Potomac fever

American  

noun

1. the determination or fervor to share in the power and prestige of the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., especially by being appointed or elected to a government position.

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Etymology

Origin of Potomac fever

1965–70; after the Potomac River, on which Washington, D.C., is located

Example Sentences

The American taxpayers spend millions every year to employ these people in order to protect Potomac Fever victims in their very fragile conditions.

From Fox News

But income inequality has widened during his tenure, and with the mayor seemingly gripped by Potomac fever, some New Yorkers now see a tale of two De Blasios.

From Los Angeles Times

The author, Fletcher Knebel, wrote a popular syndicated column in the nineteen-fifties and early sixties, called “Potomac Fever,” before turning full time to fiction.

From The New Yorker

Half a century later, Potomac Fever has reached new heights; for the past two years and two months, it has been hard not to think periodically about that crucial addition to the Constitution.

From The New Yorker

A low-grade “Potomac fever” had coursed through the bloodstream of these investors, as they pursued a dream of luring settlers to the enchanted spot.

From The New Yorker