Sawdust Trail (Sawdust Circuit)
The "sawdust trail" (or "sawdust circuit") refers to the churches that preachers traveled to in the early 1900s. The trail to these tabernacles was usually covered with sawdust,…
Scalpel vs. Machete (budget-cutting techniques)
There are two metaphorical tools that politicians claim to use in cutting a budget -- a scalpel (for small, surgical cuts, causing the least harm) and a machete (for massive cuts). Unless the…
Scamdemic (scam + pandemic)
"Scamdemic" (scam + pandemic) means a fake pandemic. The term was first used during the 2009 swine flu pandemic. "Wondering if #swineflu is really a pandemic, or is it a hamdemic or…
Scampaign (scam + campaign)
A "scampaign" (scam + campaign) is a campaign -- a political campaign or a campaign for a specific cause or business -- that contains fraud and can be called a "scam."…
Scandalpalooza (scandal + lollapalooza)
"Scandalpalooza" (scandal + lollapalooza) is when a government has several scandals (sometimes called "-gates," after the Watergate scandal). The word "scandalpalooza"…
Scarebus (Airbus nickname)
Airbus is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. People who believe that its planes are not safe have nicknamed the company "Scarebus" (or…
Scaredemic (scare + pandemic)
"Scaredemic" (scare + pandemic) became a popular term during the 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, but it had appeared earlier. "Homespun Craft Show tomorrow, the Scaredemic will…
Scarf (to eat)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)scarf, vU.S. slang var. scoff v.2 1. Also absol. and const. up and down.1960 R. G. Reisner Jazz Titans 164 Scarf, eat.1968 C. Armstrong Balloon…
Scariant (scare/scary + variant)
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic had variants, called by some as "scariant" (scare/scary + variant). "So many variants of scary. Scariants" was posted on Twitter by Cal…
Schleppie Award
The Schleppie Award was started in 2007 by NYPIRG's Straphangers' Campaign and Transportation Alternatives. The award goes to New York City's least reliable buses. Since 2002, the…
Schmear (Schmeer; Shmear; Shmeer)
Jewish New Yorkers sometimes order a "bagel with schmear" (or "bagel mit schmear"). The Yiddish word "schmear" (other spellings include "schmeer,"…
Schmearlier or Schmelier (schmear expert)
A "sommelier" is a wine steward. In January 2020, Philadelphia Cream Cheese advertised the "schmelier," an expert on schmearing cream cheese. "Schmearlier" is an…
Schmelier or Schmearlier (schmear expert)
A "sommelier" is a wine steward. In January 2020, Philadelphia Cream Cheese advertised the "schmelier," an expert on schmearing cream cheese. "Schmearlier" is an…
School Bus of the Sky (Spirit Airlines nickname)
Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier. Spirit has sometimes been called the "School Bus of the Sky" or "School Bus with Wings." Both school buses and Spirit…
School Bus with Wings (Spirit Airlines nickname)
Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier. Spirit has sometimes been called the "School Bus of the Sky" or "School Bus with Wings." Both school buses and Spirit…
School of Hard Knocks (University of Hard Knocks)
The "school of hard knocks" (also the "college of hard knocks" and the "university of hard knocks") means something that is learned from adversity, rather than formal…
School of No (PS 106, Far Rockaway, Queens nickname)
P.S. 106 in Far Rockaway, Queens,holds classes for students through grade six. The New York (NY) Post dubbed PS 106 the "School of No" because it had no books, no gym classes and no art…
Schoolcation (school + vacation)
"Schoolcation" (school + vacation) was entered in the Urban Dictionary on February 1, 2019, and defined as, "When you're on a break, like summer or a winter break, and the…
Schrödinger’s Money
The paradox of "Schrödinger's cat" is sometimes joked as "Schrödinger's cash" or "Schrödinger's money" -- something that is both there and not there.…
Schumwich (NY Senator Chuck Schumer’s sandwich)
New York Senator Chuck Schumer's favorite sandwich was described in the April 18, 2010 New York (NY) Post. The sandwich is roast beef, banana peppers, pickled jalapeños, extra onions, extra…