bitch hook
n.— «The sleigh wanted to hurtle down the hill, running over the horses. The solution to this was to get off, and apply what was called a “block chain” around the runner, with a hook known as a “bitch hook,” because it hung on so tightly that it wouldn’t let go. Now the horses could pull the sleigh down, rather than have to brake it all the way.» —“Times Past” by Paul Tapley Fall at Muskoka Resorts (North Muskoka, Ontario, Can.) Nov. 7, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Advice about college essays from the winner of a top prize for children’s literature: Kelly Barnhill encourages teens to write about experiences that are uniquely their own, from a point of view that is theirs and no one else’s. Plus, why do we say...
While compiling the Oxford English Dictionary, lexicographer James Murray exchanged hundreds of letters a week with authors, advisors, and volunteer researchers. A new collection online lets you eavesdrop on discussions about which words should be...