butter and eggs n.— «Americans are betting almost a billion dollars a year that they can guess…The Chicago butter and egg prices.…In some cities it is called “numbers,” in others, “policy.”…The...
swish n.— «Shabu-shabu, which means “swing-swing” in Japanese, refers to a popular form of Japanese table-side hot-pot cooking. It is also known in America as “swish,” named for the sound of boiling broth and the motion of dipping and...
ponytail n.— «In ponytail parlance, I don’t hear a hit, and the decaffeinated reaction to the lead single, the “Peter Gunn” homage “Juicebox,” suggests that I’m not alone.» —“Onward Into the...
beater n.— «“We really wanted to be in Clinton Hill,” said his wife, a writer, describing their house hunt. “Unfortunately, we were two years too late to really find a beater.”» —“Émigrés” by Kate Julian New...
throw shade v. phr.— «After pocketing $40, he recalled feeling wealthy—”like Donald Trump.” But he was “throwing shade,” covering the pain.» —“A Life and Death on NYC Streets” by Chelsea J...
FSBO n.— «There, at 29 Tiffany Place, inside apartment 6L, is a family daring to make a go of selling their apartment without the aid of a seller’s real estate broker—a move known in the parlance as a For Sale By Owner listing (or FSBO...