bird screamer
v.— «California fishermen went to a meeting last December to find out which alternatives to shooting they are allowed to use. Approved methods include: slingshots, paint ball guns, and rubber bullets. They can also engage in “hazing” or circling the sea lion with the boat, pounding on the hull to scare them away, pyrotechnics (bird screamers, bangers, underwater firecrackers—also known as “seal bombs”), starter pistols, and horns, bells and whistles.» —“Frustrated fishermen shoot sea lions” by Meghan Gilliss Point Reyes Light (California) Oct. 23, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...
The new Downton Abbey movie is a luscious treat for fans of the public-television period piece, but how accurate is the script when it comes to the vocabulary of the early 20th century? It may be jarring to hear the word swag, but it was already at...