30 Words That Mean Something Entirely Different In Richmond

1. Bum

What it means everywhere else: A vagrant or friend who is constantly bumming things from you. “He’s such a bum.”
What it means in Richmond: Slang for sexy or bomb. “That lady is bum!”

2. Rams

What it means everywhere else: Male sheep.
What it means in Richmond: Three letters: VCU. Go Rams!

3. Breaking Bad

What it means everywhere else: One of the most awesome TV shows to ever happen.
What it means in Richmond: A source of local pride. The creator, head writer and executive producer of Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan, was born right here.

4. PBR

What it means everywhere else: Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
What it means in Richmond: People’s Beer of Richmond. It just IS.

5. Milk Bottles

What it means everywhere else: The glass bottles milk used to come in during the olden days.
What it means in Richmond: Those huge milk bottles on the old Richmond Dairy Co. building and how you give directions to the Richmond Dairy Apartments, as in, “When you see the giant milk bottles, you’re there.”

6. D.C.

What it means everywhere else: The Capital of the United States; where the White House is located.
What it means in Richmond: Traffic. Lots and lots of traffic.

7. Southern Comfort

What it means everywhere else: A popular American bourbon.
What it means in Richmond: What you feel when you’re in Richmond, usually brought on by super friendly folks with a knack for southern hospitality.

8. Nickel

What it means everywhere else: A five cent coin that can’t get you anything these days.
What it means in Richmond: The Boulevard Bridge’s nickname and it’s not because it’s a nickel to cross it. It’s actually .35, but it’s still the Nickel.

9. Battleship

What it means everywhere else: The board game that brought two people together only to tear them apart with feelings of betrayal.
What it means in Richmond: The place with the largest, most incredible subs in the city.

10. Fed

What it means everywhere else: To feed, as in, “I fed the dog and he threw up all over my mother-in-law’s carpet.”
What it means in Richmond: The Federal Reserve Bank, one of the tallest buildings in the state of Virginia.

11. Donuts

What it means everywhere else: Those carby, sugary dough wheels you get at Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme.
What it means in Richmond: Those far superior carby, sugary dough wheels you get at Sugar Shack, Dixie Donuts, Duck Donuts or Country Style Donuts.

12. Hollywood

What it means everywhere else: Where all the stars live in Los Angeles.
What it means in Richmond: One of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country with 135 acres of valleys, monuments and tombs, including the final resting places of James Monroe, John Tyler, Jefferson Davis and John Randolph.

13. Gwar

What it means everywhere else: That crazy thrash metal band popular in the early 90’s for their ‘shock rock’ music and bloody shows.
What it means in Richmond: A much-loved local band who now has a restaurant and bar called Gwar Bar.

14. Black Sheep

What it means everywhere else: When you’re the only one in your family who doesn’t go to med school because underwater basket-weaving is your true calling.
What it means in Richmond: Where everyone goes for the best Southern and Cajun cuisine in Richmond, and where red flannel hash flows like a delicious river.

15. Virginia Beach

What it means everywhere else: The beach “right next to Richmond.”
What it means in Richmond: The beach that takes at least two hours to drive to on a good day.

16. The Fan

What it means everywhere else: A device used to blow air and cool you off.
What it means in Richmond: The nickname of Richmond’s historic district, The Fan District, full of rowhouses and Victorian homes.

17. Watermelon

What it means everywhere else: Your favorite fourth of July sweet treat.
What it means in Richmond: The fruit that is so spectacular, there is a whole festival for it.

18. Byrd

What it means everywhere else: “Bird” spelled in a hip, teeny-bopper way.
What it means in Richmond: A great theater for a cheap flick. You may even hear the Wurlitzer organ.

19. Plantations

What it means everywhere else: What you associate with white people and slavery.
What it means in Richmond: Beautiful landmarks and historical sites all over Richmond that make a great tour.

20. Haiku

What it means everywhere else: A 17-syllable, Japanese poem.
What it means in Richmond: Your new favorite sushi bar that opened in 2013, but then sadly closed in January of 2015.

21. Short Pump

What it means everywhere else: Some kind of pump that is short, obviously.
What it means in Richmond: An up-and-coming neighborhood in Richmond and where everyone goes to shop at the Short Pump Town Center.

22. Toledo Chicken

What it means everywhere else: A chicken that lives in or is from Toledo, Ohio.
What it means in Richmond: A delicious, authentic Mediterranean dining experience in Richmond. Toledo is actually the name of the Spanish city the restaurant owner’s mouth-watering spice rub originates from.

23. Magpie

What it means everywhere else: A pretty bird from the crow family.
What it means in Richmond: A delicious gastropub that serves up incredible local food and craft drinks.

24. Funny Bone

What it means everywhere else: The great misnomer of the human body, which, when smacked, has a side effect of cursing like a sailor.
What it means in Richmond: A kick-butt live-comedy club.

25. Sausage

What it means everywhere else: Breakfast meat.
What it means in Richmond: Jimmy Dean. There is no other kind.

26. NASCAR

What it means everywhere else: Cars driving in circles really fast.
What it means in Richmond: The most amazing sport in the world, best experienced at the Richmond International Raceway with a bunch of rowdy friends and beer.

27. Bookbinder’s

What it means everywhere else: People who used put books together for a living, but were replaced by machines.
What it means in Richmond: One of the most romantic places to take your sweetie for a special occasion for prime steak and seafood.

28. Flying Squirrels

What it means everywhere else: The coolest kind of squirrel. Other squirrels are jealous.
What it means in Richmond: Minor league baseball and Double-A affiliate of the SF Giants!

29. King’s Dominion

What it means everywhere else: The territory that a king controls, of course.
What it means in Richmond: Fifteen world-class coasters and only a 30 minute drive north.

30. Shyndigz

What it means everywhere else: Someone fell asleep on the keyboard.
What it means in Richmond: Where you go to eat cake until midnight.

What other words mean something different in the Richmond? Tell us in the comments below!