RINO (Republican In Name Only)
A "RINO" is a "Republican In Name Only." The Republican party is symbolized by the elephant; RINO is symbolized by the rhino. A RINO is someone who is a registered Republican…
Rip-and-Read
"Rip-and-read" is news that is "ripped" off a teletype machine and "read" on the air; the term was first used in radio and then used in television.…
Rise In Power (RIP)
“Rise in power” is sometimes used instead of “rest in peace” (from Latin Requiescat in pace) to respect someone who has died. “Rest in power” has been used by the African American…
Rising Apple (New York Mets blog, 2011-present)
Rising Apple is a blog about the New York Mets baseball team that was started in 2011. It is part of the Fansided series of sports blogs. The name "Rising Apple" is from the New York…
Rising Apple (New York Mets blog)
Rising Apple is a blog about the New York Mets baseball team that was started in 2011. It is part of the Fansided series of sports blogs. The name "Rising Apple" is from the New York…
Ritualistic Shame Muzzle (face mask)
The 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in face mask requirements. Some people who objected to the face masks called them "shame muzzles" and "ritualistic shame…
Riverdalian (inhabitant of Riverdale, Bronx)
"Riverdalian” is the name of an inhabitant of Riverdale, in the borough of the Bronx. The name “Riverdalian” has been cited in print since at least 1871. . Wikipedia: Riverdale,…
Riverside Boulevard
"All This Neighborhood Needs Is a Name" by Alison Gregor is a February 24, 2012 story in the New York (NY) Times about the residential real estate developments along Riverside Boulevard…
Riveters (National Women’s Hockey League team)
The National Women's Hockey League -- the first-ever all women’s professional paid hockey league -- was announced in March and April 2015 with four inaugural teams, consisting of the Boston…
Road Apple
A "horse apple" is horse manure. It's called a "road apple" when it's found in the road. "Road apples, horse dung" was cited in The American Thesaurus of…
Road Pirates (police nickname)
"Road Pirates -- Paid by/with your money to steal your money" is a popular poster. The saying refers to "theft by cop" (civil asset forfeiture), where police stop cars and take…
Road Rage
"Road rage" -- aggressive behavior by the driver of one automobile against one or more other vehicles -- became a popular term about 1987-88. KTLA, a television station in Los Angeles,…
Road Rash
"Road rash" occurs when a person's skin is scraped by pavement, usually as a result of a cycling or skateboarding accident. The term "road rash" has been cited in print…
Roads, Rates and Rubbish (local government concerns)
"Roads, rates and rubbish" (also "rates, roads and rubbish") are commonly said to be the three top concerns of local government. The saying is mostly restricted to Australia and…
Roastery
"Coffee roasting" is not new, but the term "roastery" is newly popular. What was once called a "coffeehouse" or a "coffee shop" has often been replaced with…
Rob Roy (cocktail)
In 1894, the opera Rob Roy opened around Herald Square. The old Waldorf Hotel was near Herald Square. It is probably correct that the "Rob Roy" cocktail began at the Waldorf in 1894 or…
Robe-itis
"Robe-itis" (or "black robe-itis") is an affliction suffered by some robed judges. A person can put on a robe and assume a god-like attitude and power, forgetting that he or she…
Robins (Brooklyn baseball team)
The baseball team that would be known as the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) was called the Brooklyn Robins from 1914 to 1931, in honor of its manager, Wilbert Robinson. Wikipedia:…
Robosigning (Robosigner)
A "robo-signing" scandal made national news on September 22, 2010. Banks had hired "robo-signers" ("robo" for "robot") who signed off on thousands of…
Robot or -bot (Obamabot or O-bot; Paulbot)
The suffix "-bot" (for"robot") is often added after a politician's name to show deluded, robot-like followers. For the 2007-2008 U.S. presidential campaign, followers of…