circuit breaker

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)

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Further reading

Punny Names From 1916

In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...

That Burns My Onions!

A listener in Unadilla, New York, says her husband, whose family is French-Canadian, uses the phrase That burns my onions when something irritates him. There are several kitchen-related metaphors used to express anger, including that steams my...

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