This is a list of words, phrases and abbreviations used especially in Chicago. Believe me, it will prove quite useful when you ask for directions and someone points you to LSD, or when you listen to traffic info and hear about the Ike. They’re all listed alphabetically.

Chi Town (Chi-town, Chitown, The Chi, Da Chi) - one of the many nicknames of Chicago. These variations are mostly used by locals. The two most famous nicknames (worldwide) are: The Windy City (even though it’s probably the most popular one, there are many theories as two where it came from since Chicago is not the nation’s windiest city); The Second City (originates in the rebirth of the city after the great fire of 1871 even though some consider it coming from the fact that for a good while Chicago had been the country’s second largest city after New York, before being pushed down by Los Angeles).

Ike - Interstate 290 (I290). A portion of the highway bears the name Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway. Considering Eisenhower’s nickname was “Ike”, many people refer to it as such.

Iron Mike - Nickname for Mike Ditka (legendary Bears’ coach).

King Drive - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. An important South Side street situated at the 800 E block running North/South which starts at E 22nd St and goes all the way South to E 115th St.

Loop - The historical center of downtown bounded on the west and north by the Chicago River, on the east by Lake Michigan and on the south by Roosevelt Rd (as established by the City of Chicago). If we are to think of it as the business district of Chicago’s downtown, the eastern boundary of the loop would be Michigan Ave and the southern one Congress Pkwy.

LSD (or The Drive) - Lake Shore Drive

Pop - soda

The El (a.k.a L, EL) - Chicago’s rapid transit system operated by the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). The name comes from the fact that much of the network runs on elevated tracks. However, certain lines (on certain segments) go at ground level or underground. (Check out pictures of The El and The El Facts Sheet.)

The Fridge - Nickname for Chicago Bears legend William “Refrigerator” Perry.

The Red Line Rivalry - The annual baseball game between the Cubs and the White Sox (Chicago’s two baseball teams)