blacking out
n.— «We haven’t been attacking the fire from the front, but controlling it from the flanks to stop it spreading.…The process was called “blacking out” which involved mopping up where the fire had burned already, dousing left-over flames and putting out smouldering embers.» —“Ruapehu firefighters feel the heat” by Andrew Koubaridis Wanganui Chronicle (New Zealand) Jan. 25, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Whether it’s a Rubik’s cube or a round of Wordle, why do so many of us find puzzles irresistible? A new book celebrates the allure and psychological benefits of brain teasers. Plus, powerful language for talking about the chronic...
Martha from Rock Hill, South Carolina, wonders about the phrase She’s got the botts, meaning “she’s pouting.” The botts, also spelled the bots, refers to “a general malaise or moody spell,” and the bot in this case is the same bot in the botfly, a...