brother-in-law
v. phr.— «That said, some players have found ways to make it look as if they’re working a lot harder than they actually are. It usually happens in training camp or, occasionally, in exhibitions. There’s even a name for it: brother-in-lawing. To brother-in-law means to have an agreement with the guy across the line of scrimmage, an understanding that you’re both going to take the play off, pretending to play hard when you’re just going through the motions. When it happens, it usually takes place in practice or exhibitions, and often in the trenches.» —“Off-Season Starts Early for Some” by Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times Dec. 30, 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...