Bicycle “Dooring”
A cyclist gets "doored" when riding down the street and a vehicle (usually parked) suddenly opens a door and obstructs the bike path. The term appears to have been first used in San…
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“Hooverville” (1930)
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, shacks across the country were called "Hoovervilles" after then-President Herbert Hoover. This appears to have begun in Chicago, not New York.…
Edifice Complex
"Edifice Complex" (a pun on "Oedipus Complex") has long been associated with New York City and State. Governor Nelson Rockefeller's complex of state office buildings in…
ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure)
"ULURP ("you lurp!") is the "Uniform Land Use Review Procedure" that goes before City Planning, the borough presidents, and the community boards. Real estate is very…
Doctors’ Row (or, Irish Fifth Avenue)
There are three "Doctors' Rows." One is at 122nd Street in Harlem, and the other is at Alexander Avenue (also called "Irish Fifth Avenue") in the Bronx. Both names are…
“Choking Poster” in restaurants
Remember the "choking poster"? Do you still see it at restaurants? It's in some out-of-the-way place and looks really old and kinda yellow, right? The poster that no one reads? The…
Great Lawn (Central Park)
"The Great Lawn" in Central Park was not always there. It was designed and added in 1931. Today, the Parks Department is trying to protect the grass by limiting the Great Lawn's use.…
“Eyes on the street” (Jane Jacobs, 1961)
In her The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), author Jane Jacobs suggested that crime could be reduced by having "eyes on the street." The term began to be used by many…
Borough of Universities and Parks (Bronx)
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Bronx became known as the "Borough of Parks" and the "Borough of Universities." Manhattan (with Columbia and NYU) probably deserves the title of…
Autism (summary)
My sister has a son with "autism." On October 12, 2002, I first posted this to the American Dialect Society list, then re-posted it to alt.support.autism. The Oxford English Dictionary…
John Q. Public (Jane Q. Public)
"John Q. Public" is a name for the average citizen. "John Public" has been cited in print since at least 1920. "John Q. Public" has been cited in print since 1922,…
(Barnum’s) Animal Crackers
Everyone knows that "Animal Crackers" were first made by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) in New York City in 1902. They used to be called "Barnum's Animals." Barnum,…
There’s a sucker born every minute (NY gambler slang, but not P. T. Barnum)
"There's a sucker born every minute" has been attached to showman P. T. Barnum, but a detailed examination of everything he ever wrote has failed to produce the phrase. He either…
Bicycle Messenger
Bicycle messengers used to be more numerous than they are today. Blame the cell phone and the internet. It appears that this did not originate in New York City. (Oxford English Dictionary)bicycle…
Windy City, 2006 Update: Encyclopedia of Chicago “Windy City” entry
Encyclopedia of Chicago (online): Windy City OCLC WorldCat recordThe Encyclopedia of ChicagoAuthor: James R Grossman; Ann Durkin Keating; Janice L Reiff; Michael P Conzen; Newberry…
“Everything but the kitchen sink” (Jahn’s “Kitchen Sink” dessert)
"Everything but the kitchen sink" (from the earlier "Everything but the kitchen stove") is an expression that means absolutely everything (except one, such as a sink or stove…
Iron Triangle (Willets Point)
The "Iron Triangle" in Queens is the area near Shea Stadium and the Flushing River that is filled with ugly car repair shops. There have been many plans made for this area, including its…
Potty Parity (Women’s Restroom Equity Bill)
The 2005 "potty parity" law declares that there should be more women's than men's restrooms because women take longer to go. 3 December 2003, Associated Press, "'Potty…
Ghost Yard (207th Street maintenance yard)
The MTA's 207th Street maintenance yard on the West Side of Manhattan is known as the "ghost yard," for varying reasons. http://www.at149st.com/ghosty.htmlTHE GHOST YARD The Ghost…
TLC (Taxi & Limousine Commission; Tender, Loving Care)
The "TLC" is the "Taxi and Limousine Commission." The TLC may give you "tender, loving care," or it may not. "TLC=tender, loving care" is a military acronym…