claim
claim v. phr.— «Little pumped his fist to “claim” that ride, surfer parlance for a physical gesture at the end of a good ride that told the others he had won that small battle with nature.» —“South...
View Articlecotton curtain
cotton curtain n.— «When the cotton curtain stood between us, and people were hateful and mean, I was here. When we didn’t have public accommodations, I was here. When the doors of opportunity had...
View Articlegrits line
grits line n.— «Alexandria still has its Jefferson Davis Highway and Springfield its Robert E. Lee High School, but if last week’s election showed anything, it’s that Northern Virginia is not only...
View Articlemumblecore
mumblecore n.— «I think that there are a bunch of us coming up now who have many of the same influences, and the same anti-influences, i.e. some of the crummier aspects of the indie scene that we’d...
View Articletote-a-note
tote-a-note v. phr.— «He and the majority of those at the dinner share the point of view of Bobby Richardson and Al Rowe, salesmen at two of the “tote-a-note” lots selling automobiles on easy terms...
View Articlesouth to south
south to south adj.—Gloss: arbitrary jargon used at the World Bank to indicate migration from one poor country to another. “South to north” indicates migration from a poor country to a rich one....
View Articlefun with two
fun with two n.— «What followed for Franklin was a giant seal of approval, an “oh, that’s why these guys are 15-2” statement. Franklin had what the kids call “fun with two,” as five straight batters...
View Articlebourbon belt
bourbon belt n.— «In the United States, Campari will put more emphasis on expanding the brand outside of the “bourbon belt,” the area of the South and Midwest where most bourbon is sold.» —“Pernod...
View ArticleWhat’s the Possessive of “Y’all”?
What’s the possessive of y’all? Is it y’all’s? Y’alls? Y’alls’s? What do all ya’ll think? Released July 12, 2010. Download the MP3. Photo by Brian Boyer. Used under a Creative Commons license.
View ArticleThe Big Apple
Why is New York City called the Big Apple? In the 1920s, a writer named John Fitz Gerald used it in a column about the horseracing scene, because racetrack workers in New Orleans would say that if a...
View Articlebackpacker
backpacker n.— «There are a lot of places that we still didn’t get to in the video—Arkansas, Kentucky. And there is a big “backpacker” (or alternative) hip-hop scene that we didn’t get to. But that...
View Articlehaji
haji n.— «Patrols wearing NODs will watch our perimeter all night; they chamber cartridges as they move out. If nature calls, don’t go out far or you could be mistaken for a haji.» —“Dust and stars:...
View Articleheatiness
heatiness n.— «The heart of the matter is the intricate philosophy of “heatiness and cooliness”—a traditional Chinese belief in the balance between hot and cold air within the body. “To understand the...
View Articleswart kat
swart kat n.— «A “swart kat” is apparently slang for electric shock torture.» —“Tortured by Those Who Should Protect” South African Star (Johannesburg) Aug. 18, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
View Articlecarpet-crossing
carpet-crossing n.— «The rank of APP leadership in the South has been depleted by the spate of carpet-crossing as not a few chieftains had jumped ship into the rival People’s Democratic party (PDP).»...
View Articledirty dirty
dirty dirty n. the southern United States; the South. Also durrty durrty. Editorial Note: Usually used with the definite article: the dirty dirty. Capitalization is inconsistent. Etymological Note:...
View Articledirty dirty
dirty dirty n.— «Loud Records will be releasing Hypnotize Minds Presents…The Dirty Dirty Volume 1 January 15, 2002, a compilation of some of the South’s hottest records.» —“Loud Records Gears Up for...
View Articledirty dirty
dirty dirty n.— «“People like to talk and divide us. People like to break us apart. But we all the Dirty South.” “Dirty, dirty.”» —by Ace Atkins Dirty South Mar. 2, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued...
View ArticleYankee dime
Yankee dime n.— «“Yankee dime” is a slang term used in some sections of the United States, particularly in the South, to denote a kiss, just as “Dutch quarter” is used to mean a hug. In some sections...
View ArticleYankee dime
Yankee dime n. a (perfunctory) kiss. Editorial Note: This term appears to originate in the South. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
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