Skank of America (Bank of America nickname)
Bank of America is one of the Big Four of America's banks (along with Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo). Critics of Bank of America have given it the unflattering nickname of…
Skin in the Game
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Skin in the game (phrase)To have "skin in the game" is to have incurred monetary risk by being invested in achieving a goal. In the phrase,…
Skinny Nut (pistachio nickname)
Pistachio nuts were a common food in what is now northeastern Iraq since at least 6750 B.C. The pistachio has been promoted as the "skinny nut" since at least January 2009. The book The…
Skycap
The word "skycap," like "scofflaw," entered the language as a contest winner. Willie Wainwright, of New Orleans, won $100 in 1940 for his suggestion of "skycap" for…
Skyscraper Curse (Skyscraper Index)
Many cities have a "skyscraper" (tall building) added to the skyline, but experience a downturn in the economy. New York City's Chrysler Building (1930) and Empire State Building…
Skyscraper Sandwich
Entry in progress -- B.P. The long list of the names of sandwiches served on long rolls includes blimpie, bomber, Cuban (medianoche), Dagwood, garibaldi, gondola, grinder, hero, hoagie, Italian,…
Skyville (Schuylerville, Bronx)
Schuylerville is a middle-class neighborhood in the East Bronx. The Wikipedia entry states that Schuylerville has been nicknamed "Skyville," but this nickname appears only infrequently in…
Slamboni (Zamboni-like machine for U.S. Open tennis)
Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queens, is the site of the tennis U.S. Open. Rain delays hampered the 2003 U.S. Open, so the stadium developed the "Slamboni" machine -- similar…
Slave Codes (1850s)
A new explanation for the "Big Apple," first proposed in the 2000s, claims that the nickname arose from pre-Civil War slave codes used in the underground railroad (a network of secret…
SleazyJet or SleezyJet (easyJet nickname)
easyJet (often written as "EasyJet") is a British multinational low-cost airline group. An obvious easyJet nickname is "SleazyJet" (sometimes spelled "SleezyJet").…
Sleep-wokking (sleepwalking + wokking)
"Wok" can sound like "walk." Some people experience sleepwalking, and "sleep-wokking" has become a joke. "While we’re talking about sleep.. I woke up this…
Sleeping Beauty
Entry in progress -- B.P. InvestopediaWhat Does Sleeping Beauty Mean?A company that is prime for takeover but has not been approached by an acquiring company. Investopedia explains Sleeping BeautyA…
Sleeping Policeman (speed bump)
A speed bump has been called a "sleeping policeman" (often in the plural "sleeping policemen") since at least 1968, when it was used in Jamaica. A "sleeping policeman"…
Sleeping, Talking, Unlimited-texting, Dreaming, Yawning (“study” backronym).
"Sleeping, Talking, Unlimited texting, Dreaming, Yawning" -- a backronym (back acronym) of the word "study" -- has been printed on T-shirts and GIFs. The "study"…
Sleeve-buttons (fishballs)
ENtry in progress -- B.P. 30 December 1873, National Republican (Washington, DC), “The American Restaurant” (Scribner’s Monthly), pg. 1, col. 6: When in a second-rate restaurant a guest asks…
SleezyJet or SleazyJet (easyJet nickname)
easyJet (often written as "EasyJet") is a British multinational low-cost airline group. An obvious easyJet nickname is "SleazyJet" (sometimes spelled "SleezyJet").…
Slice (not piece) of pizza; Square pizza
New York City pizzerias usually (though not always) sell pizza by the slice. The practice originated with the pizza itself, in Naples, Italy. The origin of the square pizza is less clear, but see…
Slider or Slyder (mini-hamburger)
"Sliders" (or "slyders") are mini-hamburgers emerged on the New York restaurant scene in the 1990s. "Slyders" have been trademarked by the White Castle restaurant…
SLIF (Sorry Liver, It’s Friday)
Many people apologize to their liver before drinking. "Dear Liver, I'm sorry but it is Friday at 5p" was posted on Twitter on April 10, 2009. "Dear Liver: I'm Sorry. :(…
Slime Square (slime + Times Square)
The Times Square area of New York City began deteriorating in the 1950s; in the 1970s, the area was a center for pornography and crime. The nickname "Slime Square" (slime + Times Square)…