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July 9, 2019
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)New York State

Saratoga: “Pearly gates of horse racing” (Saratoga Race Course)

New York State's Saratoga Race Course has been compared to heaven and is sometimes called the "pearly gates of horse racing." "Home sweet Saratoga. RT @anthonyderico: The Pearly…

August 31, 2007
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

Texas House (Breezeway; Dog-Run House; Dogtrot House; Possum Trot House; Saddlebag House)

A "Texas house" (also called a "breezeway" or "dog-run house" or "dogtrot house" or "possum trot house" or "saddlebag house") is when two…

June 17, 2019
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)Work/Businesses

Top Dog (a boss or leader)

The term "top dog" means to be the boss (or leader), or to be victorious. The term "top dog in the fight" was cited frequently in the early 1860s. "Whether he's top…

November 24, 2004
Education/SchoolsPets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

Violets, Bobcats (NYU teams)

NYU has a sports symbol from...a library catalog? http://www.nyu.edu/athletics/clubs/mascots/history.htmlHistory of the BobcatFor more than 100 years, New York University athletes have worn the…

January 5, 2013
Banking/Finance/InsurancePets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

Wildcat Bank (Wildcat Money)

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wildcat banking refers to the unusual practices of banks chartered under state law during the periods of non-federally regulated state banking between 1816 and 1863 in the…

April 12, 2014
Banking/Finance/InsurancePets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

Yellow Dog or Yellow Dawg or Yaller Dawg (gold nickname)

Gold is sometimes nicknamed "yellow dog" or "yellow dawg" or "yaller dawg." "Not bad considering everyone was slamming the yellow dawg" was cited in print in…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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