dusty foot
n.— «Most head north along the same routes that Mexicans and Central Americans have long taken in their attempts to get to the US. Yet unlike other immigrants, Cubans simply walk across the US border and apply for residency: under the “wet foot, dry foot” policy, those caught in US waters are sent home, while those who reach land are usually allowed to stay. It’s become so common that it’s garnered a new phrase: “dusty foot.” But now, under the new policy between Cuba and Mexico, the majority could be repatriated home, says Molina Rios.» —“New Cuban escape route: via Mexico” by Sara Miller Llana Christian Science Monitor (Boston, Massachusetts) Nov. 5, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Need a slang term that can replace just about any noun? Try chumpie. If you’re from Philadelphia, you may already know this handy placeholder word. And there’s Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and … The Bronx — why do we add...
In 1968, students at Cheyenne High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming, compiled a collection of their own slang, including the word Clyde, used to refer to one’s head, as in Use your Clyde! This is part of a complete episode.
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