Splash Crash

The term "flash crash" began after the sudden market drop on May 6, 2010. John Bates, the chief technology officer at Progress Software (Bedford, MA), wrote on February 1, 2011 to…

Splash Play

A "splash play" in football is a play that makes a big splash -- that is, it makes a big impact on the game. A "splash play" might be a quarterback sack, a tackle for a loss, a…

Spokane (pork and beans)

"Spokane" (a city in the state of Washington) has been used in lunch counter slang for "pork and beans" since at least the 1890s and early 1900s. "The Pork and Beans'…

Spoonula (spoon + spatula)

A "spoonula" (spoon + spatula) is one of several food implement portmanteaus, such as the "spork" (spoon + fork). A "spoonula" trademark filed in 1959 claimed a first…

Sport of Kings (polo nickname)

Horse racing is often called the "sport of kings," a term cited in print since at least the 1700s. The game of polo has been called the "sports of kings" since at least 1896,…

Sportsmen’s Row (Eighth Avenue, Park Slope)

Entry in progress -- B.P. Daily Racing Forum11/11/2010 2:35PMThe golden era of Brooklyn racingBy Ryan Goldberg(...)On the edge of Gravesend, Avenue U became Trainers’ Row. The moneyed class, like…

Spox (spokesperson)

"Spox" is a popular headline shorthand for "spokesperson." The term "spox" was used in 1996 and then frequently in 2006 in the context of Israeli government…

Spring Black Friday

"Black Friday" is the Friday after Thanksgiving -- a major pre-Christmas shopping day. For home improvement stores such as The Home Depot and Lowe's, the beginning of the spring…

Spring Forward, Fall Back

"Spring forward, fall back" is a ritual of Daylight Saving Time. The mnemonic "Spring forward, Fall back" was cited in The Spectator on May 2, 1931, and “Spring forward! Fall…