Greenbacks, Bucks, Clams, Dead Presidents, Dough and Scratch

There are some informal (slang) names for U.S. paper currency. One fairly common term is "bucks." It likely originated from the early American practice of trading deerskins, known as buckskins, which were used as a unit of exchange. Over time, the term "buck" became a colloquialism for money. It's thought that this term was later applied to dollars and paper currency, becoming a widely used slang term.

The term "clams" for money likely originated in the mid-19th century in the United States. One theory is that it came from the expression "shell out," meaning to pay up or cough up money, which references the practice of using seashells, like clamshells, as currency or for decoration in some cultures. This term may have been shortened to "clams" as a slang term for money.

The term "dead presidents" likely originated in the late 19th or early 20th century, as many U.S. presidents were featured on various denominations of currency. The term gained popularity over time, particularly in the mid-20th century, as it became a common slang term to refer to paper money. It's worth noting that not all U.S. currency features presidents, but the term "dead presidents" stuck due to the prominent portraits of presidents like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and others on various denominations.

As with the previous terms, we have "likely" rather than definitive origin stories. The term "dough" for money likely originated from the idea that money is a vital resource, much like dough is a fundamental ingredient for bread. It's a basic necessity that helps things "rise" or progress. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States, "dough" became a popular slang term for money.

The term "scratch" for money probably comes from the idea of scratching out a living or making ends meet. It may also come from the notion of scratching together enough money to achieve something. In a street-level context, it might imply that it's a resource that's earned or scrounged up through effort. The term is often used in phrases like "scratch together" or "from scratch," emphasizing the idea of gathering or accumulating resources.

"Greenbacks" became a semi-official name for some currency in 1861when the Union introduced Demand Notes to fund the Civil War. United States Notes followed in 1862. Both were dubbed "greenbacks" due to their distinctive green ink, an anti-counterfeiting measure. 

As the first widespread US paper currency, these notes shared some similarities with today's bills, like the green color, but had notable design differences. Early $1 notes featured Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase and President Abraham Lincoln was on the $10 note. The backs showcased intricate wording or patterns, such as the crisscross sawhorse design. 

Initially, greenbacks were printed in larger sizes - 7 3/8 x 3 1/8 inches - until they were downsized to 6 1/8 x 2 5/8 inches in 1929.

Calling Dibs and Playing Jacks

Have you ever "called dibs" on something? Let's say that a group of people decide to rent bicycles for a ride, and one person says, "I call dibs on the red one." "First dibs" is sometimes called to establish a claim on the first use or the ownership of something. 

What does that mean and where did this odd expression originate?

This slang term has been in use since the early 19th century. The origin is disputed, but the most common origin story is that it comes from an old children's game called dibstones.

Dibstones is a child's game, similar to jacks and dice games. A dibstone is a pebble used in the game as a counter. The pebbles or the discarded knucklebones of sheep have been used since the late 17th century.

The game is from England, but the slang usage seems to be American. While playing, you can place a stone at your place to indicate a point. Similar to the modern slang usage, this means you have claimed a point.

To "call dibs" today is to claim a temporary right to something or to reserve it.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder - Children's Games - Knucklebones

The more common game of Jacks is also known as Knucklebones, Tali, or Fivestones. The games all have origins going back to ancient Greece and are mentioned by Sophocles and in the Iliad and Odyssey.

The games are usually played with five small objects (ten in the case of jacks). At one time, the game pieces were literally knucklebones, which are the astragalus bone in the ankle, or the hock of sheep. The jacks are thrown up and caught along with a ball or other object.

Modern jacks have six points/knobs and are usually made of metal or plastic. The simplest throw consists of either tossing up one jack, or bouncing a ball, and picking up one or more jacks/pebbles/knucklebones from the ground while it is in the air.

The games have a whole series of throws with odd names such as "riding the elephant", "peas in the pod", "horses in the stable", and "frogs in the well".

Sheep knucklebones used in the game

A variant on the previously mentioned games that is played by Israeli school-age children is known as kugelach or Chamesh Avanim ("five rocks"). Instead of jacks and a rubber ball, five die-sized metal cubes are used. The game cube is tossed in the air rather than bounced. 

here's also the Korean game Gonggi, another variant.

I was not able to find the origin and reason why the game or the game pieces are called "jacks."  Do any readers know?

Names for Cars

Naming automobile models is something that gets a lot of attention from manufacturers.
Almost all car names are some kind of symbolic suggestion. 

AMC Pacer

The ’70s Pacer was AMC’s attempt at a futuristic, wide-bodied compact car. The name “Pacer” was meant to suggest speed and forward motion—something pacing ahead of its time. Cool or quirky? 

Chevy Corvette

Named after a nimble, lightly armed warship, the Corvette was designed to be fast, agile, and striking. 

Ford Bronco

Built to take on the rugged terrain and challenge the Jeep, the Bronco was Ford’s wild stallion. The name called up images of untamed land and rough rides—just what off-roaders were after in the ’60s and ’70s.

Lamborghini Diablo

Spanish for “devil,” the Diablo was actually named after a legendary 19th-century fighting bull. It was designed to embody fierce power and exotic danger, just like the animal.

Chevy Blazer

The Blazer was made to blaze trails—plain and simple. Chevy wanted a name that captured rugged adventure and go-anywhere capability. The name became synonymous with early SUVs long before they ruled the roads.

Ford Mustang

Ford attempted to create its muscle car with a name that comes from both the WWII P-51 fighter plane and the free-roaming wild horses of the West which appear on the car's grille logo Fast, agile, and unapologetically American—it set the tone for generations of pony cars.

Chevy Camaro

Chevy never gave a straight answer on what “Camaro” meant—one exec famously joked it was “a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” The name actually comes from a French word meaning “comrade” or “friend,” which makes little sense. It sounds sporty and fit with the "C" naming convention used by Chevrolet at the time. 

Volkswagen Golf

Believe it or not, the Golf isn’t named after the sport—it’s supposed to be short for Gulf Stream, part of VW’s theme of naming cars after winds and currents (as in their Scirocco, Passat, Jetta). A breezy name for a zippy hatchback.

Rolls-Royce Ghost

“Ghost” pays homage to the original Silver Ghost from 1906, known for being incredibly smooth and silent for its time. Today’s Ghost follows that lineage: ultra-luxurious, eerily quiet, and almost supernatural in how effortlessly it glides.

Dodge Charger

The Charger name suggests a horse trained for battle,and a battle cry, but today we probably first think of a device for charging a battery or battery-powered equipment - power. Whether you’re looking at the ’60s classics or today’s Hellcat beasts, the name fits.

Plymouth Barracuda

Before the Mustang even hit the streets, the Barracuda made waves. Named after the sleek, dangerous predator of the sea, it perfectly described the car’s sharp styling and serious bite on the drag strip.

Audi Quattro

“Quattro” simply means “four” in Italian, but for Audi, it was a statement. It marked the debut of their revolutionary all-4-wheels-drive system in a sleek coupe. The name became so iconic that “quattro” is now practically synonymous with AWD across the industry.

AMC Javelin

Designed to take on the likes of the Mustang and Camaro, the Javelin carried a name that evoked precision and power. Like its namesake spear, it was built to be thrown into the muscle car wars with deadly intent.

idioms about memory

 

I have another site where I wrote about three kinds of memory neurons, and referenced some idioms around memory. We have a lot of them in English

• Clear your memory
• Jog your memory
• Have something etched in your mind
• Stroll down memory lane
• Lose your train of thought
• Have a mental picture
• Have something slip your mind. 
• Memory like a sieve
• Memory like an elephant
• A mind like a steel trap.

Grape Nuts Cereal

Th78blue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Grape Nuts cereal is named for its resemblance to grape seeds. But is is made from wheat and barley, and contains no grapes or nuts.  

The cereal was created by Charles William "C.W." Post in 1897. Mr. Post used a coffee grinder to break the baked cereal into small pieces that resembled grape seeds. Post believed that glucose, or "grape sugar," formed during baking. That sugar and the resulting cereal's nutty flavor inspired the name. 


Grape-Nuts was marketed as a health food. It was often eaten with milk, but could also be used in savory recipes like meatloaf and puddings. 

Grape-Nuts was featured in soldiers' rations during World War II as it is a nutrient-dense cereal that's high in fiber and protein. It has a whole-grain base that provides a steady energy source.