Ryan Thompson's definitions

Vanishing Americana

A term for Americanisms or inventions that are gradually disappearing, as described in the book "Going Going Gone: Vanishing Americana" by by Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson.

Hood ornaments. Prank phone calls. Phonebooths with doors. Blue laws. Hitchiking. Men's clubs. Garter belts. The 'Red Menace'. Typewriters. Rotary telephones.

by Ryan Thompson January 6, 2004

trucker cap

An overpriced baseball cap. See Von Dutch clothing/apparell.

California has a lot of places that sell Von Dutch.

by Ryan Thompson July 15, 2004

fundy

The mispelled version of the word fundie.

The fundies stared at me. It was creepy.

by Ryan Thompson January 9, 2004

incentive

Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort.

Jake was promised free entry into the bar if he mowed the lawn for his neighbor.

by Ryan Thompson July 19, 2004

Birfing babies

Ebonics. To give birth to a child, or children. Actual spelling of this term is 'birthing babies', even though it is pronounced differently. Even the correct pronunciation isn't really used outside the world of ebonics.

Lemongelo said birfin' babies was usually part of married (and unmarried) life.

by Ryan Thompson September 5, 2004

Gap Fag

Hate speech, degrading term, name-calling, etc.

Describes a gay male who works at the Gap and is snooty, egotistical or rude for no apparent reason. Sometimes it is because you're not dressed the "right way" or "not cute enough".

The gay guy who works at the gap, the shorter one, not the tall one, he was rude to me because he thought I wasn't 'trendy' enough.

by Ryan Thompson January 7, 2004

Volkswagen W12

Volkswagen's upcoming sportscar model, so-named because of its W12 engine. It has 12 cylinders, arranged in a 'W' -- Take two narrow-angle four-valve V6 engines and configure them at an angle of 72 degrees apart from one another with a shared crankshaft. This layout could be described as a "V-V" arrangement, or a "W." The result has 6.0 liters generating 600 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 458 lb-ft of torque at 5,800 rpm.The engine is incredibly powerful, capable of 217 mph (350 km/h).

Not to be confused with the upcoming Volkswagen Phaeton, which will contain a smaller W12 engine, and very likely be available in the American market long before the VW W12 is.

by Ryan Thompson November 6, 2004