bullet catcher
n.— «We don’t like to use the term “bodyguard.”…t’s an antiquated term and you have a picture of a muscle-bound guy in an ill-fitting suit who is sort of lumbering in the background. We have a term for those types: We call them “bullet catchers.” They’re just there to look intimidating. We’re trying to dispel that myth. Our guys blend in.» —“Standing guard for rich and famous” by Billy Baker Boston Globe (Massachusetts) Feb. 25, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or...
National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign language. And third, find out what you truly believe, because if you’re not writing from...