boarding
n.— «Another problem plaguing the ER is bed availability. Patients must be kept in an ER bed while waiting for one to open up on the surgical floor. This process, called “boarding,” makes ailing people in the ER lobby sit, or stand, even longer.» —“The waiting game” by Angela Chambers San Antonio Current (Texas) July 5, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes...
When there’s no evening meal planned at home, what do you call that scramble to cobble together your own dinner? Some people apply acronyms like YOYO — “you’re on your own” — or CORN, for “Clean Out your Refrigerator...