Essential English phrases

The limestone-soiled region around Lexington, and the reason the horse industry is here — the calcium builds strong bone in young thoroughbreds. Used as a place name, not a music genre.

The area code for Lexington and northern Kentucky, used locally as identity shorthand.

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. The city and the county merged in 1974 and there is now only one government for the whole of Fayette County. If a form asks for your city, it is also asking for your county.

The growth boundary Lexington adopted in 1958, one of the first in the United States. Outside it, development is heavily restricted, which is why horse farms start abruptly at the city edge — and why housing supply here is tighter than the flat landscape suggests.

The local wage tax withheld from your pay: 2.25% to the urban county government wherever you live, plus 0.5% to the school board if you are a Fayette County resident. It is not income tax and it is not on your state return.

University of Kentucky fans, and by extension most of the city. Wildcats basketball is the closest thing Lexington has to a civic religion and the calendar bends around it from November to March.

The racecourse west of town, which runs short meets in April and October and holds the world's largest thoroughbred auctions. In meet season the whole city dresses differently.

New Circle Road, the ring road that defines inside-versus-outside Lexington. 'Inside New Circle' means the older, walkable, more expensive half of the city.

Man o' War Boulevard, the outer arterial named for the racehorse. Between New Circle and Man o' War is where most of the post-1980 housing sits.

The distillery circuit through central Kentucky, with several distilleries within an hour of Lexington and more inside the city's Distillery District. Visitors do the trail; locals go to one and stay.

A sharp cheddar-and-beer spread invented in Clark County next door, served with crackers or celery in essentially every Lexington bar. Refusing it is a choice you will have to explain.

The city's non-emergency service line — dial 311 inside Fayette County, or (859) 425-2255 — for bins, potholes, street signs and everything else that is not a police matter.