bring up the old man
v. phr.— «Bring up the old man—request to a new worker in fun. He sometimes comes back up with the janitor. An “old man” is the “backstop for a mechanical drill.”» —“Jargon from International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local No. 1, 208 East 54th St.” by Hatch in New York City Lexicon of Trade Jargon , 1938-39. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means “money.” In the same way, cat beer isn’t alcoholic — some people use cat beer as a joking term for “milk.” And imagine walking on a...
Have you ever googled your own name and found someone else who goes by the very same moniker? There’s a word for that: googleganger. Plus, the language of hobbyists and enthusiasts: If you’re a beekeeper, perhaps you call yourself a...