dead rubber
n.— «In Davis Cup parlance, it’s called a “dead rubber,” which has nothing to do with the soles of the players’ sneakers. Andy Roddick having spanked Razvan Sabau in straight sets, giving the Americans an insurmountable 3-1 lead yesterday, there was still one meaningless match to play on a sun-splashed afternoon at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.» —“Last match meaning is in eyes of beholders” by Don Norcross San Diego Union-Tribune (California) Feb. 13, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Trivia time! Where in the United States can you visit Soda City? If you answered Columbia, South Carolina, you’re right! This nickname apparently derives from an old practice of abbreviating Columbia as Cola. The locals then referred to the town as...
Michelle in Williamsburg, Virginia, wonders about the origin of alley-oop!, which she says when hoisting her toddler. It’s from French allez, the imperative of aller meaning “to go” and houp or hop, an onomatopoeic utterance made...