beater
n.— «The primary target for hunters are so-called “beater” harp seals—older pups that have shed their whitecoats and are weaned from their mothers. The seals are called beaters because they’re not yet swimming and if they fall into the water, they beat around frantically with their flippers.» —“Annual seal hunt off Newfoundland and Labrador off to slow start” in St. John’s, Newfoundland Canada.com Apr. 12, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Enthusiastic book recommendations! Martha’s savoring the biography of Alexander von Humboldt, the 19th-century explorer, polymath, and naturalist who revolutionized our understanding of nature and predicted the effects of human activity on...
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...