dead man’s brake
n.— «There is also a “dead man’s brake” to stop the train if anything happens to the motorman.» —“Underground Pilots” by Marian McKay Chicago Defender June 11, 1949. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Chances are you recognize the expressions Judgment Day and root of all evil as phrases from the Bible. There are many others, such as the powers that be and bottomless pit, which both first appeared in scripture. • There’s a term for when the...
Gary in San Antonio, Texas, wonders if the term train of thought, meaning a line of reasoning or narrative, predates locomotives. It does indeed, going back to the idea of train meaning anything trailing behind, like a bridal train. This is part of...