circuit breaker
n.— «The same kind of proposal is offered for property taxes, with a special commission endorsement of the “circuit breaker” provision of Wisconsin and Minnesota laws that give low-income elderly homeowners and renters credits against income taxes or outright refunds for sizable portions of the taxes they pay for shelter.» —“Income Tax Rise Urged On States” in Washington, D.C. New York Times Feb. 12, 1969. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...
David from Plymouth, Wisconsin, wonders about the expression a cord of wood. The phrase goes back to the 17th century and has to do with using a cord to measure a specific quantity of stacked wood. This is part of a complete episode.
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