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
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...
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...