Vitamin M

Vitamin M: An Indian English colloquialism in which the M stands for money. It can be used as a nudge-nudge-hint-hint euphemism for bribes and speed money, or to cynically acknowledge the factor that makes the world go round. A phrase for greasy babus and elderly Uncles.

"Every political leader needs Vitamin M (money) to run a party. If they refuse bribes, where will they raise party funds from! said a police inspector from North Mumbai. (Mid-Day, Dec 27, 2003)"

I got this from a site called Dick & Garlick: "Notes on Indian English, Hinglish, Tamlish, Bonglish & other -lishes". Subscribed!

I've always loved colourful slang. "Handing out wolf tickets" for being dangerously angry is one that I have remembered for years from an interview with Tom Waits, another connoisseur.

So to summarise, if I don't get my Vitamin M, I'm gonna be handing out wolf tickets!

PS Years ago Jane coined "ethereal killer" which is a deeply wonderful phrase that we have have never found a use for. I was always pretty sure that I was the onlie begetter of the easily misheard "infomaniac" to describe my work, but looking at Google it seems that that are a lot of others out there as well.