“Bury the lede” (“Bury the lead”)
"Bury(ing) the lead/lede" in a newspaper article means that the important part of the article is several paragraphs down -- where many newspaper readers might not catch it. A poor…
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“Death begins in the colon”
"Death begins in the colon" has been credited to the Greek physician Hippocrates of Cos (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC) and to Nobel prize-winning Russian biologist Elie Metchnikoff…
“You can’t eat gold (or silver)”
"You can't eat gold/silver" is a saying that dates in print to at least 1870. In 1897, a Klondike gold prospector advised a friend that "you can't eat gold dust." Many…
Detailee
A "detailee" is a government employee on assignment or loan. The White House, for example, uses many "detailees" from other government agencies. The term "detailee"…
“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?” /“A Republic, if you can keep it”
On September 17, 1787, just after the Constitutional Convention's ratification, a Mrs. Powell of Philadelphia reportedly asked Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), "Well, Doctor what have we…
Fact Finder for the Nation (Bureau of the Census moniker)
The U.S. Census Bureau (part of the Department of Commerce) published a much-reprinted booklet, Bureau of the Census: Fact Finder for the Nation (1948). Although many other government agencies and…
Bureau of Wrecklamation (Bureau of Reclamation nickname)
The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation (formerly the U.S. Reclamation Service) has been in charge of water management (including many dam projects) since 1902. Critics…
Stemwinder
A "stemwinder" is a rousing speech. "Stemwinder" has also meant a keyless watch and geared logging locomotive. The "stemwinder" speech has been cited in print since at…
Feminazi (feminist + Nazi)
"Feminazi"(feminist + Nazi) desscribes a radical feminist; the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that the term is "usually disparaging." Conservative radio talk show host…
Whackage
Barry Ritholtz's financial blog, The Big Picture, has been using the term "whackage" (whack + package/wreckage) since at least February 2006. A typical Friday blog headline is…
Foggy Bottom
Foggy Bottom is an area of Washington, D. C., known for its fog and cited in print by that name since at least 1854. In 1947, the U.S. Department of State moved to a building in Foggy Bottom. The…
Central Banks’ Central Bank (Bank for International Settlements or BIS nickname)
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), located in Basel, Switzerland, was formed in 1930 to facilitate the transfer of reparations from the World War. The BIS is not accountable to any…
Drugs and Thugs (Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs nickname)
The Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) advises the President, Secretary of State, and numerous government departments. The INL nickname…
Fudge Factory (State Department nickname)
"Fudge Factory" is a nickname of the U.S. Department of State. The term was coined by Washington (DC) Post syndicated columnist Joseph Kraft (1924-1986) in 1965-1966. "Fudge…
Yuglies (young + ugly; Dallas Cowboys offensive line)
The Dallas Cowboys football team fan blog "Blogging the Boys" (BTB) sought a new name for the 2011 Cowboys' young and revamped offensive line. A poster named "Shaymer"…
The Company (Central Intelligence Agency or CIA nickname)
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the successor to World War II's Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The CIA has been nicknamed "The Company" since at least 1972, when that…
Pickle Factory (Central Intelligence Agency or CIA nickname)
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the successor to World War II's Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The CIA has been nicknamed the "Pickle Factory" since at least 1965, when…
Euro Quake or Euroquake (Euro/Europe + earthquake)
"Euro quake" or "euroquake" (euro + earthquake) is a name for dramatic changes in the European financial markets. The word was technically coined by Daniel Burstein's book,…
“Manhattan on the Potomac” (Rosslyn, Arlington VA)
Rosslyn in Arlington County, Virginia, is on the Potomac River, across from Washington, DC. The nickname "Manhattan on the Potomac" began to be used in 2006 to represent the new…
Diaper District
A "diaper district" is a neighborhood that is filled with many new families (especially those including diaper-age children). The New York (NY) Times coined the name "Diaper…