duster
n.— «Wells, rigs, drilling and dusters all appear in greater force than they did in the proceeding [sic] month. The latter class however are not in quite as strong force as the public outside of this field evidently anticipated. Four so called dusters are paying producers, two of the same being wells of a superior grade, while the two remaining ones will pay a handsome interest on the investment and possibly enable the investort [sic] to lay by something against the proverbial rainy day besides. That this field has been presistantly [sic] discriminated against and the character of its wells purposely misrepresented by the cowardice or jealously of outside capital, either or both, cannot be denied.» —“Allegany Field” The Democrat (Olean, N.Y.) Aug. 4, 1881. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Advice about college essays from the winner of a top prize for children’s literature: Kelly Barnhill encourages teens to write about experiences that are uniquely their own, from a point of view that is theirs and no one else’s. Plus, why do we say...
While compiling the Oxford English Dictionary, lexicographer James Murray exchanged hundreds of letters a week with authors, advisors, and volunteer researchers. A new collection online lets you eavesdrop on discussions about which words should be...