atta-boy
n.— «“I like doing this sort of thing. I like helping people, and I’ve often said that this is probably one of the most enjoyable jobs I’ve ever had because we aren’t paid with money,” said Debra Sauerbier, Red Cross Volunteer. “We always refer to it as our atta-boys.”» —“A Holiday Without Pay” by Shari Small KSBY-TV (San Luis Obispo, California) Sept. 5, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means “money.” In the same way, cat beer isn’t alcoholic — some people use cat beer as a joking term for “milk.” And imagine walking on a...
There are eight major planets, but more than a million minor ones, including asteroids. If you discover one, you get the honor of naming it. The Dictionary of Minor Planet Names includes minor planets named for rock bands, jazz musicians, poets, and...