and "Red Apple" supermarkets. Sam Alterman opened the "Big Apple" supermarket in 1939 at 794 Marietta Street, N.W., in Atlanta,…
Red Beans and Rice
"Red beans and rice" is an important Creole dish in New Orleans, Louisiana. The term "red beans and rice" was cited in print in The Daily Picayune (New Orleans, LA) on June 13,…
Red Cent
To have "not one red cent" is to have absolutely no money. The U.S. penny (or "cent") from 1793-1857 was made of reddish copper; the phrase "not worth a copper" was…
Red Diamond (goji berry nickname)
Goji berries (also called wolfberries) have long been popular in China, but were almost unknown in the United States before 2002. The commercially promoted health qualities of goji juice helped to…
Red Diaper Baby (child of Communists)
A "red diaper baby" is a child of Communist parents (and one who presumably inherits their political leanings). Barack Obama was called the "red diaper baby president."…
Red Double Cross; Red Double Crossed (Red Cross + double-cross)
The Red Cross (the American Red Cross in the United States) provides emergency assistance and disaster relief, but many people state that Red Cross donations do not reach disaster victims.…
Red Flannel Hash
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: FlannelRed Flannel Hash is a breakfast hash originally from New England that involves beets. Here is the legend: Suspecting her husband of unfaithfulness a…
Red Hook (cocktail)
Red Hook used to be a rough area of Brooklyn filled with longshoremen, but Red Hook is rapidly being gentrified. In 2008, New York City's first IKEA store opened there. The Red Hook cocktail…
Red Hooker (inhabitant of Red Hook, Brooklyn)
"Red Hooker" is the name of an inhabitant of Red Hook, in the borough of Brooklyn. The name "Red Hooker" has been cited in print since at least 1870. "Red Hooker" is…
Red Hots
"Red hots" came into use before the term "hot dogs." Some say that Harry Stevens coined "red hots" at the Polo Grounds in the early 1900s. Like the standard "hot…
Red Ink (cheap red wine)
"Red ink" has been a nickname for "cheap red wine" since at least 1863. The nickname was frequently used in Italian restaurants in America, which were called "red ink…
Red Mike and Violets (corned beef and cabbage)
"Red Mike and violets" was hash house slang for a dish of "corned beef and cabbage." Corned beef is red, cabbage is violet and "Mike" is a traditional Irish name.…
Red State/Blue State
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Red state and blue stateThe terms "red states" and "blue states" came into use in 2000 to refer to those states of the United States whose…
Red Tag Sale
A "tag sale" is a retail sale where the sale items bear a colored tag. "Red tag sale" has been cited in print since at least 1888, "blue tag sale" since at least 1890…
Redwash (communist red + whitewash)
"Redwash" (communist red + whitewash) is similar to such terms as "greenwash" (about the "green" environmental movement) and "pinkwash" (about the…
Redwash (redskin + whitewash)
"Redwash" (redskin + whitewash) is similar to such terms as "greenwash" (about the "green" environmental movement) and "pinkwash" (about the "pink"…
Referette (female referee)
A “referee” is a sports official who administers a game; the term is neither masculine nor feminine. Few referees in professional sports are women. "Referette" (a female referee) has…
Reformicon (reform conservative)
"Reformicon" (reform conservative) has been used since at least 2010 in Canadian politics. The American use of "reformicon" was popularized by liberal American political…
Reformocon (reform conservative)
"Reformocon" (reform conservative) has been used since at least 2008 in Canadian politics. "Extremely well-positioned to be the leading reformocon in the Senate, but hasn't…
Refrigerator Jenga
Jenga is a game where players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower of 54 blocks. If the tower collapses, that player "loses" and the other players "win."…